Complaint volume
177 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
2021 Toyota Corolla Complaints
177 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Toyota Corolla, grouped by component category.
177 Total complaints
18 Crash reports
2 Fire reports
10 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, engine, 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 18 crash reports, 2 fire reports, 10 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 23 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 39,578 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to air bags, engine, 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 2021 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.
2021 Toyota Corolla
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Toyota Corolla complaints?
18 Crash
2 Fire
10 Injury
0 Fatality
17 Towed
11 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Toyota Corolla complaint categories?
AIR BAGS 42
ENGINE 26
POWER TRAIN 14
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 14
VISIBILITY/WIPER 10
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 4
TIRES 4
AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS 3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 3
177 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2022 | POWER TRAIN | I was driving home from school, and while trying to change lanes on fairly busy road on a hill and my car with a CVT transmission stalled out and a check engine light appeared on my dash with a message reading “drive-start control malfunction”. While trying to limp the car home, the engine killed power three or four times within like a five minute drive up some hilly roads and I constantly had to pull to the side and turn the car off and on just to make it up the next hill. I took it in the same day the issue were happening and they didn’t diagnose the issue until two three week after I had originally brought it in and said it was a CVT issue. A week or two prior to this happening, I was coming down a hill towards a stop light and when I get hit the stop light my car jerked and the “drive-start control malfunction” messages appeared then immediately went away, so I paid it no mind. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES | The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the parking brake warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. Additionally, the brake warning light was illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,800. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,800 |
| Jun 2022 | ENGINE | 2021 TOYOTA COROLLA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OVER A BARRIER. WHEN THE CONSUMER REVERSED THE VEHICLE, IT ACCELERATED BACKWARDS INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE CAUSING DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. *JS | Crash: Yes Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2022 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | My 2021 Toyota Corolla, with 3000 miles and less than a year on it, is repeatedly exhibiting a "check gas cap" warning message followed a day or two later by a "check engine, visit your dealer" warning. This has happened twice. I have returned to the dealer once to have the system reset, after which the same sequence of warning messages recurred. This message wipes out my dashboard display and keeps me from using my cruise control and radar distancing feature. I have not yet determined what other safety features are neutralized by this recurring malfunction. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,PARKING BRAKE | The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle came to a squeaky stop. The contact was able to get off the road safely. The contact stated once on the side of the road, he noticed the electric parking brake was engaged. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the regular service brakes were inoperable while the electric parking brake was engaged. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic found no failure with the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 12,200. | Crash: No Fire: No | 12,200 |
| Feb 2022 | AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | While driving down a two-way street an oncoming car departed its lane resulting in an offset frontal collision on the driver's side. The driver's side airbag did not deploy, the seat belts did not pretention/lock and the pre-collision system did not engage brakes or alert the driver. The driver of the car suffered a broken bone as a result. The driver of the oncoming colliding car was okay, their airbags deployed. