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Toyota CorollaYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 11,767 NHTSA owner complaints across 56 model years, the Toyota Corolla years to avoid are 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010, and the strongest years are 1988, 1990, 1991 and 1992. The Corolla has 59 safety recalls on record.

Toyota Corolla
Years to avoid'03 '05 '06 '07 '09 '10Use caution: 2004, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2020Best years'88 '90 '91 '92Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints11,767Top: Air bagsSafety recalls591969–2027 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Best & worst years

Toyota Corolla years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Corolla median. Tap a year for its full report.

'69'70'71'73'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2027Too new–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls2026Too new–/10018 complaints · 1 recall2025Too new–/10032 complaints · 0 recalls2024Solid51/10066 complaints · 2 recalls2023Solid60/10074 complaints · 3 recalls2022Solid55/100103 complaints · 0 recalls2021Solid47/100188 complaints · 1 recall2020Caution39/100313 complaints · 3 recalls2019Solid51/100205 complaints · 5 recalls2018Solid59/100136 complaints · 3 recalls2017Solid53/100178 complaints · 3 recalls2016Solid45/100216 complaints · 1 recall2015Solid46/100220 complaints · 1 recall2014Solid43/100271 complaints · 2 recalls2013Solid50/100201 complaints · 5 recalls2012Caution39/100446 complaints · 5 recalls2011Caution33/100585 complaints · 9 recalls2010Avoid17/1001,244 complaints · 17 recalls2009Avoid15/1001,459 complaints · 13 recalls2008Caution40/100314 complaints · 6 recalls2007Avoid23/100836 complaints · 6 recalls2006Avoid23/100840 complaints · 7 recalls2005Avoid23/100854 complaints · 6 recalls2004Caution34/100477 complaints · 9 recalls2003Avoid25/100721 complaints · 9 recalls2002Solid64/100117 complaints · 0 recalls2001Solid59/100133 complaints · 0 recalls2000Solid62/100145 complaints · 0 recalls1999Solid60/100155 complaints · 0 recalls1998Solid50/100225 complaints · 0 recalls1997Solid62/100135 complaints · 1 recall1996Solid58/100129 complaints · 0 recalls1995Solid48/100176 complaints · 2 recalls1994Solid48/100172 complaints · 2 recalls1993Solid57/100130 complaints · 2 recalls1992Best79/10063 complaints · 1 recall1991Best77/10071 complaints · 0 recalls1990Best91/10027 complaints · 0 recalls1989Not rated–/10023 complaints · 1 recall1988Best87/10026 complaints · 0 recalls1987Not rated–/10014 complaints · 0 recalls1986Not rated–/1003 complaints · 0 recalls1985Not rated–/1003 complaints · 0 recalls1984Not rated–/1006 complaints · 2 recalls1983Not rated–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls1982Not rated–/1005 complaints · 0 recalls1981Not rated–/1003 complaints · 0 recalls1980Not rated–/1002 complaints · 1 recall1979Not rated–/1002 complaints · 1 recall1978Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1977Not rated–/1001 complaint · 1 recall1976Not rated–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls1973Not rated–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls1971Not rated–/1000 complaints · 2 recalls1970Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1969Not rated–/1000 complaints · 2 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Toyota Corolla problems

All model years combined: 11,767 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags46841031
Steering1190151
Vehicle speed control1163448
Electrical system886132
Engine and engine cooling72839
Power train68159
Engine61157
Structure469135
Seat belts425119
32 other systems2977587
59 recalls

Toyota Corolla recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

70%Exterior lighting: headlights26V-110 · 2026 · Feb 25, 2026 · 86 vehicles82%Frontal: driver clockspring/spiral cassette25V-040 · 2023 · Jan 29, 2025 · 1,716 vehicles86%Steering24V-878 · 2023–2024 · Nov 21, 2024 · 8,057 vehicles99%Other: labels24V-548 · 2024 · Jul 23, 2024 · 33,848 vehicles59%Sensor: occupant classification23V-865 · 2020–2021 · Dec 20, 2023 · 999,901 vehicles90%Frontal: driver clockspring/spiral cassette23V-480 · 2023 · Jul 12, 2023 · 152,927 vehicles85%Delivery: fuel pump20V-682 · 2020 · Nov 4, 2020 · 1,525,742 vehicles58%Air bags: air bag/restraint control module20V-024 · 2011–2019 · Jan 17, 2020 · 2,891,976 vehicles84%Delivery: fuel pump20V-012 · 2018–2019 · Jan 13, 2020 · 1,830,752 vehicles81%Seat belts: rear/other19V-877 · 2020 · Dec 11, 2019 · 9,468 vehicles65%Driver side: inflator module19V-741 · 2003–2013 · Oct 17, 2019 · 928,220 vehicles33%Passenger side: inflator module19V-627 · 2003–2008 · Aug 28, 2019 · 229,460 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 59 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

17 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Corolla

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · 2003–2018 · still open
    Open
  2. Electrical overstressEA19001 · 2011–2019 · closed Sep 19, 2024
    Led to recall 20V-024
  3. Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA15001 · 2003–2005 · still open
    Led to recall 14V-668
  4. Low-speed surgingDP14003 · 2006–2010 · closed Apr 29, 2015
    No recall
  5. Air Bag Inflator RupturePE14016 · 2002–2005 · closed Mar 2, 2015
    Led to recall 13V-172
  6. Frontal Air Bag Non-deploymentDP11001 · 2008 · closed Aug 19, 2011
    No recall
  7. Engine StallEA10006 · 2005–2008 · closed Sep 16, 2010
    Led to recall 10V-384
  8. Steering Wander or DriftPE10008 · 2009–2010 · closed May 4, 2011
    No recall
  9. Engine StallingPE09054 · 2006 · closed Aug 19, 2010
    Led to recall 10V-384
  10. SIDE FRONT POWER WINDOW SHATTERSEA08004 · 2003–2004 · closed May 1, 2008
    Led to recall 08V-162