ToyotaAvalon XL1997Overview/toyota/avalon-xl/1997/base/

1997 Toyota Avalon XL

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1997 Avalon XL.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1997 Toyota Avalon XL is a passenger car specified with an automatic 4-speed transmission, and its routine service data call for 5 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 API engine oil. EPA ratings stand at 18/28/22 mpg city/highway/combined, giving it a combined-cycle efficiency figure of 22 mpg. Reliability records for this model year show 132 owner complaints, with steering listed as the most common problem area and one recall on file. That profile positions the 1997 Avalon XL as a useful baseline in the model's reliability history and points to steering components as the primary area to inspect on any used example.

Model year201020092008200720062005200420031997

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy18/28/22 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 360 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZD1. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 360 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnOFFOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205-65HR15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZD1
Engine air filter1780103010
Fuel filter2330029045 alt 2321762020
Front wiper blades85212YZZ08TM
Serpentine belt9008091212 alt 9091602401
Thermostat90916A3003 alt 1632562010

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length190.2 in
Overall width70.5 in
Overall height56.3 in
Wheelbase107.1 in
Curb weight3285 lb
Track (front / rear)61 / 60.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 28 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume106 cu ft
Cargo volume15 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, FINAL DRIVE: DEXRON in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear OilFINAL DRIVE: DEXRON
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2 Pints
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts239 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Gap0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing7-19 degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.32 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeND 8 oil
Oil Capacity6.90-7.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance360 cca
Optional BCI Group Number24F

Service checks

Engine Compression145-218 psi
Intake Valve Lash0.006-0.010 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.010-0.014 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket79 ft-lbs / 25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle76 ft-lbs / 34 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in / 0.0059 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in / 0.354 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in / 0.354 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.024 in / 0.315 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Rack & Pinion Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Fuel Evaporative Canister (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1997 Toyota Avalon XL lead in one area — the steering, 35 of 132 reports (27%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 1 recall campaigns target the steering, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 13 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the steering pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
71
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
132
Owner complaints
13 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 132 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering35
Suspension20
Power Train10
Tires9
Air Bags5
Vehicle Speed Control5
Seat Belts4
Electrical System4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

97V156000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Power AssistReported 17/09/1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, COLORADO, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, IOWA, KANSAS, MAINE, MICHIGAN,MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN BRAKE VACUUM HOSE.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 71 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB0032202023-08-17Air BagsTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
TTT0636202022-03-17Back Over PreventionTT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake…
Toyota PRO19-022022-01-12TiresPOL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all…
Toyota Safety Re2021-03-17Air BagsToyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
T-TT-0636-20 Rev2021-03-12Service BrakesTT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Avalon XL. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1997 Avalon XL take?

5 qt of ABOVE 0 F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 100 F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1997 Avalon XL have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Avalon XL get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 28 highway / 22 combined mpg.