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2011 Toyota Avalon problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
7%
7 of 106 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2011 Toyota Avalon. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 7% of relevant complaints.

Better than 99% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2011 Toyota Avalon have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 7 of 106 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota Avalon concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (7%). For comparison, the 2010 scores 10% and the 2012 scores 8%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
7
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
106
this model year
Fires reported
0
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
1
14 crashes · 6 injuries

Complaints by component

STEERING31 · 29%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM25 · 24%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL11 · 10%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER10 · 9%
VISIBILITY/WIPER9 · 8%
SERVICE BRAKES7 · 7%

The years either side

2010
10%
4 of 46
2011
7%
7 of 106
2012
8%
2 of 30
2013
11%
15 of 160
2014
10%
9 of 96
2015
20%
9 of 53
2016
too few complaints
2017
too few complaints
2018
too few complaints
2019
47%
31 of 70
2020
too few complaints
2021
too few complaints
2022
too few complaints
2023
no data

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2011 compares with other Toyota Avalon years

Of the 7 Toyota Avalon years with enough complaints to score, the 2011 is the best on engine and transmission share (7%). The worst is the 2019 (47%). By volume, the 2011 drew 106 complaints (7 drivetrain), against 46 for the 2010 and 30 for the 2012.

Toyota Avalon years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2011 Toyota Avalon

  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

ENGINE12/13/2021
The engine has quit while in traffic several times and the check engine light and the skid control lights are the only lights lit on the dashboard. Once the car comes to rest and one waits 3 to 5 minutes, the car will restart. We have taken the car to the dealer twice, ( each time the had it for nearly a week) and they…

One of 7 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2011 Toyota Avalon engine and transmission recalls

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2011 Toyota Avalon, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

1 other recall on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
electrical system15V047000 · Jan 2015
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Toyota Avalon vehicles manufactured February 9, 2010, to October 22, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2011 Toyota Avalon? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2011 Toyota Avalon

Does the 2011 Toyota Avalon have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 7 of 106 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota Avalon concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (7%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

What is the most common problem with the 2011 Toyota Avalon?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2011 Toyota Avalon is steering: 31 of 106 complaints (29%) name it, followed by electrical system (25) and vehicle speed control (11). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 7% of the relevant total.

Is the 2011 Toyota Avalon reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 7% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 99% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 7 Toyota Avalon years we score, it ranks best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2011 Toyota Avalon?

No. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2011 Toyota Avalon, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Toyota Avalon years are better?

The 2011 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the Toyota Avalon years we track (7%). The other years run higher. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/toyota-avalon

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.