Complaint volume
300 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
2020 Toyota Corolla Complaints
300 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2020 Toyota Corolla, grouped by component category.
300 Total complaints
22 Crash reports
1 Fire reports
15 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 engine, unknown or other, power train. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 22 crash reports, 1 fire report, 15 injury reports, and 1 fatality report. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 68 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 26,107 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to engine, unknown or other, power train?
- 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 2020 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.
2020 Toyota Corolla
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2020 Toyota Corolla complaints?
22 Crash
1 Fire
15 Injury
1 Fatality
19 Towed
9 Medical attention
What are the most common 2020 Toyota Corolla complaint categories?
ENGINE 81
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 55
POWER TRAIN 19
AIR BAGS 13
VISIBILITY/WIPER 13
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 10
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 9
SERVICE BRAKES 8
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 7
STRUCTURE 6
300 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact purchased a 2020 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that they discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale on Facebook market. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 52,000. It was later discovered that the vehicle’s title mileage was 132,000. The contact stated went the DMV, and he discovered the mileage 132,483. | Crash: No Fire: No | 132,483 |
| May 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Replace Heater Control Valve - Diagnostic code P2681 indicates an internal electrical failure within the heater control valve assembly, a condition commonly seen on Toyota vehicles. Testing showed the electrical portion of the valve is open and no longer maintaining proper circuit continuity, requiring replacement of the heater control valve assembly. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | POWER TRAIN | "On 04/09/26, I took my vehicle for regular maintenance and an oil change; no potential issues were reported. I operated the vehicle in good faith, trusting its safety. However, on Sunday, 05/03/2026, while driving at highway speeds, the clutch pedal failed and [stuck to the floor / slipped severely]. This caused an immediate loss of power to the wheels in high-speed traffic, creating a life-threatening situation and a high risk of a rear-end collision. No warning lights appeared prior to this failure." | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Windshield Wiper Intermittent setting stopped working, and wipers no long return to their home position. This appears to be a common issue with Toyota. When driving in the rain, the wipers will freeze in the up setting, which is very dangerous for it to occur during heavy rain on the highway causing visibility issues. No warnings of any kind given, the wiper switch appears to just go bad, or wear out over time. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ENGINE | The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while at a red light, the vehicle shut off with the check engine and several other unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle restarted after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the failure was duplicated. The mechanic retrieved DTC: P1603; "Engine Stall History" (ECM recording an unexpected engine shutdown or a communication error with the Transmission Control Module (TCM). The mechanic associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V682000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. Several dealers were contacted, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 59,000 |
| Apr 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Coolant water control valve short circuit. Causes dealer message that won't clear and dealer wants $600 to replace a $30 part. Part is extremely difficult to get to and should not be a wear item. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | Car shows the below message when A/C is turned on: Engine Maintenance Required Visit Your Dealer | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Message on dashboard that says, "Engine Maintenance Required. Visit Dealer." This message came on at around 31,000 miles and I was told it was three different things all different prices at my dealer. So, I looked into it and found out it was the Coolant Bypass Valve, and asked the dealership about it and they said 700 dollars to replace. I did not want to pay that much especially since I saw online others were having the same problem. Message still pops up to this day when I turn on my A/C. Car now has around 205,000 miles on it and is six years old. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | The wipers are turning on randomly by themselves, even when the control switch is set to the “off” position. This has occurred multiple times and happens without any input or activation from me. The issue appears to be intermittent but persistent, and it raises concerns about a potential electrical or control system malfunction. