2003 Toyota Avalon air bags problems
184 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the air bags on the 2003 Toyota Avalon — 63% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“March 13, 2026, I was on a road trip from CA to AZ and while driving around 75-80mph (speed limit), something in the driver's side seat belt or the shoulder holster exploded, the belt tightened, and something metal or plastic flew off. Shortly after (within 30 seconds or so), the passenger's side…”
filed Apr 20, 2026
“I was driving back home, out of no where my car went out of control, went left, then right, hit something and flipped over twice to end in a hill against the traffic with 4 flat tires. The air bag did not deployed. I did hit the windshield. The car was total.”
filed May 22, 2023
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail, causing the…Campaign 15V043000 · Jan 28, 2015
Air Bags problems in other Avalon years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Avalon | 12 | 57% |
| 2019 Avalon | 1 | 1% |
| 2018 Avalon | 6 | 25% |
| 2016 Avalon | 4 | 17% |
| 2015 Avalon | 7 | 17% |
| 2014 Avalon | 7 | 7% |
| 2013 Avalon | 14 | 10% |
| 2012 Avalon | 6 | 20% |
| 2011 Avalon | 2 | 2% |
| 2010 Avalon | 2 | 4% |
| 2009 Avalon | 5 | 5% |
| 2008 Avalon | 8 | 2% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2003 Toyota Avalon
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.