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | When I was driving on the freeway on January 21, 2022, I had my iPhone X plugged into the car's infotainment system via USB to enable Apple CarPlay and navigate using Google Maps. In the middle of driving, the navigation system lost accuracy of my precise location. It continuously kept rerouting, as it believed that I had exited the freeway and was now on the side street. GPS precision is unreliable when the connected phone is not unlocked and on the Google Maps app (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't). This is obviously a safety hazard, since I have to exit the Google Maps app on my phone, reopen it, and reroute to the location so the software accurately picks up my location (luckily, the car has lane-trace assist). Another issue is when using Google Maps (an issue with all navigation app, really; here I use Google Maps as an example, but I've had an issue with all maps apps I use, including Apple Maps) navigation with Apple CarPlay and the iPhone locks itself or the driver exits the Google Maps app on the phone. Sometimes, when the phone locks itself from idle usage (as it should, since the driver is focusing on the road) or when the Google Maps app is exited (but not closed), the navigation interface on the car's infotainment system freezes. It shows the current location of the vehicle as stationary when it really should be moving. The intended functionality is the navigation software should continue running and updating as the car moves, regardless of whether the phone is locked or if the Google Maps app is only running in the background. This issue happens sporadically, but poses a significant risk of a collision, as it forces the driver to use their phone and reroute their navigation instead of paying attention to the road. Toyota needs to coordinate with Apple to address this issue on Apple CarPlay and subsequently release a software update to drivers. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY/WIPER | I purchased this vehicle new in June 2021. It is the hatchback model. Prior to that I drove a motorcycle since 2015. I noticed right at the beginning that the headlights don't illuminate far enough ahead at night for what I consider safe. My ability to see off into the distance ahead of the vehicle is far less than what I would get from my motorcycle, which doesn't make any sense to me because this car has LED headlights which are supposed to be better. I live in Washington, DC and have family in New Jersey that I visit regularly. There are two ways I can go. The first is Interstate 95 which has a speed limit of 65 but I set my cruise control at 60. When I come to an area where there is no street lighting and there are no other cars around which are helping illuminate the roadway, I am overdriving my headlights. This is not safe. The second route is taking Route 50 to the Annapolis Bay Bridge, then getting on Route 301 North towards Middletown, Delaware and then New Castle, Delaware, over the Delaware Memorial Bridge and then Route 295 towards Burlington County where my family lives. Route 50 is 65 mph until you get to Annapolis where its reduced to 55, then stays 55mph all the way to Route 301, and then Route 301 is 55 mph, until the Delaware Memorial Bridge. When I get to Route 301 North there is very little other lighting on the road other than my headlights. There are far fewer cars than on Interstate 95 so I get very little illumination from passing cars. Even if I reduce my speed to 50 mph, I am still over-driving my headlights. There has to be something wrong with how the headlights have been positioned. They are not shining for any reasonable distance ahead of the car. I have gone to the Toyota dealer in Bethesda, MD where I purchased it, Jim Coleman Toyota three times to tell them about it. Each time they have told me that there is nothing wrong with the lights. But I don't know what they did to check them. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | POWER TRAIN | Car was in dealership twice in one week for jerking while driving dealership said it was abc and was so called “fixed” both times only had my car for a little bit back before I had to take it back . 3rd time in the same week my transmission went out on me while on the highway with young kids in the car and almost caused a wreck. Car got towed in was confirmed it was my transmission and a dozen other codes going off . Toyota is lucky that the semi that was behind me when this happened did not plow into me | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | While driving the vehicle the brake hold system was activated at a red light. While proceeding through the light within (about) 5 minutes the vehicle indicated a brake hold malfunction. An odor of smoke was also present, at that point I turned off the vehicle and inspected the origin; the trunk. Upon opening the trunk the right side had a sizeable fire growing towards my assets. Police did arrive on scene, an adjuster has examined the damages, however this has not seemed to be replicated. I believe the risks associated with this incident are quite evident. There was no collision. | Crash: No Fire: Yes | Unknown |