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | POWER TRAIN | The clutch slave cylinder failed at 48,000 miles. On the freeway, I had difficulty shifting into gear and I had cars passing me at high speeds, putting my life and others' lives at risk. This part defect is due to the plastic clutch slave cylinder failing. This common issue is well-documented by numerous other owners, with the part failing before the routine clutch maintenance cycle. My car was inspected by an independent mechanic, who said the lack of clutch pressure is due to the clutch slave cylinder failing. The worst part is that there were no warning lamps or messages before this happened. Toyota is claiming there is no recalls for this part, whic his astounding because the clutch is essential for the 6speed transmission. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2026 | SERVICE BRAKES | I am having a problem with my 2020 Toyota Corolla's brakes. I live in [XXX] . In the winter when the car is cold the brakes work normally. When the car has been driven for a while, the car has warmed up, and the brake fluid has thinned, the brakes behave abnormally. When I stop at a red light, after 20 to 40 seconds, the brake pedal slowly drops towards the floor. My understanding is that this could indicate a problem with the master brake cylinder. My fear is that there could be a sudden failure of the cylinder causing an accident. I brought the car to Rudy Luther Toyota in Golden Valley. When I brought the car in, it was warm and the brakes were malfunctioning. Unfortunately, they let the car sit for several hours, the brake fluid cooled, and the mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | when I use blinker windshield wipers turn on and sometimes when I call or somebody calls my cell phone I can hear them, but they cannot hear me. does not happen all the time, but I was concerned since there was a recall on certain toyota corolla that says a short circuit may develop in the OCS sensor, preventing front passenger air bag from deploying and my son who is a mechanic said both of these could be a problem with the wiring in the column and I thought it may be connected to the same recall as the air bags? the wipers coming on is happening more often these days and that is why I mentioned it to my son who is a mechanic. he will not touch it since it is still under my extended protection but he is concerned about it getting worse since the blinker is attached to the column. as far as using not being heard by callers or when I call I am concerned if I need to call in an emergency the ones I call cannot hear me. as far as when this started I do not remember but I know it's been at least 6 months if not longer, it just seems to be doing it more often lately | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | The windshield wiper switch assembly (column stalk/switch) malfunctions intermittently, sending unintended signals that activate the wipers despite the stalk being firmly in the OFF position. The component is still installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection upon request. Suspected part numbers include 84652-06400 or similar variants. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Sudden, unexpected wiper activation (typically 1-2 wipes, occasionally more) while driving creates a serious distraction and safety hazard. It can startle the driver, cause momentary loss of vehicle control or focus (especially at highway speeds or in traffic), and briefly obstruct vision. This risk is heightened during rain, when wipers are needed but behave erratically, or during acceleration/turns where vibration triggers it—potentially leading to accidents. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No, the Toyota dealership has not reproduced or confirmed it during short test drives, as the issue is highly intermittent and occurs mainly after warmup from extended driving (20+ minutes), on hot days or after parking off for ~1 hour in heat/vibration. Similar cases reported by other 2020 Corolla owners on Reddit (r/COROLLA) and Toyota Nation forums were eventually diagnosed and fixed by replacing the wiper switch due to worn internal contacts/PCB from heat/vibration. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle was brought to a Toyota dealership, but no detailed inspection or repair occurred due to lack of replication. No inspections by police, insurance, Toyota corporate (manufacturer), or others have taken place. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lamps, messages, dashboard indicators, or prior symptoms | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | On the morning of January 7, 2026, while I was on my way to work, I experienced a dangerous incident involving my vehicle. As I arrived at the first stop on the street, I suddenly heard a loud explosion. Immediately afterward, pieces of glass began falling onto my windshield. I pulled over and exited the vehicle to assess the situation. Upon inspection, I discovered that the sunroof of my car had completely shattered. Glass was scattered across the roof, windshield, and interior of the vehicle. Prior to the explosion, there were no visible signs of damage to the sunroof. The incident occurred without warning and posed a serious safety risk. I am submitting this complaint to formally document what happened and to request that the matter be investigated and addressed appropriately. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES | Clutch slave cylinder started leaking leading to a sticking clutch pedal, making it difficult to engage the transmission with the engine, and a lower brake/clutch fluid level which could have caused braking issues if the fluid got too low. