What are the most common problems with the 2000 Toyota Avalon?

Steering is named in the most NHTSA complaints at 34, followed by air bags at 26, engine at 22 and brakes at 21. In a sample of steering complaints, owners describe the wheel locking.

Does the 2000 Toyota Avalon have recalls?

Yes, two. Recall 10V345 replaces the steering interlock device because the steering lock bar can break and lock the wheel. Recall 00V154 covers rear axles that may be weak, with dealers replacing the rear axle hub assemblies.

What gas mileage does a 2000 Avalon get?

The EPA rating is 19 MPG city, 27 MPG highway and 22 MPG combined on regular fuel.

Is the 2000 Avalon a good year?

It has 173 complaints, more than 1999 (92) and 2001 (134), but fewer than every year from 2003 through 2008. Counts are not adjusted for sales, so check recall work and service history on the car itself.

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2000 Toyota Avalon: problems, recalls and fuel economy

Updated October 23, 2026. Based on NHTSA and EPA records. Published by Humblebee.

The 2000 Avalon has 173 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, and steering is the component group they name most often^[1]^[2]. A recall covers a steering lock bar that can break and lock the wheel, so any car you look at should have that recall work done^[3].

173owner complaints^[1]

2recalls^[4]

22MPG combined (EPA)^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

NHTSA has 173 owner complaints for the 2000 Avalon^[1]. Of those, 43 mention a crash, 2 a fire and 30 injuries, with no deaths reported^[1]. These are unverified reports, and one complaint can name more than one part.

Component group	Complaints	Crashes	Injuries	Median miles at failure
Steering	34	10	3	109,450
Air bags	26	16	17	74,150
Engine	22	2	0	67,544
Brakes	21	5	3	42,500
Speed control	20	12	8	57,918
Visibility	17	0	2	not listed
Suspension	13	1	0	46,838
Electrical system	11	0	0	111,014

Figures in the table come from NHTSA's component counts^[2]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]. One electrical complaint mentions a fire^[12].

Here is what owners describe in a sample of complaints we read:

Steering. Several owners describe the steering wheel locking, sometimes when starting a parked car and sometimes while moving, with near misses or a low-speed crash^[2]. Others describe the car pulling to one side, a vibrating wheel or stiff steering that alignments did not fix^[2]. The locking reports match the failure described in recall 10V345^[3].
Air bags. Owners describe front or side air bags that did not go off in a collision, often a side impact, some with injuries^[6]. A couple describe an air bag warning light that keeps coming on while the dealer finds nothing^[6].
Engine. Owners describe oil sludge and white smoke at startup, with the dealer blaming missed oil changes while the owner says the car was serviced on time^[7]. Others describe stalling, the engine cutting out or the car not starting, and a check engine light traced to the emissions charcoal canister^[7].
Brakes. Owners describe a pedal that sinks close to the floor or a car that takes too long to stop, and a squeak or click when switching between reverse and forward^[8].

Speed control complaints are fewer, but 12 of the 20 mention a crash and 8 mention injuries^[9]. We did not read sample texts for that group, so we cannot say what those owners describe.

Recalls

Steering lock bar (10V345). Filed July 29, 2010, for 2000-2004 Avalons, with 372,593 units potentially affected^[3]. A casting flaw can let a small crack form on the steering lock bar. Over years of locking and unlocking, the crack can grow until the bar breaks. If that happens, the steering wheel locks and the driver cannot steer, which raises the risk of a crash. Dealers replace the steering interlock device for free^[3].
Rear axle (00V154). Filed June 5, 2000, with 541 units potentially affected^[13]. Some rear axles were not heat treated properly and may be weak in spots. After long use, the rear axle shafts could fail or break. Dealers inspect the car and replace the rear axle hub assemblies^[13].

Our data does not show whether a specific car had this work done. Ask the seller for records or check the VIN with a Toyota dealer.

Fuel economy

The EPA rates the 2000 Avalon with the 3.0L 6-cylinder engine, 4-speed automatic and front-wheel drive at 19 MPG city, 27 MPG highway and 22 MPG combined on regular fuel^[5]. EPA puts the annual fuel cost at $3,050^[5]. That estimate uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices from when the car was new.

Safety ratings

NHTSA lists the 2000 Avalon sedan as not rated under its 5-Star Safety Ratings program^[14]. So there is no NHTSA star score to compare for this year.

