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Toyota

2014 Toyota AVALON HYBRID

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2014 Toyota AVALON HYBRID has 21 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.0x the segment average of 21. The most common issue is other problems (24% of all complaints), specifically: when turning on the air conditioner in summer after the car has been sitting for a few hours or overnight; there is a musty, urine type smell. i did what toyota service recommended by not recirculating the air; which we rarely do unless dusty. the system default is for recirculating air and we swi. There are 2 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.

1 fire report 2 crash reports 2 injuries

21

Total Complaints

2

Recalls Issued

/5

Safety Stars

1.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

OTHER

5 complaints
24%
  • WHEN TURNING ON THE AIR CONDITIONER IN SUMMER AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A FEW HOURS OR OVERNIGHT; THERE IS A MUSTY, URINE TYPE SMELL. I DID WHAT TOYOTA SERVICE RECOMMENDED BY NOT RECIRCULATING THE AIR; WHICH WE RARELY DO UNLESS DUSTY. THE SYSTEM DEFAULT IS FOR RECIRCULATING AIR AND WE SWI
  • AIR CONDITIONING PROBLEM.IN THE MORNING WHEN TURN ON THE FAN THE AIR COME OUT IS VERY STINT.DURING THE DAY AFTER USING THE AIR CONDITIONING ,STOP THE CAR.WHEN YOU START THE CAR AGAIN THEN OPEN THE FAN THE AIR COME OUT HAS A FOUL ODOR.COMPLAIN 3 TIMES DURING 2014-2015 ,AS TOYOTA RECOMMEND CHANGING T
  • NHTSA RECALL 15V728 INVOLVING PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM. OVER 6 MONTHS HAVE PASSED SINCE I RECEIVED NOTICE OF THIS RECALL. TO DATE NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM OTHER THAN TELLING ME TO TURN OFF THE PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM. BOTH LEAVING IT ON OR TURNING IT OFF LESSEN THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE
Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

WHEN TURNING ON THE AIR CONDITIONER IN SUMMER AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A FEW HOURS OR OVERNIGHT; THERE IS A MUSTY, URINE TYPE SMELL. I DID WHAT TOYOTA SERVICE RECOMMENDED BY NOT RECIRCULATING THE AIR; WHICH WE RARELY DO UNLESS DUSTY. THE SYSTEM DEFAULT IS FOR RECIRCULATING AIR AND WE SWI

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2014 Toyota AVALON HYBRID

Based on 18 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 14K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage
0-30K
15
30-60K
3
60-100K
0
100-150K
0
150-200K
0
200K+
0

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (2)

AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE17/01/2020

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 bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.

Risk: In the event of a crash, air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners that do not deploy as intended may increase the risk of injury.

Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk beginning March 2, 2020. A second letter notifying owners of the remedy repair will be mailed between March 16, 2020 and June 27, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB03, 20TA03 and 20TA05.

Fuel Cost Calculator for 2014 Toyota AVALON HYBRID

Live EIA prices
Per year
$1,200
Per month
$100
Per mile
10.0¢
MPG
40
City driving (worst-case MPG)
$1,200/yr
Highway driving (best-case MPG)
$1,231/yr

Based on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.

5-Year Gas Price History

EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → today
Current
$4.00
5-year low
$2.78
5-year high
$5.01
Since 2021
+27%

Source: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2014 Toyota AVALON HYBRID

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.
Full coverage / year
$1,478
Full coverage / month
$123
Liability only / year
$611
vs US avg
-12%
How this estimate is calculated
US base full-coverage premium$1674
× state (US)1.00x
× vehicle class (sedan-midsize)0.96x
× theft risk1.00x
× safety rating1.00x
× vehicle age0.92x
= Full coverage estimate$1478

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Toyota AVALON HYBRID Service Intervals

Oil change
10K mi / 12 mo
Tire rotation
5K mi
Brake fluid
30 months
Transmission fluid
60K mi
Engine coolant
100K mi
Spark plugs
120K mi
Cabin air filter
30K mi
Engine air filter
30K mi
Differential (AWD/4WD)
60K mi

0W-20 synthetic oil recommended. ToyotaCare covers first 2 years / 25K miles of scheduled maintenance for new vehicles. Hybrid battery: 10 yr / 150K miles warranty.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Toyota New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)
3 yr / 36K mi
Powertrain
5 yr / 60K mi
Hybrid/EV battery
10 yr / 150K mi
Corrosion (rust perforation)
5 yr / unlimited mi
Roadside assistance
2 yr / 25K mi

Hybrid battery is 10yr/150K miles for 2020+ hybrids. ToyotaCare (2yr/25K miles complimentary maintenance) is included.

These are the terms for a new Toyota. If you're buying a used 2014 AVALON HYBRID, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Toyota dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

OTHER(~50K mi)
$500
SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)
$500
BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)
$500
WHEELS(~50K mi)
$500
ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)
$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 21 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

  • OTHER: WHEN TURNING ON THE AIR CONDITIONER IN SUMMER AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A FEW HOURS OR OVERNIGHT; THERE IS A MUSTY, URINE TYPE SMELL. I DID WHAT TOYOTA SERVICE RECOMMENDED BY NOT RECIRCULATING THE AIR; WHICH WE RARELY DO UNLESS DUSTY. THE SYSTEM DEFAULT IS FOR RECIRCULATING AIR AND WE SWI

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • SPEED CONTROL: WHILE TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON THE SAN FRANCISCO / OAKLAND BAY BRIDGE AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM (PCS) SPONTANEOUSLY ENGAGED, QUICKLY BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. THE ROAD AHEAD WAS CLEAR; THERE WERE NO OBSTRUCTIONS AND NO STOPPED TRAFFIC. FORTUNATELY NO CARS WERE TRAVELING CLOSE

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • BODY/STRUCTURE: ON OCTOBER 7, 2014, WE PURCHASED OUR CAR FROM NEW ROCHELLE TOYOTA. SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE BARELY DRIVEN THE CAR. AFTER FIVE MONTHS WE HAVE DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 1,700 MILES. WE HAVE SPECIFICALLY AVOIDED DRIVING THE CAR IN INCLEMENT WEATHER AND ON BUMPY ROADS. DESPITE OUR CARE, I NOTICED THAT

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • WHEELS: I WAS T-BONED BY AN UNLICENSED, UNINSURED DRIVER. HIS 1998 LINCOLN TOWN CARE HIT MY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, BACK DOOR. DESTROYED BOTH DOORS, FRONT FENDER, REAR FENDER, AND TWO TIRES. NO AIRBAG WENT OFF IN MY TOYOTA AND I WAS WONDERING WHY. I MAY HAVE A BROKEN BONE IN THE ROTOCUFF OF MY LEFT SHOULDER

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • RECALLS: Verify all 2 recalls have been completed — free at any Toyota dealer
  • General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)

Toyota AVALON HYBRID — Year Comparison

How does 2014 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.

Full years-to-avoid analysis →

NHTSA Safety Rating

No NHTSA safety rating available

At a Glance

Complaints
21
Recalls
2
Fire reports
1
Crash reports
2
Injury reports
2
Segment avg
21

Check a Specific VIN

See recalls for YOUR 2014 Toyota AVALON HYBRID