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | ENGINE | Engine coolant bypass valve | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | POWER TRAIN | Clutch Slave Cylinder at 51,000 miles failed causing vehicle clutch to not return and loss of fluid. Brake fluid and clutch fluid are used in the same reservoir and could cause issues causing vehicle to not be able to stop. Vehicle has been inspected by shop and has been replicated. The part exploded and leaks fluid inside of transmission housing. This also causes the clutch to fail as-well. Vehicle has always been serviced and maintained and this is a common issue with all vehicles that have 6 speed manual transmission with varying mileage. It is not a matter of if, it’s when and due to this being something that happens with generally no warning signs can be dangerous. There needs to be an updated part that can handle the design Toyota chose for this transmission. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | POWER TRAIN | FAULTY HYDRAULICS IN THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. FAULTY SLAVE CYLINDER LEAKING FLUID AND POTENTIALLY CAUSING VEHICLE TO BECOME "STUCK" IN GEAR WHILE DRIVING OR UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR WHILE PARKED. NOT AN UNCOMMON ISSUE WITH THESE MODELS. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | Beginning on April 18, 2025, my 2020 Toyota Corolla LE began experiencing repeated failures involving multiple safety systems while driving. Without warning, several lights illuminate at the same time, including: Brake System Malfunction, Pre-Collision System, Parking Brake System, Vehicle Stability Control, Check Engine, and Secondary Collision Brake System. These warnings appear suddenly during normal driving, then sometimes disappear, then return again unpredictably. These failures disable several integrated safety systems and create a serious safety risk due to changes in braking performance, loss of stability control, and disabled collision-avoidance functions. Diagnostic scans from both the dealership and an independent mechanic repeatedly show: P1578 — Brake System Malfunction P265B — Rocker Arm Actuator Position Sensor Circuit Range/Performance (Bank 1) Both codes reappear even after being cleared. The vehicle was with Loving Toyota Lufkin, TX multiple times over seven months. They received over $7,100 in insurance payments for repairs, $463 towing cost (due to the negligence of Loving Toyota) and almost $1,500 in rental cars (Paid by State Farm) but were unable to diagnose or fix the underlying failure. Loving Toyota also provided a courtesy rental for 7+ weeks while they did no repairs to the car. The safety warnings continue to occur. Toyota Corporate is now involved but the vehicle remains unsafe to drive. The same code P265B is present that was present back in April 2025. This car is not safe! The problem has been reproduced by me, the dealership, and an independent shop. The vehicle is available for inspection. All scans, photos, videos, and documentation are available upon request. Date first occurred: April 18, 2025 Issue continues intermittently to present day | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | This is in regards to toyota CSP 24TE04 and the Engine Bypass System. This was also included in a class action lawsuit that got dropped. Engine Bypass System is faulty and shows check engine requiring replacing of Bypass Valve and or wiring. According to 24TE04 it has been affecting over 2 million cars, but not all are being fairly covered. They need to include all models with this system that were produced during this time. Thank you | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | When I start the car it informs me that my seat belt is not being worn. Even though it is. Then a message appears on my dash that says "Srs airbag system malfunction visit your dealer" My family's safety is at risk if ever involved in a accident with no airbag deployment. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I was driving normally to work and the vehicle stalled without warning and became difficult to steer. The dashboard displayed “engine stopped, steering power low”. The vehicle was stalled in the middle of the roadway and could not be restarted for 10 minutes. This was a very dangerous way to stop and then not be able to restart. People had to get out of their vehicles and help me push it out of the roadway. After 10 minutes the vehicle started and drove normally without any issues. The battery and alternator tested good. The mechanic can not find anything wrong. I am scared to drive the vehicle now and have an accident due to this incident. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that after the vehicle was started, the contact started driving, and a voice message was heard coming from the speaker on the driver’s side door, stating that the communication module had failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the Data Communication Module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 38,000 |
| Oct 2025 | POWER TRAIN | At 97,000 miles, the slave cylinder in my vehicle blew. My clutch pedal had stuck to the floor, and my brakes became harder and harder to press down because the clutch takes from the brake fluid reservoir. Brake fluid began to leak from the transmission, and it had to be towed in. If I hadn't come to a stop, I could have gotten in a horrible accident. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2025 | POWER TRAIN | I was driving on the freeway on my way to the house my car start to make some noises and I was loosing power I pulled up on the shoulder and turn off the car because the check engine came on turn off the car again but was struggling to go into first gear | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |