Before being discontinued, the Avalon was Toyota’s flagship sedan.
Like any car, it can beep for various reasons, and at times these can be a mystery.
If your Avalon keeps beeping, this article is here to help…
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Toyota Avalon Beeping
The most common causes of beeping on a Toyota Avalon include the dash camera, weight on the passenger seats, headlights being left on, low key fob or 12V battery, navigation alerts and faulty latches and/or door switches.
Beeping can be caused by a wide range of things, we’ve detailed the most common ones below.
1. Dash Camera: SD Card Not Fully Inserted
If you have the Toyota factory installed dashcam you’ll likely hear this beep on startup.
You won’t see any warning lights come up on the dash, however, if you look behind your rearview mirror where the dashcam is located, you will see the dash camera flashing.
If you see an error flash, you may notice the micro SD card has not been fully inserted into the camera.
By pressing the SD card into the dashcam, this should stop the beeping.
However, if the SD card is in and it’s still beeping, press and hold the ‘action’ button while you turn on the car.
- Make sure the vehicle is completely off
- Make sure you are parked on level ground
- Make sure the camera has shut off
- Press and hold the action button
- Then start your vehicle
By doing so you will recalibrate your vehicle.
You should hear a couple of beeps and see a green light and you’re good to go.
2. Dashcam Beeps
If you have a dashcam equipped, check to make sure it’s not the source of your beeping. If you hear the beep after going over a bump or a rough patch of road etc. then this is likely the dashcam recording an incident notification. You will need to adjust the sensitivity and/or volume settings.
3. Headlights ON
An audible warning will sound if you have left the driver door open and the exterior lamps are ON.
4. Doors / Trunk Not Shut Properly
When driving ensure all doors and the trunk are properly shut.
Inspect for anything obstructing the doors.
5. Key Fob Battery
Make sure your key fob battery isn’t running low, try swapping out the battery.
Ensure the battery is inserted correctly and the inside of the key fob is free from dirt and dust.
6. Seatbelt Alarm & Weight on Seat
The seatbelt alarm is a known suspect for annoying beeps.
There might be a faulty sensor that isn’t recognizing that your seatbelt is fastened.
Alternatively, you may have some weight on the passenger seat like a bag of groceries or your pet pooch which is triggering an alarm.
In which case you can try fastening the passenger seatbelt.
Related: Toyota Avalon: 12 Common Problems (Solution Guide)
7. Navigation Alerts
Many mysterious beeps can be attributed to navigation alerts and this is common on many vehicles. You can disable the navigation or the navigation alerts to see if the problem goes away.
8. Faulty latches Or Switches
If you are experiencing beeping whilst driving your Avalon, this may be caused by a faulty door switch or latch, if you have a ‘door ajar’ light on the dashboard then this is almost certainly the case.
Faulty latches are quite common – you may need to have it replaced although you should first try giving all latches a good clean and spraying with something like WD-40.
Similarly door switches can fail over time – they report the open/closed status of the door and might be sending false readings to the cars computer.
9. Spare Keys Left in Vehicle
If you’ve left a spare set of keys in your Avalon you may hear a warning beep when you go to lock the vehicle as it thinks you are trying to lock the keys in the car.
10. Phone Alerts
Your phone could be the source of your beeping, especially if it is connected by Bluetooth.
11. BSM
The Blind Spot Monitor warns the driver if someone is in their blind spot or if someone is coming up behind your vehicle when you start to reverse, a warning light will flash in your mirror and it should also make a beeping sound.
12. Faulty Headlight or Ignition Switches
A faulty headlight switch or a faulty ignition switch may be the cause of the beeping.
Since the headlights being on, or the key being in the ignition will cause the chime to sound, one of these switches may have a loose connection or be faulty.
13. Weak 12V Battery
A weak 12V battery can cause a myriad of problems.
To rule this out of the equation, simply have a battery health check performed.
These can be done at AutoZone for free.
Also check to ensure the connections are tight and free of dirt and grime.
14. Parking Brake
If the parking brake is engaged while the vehicle is in motion, the Avalon will try to indicate the driver to release it by beeping.
Rightfully so, as driving with the parking brake engaged will wear out brake pads and make them less effective, it’s also not very safe.
15. Loose Connection: Seat Belt Sensors
Loose wiring or a bad electrical connection may be triggering a beeping noise.
It’s worth checking underneath every seat in the vehicle and checking / pressing together all the plastic wire connectors to ensure they are all tight.
It’s also a good idea to do the same behind the glovebox.
16. Headlight Blown
Check to make sure that none of your lights have burnt out, you should check your rear lights and brake lights too.
17. Aftermarket Alarm & Devices
Aftermarket alarms and devices can often be a source of beeps.
If you are not mechanically inclined have an auto electrician take a look for you to see if you have one fitted and whether or not it can or should be removed.
