Buyer Research

2018 Toyota Avalon — Should You Buy One?

Typical asking price: $19,000–$25,000. 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

The last of the 2013-generation Avalon, sold alongside the all-new 2019, and 24 complaints is a small record — a lot of it recall paperwork rather than breakdowns. But the two recalls are the serious kind. 20V012 is the Denso fuel pump that can quit and stall the engine on the road; 20V024 is an airbag control unit that can fail to fire the bags in a crash, and five of the six airbag complaints here are exactly that — a crash with no deployment. Both are free fixes and both had parts shortages through 2020, so plenty of cars went months with the work open. Two owners also describe the power steering dropping out or the car jerking sideways at highway speed. Check the VIN for both recalls, drive it at 70 mph with your hands light on the wheel, and if it passes, the proven 3.5L V6 and six-speed make this a sound, comfortable car — on a record too small to call it more than that.

What we checked

Reconciled against public records, 2026-09-25

NHTSA holds 24 owner complaints for the 2018 Toyota Avalon, and 2 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 airbags at 25%. That is notable without being overwhelming — worth checking, not worth panicking about.

2 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 2018 Toyota Avalon

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

Fuel pump can fail and stall the engine while driving (recall)High — wallet impact

Recall 20V012 is the Denso low-pressure fuel pump recall: the pump impeller can deform, the engine runs rough, loses power, and can stall outright at speed with no restart. One owner describes the engine almost quitting for several seconds at a time under acceleration, unpredictably; two others simply could not get the replacement pump for months in 2020 because dealers had none. The remedy is a new fuel pump, free. If the car hesitates or stumbles on a hard pull, or the check-engine light is on with a fuel-trim or misfire code, assume the pump until proven otherwise. Confirm the campaign is closed on the VIN before you pay a dollar.

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

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the fuel system (3); 2 NHTSA recall campaigns on this model year.

Airbags may not fire in a crash — control unit recall, and five owners say it happenedHigh — wallet impact

Recall 20V024 covers 2012–2018 Avalons: electrical noise can make the airbag ECU malfunction during a crash and stop the airbags and seat-belt pretensioners from deploying. The fix is a noise filter added between the module and its harness. Five of the six airbag complaints on this year are crashes with no deployment, including a totaled front-end collision and a 2025 crash where the driver says the seat belt failed to lock as well. Two more owners could not get the recall done for lack of parts. You cannot inspect an airbag module, but you can make sure this recall shows complete, and you should not drive the car home if it does not.

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

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under airbags (6); 2 NHTSA recall campaigns on this model year.

Electric power steering cuts out at highway speed; car jerks to one side under accelerationMedium

Four steering complaints, two involving a crash. The most specific: at 42,000 miles and 70 mph approaching a curve, the power steering warning and the master triangle lit together and assist disappeared — the car still steers, but heavily and suddenly. Another owner had the car jerk right at 60–70 mph under throttle; a shop called it torque steer, which on a front-drive V6 with 268 hp can be alignment, a tired engine mount, or uneven tire wear. This generation uses electric assist in the column, so a failure is electrical, not a leaking pump. On the test drive, hold 70 mph on a straight road with light hands, then floor it from 40 mph and see if the wheel pulls. Scan for stored steering codes.

Repair cost (estimate): $1,200–$2,800 for an electric power steering column or rack; $100–$400 for an alignment or a mount

Source: NHTSA complaints filed under steering (4).

Walk-Away Red Flags

✗Either recall (20V012 fuel pump, 20V024 airbag ECU) still open on the NHTSA VIN lookup
✗Stumble, surge, or momentary loss of power on a hard pull from 40 mph
✗Power steering or master-warning triangle lighting during the test drive
✗Wheel tugging to one side when you accelerate hard at highway speed

Good Signs

✓Both recalls shown complete on the NHTSA VIN lookup, ideally with the dealer invoice
✓Replacement fuel pump invoice dated 2020 or later
✓Steady, light steering at 70 mph with a clean scan for steering codes
✓Toyota dealer service history through the 5-year mark
✓Tires wearing evenly across all four corners