1997 Toyota Avalon: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 1997 Toyota Avalon
On the 1997 Toyota Avalon, the failure owners report most often is steering rack, gear or tie rod failure, with 32 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 100,000 miles. Overall it scores 65 out of 100, high risk for a 1997.
High risk for a 1997 — 91st riskiest of the 243 1997 vehicles we can rate. 155 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What owners report breaking
Owners have reported 37 named failure modes on the 1997 Toyota Avalon, and the three most-reported carry 34% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure leads with 32 reports and about 5.1 per 1,000 vehicles.
Seat belt or retractor failure follows with 10 reports.
Other suspension problem follows with 10 reports, median 240,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into steering (45), suspension (23) and airbag (12).
At what mileage it happens
35 of the reports on the 1997 Toyota Avalon came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 100,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 9% by 50,000 miles, 54% by 100,000 miles and 80% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 6 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 50,000 and 60,000 miles, which alone holds 11% of the dated reports.
3% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, so this is mostly a story about older, higher-mileage cars.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 37. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 6 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
What happens when these parts fail
Across the named modes, 15 mention a crash, 7 an injury and 2 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.85, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: steering rack, gear or tie rod failure at $700–$2,600, seat belt or retractor failure at $200–$900, other suspension problem at $350–$2,000 and strut, shock or spring failure at $500–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
10% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 32 | 6 | — | 51k | — | 5.1 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | 1.6 | $200–$900 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 10 | 1 | — | 240k | — | 1.6 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Strut, shock or spring failure | suspension | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | 1.4 | $500–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 8 | 1 | — | 60k | — | 1.3 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 6 | 3 | — | 142k | — | 1.0 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Oil leak | engine | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.8 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| Power steering pump or fluid leak | steering | 5 | 4 | — | 87k | — | 0.8 | $350–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.8 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 5 | 1 | — | 96k | — | 0.8 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 5 | 3 | — | 51k | — | 0.8 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 4 | 3 | — | 139k | — | 0.6 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 4 | 2 | — | 98k | — | 0.6 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.5 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 3 | 2 | — | 295k | — | 0.5 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Loss of power steering | steering | 3 | 3 | — | 99k | — | 0.5 | $600–$2,800 | Critical |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.5 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.5 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 2 | 1 | — | 48k | — | 0.3 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Engine sensor failure | electrical | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $180–$900 | Moderate |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Wiper or washer failure | glass | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $120–$800 | Moderate |
| Other engine problem | engine | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 2 | 1 | — | 142k | — | 0.3 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Complete engine failure or seizure | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $4,500–$12,000 | Critical |
| Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 120k | — | 0.2 | $1,200–$4,500 | Critical |
| Excessive oil consumption | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $900–$6,500 | High |
| Shifter, linkage or stuck-in-park failure | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 100k | — | 0.2 | $250–$1,400 | High |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 1 | 1 | — | 170k | — | 0.2 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Master cylinder or brake booster failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $450–$2,200 | Critical |
| Airbag deployed without a crash | airbag | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $2,500–$8,000 | Critical |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 1 | 1 | — | 220k | — | 0.2 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.6 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 1997 Toyota Avalon draws about 25 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 93rd percentile of complaint rates among 1997 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 6,248 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 1997 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure
I purchased a brand new 1997 toyota avalon for my wife. The vehicle has just recently turned over 29,000 miles, and obviously has passed the 3 year warranty. However, it has yet to reach the normal 36,000 mile warranty mark. On january 18, 2003 I noticed a large puddle of fluid underneath the car. I checked the fluid levels, and found that the power steering reservoir was almost empty. I took the car to the local toyota dealership (where I purchased the car) and was informed that the power steering rack was leaking, and would have to be replaced at a cost of $850.00 plus tax, for a re-manufactured part. I contacted the customer service rep with the dealership, and was told that there was nothing they could do, even though the vehicle had such low mileage. He suggested I contact toyota corporate, but that due to the current economic conditions, that toyota was not being very generious with "good will" compensations. I called toyota coroporate in california and lodged my complaint. While I have yet to hear back from them (it is now february 6, 2003) I was given the impression that nothing would be done to help me defrey the cost of…
I purchased a 1997 toyota avalon xls with 55,000 miles on it from leith toyota in raleigh north carolina in march of 2002. I now have 74,000 miles on it and have discovered that the power steering pump and complete power steering rack needs to be replaced at the cost of $1200.00. I do not understand why I should be responsible for this. I have reviewed the ntsb website and there are numerous complaints of the same problem. Why is there not a recall? I tried to get the dealership to cover some of the costs and all they offered was a free rental. Maybe I should write oprah, seems everyone listens to her and see if she can make it public!
Recalls on the 1997 model year
NHTSA has issued 1 recall campaign covering the 1997 Toyota Avalon, affecting an estimated 6,248 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover service brakes, hydraulic:power assist. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST
18,746 vehicles 1997-09-17- Defect
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the states of alaska, colorado, idaho, illinois, iowa, kansas, maine, michigan,minnesota, montana, nebraska, nevada, new hampshire, new york, noth dakota, south dakota, vermont, wisconsin, and wyoming. A condition can occur where accumulated moisture can temporarily freeze in the brake vacuum hose if the vehicle is used in extremely cold climates for an extended period of time.
- Consequence
- This can result in the elimination of vacuum assist to the brakes that can increase stopping distances and could lead to a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a new design brake vacuum hose.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 1997 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Where 1997 sits in the model line
High risk for a 1997 — 91st riskiest of the 243 1997 vehicles we can rate. The comparison is always within the same model year, so an older car is never penalised for having had longer to break.
Across the 25 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 1996 comes out best at 55 and 2019 worst at 77, with 1997 itself at 65.
If the model year is negotiable, 1996, 2004 and 2002 score lower than 1997 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 1996–1999 generation specifically, 1996 is the strongest year at 55 and 1999 the weakest at 74.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 1996-1999 generation, 1996 Toyota Avalon scores best at 55 and 1999 Toyota Avalon worst at 74.
Where these figures stop being useful
155 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 155 reports, 35 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 23% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Toyota Avalon?
The most-reported failures are steering rack, gear or tie rod failure (32 reports, median 50,000 miles), seat belt or retractor failure (10 reports) and other suspension problem (10 reports, median 240,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 1997 Toyota Avalon reliable?
It scores 65 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 91st riskiest of the 243 1997 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 1997 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Toyota Avalon is best?
Within the 1996–1999 generation, 1996 scores best at 55 out of 100 and 1999 worst at 74. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed