Toyota Corolla Complaints

460 consumer complaints on file.

#11719598February 21, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, STEERING, WHEELS
Make: Toyota Model: Corolla (likely hatchback/sedan) Year: 2026 VIN: [XXX] Mileage at Incident: 80 Date of Purchase: February 17, 2026 Date of Incident: February 19, 2026 Description of Defect: While moving slowly in reverse on dry pavement (no throttle, no sharp steering, no brake misuse), the vehicle suddenly spun out of control—yaw/skid like rear wheels lost grip or stability control malfunctioned and steering wheel locked. No prior warning. The spin caused a collision with another vehicle and nearly resulted in serious injury/death to the driver/owner (myself, [XXX] ). Suspected Causes (based on symptoms and similar reports): • Possible ESC (electronic stability control) or yaw sensor failure. • ABS/traction control pulsing/locking wheels unexpectedly in reverse. • Electronic power steering (EPS) glitch—wheel felt “fighting” or unresponsive during the event. • No fault codes pulled by dealer yet, but similar low-speed reverse spin-outs reported in 2025-2026 Corollas (e.g., NHTSA complaints on “ABS ghosting” or “rear-end slide”). Additional Info: • Dealer (Toyota of Hollywood, 6920 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA) has the vehicle awaiting inspector. • Demand letter sent/hand-delivered today (February 21, 2026) under Song-Beverly Act—safety defect, one occurrence. • No insurance claim filed—this is manufacturer liability, not driver error. • Photos of skid marks/collision available if requested. What I Want NHTSA to Do: Investigate for potential recall—safety risk is high (uncontrolled spin in reverse at low speed). This is the second such incident in recent Corollas I’ve seen reported; could affect others. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719548February 21, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
I have a Hybrid version of the 2023 Corolla in the SE trim. Everytime the car is cold (engine just started), and I'm pressing the brake, I can hear some clicking noises similar to a CV Axle noise when they are bad. That braking noise goes away as the car heat up. The noise is sensitive to speed, it changes frequency with it. I haven't experience loss of brakes but I'm concerned with the noise and the possibility of it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719536February 21, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
On February 19, 2026, at only 80 driven miles in this new 2026 Toyota Corolla hatchback, while moving slowly in reverse on dry pavement with no throttle input, no sharp steering and no misuse of the brake the vehicle spun out of control 4-5 times in the parking lot finally causing a collision with a parked vehicle which then it stopped. This collision nearly caused serious injury to the driver. Since its a brand new vehicle bugs and recalls are hard to tell, but we cannot drive this vehicle any longer due to safety issues.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11719280February 20, 2026
POWER TRAIN
While in a parking lot, the clutch pedal suddenly lost all pressure and remained stuck to the floor, rendering the vehicle unable to shift gears. While this occurred at parked car , a sudden loss of gear engagement at highway speeds would have caused a catastrophic loss of motive power in high-speed traffic. Furthermore, this vehicle utilizes a shared reservoir for both clutch and brake fluid. A major failure of the clutch slave cylinder seals can lead to rapid fluid loss or air ingestion into the shared hydraulic system, potentially compromising braking performance. The dealership confirmed the internal clutch slave cylinder failed prematurely at only 38,000 miles. Because the part is internal to the housing, a full transmission removal was required, resulting in a total repair cost of $5,600. Despite the safety implications of a shared hydraulic failure and the extremely low mileage, Toyota has refused to cover the full cost. No warning lights or symptoms appeared prior to this sudden failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718784February 18, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact discovered brake fluid on the clutch pedal, and the brake pedal was mushy while depressed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the brake master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 89,900.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11717840February 13, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES
The contact rented a 2025 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds and entering into a parking space, the contact applied the brake pedal; however, the adaptive cruise control system engaged unexpectedly, causing the vehicle to accelerate and crash into a building. The driver was unable to turn off the adaptive cruise control system. There were no reported injuries, fire, or airbag deployment. A police report was filed. The vehicle remained drivable after the incident. The contact also stated that the vehicle continued to surge forward at intersections following the crash. An unknown local dealer was contacted, where it was diagnosed and determined that reprogramming was needed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716135February 6, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I smell gas whenever I drive my car. My car has less than 33,000 miles on it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11715125February 2, 2026
Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness
One part of the strap is 3/4 of the way frayed
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11715051February 2, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
