Toyota Corolla problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 8 model years (2018–2025), NHTSA has logged 1,128 owner complaints and 15 safety recalls for the Toyota Corolla. That averages 27.0 complaints per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical (index 0.64 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Compact cars segment it ranks #7 of 9 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 23.0.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
Over eight model years from 2018 to 2025, the Toyota Corolla has recorded 1,128 owner complaints and 15 safety recalls, averaging 27.0 complaints per year which is lower than typical vehicles with an index of 0.64. While the 2020 model year shows the highest rate at 46.0 complaints per year and runs at least 50% above the average, the 2018 model year had the lowest at 16.3. The most common problem area is Engine accounting for 21.5% of complaints, followed by Transmission / powertrain at 13.3% and Airbags & seat belts at 12.5%, with recurring terms including "bypass", "valve", "engine maintenance", "maintenance required" and "coolant". Owners report 105 injuries and 4 deaths across all model years, while 144 complaints or 12.8% describe a crash or fire, and the latest defect investigation covers "Pedestrian alert sounds".
Summary drafted by an AI model running on our own server from the figures on this page, and checked number by number against the data before publishing. The statistics and the analysis above come from our fixed methodology, not from the model.The trend is flat. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models are within 19% of the 2018 and 2019 models (57 early complaints per model year versus 52).
The 2020 model year has the highest rate (46.0 complaints per year) and the 2018 model year the lowest (16.3). The 2020 model year runs at least 50% above the model's own average — the one to research most carefully.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Engine (21.5% of complaints), followed by Transmission / powertrain (13.3%) and Airbags & seat belts (12.5%). Recurring terms in owner reports: “bypass”, “valve”, “engine maintenance”, “maintenance required” and “coolant”. 144 complaints (12.8%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 105 injuries and 4 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 210 complaints versus 235 in the previous 12 months — a steady pace. The 2021 model year generated the most recent reports (41). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 34 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 15 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2019 (4). 3 NHTSA defect investigations have covered this model, 1 still open; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Segment peers with fewer complaints per year include Mazda Mazda3, Toyota Prius, Subaru Impreza and Kia Forte; Hyundai Elantra and Honda Civic have more.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Complaints in first 2 years on the road | vs. same-year average | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Fewest complaints | 141 | 16.3 | 0.39 | 40 | 0.45 | 7 | 3 | Fuel system | View › |
| 2019 | 201 | 26.2 | 0.62 | 65 | 0.81 | 25 | 5 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2020 Years to research carefully | 307 | 46.0 | 1.09 | 63 | 1.11 | 35 | 4 | Engine | View › |
| 2021 | 185 | 32.6 | 0.77 | 37 | 0.61 | 41 | 1 | Airbags & seat belts | View › |
| 2022 | 100 | 21.4 | 0.51 | 46 | 0.62 | 29 | 0 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2023 | 83 | 22.6 | 0.54 | 57 | 0.69 | 18 | 5 | Engine | View › |
| 2024 | 69 | 25.8 | 0.61 | 57 | 0.81 | 24 | 4 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2025 | 42 | 25.1 | 0.6 | — | — | 31 | 2 | Brakes | View › |
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 210 · Previous 12 months: 235 Steady
Problem areas
Engine ›
243 · 21.5% · 0.97 vs. all vehicles · Falling
- bypass133
- valve144
- coolant146
- engine maintenance84
Transmission / powertrain ›
150 · 13.3% · 1.14 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- slave cylinder38
- clutch53
- transmission65
- manual23
Airbags & seat belts ›
141 · 12.5% · 3.27 vs. all vehicles · Falling
- air bags56
- deploy42
- airbags30
- notification air22
Interior & equipment ›
120 · 10.6% · 1.19 vs. all vehicles · Falling
- bypass30
- valve39
- maintenance required18
- coolant34
Electrical ›
100 · 8.9% · 0.56 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- discrepancy7
- odometer fraud6
- sale7
- communication module4
Fuel system ›
75 · 6.6% · 1.54 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- fuel53
- system gasoline32
- gasoline air10
- notification numbers11
Steering ›
42 · 3.7% · 0.57 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- steering36
- wheel25
- right14
- alignment7
Wheels, tires & suspension
33 · 2.9% · 1.17 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- tire21
- dot6
- size7
- yokohama4
Lighting
29 · 2.6% · 1.64 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- headlight18
- night17
- shadow8
- dark10
Other
28 · 2.5% · 1.37 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- cruise16
- set speed6
- control17
- accelerated6
Driver-assist systems
26 · 2.3% · 0.4 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- cruise8
- lane8
- alert5
- adaptive5
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Common terms in reports
- bypass176
- valve197
- engine maintenance113
- maintenance required104
- coolant194
- slave43
- air bags94
- clutch63
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 34 months
What owners report
I pulled into XXX drive way at 6:53pm XXX. By 7:12 pm we were on the phone with 911. My car alarm when off. I went over to my car. It was smoking had a bad smell it smelt like it was about to explode. It wouldn’t let me unlock the car.
I was broadsided at the front end of the drivers side on Saturday 07/25/2026 by a wayward vehicle drifting into my lane. After the crash, the airbags deployed and then I could not open the driver seat door.
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the steering wheel seized, with the message "Power Steering Low" displayed. The master warning light illuminated, and the vehicle veered off into a ditch.
The Coolant Bypass Valve needs replacement and my car only has 94,000 miles on it I called Toyota to see if the part and labor were cover under their 100,000 miles/ 10 years warranty and they are saying that it is not,yet on Google and all over online forums…
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while shifting gears on several occasions, the clutch was sticking. Additionally, while shifting from 1st to 2nd gear, the clutch was almost stuck to the floorboard.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Compact cars
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mazda Mazda3 | 318 | 6.6 | 0.16 | Improving | Falling | 15 | Electrical |
| 2 | Toyota Prius | 250 | 7.0 | 0.17 | Stable | Rising | 11 | Electrical |
| 3 | Subaru Impreza | 494 | 9.5 | 0.23 | Improving | Steady | 13 | Body & structure |
| 4 | Kia Forte | 534 | 12.7 | 0.3 | Improving | Rising | 10 | Engine |
| 5 | Volkswagen Jetta | 843 | 18.0 | 0.43 | Improving | Steady | 22 | Engine |
| 6 | Nissan Sentra | 904 | 19.5 | 0.46 | Improving | Steady | 14 | Electrical |
| 7 | Toyota Corolla | 1,128 | 27.0 | 0.64 | Stable | Steady | 15 | Engine |
| 8 | Hyundai Elantra | 1,404 | 32.0 | 0.76 | Worsening | Steady | 19 | Engine |
| 9 | Honda Civic | 2,937 | 73.3 | 1.74 | Worsening | Falling | 14 | Steering |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 15
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 0
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2018 (3) · 2019 (5) · 2020 (4) · 2021 (1) · 2022 (0) · 2023 (5) · 2024 (4) · 2025 (2)
Investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture Open
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupt…
- Electrical overstress Closed
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect. During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicl…
Frequently asked questions
Which Toyota Corolla model year has the most complaints?
The 2020 model year has the highest rate (46.0 complaints per year) and the 2018 model year the lowest (16.3).
Is the Toyota Corolla getting better or worse?
The trend is flat. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models are within 19% of the 2018 and 2019 models (57 early complaints per model year versus 52). In the last 12 months owners filed 210 complaints versus 235 in the previous 12 months — a steady pace.
What are the most common Toyota Corolla problems?
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Engine (21.5% of complaints), followed by Transmission / powertrain (13.3%) and Airbags & seat belts (12.5%). Recurring terms in owner reports: “bypass”, “valve”, “engine maintenance”, “maintenance required” and “coolant”.
How does the Toyota Corolla compare with other Compact cars?
Within the Compact cars segment it ranks #7 of 9 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 23.0. Segment peers with fewer complaints per year include Mazda Mazda3, Toyota Prius, Subaru Impreza and Kia Forte; Hyundai Elantra and Honda Civic have more.
Does the Toyota Corolla have recalls or open investigations?
Recalls: 15 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2019 (4). 3 NHTSA defect investigations have covered this model, 1 still open; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).