| Nov 2021 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The problem seems to occur when activating the Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) feature, as detailed next. During a recent trip, the car behaved in a potentially dangerous, life-threatening manner when the DRCC function was activated. Specifically, the car seems to increase the RPM of the engine to dangerous levels when going down a slope even if there is a speed limit set using the cruise control. In other words, the car does not change gear properly to keep the RPM in normal ranges. The engine’s RPM getting close, entering the red zone indicated by the RPM tachometer, and staying there even for seconds may cause an engine explosion which at highway speeds can be extremely dangerous for the passengers and other nearby vehicles on the road. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | After bringing my 2021 Corolla into a certified mechanic that I personally trust is the most skilled and talented for Toyota brand, as a specialist for asian make vehicles. I was told that my unit was given a old battery despite the year of my vehicle. The safety of starting the engine was discovered 3 days ago. When I couldn't start the Car. I brought it to mountain view auto mechanics, in mountain view, CA. The mechanic I spoke with visually scans the engine and said that everything was not tampered with, but requires a replacement battery, by the Toyota dealership; any of the locations. Because the car is a 2021 it falls in the category of standard brand new warranty. A diagnostic fee has been said by Toyota of Stevens creek of the amounts of 230.00$ to find the issue. Even though I in with in warranty. I work at Quiktrak inc. as Field Inspector/authorized inspector my id# is CNP995 I perform inspection audits for vehicles and vessels all in the northern areas of California. I am complaining about my vehicle being un-safe for long term use, because of contraindications of how my car is. For the record. I have not modified any thing that would void my vehicles basic warrenty. Nor the CA emissions warenty | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2021 | TIRES | 2021 TOYOTA COROLLA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE RUPTURE. THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING THE TIRE RUPTURED. THE CONSUMER CALLED TOYOTA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND WAS NOT PROPERLY ASSISTED. THE CONSUMER CALLED AAA FOR ASSISTANCE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR HAVING TO USE AAA AND FOR THE NEW TIRE. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE | Got in the car this morning and the check engine light came on. Needed to get to work so started driving. About 5 minutes later car started shuttering and reduced engine power displayed. Had to do 20 MPH all the way to work. Did not make for a good morning. The lane keep assist and other safety features were turned off as well. Not very safe when driving. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2021 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Turn signal light fogged up when washing vehicle. Must be moisture getting in somehow. On a 2 month old car. Not good | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2021 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The vehicle does not keep the set speed. Ex. When cruise is set to 65, the vehicle will remain at 64 never making it to 65. This occurs with clear road ahead and no traffic. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2021 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Windshield wipers are not fast enough the motor isn't fast enough to keep up with moderate to Heavy Rain and occasionally wipers will just stop | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2021 | STEERING,SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE | While driving approx. 35-40 mph driver impacted front left side with a stop sign post . Causing very little body damage but completely ripped the control arm out of the sub frame which caused an unreasonable amount of other significant damages . The axle broke off at the transmission . These 3 parts alone costing almost 2500$ plus labor to repair. It ripped part of my bumper cover which had to be replaced and dented the fender which is being repaired . Had the cars subframe held up in what should have been a minor incident none of the other parts would have been affected the way the were. I had the car inspected and aligned at the Toyota dealership and was directed by two employees to file this complaint. They too felt the sub frame shouldn't have ripped apart like it did. Had I been involved in a collision with another car my car would have crumbled . Trading it in as soon as its repairs are complete . Scares me to think what would've happened if my child were with me. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2021 | AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while attempting to park the vehicle when depressing on the brake pedal and the vehicle accelerated independently and crashed into a building. The contact stated the "vehicle was needing to be serviced" warning light was illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. The contact did not sustain any injuries or seek medical attention. A police report was filed. The contact towed the vehicle to an unknown location. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 4,000. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | 4,000 |
