Toyota Corolla Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 11,738 consumer complaints across the 42 model years of the Toyota Corolla (1982–2026) that have at least 5 complaints. 2009 has the most, with 1,459. Across all years, the part named most often is air bags (4,681 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
Best and worst Corolla years →
All Corolla model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 18 | 824 | 1 | 25 | — | Too new |
| 2025 | 31 | 8,000 | 0 | 40 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2024 | 66 | 15,858 | 2 | 78 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2023 | 74 | 62,500 | 3 | 123 | 16 · Fewer | Too new |
| 2022 | 102 | 21,300 | 0 | 109 | 4 · Fewer | Rising |
| 2021 | 188 | 39,200 | 1 | 170 | 16 · Fewer | Rising |
| 2020 | 311 | 10,000 | 3 | 201 | 66 · More | Rising |
| 2019 | 204 | 12,400 | 5 | 204 | 57 · Typical | Stable |
| 2018 | 135 | 17,000 | 3 | 183 | 41 · Typical | Falling |
| 2017 | 178 | 13,500 | 3 | 242 | 46 · Typical | Falling |
| 2016 | 215 | 25,000 | 1 | 268 | 40 · Typical | Falling |
| 2015 | 220 | 30,000 | 1 | 323 | 34 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2014 | 269 | 35,000 | 2 | 440 | 40 · Typical | Falling |
| 2013 | 201 | 25,500 | 5 | 353 | 56 · Typical | Falling |
| 2012 | 446 | 36,509 | 5 | 350 | 53 · Typical | Falling |
| 2011 | 584 | 31,000 | 9 | 356 | 81 · More | Falling |
| 2010 | 1,244 | 6,000 | 17 | 395 | 100 · More | Falling |
| 2009 | 1,459 | 23,000 | 13 | 372 | 100 · More | Falling |
| 2008 | 314 | 39,694 | 6 | 156 | 68 · More | Stable |
| 2007 | 836 | 46,900 | 6 | 143 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2006 | 840 | 56,414 | 7 | 143 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2005 | 854 | 69,889 | 6 | 158 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2004 | 477 | 60,000 | 9 | 136 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2003 | 720 | 86,000 | 9 | 122 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 117 | 62,000 | 0 | 92 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2001 | 133 | 62,500 | 0 | 86 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 2000 | 145 | 69,750 | 0 | 70 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1999 | 155 | 66,900 | 0 | 46 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1998 | 225 | 77,800 | 0 | 45 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1997 | 135 | 99,000 | 1 | 35 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1996 | 129 | 80,000 | 0 | 32 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1995 | 176 | 150,000 | 2 | 31 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1994 | 172 | 120,000 | 2 | 31 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 130 | 101,000 | 2 | 27 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1992 | 63 | 98,000 | 1 | 27 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1991 | 71 | 100,252 | 0 | 27 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1990 | 27 | 75,000 | 0 | 27 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1989 | 23 | — | 1 | 19 | — | Stable |
| 1988 | 26 | 65,000 | 0 | 19 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1987 | 14 | 10,000 | 0 | 17 | — | Not enough data |
| 1984 | 6 | 50,000 | 2 | 17 | — | Not enough data |
| 1982 | 5 | 190 | 0 | 15 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Air bags4,681 43%
- Steering1,188 11%
- Vehicle speed control1,161 11%
- Electrical system882 8.2%
- Brakes837 7.8%
- Engine cooling727 6.7%
- Transmission and drivetrain675 6.3%
- Other or unknown640 5.9%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2003: “I am writing with concern to see if the recall on my daughters 2003 Toyota air bag issue was truly fixed, she was involved in a traffic accident where according to everyone's opinion the airbags should have went off however they did not. Is there any way to see if the recall work was actually done by the company who states they did the repair ??”
NHTSA complaint #11395728, filed 2021-02, 190,000 miles2015: “I was at a complete stop, when I was rear ended by a driver going approximately 40mph. The impact shoved me into the car in front of me as well. None of my airbags went off and the insurance adjusters believe the car is totaled. I had a previous accident where I was t-boned in drivers side and none of the airbags went off at that time either”
NHTSA complaint #11405982, filed 2021-04, 107,316 miles2017: “My has a critical safety issue with air bags not deploying I didn't know until I renew my registration and I found out that there is a air bag recall on my vehicle. I was not notified of the recall I have kids and this is very dangerous not knowing that air bags are not ready to deploy this should not happen to anyone as it a critical safety issue.”
NHTSA complaint #11325341, filed 2020-05, 38,700 milesOther Toyota models
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About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology