The Lemon Index2002 Toyota Avalon.
The 2002 Toyota Avalon is one of the most reliable years by owner complaints: 31 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 41, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about tires, it has 1 recall, and it gets 22 mpg combined. The best Toyota Avalon year is 2017.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 116 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Toyota Avalon year. 2002 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 46K to 148K miles on the car (76 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- airbags complaints mostly came at 64K–172K miles
- speed control complaints mostly came at 47K–126K miles
Recalls 1
- steering 2010
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 AVALON VEHICLES.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Toyota told dealers about
Toyota sent dealers 109 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Accelerator pedal sensor assembly information regarding the inspection, removal, and…
- The purpose of this service bulletin is to provide information regarding the installation of…
- The purpose of this bulletin is to provide precautions to follow when installing an automatic
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★☆ · side ★★★★☆ · rollover ★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $2900 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.0L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
The vehicle was involved in a side collision, and the side air bags did not deploy.
2002 Toyota Avalon owner · NHTSA complaint 10025075
More owner reports
The left front tire tread separated from the wheel.
NHTSA complaint 10011423
The vehicle was involved in a head on collision while driving 15 mph yet the frontal air bags did not deploy.
NHTSA complaint 10017931
Quick answers
Is the 2002 Toyota Avalon reliable?
Yes, it is one of the most reliable by government complaints. It drew 2.4× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 41; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Toyota Avalon year by this measure is 2017.
What are the most common 2002 Toyota Avalon problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are tires (19%), airbags (16%) and speed control (10%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2002 Toyota Avalon have?
1 safety recall (latest: steering). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2002 Toyota Avalon get?
22 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2002 Toyota Avalon problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 46,200 and 148,200 miles. The middle report was at 91,000 miles, from 76 complaints.
Does the 2002 Toyota Avalon have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2002 Toyota Avalon cost in fuel a year?
About $2900 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2002 Toyota Avalon have?
3.0L 6-cyl.
What Toyota Avalon year is better than the 2002?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2017, 2016 and 2015.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works