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2013 Toyota Avalon problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
11%
15 of 160 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2013 Toyota Avalon. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 11% of relevant complaints.

Better than 97% 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 2013 Toyota Avalon have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 15 of 160 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2013 Toyota Avalon concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (11%). For comparison, the 2012 scores 8% and the 2014 scores 10%. 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
15
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
160
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
4
18 crashes · 21 injuries

Complaints by component

STRUCTURE27 · 17%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER26 · 16%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL25 · 16%
VISIBILITY/WIPER21 · 13%
AIR BAGS17 · 11%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM15 · 9%

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 2013 compares with other Toyota Avalon years

Of the 7 Toyota Avalon years with enough complaints to score, the 2013 is the 3rd-worst on engine and transmission share (11%). The worst is the 2019 (47%), the best the 2011 (7%). By volume, the 2013 drew 160 complaints (15 drivetrain), against 30 for the 2012 and 96 for the 2014.

Toyota Avalon years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2013 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

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM07/18/2013CRASH1 INJURED
MY WIFE WAS IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE WITHOUT RESULTS. THE CAR CONTINUED FORWARD ABOUT 10 FEET,AND WAS STOPPED ON IMPACT BY A PICNIC TABLE AND SIDE OF A BUILDING. SHE RECEIVED A WHIPLASH INJURY, RECENTLY DIAGNOSED AS HERNIATED DISKS, AND IS CURRENTLY UNDER MEDI…

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

2013 Toyota Avalon engine and transmission recalls

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2013 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.

4 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags: air bag/restraint control module20V024000 · Jan 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. During certain crashes, the air…
forward collision avoidance: crash imminent braking15V728000 · Nov 2015
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Avalon and Avalon Hybrid vehicles manufactured October 19, 2012 to October 27, 2015 and 2013-2015 Lexus…
visibility: windshield wiper/washer: switch/wiring13V505000 · Oct 2013
Toyota Motor Engineering & manufacturing North America, Inc. (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Camry and Camry HV, model year 2013 Avalon and Avalon HV and model year 2014 Corolla…
electrical system13V442000 · Oct 2013
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Avalon, Avalon HV, Venza, Camry, and Camry HV vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning condenser may become…

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

Checking one particular 2013 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 2013 Toyota Avalon

Does the 2013 Toyota Avalon have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 15 of 160 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2013 Toyota Avalon concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (11%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

What is the most common problem with the 2013 Toyota Avalon?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2013 Toyota Avalon is structure: 27 of 160 complaints (17%) name it, followed by vehicle speed control (25) and visibility/wiper (21). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 11% of the relevant total.

Is the 2013 Toyota Avalon reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 11% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 97% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 7 Toyota Avalon years we score, it ranks 3rd-worst. 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 2013 Toyota Avalon?

No. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2013 Toyota Avalon, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Toyota Avalon years are better?

Among the Toyota Avalon years we track, the 2011 (7%), the 2012 (8%) and the 2010 (10%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2013 (11%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. 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.