Buyer Research

2013 Toyota Avalon — Should You Buy One?

Typical asking price: $9,000–$14,000. There are 2 high-severity known issues you need to know before handing over a check.

Deciding between model years? Compare the 13 Toyota Avalon years we've written up →

Kestrel Take

First year of the redesigned Avalon, and the 160 complaints read like a first-year car: a rear headliner that sags off the back glass, a power rear sunshade that jams, sunroof drains that leak, and dash glare — annoyances, not breakdowns. The serious items are all recalls: the Pre-Collision System braking on its own (15V728), an airbag control unit that can go quiet in a crash (20V024), a wiper switch that can short, and an A/C drain that can flood the airbag module. Run the VIN through NHTSA and confirm all four are closed before you talk price. Underneath, the 3.5L V6 and six-speed are the same proven pair from the Camry and Lexus ES, and the hybrid shares its drivetrain with the Camry Hybrid. With the recalls done and the headliner fixed, this is a lot of quiet, comfortable car for the money.

What we checked

Reconciled against public records, 2026-09-25

NHTSA holds 160 owner complaints for the 2013 Toyota Avalon, and 4 recall campaigns.

A big number here usually means a lot of these were sold, not that it is a bad vehicle — popular models collect more complaints for the same rate of trouble. So the total on its own says little. What is worth reading is the shape of it. The largest single group is glass, wipers and mirrors at 19%. That is notable without being overwhelming — worth checking, not worth panicking about.

4 recall campaigns cover this model year. Recalls are repaired free, for any owner, with no time limit on most safety campaigns — but only if someone books it in. Ask the seller to show it was done, or have any dealer check the VIN; it takes them a couple of minutes and costs nothing.

Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.

Known Issues for the 2013 Toyota Avalon

Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents. How we decide that.

Pre-Collision System brakes hard for no reason, plus acceleration reports at parking speed (recall)High — wallet impact

Recall 15V728 covers 2013–2015 Avalons with the optional Pre-Collision System: the radar can misread a steel road plate or guard rail and slam the brakes on an empty highway. Owners describe exactly that — two hard stops twenty minutes apart at 65 mph with nothing ahead. The fix replaces PCS components free, but the remedy did not ship until mid-2016, so many cars sat with an open recall for a year. This cluster also holds several reports of the car surging while braking in a parking lot (8 of the 25 involve a crash) and one intermittent stall that three dealers could not reproduce. Check the VIN for 15V728, then test the radar cruise on a quiet road and watch for any phantom braking.

Repair cost: $0 with the recall — verify it was performed

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under throttle and cruise control (25); 4 NHTSA recall campaigns on this model year.

Airbag control unit can fail in a crash; A/C drain can flood the airbag module (two recalls)High — wallet impact

Two separate recalls touch the airbag system on this year. 20V024 (2012–2018 Avalon) covers an airbag ECU that can malfunction during a crash and fail to fire the bags or seat-belt pretensioners; dealers add a noise filter to the module harness. 13V442 covers a clogged A/C condenser drain that lets water pool on the airbag control module and short it, which can disable the airbags or set them off with no crash; dealers seal the housing and fit a cover. Seven of the 17 airbag complaints are non-deployment reports after a crash. Both fixes are free — the only question is whether they were done. A wet passenger-side carpet on this car is a reason to walk, not haggle.

Repair cost: $0 with the recall — verify it was performed

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under airbags (17); 4 NHTSA recall campaigns on this model year.

Rear power sunshade jams up, headliner sags over the back glass, distorted rear windowMedium

The biggest cluster at 19% of complaints, and it is almost all about seeing out the back. The power rear sunshade sticks in the raised position and blocks the rear window; the fix is a new shade motor or the whole assembly. The rear headliner peels off the roof and hangs into the glass line — Toyota patched many under warranty, and a well-known problem on the 2013. A handful of owners also report the rear glass itself distorts the view and a wiper switch recall (13V505) that can short and kill the wipers. Run the shade up and down twice, look at the headliner edge at the back glass, and sight through the rear window from the driver's seat.

Repair cost (estimate): $200–$900 for the sunshade; $300–$800 to re-glue or replace the headliner

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under glass, wipers and mirrors (31); 4 NHTSA recall campaigns on this model year.

Headliner falling at the sunroof, sunroof drain leaks staining the roof, dash glare in the windshieldMedium

The STRUCTURE cluster is the same headliner story from the other side: the fabric-covered board lets go around the moonroof and behind the rear glass because the fasteners fail. Several owners found water marks in all four corners of the headliner from sunroof drain tubes that back up — check the A-pillar and C-pillar fabric for tide marks and sniff for mildew. The light-colored dash on some trims also throws a bright reflection into the windshield in low sun, which owners flagged as a safety issue; Toyota never changed it, so sit in the car in daylight and see if it bothers you. One 2024 report of rust starting under trapped debris behind the rear quarter panels.

Repair cost (estimate): $150–$800

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the body and structure (27).

Windshield wiper switch can short out and stop the wipers (recall)Medium

Recall 13V505 covers the 2013 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid: the wiper switch assembly can short-circuit and leave the wipers dead in the rain. Dealers replace the switch free. It has been open since late 2013, so most cars have had it done, but a quick VIN check settles it. If the wipers hesitate or run only on one speed during the test drive, that is a second reason to ask.

Repair cost: $0 with the recall — verify it was performed

Source: 4 NHTSA recall campaigns on this model year.

Walk-Away Red Flags

✗Rear sunshade that stalls partway or will not come down
✗Headliner drooping at the back glass or around the moonroof
✗Water stains or mildew smell in the roof fabric or passenger footwell
✗Radar cruise that brakes with nothing in front of it
✗Any open recall on the NHTSA VIN lookup

Good Signs

✓All four recalls shown complete on the NHTSA VIN lookup
✓Headliner reattached or replaced with a dealer invoice
✓Sunshade cycles smoothly up and down on command
✓Transmission fluid and coolant changed on Toyota's schedule with receipts
✓Hybrid battery health report from a Toyota dealer on the Avalon Hybrid