Toyota Corolla years to avoid (and the best years)
4,447 NHTSA owner complaints and 32 recalls across 16 model years, 2010 to 2025. Built from NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, generated October 26, 2026.
Compared with: Honda Civic, Toyota Camry
- 4,447complaints
- 32recalls
- 639reported crashes
- 31reported fires
- 514reported injuries
- 5reported deaths
Which Toyota Corolla years should you avoid?
By NHTSA owner complaints, the Toyota Corolla years to avoid are 2010, 2011 and 2012. The typical Toyota Corolla year has 202 complaints on file.
- 2010: 1,244 complaints, 6.2 times the typical year. Most complaints name the airbags (34% of complaints) and the steering (30% of complaints).
- 2011: 584 complaints, 2.9 times the typical year. Most complaints name the airbags (72% of complaints) and the speed control (8% of complaints).
- 2012: 446 complaints, 2.2 times the typical year. Most complaints name the airbags (83% of complaints) and the steering (4% of complaints).
What are the best Toyota Corolla years?
The Toyota Corolla years with the fewest complaints on file are the 2023 (73) and 2021 (185). Model years after 2023 are left out: they have not been on the road long enough to compare.
NHTSA does not publish sales figures, so these are complaint counts, not a rate per car on the road. A year that sold more cars collects more complaints, and older years have had longer to collect them.
Every model year
| Year | Complaints | vs typical year | Recalls | Crashes | Injuries | Our read | Most reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 31 | 0.2× | 0 | 10 | 7 | Some concerns to check | Brakes |
| 2024 | 63 | 0.3× | 2 | 11 | 12 | Some concerns to check | Forward collision avoidance system |
| 2023 | 73 | 0.4× | 3 | 8 | 4 | Few red flags | Steering |
| 2022 | 100 | 0.5× | 0 | 12 | 10 | Some concerns to check | Electrical system |
| 2021 | 185 | 0.9× | 1 | 18 | 13 | Few red flags | Airbags |
| 2020 | 305 | 1.5× | 3 | 22 | 23 | Some concerns to check | Engine |
| 2019 | 202 | 1.0× | 5 | 23 | 15 | Some concerns to check | Transmission and drivetrain |
| 2018 | 133 | 0.7× | 3 | 25 | 17 | Some concerns to check | Fuel system |
| 2017 | 178 | 0.9× | 3 | 44 | 41 | Some concerns to check | Airbags |
| 2016 | 214 | 1.1× | 1 | 66 | 56 | Some concerns to check | Airbags |
| 2015 | 219 | 1.1× | 1 | 60 | 50 | Some concerns to check | Airbags |
| 2014 | 269 | 1.3× | 2 | 64 | 50 | Some concerns to check | Airbags |
| 2013 | 201 | 1.0× | 5 | 46 | 51 | Some concerns to check | Airbags |
| 2012 | 446 | 2.2× | 5 | 41 | 28 | Approach with caution | Airbags |
| 2011 | 584 | 2.9× | 9 | 44 | 34 | Approach with caution | Airbags |
| 2010 | 1,244 | 6.2× | 17 | 145 | 103 | Approach with caution | Airbags |
Most reported problem areas
Share of the 2,616 complaints sorted by system, all years together.
- Airbags & seat belts876 (33%)
- Engine & powertrain548 (21%)
- Steering, suspension & tires482 (18%)
- Brakes269 (10%)
- Other systems187 (7%)
Recalls (32)
Steering · 25V040000 · Jan 2025 · model year 2023
A deactivated driver's air bag will not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Steering · 24V878000 · Nov 2024 · model years 2023, 2024
A steering shaft that detaches can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 24V548000 · Jul 2024 · model year 2024
A vehicle with an incorrect maximum capacity weight value may be overloaded, which can increase the risk of a crash.
Airbags · 23V865000 · Dec 2023 · model years 2020, 2021
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Steering · 23V480000 · Jul 2023 · model year 2023
A deactivated driver's air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Fuel system · 20V682000 · Nov 2020 · model year 2020
If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Airbags · 20V024000 · Jan 2020 · model years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
In the event of a crash, air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners that do not deploy as intended may increase the risk of injury.
Fuel system · 20V012000 · Jan 2020 · model years 2018, 2019
If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Seat belts · 19V877000 · Dec 2019 · model year 2020
In the event of a crash involving multiple impacts, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
Airbags · 19V741000 · Oct 2019 · model years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Safety · 19V503000 · Jun 2019 · model years 2017, 2018, 2019
An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 19V244000 · Mar 2019 · model year 2019
If the driver cannot read the label, they may unknowingly overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Airbags · 19V005000 · Jan 2019 · model years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Transmission · 18V901000 · Dec 2018 · model year 2019
A vehicle stall, especially when driving a high rate of speed, can increase the risk of a crash.
Airbags · 18V024000 · Jan 2018 · model years 2010, 2013
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Tires · 17V295000 · May 2017 · model year 2017
A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Airbags · 17V006000 · Jan 2017 · model year 2012
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Safety · 16V396000 · Jun 2016 · model year 2010
If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Airbags · 16V340000 · May 2016 · model years 2010, 2011
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Body & glass · 15V689000 · Oct 2015 · model years 2010, 2011
If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
Safety · 14V743000 · Nov 2014 · model years 2010, 2011
Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
Airbags · 14V168000 · Apr 2014 · model year 2010
If the FFC is damaged, connectivity to the driver's air bag module could be lost and the air bag deactivated. The failure of the driver's air bag to deploy in the event of a crash that typically necessitates deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver.
Body & glass · 13V505000 · Oct 2013 · model year 2014
A short circuit could cause inoperative windshield wipers, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 13V123000 · Apr 2013 · model years 2010, 2011
An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
Airbags · 13V014000 · Jan 2013 · model years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Structure · 11V566000 · Nov 2011 · model years 2010, 2011
A DAMAGED A-PILLAR TRIM PANEL RETENTION CLIP MAY ALLOW THE TRIM PANEL TO COME LOOSE AND INJURE AN OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
Safety · 10V035000 · Feb 2010 · model year 2010
THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.
Safety · 10V036000 · Feb 2010 · model year 2010
A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Safety · 10V023000 · Jan 2010 · model year 2010
A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
Safety · 10V017000 · Jan 2010 · model year 2010
THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY BECOME HARD TO DEPRESS, SLOW TO RETURN TO IDLE, OR, IN THE WORST CASE, MECHANICALLY STUCK IN A PARTIALLY DEPRESSED POSITION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Brakes · 09V338000 · Aug 2009 · model year 2010
THIS COULD LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Safety · 09V332000 · Aug 2009 · model year 2010
THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.