18. Electronic Devices Inside or Outside of The Car
The beeping may not actually be coming from your Avalon. Do you have any other electronic or battery-powered devices in your vehicle or your garage that could be causing the beeping? Usually, it’s their batteries going bad.
For example, a garage door opener, a smoke alarm, a carbon monoxide detector, or a dropped wristwatch.
“Had a similar beep every 30 seconds and could not isolate it. Make a long story short, it was in the garage door opener that has a 12V battery back up for AC power loss. What a relief to find it after researching ever possibility on our 2013 Avalon.” – CarGurus.com
Related: Toyota Avalon Alarm Going Off? (13 Causes & Solutions)
Toyota Avalon Beeping While Driving
If you are experiencing beeping whilst driving your Toyota Avalon, this may be caused by a faulty door latch, if you have a ‘door ajar’ light on the dashboard then this is almost certainly the case, these latches can often become stuck.
Faulty latches are very common across all vehicles – you may need to have a latch replaced although you should first try lubricating it with something like WD-40.
If it’s not related to the door sensor/latch then it could be caused by a damaged wire.
A lot of mysterious beeps and electrical issues can be traced back to damaged wires or loose electrical connections.
Avalon Beeps When Exiting Vehicle
If you are hearing a beep or chime when you turn off your Avalon this is likely because you opened the door first without turning off the engine. It may also be caused by if you left the sunroof open.
No Chime:
- Engine running
- Put vehicle into Park.
- Turn off the Engine
- Open the door.
Chime:
- Engine running
- Put vehicle into Park
- Open the door
- Turn off the Engine
It may be possible to disable this using the Toyota Techstream software.
Toyota Avalon Not Beeping When Locked
If your Avalon isn’t beeping when you lock it, it may be because the lock beeps have been turned off. The procedure to turn the beeps back on is fairly straightforward.
This trick is common across a wide range of Toyota vehicles from various years and isn’t specific to the Camry.
- Sit inside the vehicle leave the door open
- Put the key in the ignition
- Release it straight away
- Put the key back in
- Turn the key to ON
- Count to 10
- Press any key on the fob, release.
- Press it again.
- You should hear a beep, that means it worked.
- Step outside the vehicle and test it out.
Common Beeping Causes
- Door / trunk open or not closed properly
- Traction control (beeps when it activates)
- Exceeding speeds set in cruise control
- Door is open and key is ignition
- Seatbelt not fastened
- Headlights on / key in ignition when door is open
- Low fluids e.g. windshield waher fluid, engine oil etc.
- Reversing (in some cases)
- Spare set of keys locked in car
- A warning / error condition on the instruments
- Low fuel
- RSA (road sign assist)
- Lane Sway Warning (excessive swaying within the lane markings)
- Lane Departure Alert
- BSM (blind spot monitor)
- ICS (Intelligent Clearance Sonar)
- Park Assist
- PCS (Pre-Collison System)
- Red light camera warning beep
- Cell phone left under a seat
- Aftermarket head units
- Car battery needs replacing
- Faulty parking sensors
Alternative Suggestions
Check for Recalls or TSBs
By entering your car’s VIN number on Toyota’s recall page or the NTHSA’s Safety Issues & Recalls page you can determine whether or not there is a TSB or recall for your vehicle and if there is you’ll want to get it addressed.
A recall is issued by a vehicle manufacturer for issues that are safety-related, while a TSB covers components that may be malfunctioning but don’t compromise the safety of the vehicle.
Watch the Dash Display
This could give you a clue about what’s causing the beeping.
For example, does the beep sound when the ECO light comes on?
Also, keep an eye on the radio / infotainment screen, this might give a clue too.
Disconnect the Battery
Sometimes mysterious beeping problems can disappear with a simple reboot, there are no guarantees here but it’s worth a try.
Disconnect the battery for 20 seconds and this resets many of the electronics in the vehicle.
Check For Warning Messages
When the beeping occurs can you see any lights or warning messages on the instrument panel?
This can give a clue as to what’s causing the beeps e.g. ‘Door Ajar’.
Take it to a Toyota Dealership
If needed, take your Toyota to the dealership.
- Tell them you are NOT paying for a check on what the problem might be.
- Ask them if they will check it for free.
- Most dealerships and other places do quick/initial diagnosis for no money as they plan to make money for the repair of your vehicle.
- If your unit is still under warranty then they should fix and resolve the issue for free.
Diagnosing Beeps With a Scanner
Another possible option, if you’re hearing a beeping sound, is to use an OBD2 diagnostic scanner tool.
These are fairly easy to use, you simply plug them into your car – there’s usually an OBD2 port under the steering wheel.
Once you have the scan codes you can research these online specifically for the Avalon.
There are also OBD apps available so you can connect your car straight to your smartphone (either with a cable or Bluetooth) without even needing a scanner.
Resources
https://www.toyota.com/owners/resources/warranty-owners-manuals.avalon.2020
https://www.toyota.com/owners/resources/warranty-owners-manuals.avalon.2019