I was driving at 2pm after an Ice Storm had hit texas and a majority of ice was missing but there was a small patch under a bridge. There were two stoplights once which was not under a bridge and one about 50-100 in front which was. I had accelerated to about 20 before the other light changed to red and I attempted to stop but due to ice I kept sliding forward adn the ABS was going wild and while I had the brake held down the pedal was going wild from the ice and after the car has stopped the brake pedal arm had bent so drasticly my brake lights wouldn't turn off due to the pedal arm being bent into the sensor below the dash. Toyota then refused to cover any part of the repair cost under the warrenty due to outside influence. I did not and could not have expected that using the brake pedal in an emergency situation would brake the brake pedal and they refuse to cover it under manufacturer warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714382January 30, 2026
TIRES, TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
exactly one year after purchase and with approximately 18,000 miles on the vehicle — the original factory-installed front right tire catastrophically failed while I was driving under normal conditions. The tire blew out suddenly with complete sidewall separation, causing loss of vehicle control. There was no prior tire pressure warning before the failure occurred. Tire size: 225 /40R18 88V
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714376January 30, 2026
POWER TRAIN
At approximately 5 years and 2 months of ownership, with approximately 53,000 miles, the clutch slave cylinder failed in such a way that contaminated both the clutch and flywheel with brake fluid. Repair of this issue requires replacement of the slave cylinder, clutch, and flywheel, as described by Toyota of Pullman in Pullman, WA who performed the inspection and quoted the repair. The symptoms of this failure included an inability to shift the manual transmission between gears, most notably out of 1st gear to get to 2nd. This inability to change gears resulted in limited speed in traffic, and created an obstruction. In less fortunate traffic conditions, this speed restriction could have created a collision. Other owners of the same model vehicle online have reported active failures in traffic, some of which have resulted in damage to the transmission as well as the clutch and flywheel. Toyota appears to have redesigned the slave cylinder at least twice, implying that they know the parts for these vehicles are subpar, and there are no flywheels available for the repair, which also implies this may be an all too common repair.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11712392January 21, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The 2024 Toyota Corolla needs to be added to the list of vehicles currently being investigated for transmission/engine issues. The vehicle in question is currently exhibiting transmission anomalies consistent with those observed in several other vehicles under review, specifically: slipping, jerking, surging forward, hesitation to accelerate from a complete stop, loss of power, droning sound at low speed, odd knocking noise/vibration during idle, unresponsive gear changes, shuddering upon vehicle shutdown, and decreased fuel efficiency. The owner has incurred expenses exceeding $2,000 for rental vehicles and diagnostic services in an effort to resolve these persistent issues. However, as of January 21, 2026, Toyota has not acknowledged the existence of a problem, asserting that these conditions are within normal operating parameters and that the vehicle is performing as intended. A local mechanic has advised the owner that Toyota will not diagnose the issue, but they are likely to offer a post-warranty adjustment should the transmission ultimately fail. It has become increasingly apparent that Toyota is not conducting a thorough investigation into these matters and expects the customer to bear the expense beyond the scope of the standard warranty. Beyond the immediate safety concerns for the owner, there is a significant risk of collision should the vehicle experience a loss of control or erratic behavior. Thank you for your time and assistance in investigating this matter.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11712005January 20, 2026
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
“Engine Maintenance Required, See your dealer” light comes on the dashboard with a warning bell. Did a diagnostic test, and the code is the coolant bypass valve malfunction. This seems to be a common issue among 2020-2021 models. This has been inspected by professional mechanics.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11711793January 18, 2026
POWER TRAIN
Hello, on October 14th 2024 I reached out to Toyota over a “engine maintenance required” message on my dash along with a check engine light. I took it to the local toyota dealership in Downey CA. After testing the Engine coolant bypass valve B Control circuit high failed. Toyota replaced the valve on October 21st 2024. Issuing me a 1year/12,000 mile warranty. On Thursday January 15th 2026 the drive start control malfunction warning light along with a P26AE error code displayed. Upon testing the engine coolant bypass valve B control circuit high failed again. Speaking with Toyota my vehicle VIN is not part of the CSP service campaign they have for 19-23 Corolla models. I spoke with Toyota Corporate and they couldn’t/wouldn’t help. This is a severe safety risk as the valve failed at a moments notice with no warning or symptoms. Additionally it can lead to engine stall and catastrophic damage, risking other drivers if engine loses power. This is an ongoing and recurring issue with RAV4/Corolla/Cross models and Toyota is facing a lawsuit here in California from other drivers with the same problem. I would like for my VIN to be added to the safety recall as Toyota Knowingly replaced the Valve with the same defective part per the technician who fixed my vehicle the first time who warned me this was going to happen again. Thank you for your time and assistance in this matter.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710953January 14, 2026
