1997 Toyota Corolla Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the front seat belts, which in many complaints stop retracting or jam in the retractor and sometimes will not release or buckle. Air bag complaints are the second theme, mostly occupants reporting that the bags did not deploy in a collision, with a smaller group describing unwanted deployment; brakes, cruise control and door locks also come up. Most sampled complaints were filed at higher mileages, and the seat belt reports tend to be gradual fitment problems rather than sudden failures.

1. 1
   Seat belts

   Seat belt will not retract, release, or latch

   • 29 complaints (21%)
   • median 55,000 mi at 9.5 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2010

   Owners describe the driver or passenger shoulder belt sticking in the retractor, so it cannot be pulled out to buckle, or failing to retract after release. Some say the belt locks tight and will not let the occupant lean forward, and others report it will not unlatch until pried open. Complaints mention belts replaced once or several times with the problem returning, and dealers are described as declining repairs or quoting replacement at the owner's cost once the car is out of warranty. Scattered across all ages of the car, with reported mileages from about 50,000 to 170,000; several owners say the same belt needed work more than once.

   What to check: Pull each shoulder belt out fully and let it retract, then latch and release every buckle; ask whether any belt or retractor has been replaced and whether it still works.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I do not feel that when or if an accident ever occurs to this vehicle that the seat belts will operate correctly. They have been repaired and/or replaced on several occasions and still they do not recoil properly. I have to drive my family in this vehicle everyday and I've tried to return the car to the dealer but they will not be fair and are trying to force me to pay severe penalties. I'm not in a favorible position in the lease. …”

   NHTSA complaint #722210, filed 2000-05

   “Driver seat belt won't come out have to actually be moving and apply brake to get it to work. Am currently tring to get dealer to fix. Also seems to lock when driving, but release when brake is applied. Second problem occurred when braking sudeenly. Something hit transmission control, putting vehicle into neutral while driving. Should not be able to move without depressing safety button but did. (possibly was hit by something in car?) dt”

   NHTSA complaint #769253, filed 2002-11
2. 2
   Air bags

   Air bags did not deploy in a collision

   • 27 complaints (20%)
   • median 135,000 mi at 12.5 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 18 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1996–2018

   Owners report frontal and side impacts at moderate to highway speeds in which neither the driver nor passenger air bag deployed, with occupants describing injuries afterward. Several complaints say a dealer or factory representative inspected the car and said the system worked as designed, or gave no explanation, while others say they were simply quoted a repair price. A separate group of complaints describes the opposite: the bags deploying with no impact, including right after starting the engine or releasing the parking brake. Reported in impacts from about 25 mph upward; unwanted deployment reports cluster around engine start and parking brake release, and the later-filed complaints were around 99,000 to 158,000 miles.

   Recall 97V0430012 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check whether the air bag warning lamp comes on and goes out as expected, and ask whether the air bag computer recall (97V043001, unwanted deployment after a mechanical shock at start-up) was performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Husband driving car approximately 35 MPH. Lady in vehicle at a stop sign crossed in front of me. I slammed on brakes to try to avoid hitting her, but was not able to do so. Front of my vehicle struck the passenger's side of her vehicle. My driver's airbag did not deploy upon impact. Police also commented on the fact that the airbag did not deploy and that we should report the incident.”

   NHTSA complaint #702444, filed 1999-01

   “Consumer received a recall follow-up notice on air bag computer, consumer does notthat why it took manufacturer three years to send a recall notice she states she has been at the same address since the vehicle was purchased, also consumer has been back anf forth for other related issues and the dealer never caught the recall that was issued back in april of 1997.”

   NHTSA complaint #563718, filed 2001-09
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Cruise control accelerates on its own

   • 7 complaints (5%)
   • median 99,876 mi at 12.8 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2010

   Owners describe the car speeding up while cruise control is set, sometimes climbing well past the set speed and not responding until the system is switched off or the brakes are applied hard. A few complaints describe a sudden lunge at very low speed while parking or pulling away from a stop. Where repairs are mentioned, a mechanic disabled the cruise control, and one owner reports brake work afterward; one dealer reportedly found nothing wrong. Reported at mileages from about 40,000 to 187,000, usually while cruise control was engaged at highway speed.

