Complaint volume
132 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2018 Toyota Corolla Complaints
132 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Toyota Corolla, grouped by component category.
132 Total complaints
25 Crash reports
5 Fire reports
14 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are air bags, fuel system, gasoline, air bags,fuel/propulsion system. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 25 crash reports, 5 fire reports, 14 injury reports, and 1 fatality report. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 73 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 27,182 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to air bags, fuel system, gasoline, air bags,fuel/propulsion system?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2018 Toyota Corolla?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2018 Toyota Corolla
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2018 Toyota Corolla complaints?
25 Crash
5 Fire
14 Injury
1 Fatality
23 Towed
11 Medical attention
What are the most common 2018 Toyota Corolla complaint categories?
AIR BAGS 18
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 11
AIR BAGS,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 9
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 8
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 6
SERVICE BRAKES 6
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 6
SEAT BELTS 5
ENGINE 4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3
132 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2026 | SEAT BELTS,SEATS | Each travel driver seat belt become tight I try pull down for loose and I have notice the driver seat become level low. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle, and the vehicle failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the tachometer was raised to high levels while exiting the highway. While at a stoplight, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating with the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. An OBD2 scanner was used to diagnose the vehicle, and DTC: P0741, P075B, P1604, P2757, P2820(X4) were retrieved, which were related to the torque converter. The contact was informed that the CVT transmission needed to be replaced, and the contact was provided with an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but denied any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 76,099. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 76,099 |
| Feb 2026 | SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | My 2018 Toyota Corolla has problems with acceleration and a very large noise in the front bar that guides the wheels. It also accelerates by itself, which is why I have had to change the brakes many times. It also shakes a lot at the bottom | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Due to recent reports of fuel pump recalls, my daughter bought a 2018 Toyota Corolla almost a year ago. Right now that is problem and her car will not start. I need a free replacement of her fuel pump. Thank you. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | AIR BAGS | On October 17, 2025, a 2018 Toyota Corolla LE was delivered to an authorized Toyota dealership for an airbag recall repair. The recall involved the airbag electronic control unit (ECU), which, according to Toyota and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), may fail to deploy the airbags and/or seatbelt pretensioners during certain types of crashes due to inadequate protection against electrical noise. The vehicle was picked up on October 18, 2025, after the dealer reported the recall repair as completed. Before the recall, the vehicle displayed a clear and consistent safety issue: the “Passenger Airbag OFF” indicator stayed illuminated even when a full-size adult occupant (approximately 208 lbs) was seated in the front passenger seat. After the recall repair, the exact same issue persisted with no improvement. The repair was ineffective, as the system still failed to recognize an occupied seat, and the passenger airbag continued to show “OFF.” When this was reported to the dealership immediately after pickup, staff incorrectly stated that the recall concerned metal fragments inside the airbags. This is inaccurate. The official recall documentation from Toyota and NHTSA clearly identifies the defect as non-deployment of airbags and seatbelt pretensioners, not metal fragments. The dealership then advised that a diagnostic inspection would be needed for a $175 fee. However, since this issue directly involves the same safety components addressed by the recall and remains unresolved after the recall repair, it should be re-inspected free of charge under recall coverage. Charging a diagnostic fee in this case is unreasonable, given that the recall repair did not correct the problem as intended. This ongoing malfunction presents a serious safety risk, as the airbag may fail to deploy in a crash. The problem likely involves a defective occupant detection sensor or an improperly functioning ECU/noise filter following the recall service. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | After having no indication of any issue, my 2018 Toyota Corolla has stopped re-starting after fueling. The only light that appeared was regarding my battery. My battery is brand new and tested. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Toyota Corolla. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was approximately 85,000. The contact later discovered that the mileage on the Title was 200,095. | Crash: No Fire: No | 200,095 |
