The Lemon Index2003 Toyota Avalon.
The 2003 Toyota Avalon is better than average by owner complaints: 29 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 62, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about speed control, it has 2 recalls, 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 293 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Toyota Avalon year. 2003 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 49K to 118K miles on the car (138 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 73K–137K miles
- speed control complaints mostly came at 30K–87K miles
Recalls 2
- airbags 2015
Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the.
- 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 110 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Front suspension lower arm installation torque
- Accelerator pedal sensor assembly information regarding the inspection, removal, and…
- The purpose of this service bulletin is to provide information regarding the installation of…
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
When driving and applying brakes engine would start to rev this would cause a hesitation in the vehicle when the accelerator was depressed. Had taken to dealer and the problem had not been resolved.
2003 Toyota Avalon owner · NHTSA complaint 10038252
More owner reports
While stepping on the brake pedal vehicle suddenly accelerated. This caused the vehicle to collided with a house. Vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection numerous times, but mechanic was not able to duplicate the problem.
NHTSA complaint 10079445
The consumer experienced sudden acceleration when placed in reverse.
NHTSA complaint 10047875
Quick answers
Is the 2003 Toyota Avalon reliable?
Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.6× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 62; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Toyota Avalon year by this measure is 2017.
What are the most common 2003 Toyota Avalon problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are speed control (38%), airbags (28%) and brakes (17%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2003 Toyota Avalon have?
2 safety recalls (latest: airbags). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2003 Toyota Avalon get?
22 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2003 Toyota Avalon problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 49,700 and 118,500 miles. The middle report was at 82,500 miles, from 138 complaints.
Does the 2003 Toyota Avalon have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2003 Toyota Avalon cost in fuel a year?
About $2900 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2003 Toyota Avalon have?
3.0L 6-cyl.
What Toyota Avalon year is better than the 2003?
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