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:SLAVE CYLINDER
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving 15 MPH, while the transmission was shifting into second gear, and attempting to depress the clutch pedal, the clutch pedal depressed to the floorboard. The contact was assisted by a bystander with the failure. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with a slave cylinder failure. The slave cylinder was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11709131January 6, 2026
POWER TRAIN
NOTE: This has not happened to me yet, but it appears that most Corollas manufactured before 2022 or 2023 have this issue. However I did recently flush the fluid from my clutch system and it was very clearly contaminated, possibly indicating early evidence of a failure. Clutch system, specifically the slave cylinder is faulty on these vehicles. It is a known issue on these cars that the clutch slave cylinder (inside the transmission) is made out of resin and fails. When the slave cylinder fails, brake fluid from the shared clutch/brake reservoir leaks out onto the clutch and flywheel, damaging them and resulting in an expensive repair. In addition to this, the brake fluid leak results in a "low braking power" message on the dashboard, indicating a problem with the braking system. Obviously this is a safety issue that could cause an accident. This issue has been confirmed by many dealers and the solution is to replace the slave, clutch, and flywheel and flush & refill the brake fluid reservoir. The vehicle has not been inspected by the dealer as of yet, but in the interest of safety I am considering an early replacement of the cylinder. The only warnings of this issue are a clutch stuck to the floor, and in some cases a "low braking power" warning on the dashboard. A low brake fluid level may also be an indicator of this issue if caught in time. Incident report below is of the clutch flush, showing the contaminated brake fluid from the clutch hydraulic system. It's important to note that flushing the clutch is not a recommended maintenance item at any point on these vehicles as it is expected to be done with the braking system, although that won't remove contaminants from the clutch cylinder.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11708708January 5, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
"I am reporting a fatal crash involving a 2024 Toyota Corolla (VIN [XXX] I do not know the exact mechanical cause, but the following symptoms occurred: 1) The driver reported dashboard lights (red and blue) flickering on and off, windows and locks going on or off. 2) There was hesitation in acceleration after taking off, 3) The vehicle failed to stop and went airborne causing a FATAL accident. Insurance Co. failed to investigate porperly and sold the car To Co-part without waiting for Probate forms to be complete for this vehicle and the Estate. We have discovered this car was an Avis fleet vehicle sold as 'new' at Beaver Toyota. I am requesting a federal investigation to determine if a mechanical or electronic defect caused this loss of control." INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
1
#11707308December 28, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Dear National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I am submitting this email to formally report a potential vehicle safety defect involving my 2022 Toyota Corolla. Vehicle information: - Make/Model: 2022 Toyota Corolla - In-service date: 08/18/2022 My vehicle sustained significant wiring damage caused by rodents. Toyota has denied warranty and financial assistance, characterizing the issue as an “outside influence.” However, according to what I read online, modern vehicles —including Toyota models—use soy-based or bio-based wiring insulation, which is widely documented to attract rodents. The damage affected critical electrical wiring, creating potential safety hazards including loss of vehicle function and increased fire risk. This is not merely cosmetic damage but impacts essential vehicle systems. The foreseeability of rodent attraction due to wiring materials raises concerns of a design-related safety defect and failure to adequately warn consumers. Toyota has stated there are no recalls or customer support programs addressing this issue, despite recurring reports from vehicle owners nationwide. I respectfully request that NHTSA review this matter as a potential safety defect and consider whether further investigation is warranted. Thank you for your attention to this safety concern. Sincerely,
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707212December 27, 2025
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SEATS
On December 12, 2025, I was in a head on car accident in my 2021 Toyota Corolla nightshade. I was slammed into the steering wheel which caused injury. My car has over $14,000 worth of damage to the front yet my airbags did not deploy. I have taken my car to Toyota several times over the past few years and every time I’ve asked about a remedy for this recall I’ve been told there is no remedy as early as June or July 2025 I had to bring my car in for a manufacturer defect with the engine that Toyota fixed for free. I asked them about the recall on the airbags. They again told me there was no remedy.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11707027December 25, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Driving on highway around 65mph, car shut down internally completely blacking out inside. Turned back on a few seconds later while still driving all lights were blinking. Pushed the SOS no-one answered pushed again then someone came on. Matches the same description on the other 2025-26 hybrids in the corolla cross and camry hybrid.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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