| Jun 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | CVT transmission is making a loud noise and undrivable due to jerking motion every time I accelerate. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | My 2018 Toyota Corolla has ongoing fuel pump-related issues that mirror those in the official recall, yet my VIN is not included. Every time I refuel, my car shuts off and will not restart for 1–2 hours. I’ve brought the vehicle to five different mechanics, including two full inspections with electronic diagnostics—none could find a fault except one who identified the fuel pump as the likely cause. Even Toyota-certified dealerships could not determine the issue. Additionally, any time I drive over 70 mph, the car displays a message telling me to take a break, then it begins to jerk and drive erratically, clearly a safety hazard. This problem has occurred repeatedly and poses a serious risk of accident on the highway. This issue is widely reported among 2018 Corollas and matches symptoms from Toyota’s known fuel pump recall. I’m shocked that Toyota has refused a goodwill repair and won’t inspect it under the recall. If the fuel pump is failing, it puts drivers and passengers at serious risk of being stranded or worse—losing power at high speeds. Please investigate this and consider expanding the recall to cover more 2018 Toyota Corolla VINs before someone is injured or killed due to this known and dangerous defect. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, or upon approaching a stop, the engine sounded very weak, almost as if the vehicle would shut off. The contact stated that the vehicle had shut off previously while driving through a drive thru. The vehicle was restarted, and the check engine warning light illuminated while driving. The contact also stated that after refueling the vehicle, the accelerator pedal had to be pumped while starting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed and DTC: P0171 was retrieved. The contact was informed that the EVAP valves and system were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V012000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) as possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85,750. The VIN was not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | 85,750 |
| Nov 2024 | TIRES | A whole new set of 4 tires were purchased and installed on the vehicle on 10/10/2024. While driving at highway speed 3 weeks later the rear driver side tire, in quick succession, went flat and almost instantaneously disintegrated causing the car to spin out and crash off the road. The car airbags deployed- saving the driver from injury or worse. Since the incident occurred out of home state and far from home and the car was totaled - it was sold as junked and not available for inspection. The accident could have involved other vehicles if the road was more crowded. Since only a single vehicle was involved - Maryland police would not write or provide a report. We believe that the tire failed on its own and wasn’t caused by an external object. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | Unknown |
| Oct 2024 | STRUCTURE | The bumper on this car has been replaced two times and my husband noticed that it’s coming apart AGAIN. It’s brand new and was just replaced in July. It could come apart on the road or cause serious injury if hit. These bumpers are not stable at all. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2024 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ENGINE | The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle shut off unexpectedly on several occasions. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V012000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the failure was due to the loss of power and a failing fuel pump. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 200,000 |
| Aug 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | No accident everythink working perfect | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | STEERING,AIR BAGS | A car was going to hit my car, I went to hit the horn and the horn doesn't work a few days later a airbag light went on. Went to the dealership and they said it's a know malfunction in toyota corolla. They are not sure if the airbags will work or not. They recommend that I put a notice in for recall since there are still no recalls. This is a huge safety issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | I was driving down the highway and I heard a tapping noise thought it might have been a piece of trim loose on the car so I pulled over and stopped. Immediately the engine died would not restart. I looked under the hood and the radiator cap had blown off and all of the coolant was gone The engine had overheated when I put compression test was done there was water shooting out of the valve cover. It was diagnosed as a blown head gasket The car never gave any warning lights or the thermostat never showed any temperature problem at all. I was sitting on the side of the highway for 12 hours trying to figure out what to do with the car because I didn't have money for a tow truck. Fortunately nothing terribly bad happened as a result However had I not heard the trim loose and pulled over and the car had died in the highway it could have been way worse. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | corolla 2018, has 90k miles, reently, (3rd time already). driving o freeway car reduced speed, and wont go over 40mph, although rpm goes high all the way to 4,000. had to stop aside waitied 3 hours to see whats wrong, after engine was cold, dorove it home slowly on side streets, happened again wont go over 40mph, transmission became slippery and noisy, after couple of weeks, third time happened agintransmission noisy became very scary, called toyota and they wont do anything bout it saying not under warranty, no recalls no voluntary repairs is associated with this vin although all other model years were included. car is useless now. no money for transmission repairs. really bad. for a car considered mot reliable car in the world. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | AIR BAGS | My brother was driving his car and it was involved in a hard right front impact yesterday after a young girl pulled out in front of him. None of the airbags went off, severe front end damage on the right side to the fender, wheel, axle, radiator, hood, oil pan, and other front end components.The right front wheel is completely bent and the right front tire blew out. Front right headlight completely missing. Incident happened going approximately 30-40 MPH. Thankfully he’s okay, but the car is most likely totaled. The steering wheel airbag did NOT deploy and the right curtain airbag did NOT deploy. My brother could have gotten killed. Thankfully he’s only complaining about leg pain and chest pain, but the steering wheel airbag would’ve mitigated his injuries. A few years ago, he got sideswiped very hard on the left side and the vehicle needed 2 new doors and a rear bumper. The left side curtain airbags did not deploy in this scenario either. I’m very disappointed in Toyota that they built a death trap such as the 2018 Corolla. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | SUSPENSION | Purchased this vehicle new. The vehicle has 58,000 miles and the suspension went out, upper & lower control arms, ball joints, struts and stabilizer. This controls the driving ability of the vehicle and could have caused me to loose control of the car. Confirmed by an independent service center and repaired. There were no warning lamps or messages. The vehicle started making a loud noise when turning. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owned a 2018 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle in the driveway, approximately 12 hours later while the contact was sleeping, a sound woke the contact and it was discovered that the vehicle caught on fire. The fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. During the incident, the vehicle was destroyed and the fire also caused damage to the garage door, the side of the home, and the concrete driveway. The contact mentioned that the battery was replaced by AAA 3 weeks after the incident. No injuries were reported. A fire report was taken at the scene. The vehicle was later towed away. The cause of the fire was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the fire. The failure mileage was 8,000. | Crash: No Fire: Yes Towed | 8,000 |
| Sep 2023 | AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Hello, I hope that my message will find you in the right clothes. We have not had any accidents until now, because I drive carefully. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | Carry Handle, Shell, Base | Hello, dear sir and madam I haven't seen any incidents so far because I drive according to Virginia law. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2023 | POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | After vehicle is driven for approximately 15 mins or more and then comes to a long stop at a red light or drive thru line (while transmission is in drive and foot is on the brake), idle drops to 500rpm and car starts shaking as if it's about to die. Issue has been ongoing for years even before the fuel pump recall fix was performed but didn't start until around 25 thousand miles. Issue isn't the AC compressor cycling, it is not the secondary/auxillary cooling fans engaging, no check engine lights, no other symptoms. If it gets worse, it could cause the vehicle to completely stall in traffic posing a safety hazard. Shifting the transmission to neutral or park stops the issue. Shifting into neutral and then back to drive temporarily corrects the issue but then it re-occurs after at least 30 seconds or more. Many other 2017 and 2018 Corolla owners have reported this issue as well online and nobody has found the cause. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2023 | ENGINE | The car lost power completely and shut down. The first time this occurred was on the freeway 601 in traffic in September 2019. Took it to the dealer and nothing would show up as being defective. Dealer kept the vehicle for maybe a week and was about to return it back to us but a service manager decided to research the problem further because we told him that we did not feel safe as this could happen again in traffic. Service manager advised that the fuel pump would be replaced. A year later we read that a recall has been issued for a fuel pump issue, we called and were told that our VIN was not part of the recall. We were still concerned because we wanted to insure that the replacement fuel pump was not one being recalled. We contacted Toyota and a case # was issued. Nothing else could be done. The vehicle shut down again on July 2022 and Sept 2022 took it again to the dealer and nothing wrong shows on on their diagnostic machine. Vehicle shut down May 2023 and it is still not on a recall list. There are no warning lights alerting the car shut down is about to happen. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Dashboard paint gets bubbles due to a lack of shielding which leads to covering/erasing the warning lights/signs on the dashboard. This may lead to a safety problem regarding the warning signs. The vehicle was inspected by the dealer and I was informed that the shielding behind the Dashboard is missing which led to the dashboard paint popping up. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |