2021 Toyota Avalon Occupant Classification Recall (23V865)

Recall 23V865 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2021 Toyota Avalon in recall 23V865?

A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.

Is it safe to drive a 2021 Avalon with recall 23V865?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the occupant classification.

Which vehicles are included in recall 23V865?

Recall 23V865 covers 999,901 vehicles: 2021 Lexus ES; 2021-2022 Lexus ES Hybrid; 2021 Lexus RX; 2021 Lexus RX Hybrid; 2021 Toyota Avalon; 2021 Toyota Avalon Hybrid; 2021-2022 Toyota Camry; 2021-2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid; 2021 Toyota Corolla; 2021 Toyota Highlander; 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid; 2021 Toyota RAV4; 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid; 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid.

NHTSA lists 999,901 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the Avalon occupant classification recall?

Yes. Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge.

Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.

Manufacturer recall number: 23TA15, 23LA03.

When was recall 23V865 announced?

Toyota Motor Corporation reported recall 23V865 to NHTSA on December 20, 2023.

This recall was filed 33 months ago. If your Avalon was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.

How do I check if my Avalon is part of recall 23V865?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 23V865 is open on your Avalon, it will be listed there.

Look up your VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls. If 23V865000 is open on your Avalon, it will be listed there, along with Toyota recall number 23TA15, 23LA03. You can also ask any Toyota dealer to run the VIN. The VIN is printed on your registration and visible through the lower driver-side windshield.

What should Avalon owners do about recall 23V865?

Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 23V865000 applies to your Avalon.
2. Book the recall appointment with any authorized Toyota dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
3. Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
4. Write down when symptoms involving the occupant classification happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
5. Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
6. If the recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.

What are Avalon owners reporting to NHTSA?

Owners have filed 1,531 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 443 of them about the air bags.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 1,531 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 443 of them involve the air bags. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.

• 2021 Toyota Highlander: 521 complaints in total, 42 about the air bags
• 2021 Toyota RAV4: 387 complaints in total, 125 about the air bags
• 2021 Toyota Corolla: 185 complaints in total, 52 about the air bags
• 2021 Toyota Camry: 157 complaints in total, 78 about the air bags
• 2021 Lexus RX: 70 complaints in total, 47 about the air bags
• 2022 Toyota Camry: 61 complaints in total, 10 about the air bags
• 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid: 43 complaints in total, 13 about the air bags
• 2021 Lexus ES: 28 complaints in total, 25 about the air bags

A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):

The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.

2021 Lexus ES owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11635078, filed January 9, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES 250. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.

2021 Lexus ES owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11635739, filed January 13, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES 300H. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.

2021 Lexus ES owner, AZ, NHTSA complaint 11638251, filed January 24, 2025

Can recall 23V865 make my Avalon a lemon in California?

Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.

A recall by itself does not make a car a lemon. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, what matters is whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety, and whether the manufacturer or its dealers fixed it within a reasonable number of attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).

Air bag defects are hidden until the moment they matter most. A recall repair may replace an inflator or sensor, but if warning lights return or the system faults again, that is a repeat repair for a safety defect.

A remedy is available. Many vehicles are fixed on the first try. If the problem returns after the recall repair, or the 2021 Toyota Avalon has needed other repairs for the same defect, those visits count toward a lemon law claim.

California law presumes a reasonable number of attempts has been made if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for any covered defect, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 days in total (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Some of these require written notice to the manufacturer. A claim can still succeed outside that window.

An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.

Frequently asked questions about recall 23V865