repaired · 2021 Q3
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
2009 Toyota CorollaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 1,459 owner complaints about the 2009 Toyota Corolla, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 13 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-396 the manufacturer reports only 24% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 16, 2024. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2009 Toyota Corolla has problems
1,459 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
552Air bags62 crash/fire/injury
382Steering45 crash/fire/injury
197Vehicle speed control69 crash/fire/injury
91Engine
89Electrical system
70Service brakes, hydraulic
45Power train
42Structure
42Engine and engine cooling
21823 other systems40 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 552 | 62 |
| Steering | 382 | 45 |
| Vehicle speed control | 197 | 69 |
| Engine | 91 | 8 |
| Electrical system | 89 | 15 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 70 | 26 |
| Power train | 45 | 6 |
| Structure | 42 | 17 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 42 | 2 |
| 23 other systems | 218 | 40 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
13 recalls
2009 Toyota Corolla recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2021 Q3
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2021 Q3
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2017 Q4
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Show 9 more recalls
repaired · 2021 Q3
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2017 Q1
Visibility: power window devices and controls
Risk. 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…
repaired · 2016 Q3
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. If the FFC is damaged, connectivity to the driver's air bag module could be lost and the air bag deactivated.
repaired · 2015 Q1
Visibility: power window devices and controls
Risk. If the switch overheats, it may melt, possibly resulting in a fire.
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
no report yet
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
Risk. 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…
no report yet
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
Risk. 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,…
no report yet
Power assist: vacuum
Risk. THIS COULD LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Toyota.
Mileage at failure
When do air bags problems start?
80kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 116 air bags complaints. 66% were reported before 100,000 miles.
30under 30k miles77under 100k miles39100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Engine
12 owners mentioned a cost$2,000median
Middle half: $864 – $3,400
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2009 vs. every other Corolla year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Corolla median. How we score
0001110223516331426232771631301721761291352251551451331177214778558408363141,4591,244585446201271221216178136206314188103746632201
'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
NHTSA crash tests
2009 Toyota Corolla safety ratings
2009 Toyota Corolla 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: Optional
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2009 Toyota Corolla, and the recalls they led to.
- Low-speed surgingNo recall
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
- Steering Wander or DriftNo recall
In owners' words
What Corolla owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owned a 2009 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at 5 mph and exiting a parking lot when the vehicle accelerated on its own, veered to the left, and crashed into a gate. No warning lights were illuminated and the air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained injury…
I have been sent two different recalls on my cars airbags. I had one repaired. I do not know how to tell what repairs were were not done. They’ve all been marked as being done yet. Four years later less than four years later my airbag warning light is on. I’m concerned that supposedly the sensor…
My daughter was hit by a red light runner at 60mph and her airbags did not deploy at all. Her head hit the door and she sustained a broken collarbone, concussion and mild brain bleed.
Own a 2009 Corolla?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.