Engine and size

The EPA test vehicle uses a 3.0L 6-cylinder engine with a 4-speed automatic and front-wheel drive^[5]. Our data does not include a horsepower rating for this year.

The sizes below are Canadian-market specifications for the Avalon 4-door sedan XL/XLS and can differ slightly from US models^[15].

Measurement	Value
Length	192 in
Width	72 in
Height	57 in
Wheelbase	107 in
Curb weight	3,439 lb

Values are converted from centimeters and kilograms^[15].

How 2000 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Avalon model year. The 2000 is highlighted^[4].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
1995	80	0
1996	109	0
1997	125	1
1998	178	1
1999	92	1
2000	173	2
2001	134	2
2002	116	1
2003	293	2
2004	205	3
2005	228	7
2006	360	7
2007	243	6
2008	349	6
2009	91	7
2010	46	7
2011	106	1
2012	30	4
2013	160	4
2014	114	4
2015	53	2
2016	25	4
2017	14	2
2018	25	2
2019	72	5
2020	10	4
2021	27	2
2022	8	0

NHTSA lists 173 complaints and 2 recalls for the 2000 Avalon^[4]. The years right around it have fewer complaints: 1999 has 92 and 2001 has 134^[4]. Among the 1995 to 2002 years, only 1998 has more, with 178^[4].

Across all 28 Avalon years in the data, seven have more complaints than 2000: 1998 (178), 2003 (293), 2004 (205), 2005 (228), 2006 (360), 2007 (243) and 2008 (349)^[4]. The lowest counts are in recent years, such as 2022 with 8 and 2020 with 10^[4].

These counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long they have been on the road, so treat them as a rough guide.

Should you buy a used 2000 Avalon?

The 2000 Avalon draws more complaints than the years on either side of it, and steering tops the list^[4]^[2]. The steering lock recall addresses a failure that can leave you unable to steer, so make sure the car has had the free fix before you buy^[3]. Air bag complaints include 16 crashes and 17 injuries, though these are unverified reports^[6]. Owners in our sample also describe engine sludge, so service records showing regular oil changes are worth asking for^[7]. If the recall work is done and the records look good, it can be a reasonable choice at 22 MPG combined^[5].

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2000 Toyota Avalon?: Steering is named in the most NHTSA complaints at 34, followed by air bags at 26, engine at 22 and brakes at 21^[2]^[6]^[7]^[8]. In a sample of steering complaints, owners describe the wheel locking^[2].
Does the 2000 Toyota Avalon have recalls?: Yes, two. Recall 10V345 replaces the steering interlock device because the steering lock bar can break and lock the wheel^[3]. Recall 00V154 covers rear axles that may be weak, with dealers replacing the rear axle hub assemblies^[13].
What gas mileage does a 2000 Avalon get?: The EPA rating is 19 MPG city, 27 MPG highway and 22 MPG combined on regular fuel^[5].
Is the 2000 Avalon a good year?: It has 173 complaints, more than 1999 (92) and 2001 (134), but fewer than every year from 2003 through 2008^[4]. Counts are not adjusted for sales, so check recall work and service history on the car itself^[3].

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 173 owner complaints on file for the 2000 Toyota Avalon (43 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 30 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
34 complaints name the steering component group (10 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 109,450). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 10V345, filed July 29, 2010: Steering. NHTSA recall database
Owner complaints and recalls for every Toyota Avalon model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Avalon, 3.0L 6-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 27 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
26 complaints name the air bags component group (16 crashes, 0 fires, 17 injuries, median mileage at failure 74,150). NHTSA vehicle records
22 complaints name the engine component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 67,544). NHTSA vehicle records
21 complaints name the brakes component group (5 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 42,500). NHTSA vehicle records
20 complaints name the speed control component group (12 crashes, 0 fires, 8 injuries, median mileage at failure 57,918). NHTSA vehicle records
17 complaints name the visibility component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
13 complaints name the suspension component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 46,838). NHTSA vehicle records
11 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 111,014). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 00V154, filed June 5, 2000: Suspension › Rear. NHTSA recall database
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR None: not rated. NHTSA vehicle records
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, AVALON 4DR SEDAN XL/XLS: length 192 in, width 72 in, height 57 in, wheelbase 107 in, curb weight 3,439 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.