   What to check: If the car has cruise control, test it on a quiet road and confirm the cancel switch and brake pedal both disengage it; ask whether the cruise system has been serviced or disabled.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I experience sudden acceleration on my Toyota Corolla 1997 when the cruise control is active and set on speed. It happened about 4 times overt he last three years and I can correct it by turning off the cruise control. Sometimes it would happen when I set the speed and sometimes would happen when I accelerate with the cruise control set on speed.”

   NHTSA complaint #10319446, filed 2010-03, 186,000 miles

   “In my 1997 Toyota Corolla, I was at a stoplight waiting for the light to turn green, when it turned green, I took my foot off the brake and all of sudden the accelerator pedal automatically took off on it's own. I didn't know what was happening it happened so quickly that the only thing that I could do was try to steer away from traffic and onto the shoulder. The only safe place to go was over the sidewalk and hitting the side of a church building ending up in a ditch when it finally stopped. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10316670, filed 2010-03, 40,000 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Door locks seize or stop working

   • 9 complaints (7%)
   • median 107,093 mi at 5.5 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2006

   Owners describe power door locks that no longer lock or unlock, and rear door lock assemblies that seize so the door cannot be opened from inside or outside. In some complaints the lock button does nothing when pressed, and owners describe disconnecting the assemblies or living with limited locking. A few link the same era of car to interior electrical faults such as gauges and dash lighting. Reported from roughly 97,000 miles upward, mostly on cars many years old.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Operate every power lock and open each door from both inside and outside handles, and ask whether lock actuators or latches have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I am experiencing electrical problems w/my dash and spoiler(doesn't light up fully, causing difficulty to see graphics during night and early morning driving.) all fuses have been checked/replaced, however this problem still persist. Advised per dealership to disconnect spoiler light due to it only being cosmetic . Also experiencing problems w/odors from air conditioning coming inside the vehicle. I was advised these odors would subside, due to service maintenance of air conditioning unit. These expenses have proven to be costly. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10151826, filed 2006-03, 117,187 miles

   “On may 1, 2002 I left my office which is six miles from my home. When I started my car I heard a whining sound coming from under the hood. As the car started fine I decided to drive home. I had not had any problems with the car at this point. As I was driving home the whining sound increased. All the gauges read normal, the temperature gauge included. About 4 miles from home the whining sound increased so I turned off the A/C and the radio. I began to feel a sllight vibration when shifting gears. …”

   NHTSA complaint #762808, filed 2002-06
5. 5
   Brakes

   Brake pedal to the floor or long stopping distance

   • 6 complaints (4%)
   • median 76,110 mi at 16.8 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2013

   Owners report the brake pedal going all the way down with little or no warning, or stopping distances lengthening in wet weather, in some cases ending in a collision. One complaint says both rear brake lines were found rusted where clamps held them against the underbody and had leaked fluid. Another owner reports rear brakes wearing out repeatedly while the front pads were still original, and a dealer could not explain why. Reports appear from roughly 60,000 to 100,000 miles and older cars, often tied to rusted lines or wet conditions.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Have the brake lines inspected for rust and fluid weeping, especially along the rear underbody, and check pedal feel and rear brake wear before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving on sh 79 freehold boro when attempting to apply brakes to stop and make turn pedal went all the way to the floor without any warning and failed to stop vehicle. Pumped brake pedal in panic many times when vehicle pulled sharp right and while still pumping brake pedal and attempt to use hand brake vehicle finally slowed and stopped. Mechanic advised both brake lines in rear were not coated and fluid leaked from place where clamp strapped them to undercarriage of car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10525946, filed 2013-07, 76,110 miles

   “Locks on driver's and passenger's rear doors become jammed, and cannot be opened from inside or outside. Also, brake lights are preforming erratically . Please give any further details.”

   NHTSA complaint #881211, filed 2001-02

Buying note. On a car this age, the seat belts and air bag system deserve the most attention because they come up most in owner complaints and are costly to put right. Test the belts, locks, cruise control and brakes on a test drive, and ask for records showing any recall or belt replacement work.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.