2009 Toyota Corolla: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 1769 complaints
1769
Total Complaints
24,000mi
Median Mileage
Air Bags
Top Issue
276
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

6,000 25th Percentile
24,000 Median Mileage
64,174 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Air Bags
542
Steering
379
Vehicle Speed Control
170
Engine
91
Electrical System
82
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
60
Unknown Or Other
36
Power Train
34
Service Brakes
32
Body
28

Severity Assessment

276
Crashes
16
Fires
161
Injuries
2
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"ATTACHED IS LETTER SUBMITTED TO TOYOTA 7/22/08 I RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA FROM WEST HERR TOYOTA, ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK ON MAY 16, 2008. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK A ROAD TRIP FROM NY TO PA, APPROXIMATELY 6 HOURS OF DRIVING. I AM WRITING TO YOU TODAY TO REPORT MY DISSATISFACTION ..."
"ATTACHED IS LETTER SUBMITTED TO TOYOTA 7/22/08 I RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA FROM WEST HERR TOYOTA, ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK ON MAY 16, 2008. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK A ROAD TRIP FROM NY TO PA, APPROXIMATELY 6 HOURS OF DRIVING. I AM WRITING TO YOU TODAY TO REPORT MY DISSATISFACTION ..."
"WE HAVE A SERIOUS NIGHTTIME DRIVING VISIBILITY CONDITION. THE AUTO MANUFACTURERS ARE NOW MAKING HEADLIGHTS WITH PLASTIC LENS WHICH TEND TO DARKEN IN A RELATIVELY SHORT TIME THEREBY INHIBITING NIGHTTIME DRIVING VISION ESPECIALLY FOR OLDER PEOPLE WHO NEED MORE LIGHT THAN A YOUNGER DRIVER. IT IN MY OP..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Air Bags 542 complaints
25th: 44,250 mi Median: 85,000 mi 75th: 118,650 mi
Steering 379 complaints
25th: 500 mi Median: 9,500 mi 75th: 29,881 mi
Vehicle Speed Control 170 complaints
25th: 8,000 mi Median: 20,000 mi 75th: 40,000 mi
Engine 91 complaints
25th: 54,000 mi Median: 77,798 mi 75th: 98,000 mi
Electrical System 82 complaints
25th: 17,494 mi Median: 56,300 mi 75th: 88,025 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

CA: 264 FL: 144 TX: 135 NY: 95 OH: 87 PA: 87 NJ: 80 NC: 70 MD: 61 GA: 58

Who Files Complaints?

3.1%
Original Owners
96.9%
Second+ Owners

Toyota Corolla — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

YearComplaintsCrashes
1990313
19919622
19921158
199315446
199419978
199522663
199615134
199714922
199827845
199918830
200017635
200116339
200214138
2003857142
200455885
2005969144
2006970163
2007983165
200837895
20101567210
201168971
201249654
201326962
2014379104
2015303104
2016306104
201727167
201819333
201928139
202038035
202123428
202211117
202310816
20248919
2025286

Active Recalls (13)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

Inflator Module
Campaign 19V741000 | 17/10/2019
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service
Inflator Module
Campaign 18V024000 | 09/01/2018
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or replace the air bag assembly. The recall began on January 29, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota custo
Inflator Module
Campaign 17V006000 | 09/01/2017
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 1, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota cust
Power Window Devices And Controls
Campaign 15V689000 | 22/10/2015
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 assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the PWMS circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 20, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-
Inflator Module
Campaign 14V168000 | 09/04/2014
If the FFC is damaged, connectivity to the driver's air bag module could be lost and the air bag deactivated. The failure of the driver's air bag to deploy in the event of a crash that typically necessitates deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver.
Toyota will notify the Toyota vehicle owners, and General Motors will notify the Pontiac Vibe owners. Toyota sent owners an interim notification letter in May 2014 to advise owners of the recall. Toyota will mail owners a second letter when remedy parts are available. General Motors sent Pontiac V
Seat Heater/Cooler
Campaign 16V396000 | 02/06/2016
If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.
Inflator Module
Campaign 16V340000 | 23/05/2016
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on December 6, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer se
Power Window Devices And Controls
Campaign 12V491000 | 10/10/2012
If the switch overheats, it may melt, possibly resulting in a fire.
Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will inspect the switch and apply a special grease that inhibits heat build up or replace any switch damaged by the defect, free of charge. Toyota owners that experience a problem with a switch should not attempt to make repairs, but should contact their T
Labels
Campaign 10V035000 | 03/02/2010
THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.
DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GULF STATES TOYOTA AT 713-580-3300.
Vacuum
Campaign 09V338000 | 27/08/2009
THIS COULD LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEWLY DESIGNED INTAKE AIR CONNECTOR WHICH WILL RELOCATE THE BRAKE SYSTEM VACUUM PORT. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Labels
Campaign 10V036000 | 03/02/2010
A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.
Accelerator Pedal
Campaign 10V023000 | 27/01/2010
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 DEATH.
TOYOTA WILL MODIFY OR REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR PEDALS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. FLOOR SURFACE MODIFICATIONS ARE ALSO BEING CONSIDERED AND WILL BE INCLUDED FOR ANY MODEL FOR WHICH IT IS DEEMED APPROPRIATE. INITIALLY, DEALERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED ON HOW TO RESHAPE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FOR THE REPAIR. AS
Accelerator Pedal
Campaign 10V017000 | 21/01/2010
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, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REINFORCEMENT BAR IN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHICH WILL ALLOW THE PEDAL TO OPERATE SMOOTHLY. GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS FOR THE PONTIAC VIBE PLEASE SEE 10V-018. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON FEBRUARY 5, 2010 AND WILL BE CO

Airbag Safety

Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.

  • Check for open airbag recalls at NHTSA.gov using your VIN
  • Never ignore the airbag warning light — get it diagnosed immediately
  • Don't install aftermarket steering wheel covers that block the airbag
  • Keep the area around airbag deployment zones clear of accessories

Compare Toyota Corolla

vs Honda Civic →

Vehicle Rankings

Most complained Worst transmissions Worst engines Worst brakes Most crashes Compare vehicles

Looking for a replacement?

Based on the data above, here are relevant options.

2009 Toyota Corolla parts on Amazon
→

Affiliate link

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28