| Jun 2021 | PARKING BRAKE,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving down a dark road he was unable to see the roadway due to poor visibility from the headlights. The contact stated that the failure was evident while using the low-beam or hi-beam headlights. The contact stated that the electronic braking system was inoperable. The contact was concerned for his safety while driving the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 380. | Crash: No Fire: No | 380 |
| May 2021 | PARKING BRAKE | 2021 Toyota Corolla. Consumer writes in regards to emergency brake system. THE CONSUMER STATED THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM ACTIVATES EACH TIME THE VEHICLE IS PARKED. THE CONSUMER STATED THIS WAS UNNATURAL. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WHEN I PARKED MY CAR THE MORNING ON MARCH 22, THE TEMPERATURE WAS AROUND 50F. THERE WAS NO WINDSHIELD CRACK AT THIS TIME. WHEN I WENT TO GET MY CAR IN THE AFTERNOON ON MARCH 22, A FOOT LONG CRACK HAD FORMED ON MY WINDSHIELD. THE TEMPERATURE AT THIS TIME WAS AROUND 70F. HAD THIS HAPPENED WHILE I DROVE, IT WOULD HAD BEEN A SAFETY HAZARD. A WINDSHIELD SHOULD NOT CRACK THIS FAST. A FOOT LONG ON THE FIRST DAY? THE CAR WASN'T EVEN MOVING WHEN THIS HAPPENED. IMAGINE HOW FAST THE CRACK WOULD CRACK IF THE CAR WAS MOVING. THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 500 MILES AND WAS LESS THAN A MONTH OLD WHEN THIS OCCURRED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 490 |
| Mar 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | AFTER PURCHASING MY COROLLA MY CAR POWERED DOWN. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CHECKED IT AND STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. THIS WAS IN NOVEMBER 2020. ON 1/16/2021 I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED, EVERYTHING JUST POWERED DOWN. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP. THIS WAS AROUND 6:00PM. I THEN CALLED MY FAMILY AND TOLD THEM WHERE I WAS AND WHAT HAPPENED. A PASSERBY STOPPED TO ASSIST ME AND GOT MY CAR RUNNING BY JUMPING IT OFF. AN HOUR LATER I WAS SITTING IN A PRIVATE DRIVE WAITING ON TRAFFIC TO PASS BEFORE PULLING OUT. THE NEXT THING I KNOW I WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE THAT HIT ME THEN WENT OVER TO THE OTHER LANE AND SIDESWIPED A TRUCK THAT HAD A LOW BOY TRAILER ATTACHED TO IT. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WHEN THE TRUCK HIT THE OTHER TRUCK AFTER HITTING ME THAT IS WHEN THE 3 PEOPLE IN THE TRUCK WERE KILLED. TWO OF THE PEOPLE WERE EJECTED AND THE OTHER PARTIALLY EJECTED. THE PEOPLE IN THE 2ND TRUCK TOLD POLICE THAT I FAILED TO YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY. THEY NEVER ASKED ME WHAT HAPPENED AND TOOK THE OTHER DRIVERS WORD AT WHAT HAPPENED. THERE WERE NO SKID MARKS FROM EITHER TRUCK ON THE ROADWAY. IF I WAS PULLING OUT I AM SURE THERE WOULD BE SKID MARKS.*DT*JB | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed Medical attention | 5,800 |
| Mar 2021 | SUSPENSION | REAR SUSPENSION SPRING WAS NOT IN THE RIGHT SPOT. IT WAS LEANING ON MY FRAME. MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,100 |
| Feb 2021 | WHEELS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1.EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM AT A SIGNAL LIGHT 2.TO CONTROL SUDDEN ACCELERATION, NEED TO PUSH BRAKES HARDER THAN A NON HYBRID CAR 3.IN THE REVERSE DIRECTION, IT GOES TOO FAST WITHOUT PUSHING THE GAS, THIS MAY CAUSE A CRASH MISSING EXTRA TIRE AND THE ACCESSORIES (JACK, LUG WRENCH, OTHER TOOLS ETC) EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A SLOTTED PLACE HOLDER THERE. (SHAME ON TOYOTA FOR DOING THIS, TO ORDER A NEW KIT THIS WILL COST APPROX $1,500 PER MISSING KIT, IF YOU WERE TO ORDER INDIVIDUALLY, THIS CAN POTENTIALLY BE A SERIOUS PERSONAL SAFETY ISSUE IF YOU'RE IN A BAD NEIGHBORHOOD AND WAITING FOR TOW TRUCK VS QUICKLY CHANGE THE TIRE AND LEAVE) 4.CHEAP SOFT TIRES, GOT A SCREW WITHIN 2 MONTHS? CALLED TOYOTA , TOWING IS FREE, BUT YOU MUST PAY FOR THE FLAT REPAIR OR BUY A NEW TIRE (ABOUT $250) EVERY TIME THERE IS FLAT AS YOU DO NOT HAVE EXTRA TIRE, JACK, LUG WRENCH. (THIS CAN BE RACKETEERING - SHAME ON TOYOTA FOR DOING THIS) 5.2ND CAR (2021 HYBRID) CAME WITH THE LOW BRAKE FLUID LEVELS, CLOSE TO THE LOW/MIDDLE VS BRAND NEW CAR WITH NEW BRAKES, FLUID LEVEL SHOULD BE CLOSE TO MAXIMUM. (SHAME ON TOYOTA FOR DOING THIS AND PLAYING CHEAP, BESIDES SAFETY ISSUE) 6.TO REPAIR FLAT TIRE, THE AIR PUMP AND GLUE KIT IS A JOKE, THIS DOESN'T WORK - TOYOTA SHOULD PROVIDE NON-FLAT ABLE TIRES BEFORE THIS GENIUS MICKEY-MOUSE INVENTION. (SHAME ON TOYOTA FOR DOING THIS) *DT*JB | Crash: No Fire: No | 800 |