5 Of The Most Unreliable Used Toyotas To Stay Away From
The used car market can be very hit or miss, so it's important to know what you're looking for. With used car prices coming down, it's the perfect time to jump back into the market. There are some factors to be aware of, however, and certain models should be avoided if you can swing it. If you've narrowed down your purchase to Toyota, there are certainly some more reliable models than others.
It doesn't mean that anything you buy on this list will simply break down overnight, but there's a higher risk that issues could come up sooner rather than later. That's especially a problem in the used market where you might be picking up something that's five years old or more. You roll the dice on decisions like this every time you buy a used car, but knowing that some models run into problems more than others can help you maximize your odds and get the most out of your new ride. Toyota is overall known for quality rides, but that doesn't mean every model exists without problems.
2009 Toyota Corolla
The Corolla is generally one of Toyota's most reliable and best selling cars. Though when a company has been producing something for close to 60 years, it is almost guaranteed to have had at least one bad outing. In this case, its the 2009 edition — which was equipped with an inline four that suffered from many of the oil consumption issues Toyota's V6s from that time period became infamous for.
While an engine burning oil is bad enough on its own, and can pave the way for a catastrophic and expensive failure, the 2009 Corolla's issues didn't end with that. The water pumps fitted to the vehicle, which are responsible for circulating coolant through the engine and to the radiator, tended to fail. This in turn led to engines overheating, which can lead to things like head gasket failure and the kind of garage bills that will make a trip to the junkyard look like a solid option.
To make matters even worse, it was also the subject of several recalls. One was related to "pedal entrapment," which is every bit as much of a huge safety problem as it sounds; one related to an issue that disconnected the airbags; and there was a recall related to a power window motor being a downright fire hazard.
2019 RAV4
The 2019 Toyota RAV4 kicked off the fifth generation of the company's popular line of SUVs. Its inclusion in this list may come as a shock, as the fifth generation is one of the best incarnations of the RAV4 Toyota has produced, and should be an almost obvious choice for anyone considering a reliable utility vehicle. However, if you are shopping for a current-gen RAV4, make sure you pick up a 2020 model or later, because the ones built in 2019 had their fair share of problems.
That particular RAV4 is so bad in fact, that it made it into the top three most unreliable vehicles on Car Complaints. The problems that led to the SUV picking up a very unwanted bronze medal are numerous, but the main issue relates to the vehicle "hesitating and lurching." This problem seems to occur early on, with drivers reporting it at an average of only 3,000 miles. It is also an expensive fix, apparently, with bills of up to $20,000 according to the site. The second most common fault seems to be a leaking roof rack, which itself can cause a number of problems. You may just be looking at a damaged interior, or window fogging due to a damp environment within the vehicles cabin. But water getting into areas it shouldn't be is never good, and if the leak somehow finds an electrical component you could be looking at a very expensive repair bill. Several recalls have been issued for the 2019 RAV4, with some of the more serious ones relating to fuel pump failure, coolant leaks, and faulty suspension.
2007 Toyota Camry
The 2007 Toyota Camry is one of only two cars built by the Japanese manufacturer that appears on Car Complaints' top 20 list of most unreliable vehicles. Looking at customer feedback on the site, the main complaint 2007 Camry owners seem to have relates to "excessive oil consumption." This is a problem which affected a reasonable number of Toyotas around this time, but the Camry seems to have the worst reputation for it. Statistics show that users really noticed the oil burning issue at around 97,000 miles. While that may seem like a lot, a modern engine shouldn't be encountering a major issue like oil burning at that stage of its life. If oil is being burnt, it can get very low surprisingly quickly. An under-lubricated engine will almost certainly suffer catastrophic damage in a short space of time, and subsequently require an expensive replacement.
Due to the oil consumption issue, "engine problems" dominates the list of gripes owners have about the Camry — though problems were also reported relating to engine knocking, and the dash material warping. While the annoying faults plaguing unreliable cars can usually be fixed, multiple engine problems are always bad news. With a car that is over 16 years old and carrying this kind of reputation, avoidance is the best policy.
Any Avalon built between 2012 and 2015
The Toyota Avalon is the Japanese company's flagship sedan in the United States and several other countries. Unfortunately, close to 31,000 Avalons built between 2012 and 2015 suffer from a pretty major safety issue relating to the collision detection system. The recall notice that was spawned by this safety issue claimed that "The PCS would engage if its radar detected a steel joint or plate in the roadway as an object, stopping the vehicle and making it susceptible in a crash." In other words, the sedan would perform an emergency stop if it noticed a minor hazard in the road.
Performing such stops when you don't need to is in itself a major hazard, and could cause a serious accident. According to Kelley Blue Book, only 84% of the vehicles that were recalled have had this issue fixed. That basically means buying a second hand Avalon built between those years comes with a fair chance of disaster.
Still, it may not be a deal breaker. If the car was successfully recalled, there should be paperwork backing that up. Safety recalls don't expire either, so Toyota will fix the problem if you make an appointment and carefully drive an affected Avalon to a dealership.
2007 Toyota Sienna
The 2007 Sienna managed to dodge the oil burning issue that plagued many Toyotas of its time, but unfortunately the vehicles had other issues that solidified 2007's status as arguably the worst year in the Japanese company's history. While the 2007 Sienna's engine was solid, the main problem was transmission related. Slowing down could lead to major power loss. So if you hit the brakes to do something simple like make a turn, or give the car in front a bit more space, getting back up to speed could take a noticeable amount of time. There are also reports of total transmission failure happening on this particular vehicle.
The 2007 Sienna is also subject to a number of worrying recalls. A problem with the shift leaver assembly meant the car could be knocked out of park without the brake lever being pressed. And the assembly designed to hold the spare tire was prone to corrosion, which means said tire could detach, fall onto the road, and cause major issues for other drivers.