2020 Toyota Avalon: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
10 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 10 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 1.67
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
TIE ROD LOOSE I heard a clunking noise while turning the steering wheel to the left at very low speeds. Took car in for service Service Mechanic found left outer tie rod end "with play, loose" Safety issue: potential loss of steering ability while driving Vehicle has been inspected and repaired - (my cost $1308.94) - images attached No warning messages / appeared about a month before I went in... it became progressiv…
When refueling vehicle, gasoline backs up immediately, doesn't shut off gas hose and pours out all over vehicle and feet of person refueling. Today is the 4th time it's happened. It's been to Gettle Toyota of Lakewood in Bradenton FL for this exact complaint and was told there's nothing wrong with the vehicle.
on 3 lane expressway (US422)about 1/4 mile from where the lanes split( see attached). No cars in front of me but cars in the lane to my left slowed. My car suddenly braked causing the car behind me to swerve to my right to avoid a collision. The adaptive breaking (incorrectly) determined that there was a collision hazard, thus creating an actual collision hazard
Recalls: 3 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 20V682000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus… |
| 23V865000 | Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS)… |
| 20V734000 | Air Bags:Frontal | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Toyota Avalon and 2020 Avalon Hybrid, RAV4, and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles. Breakaway pins within the steering column, designed to absorb energy and reduce injury during a crash, could have been damaged during production, possibly affecting the performance of the driver's air bag in… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a full-size car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 25 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,450
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Fuel/Propulsion System5 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Forward Collision Avoidance2 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
- Air Bags1 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Steering1 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Vehicle Speed Control1 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
- Service Brakes1 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Toyota Avalon years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Toyota Avalon?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Fuel/Propulsion System (5 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2020 Toyota Avalon a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 85/100, computed from 10 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2020 Toyota Avalon's most common problem?
5 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2020 Toyota Avalon sit in the Fuel/Propulsion System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is fuel pump or injector replacement: about 3.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $680–$1,620 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2020 Toyota Avalon cost to run per year?
About $3,991 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $19,958 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2020 Toyota Avalon have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2020 Toyota Avalon, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 04/11/2020. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other fullsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2020 Toyota Avalon really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 10 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 10 NHTSA complaints on record (1.7/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (4.2/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality