Toyota Corolla problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 8 model years (2018–2025), NHTSA has logged 1,147 owner complaints and 15 safety recalls for the Toyota Corolla. That averages 26.7 complaints per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical (index 0.66 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Compact cars segment it ranks #7 of 9 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 21.9.
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
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 16% of the 2018 and 2019 models (57 early complaints per model year versus 52).
The 2020 model year has the highest rate (46.1 complaints per year) and the 2018 model year the lowest (16.2). The 2020 model year runs at least 50% above this model's average of 26.7 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Engine (21.6% of complaints), followed by Transmission / powertrain (13.6%) and Airbags & seat belts (12.5%). 146 complaints (12.7%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 106 injuries and 4 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 204 complaints versus 232 in the previous 12 months — down 12%. The 2021 model year generated the most recent reports (37). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 35 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 investigations have covered this model, 1 still open; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (defect petition, opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Within its segment it has more complaints per year than Mazda Mazda3, Toyota Prius, Subaru Impreza and Kia Forte, but fewer than Hyundai Elantra and Honda Civic.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Fewest complaints | 142 | 16.2 | 0.4 | 8 | 3 | Fuel system | View › |
| 2019 | 205 | 26.3 | 0.65 | 26 | 5 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2020 ▲50%+ | 313 | 46.1 | 1.14 | 35 | 4 | Engine | View › |
| 2021 | 186 | 32.1 | 0.8 | 37 | 1 | Airbags & seat belts | View › |
| 2022 | 104 | 21.7 | 0.54 | 30 | 0 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2023 | 84 | 22.2 | 0.55 | 17 | 5 | Engine | View › |
| 2024 | 71 | 25.4 | 0.63 | 24 | 4 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2025 Too new to rank | 42 | 23.5 | 0.58 | 27 | 2 | Brakes | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 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: 204 · Previous 12 months: 232 Within ±30% year on year
Problem areas
Engine ›
248 · 21.6% · 0.97 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Transmission / powertrain ›
156 · 13.6% · 1.16 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Airbags & seat belts ›
143 · 12.5% · 3.28 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Unspecified or other ›
120 · 10.5% · 1.16 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Electrical ›
103 · 9.0% · 0.57 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Fuel system ›
76 · 6.6% · 1.53 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Brakes ›
74 · 6.5% · 1.07 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Body & structure ›
68 · 5.9% · 0.65 vs. all vehicles · Falling
Steering ›
43 · 3.7% · 0.58 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Wheels, tires & suspension
33 · 2.9% · 1.15 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Lighting
29 · 2.5% · 1.63 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Other
28 · 2.4% · 1.32 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Driver-assist systems
26 · 2.3% · 0.4 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 35 months
What owners report
The weekend of April 3rd, I was driving down a two lane road. There was a dip in the road that lead me to overcorrecting. I had then spun out 2 times, and flew me over a ditch, to smack down on to all 4 tires and slide into a duke energy pole.
I was driving home from church late Sunday night. A really rough storm hit and it knocked down a huge tree in the road covering the entire road. I did not see the tree until I got up on it and I went straight through it.
I am reporting a severe, recurring safety hazard on my 2020 Toyota Corolla. The vehicle suddenly displays 'Drive-Start Control Malfunction' and completely cuts off engine power in motion, leaving the car stranded in active traffic.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned: complete slave cylinder failure resulting in loss of braking and ability to shift.
My daughter was on the interstate using cruise control; wet roads but no heavy rain or puddling. The LTA pulled her car off the road, She had to fight to get control of the car to prevent hitting the middle concrete barrier.
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 | 325 | 6.0 | 0.15 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 15 | Electrical |
| 2 | Toyota Prius | 262 | 7.2 | 0.18 | Stable | Rising | 11 | Electrical |
| 3 | Subaru Impreza | 499 | 8.5 | 0.21 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 13 | Body & structure |
| 4 | Kia Forte | 549 | 12.9 | 0.32 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 10 | Engine |
| 5 | Volkswagen Jetta | 870 | 17.0 | 0.42 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 22 | Engine |
| 6 | Nissan Sentra | 935 | 19.3 | 0.48 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 15 | Electrical |
| 7 | Toyota Corolla | 1,147 | 26.7 | 0.66 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 15 | Engine |
| 8 | Hyundai Elantra | 1,434 | 28.7 | 0.71 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 19 | Engine |
| 9 | Honda Civic | 3,012 | 68.2 | 1.69 | 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
- 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…
- 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…
- 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 vehicle…