"How reliable is the 2021 Toyota Corolla?"

"Based on 234 NHTSA complaints, the 2021 Toyota Corolla has a median complaint mileage of 7000 miles. The most common issue is Air Bags."

"What are common problems with the 2021 Toyota Corolla?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 2021 Toyota Corolla is Air Bags, accounting for a significant portion of the 234 total complaints filed."

2021 Toyota Corolla: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 234 complaints

234

Total Complaints

7,000mi

Median Mileage

Air Bags

Top Issue

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

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

4,000 25th Percentile

7,000 Median Mileage

56,500 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Air Bags

Engine

Unknown Or Other

Electrical System

Visibility/Wiper

Power Train

Exterior Lighting

Service Brakes

Seat Belts

Vehicle Speed Control

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"I-20 0400. TRAVELING IN THE RIGHT LANE. 18 WHEELER AHEAD WAS PULLED TO THE SHOULDER. I MOVED OVER TO THE LEFT LANE. WHILE MOVING OVER THERE WAS METAL IN THE ROAD(LEARNED FROM STATE POLICE LATER FROM THE 18 WHEELER). UNABLE TO AVOID THE OBJECT THE RESULT WAS A BLOWN TIRE. THE DESIGN OF THE LEFT HEADL..."

"ON 4 OCCASIONS, AFTER ENGAGING CRUISE CONTROL (65MPH) THE STEERING WHEEL WENT HARD AND IT APPEARED THAT THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS OFF AND THE VEHICLE VEERED LEFT AND IT WOULD CREATE TO SMALL AMOUNT OF TORQUE ON THE STEERING WHEEL. AGAIN, ONLY WHEN I ENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL. VIN: [XXX] (THERE IS NO..."

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 51 complaints

25th: 6,500 mi Median: 47,100 mi 75th: 68,644 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

CA: 50 FL: 26 TX: 23 VA: 15 NY: 13 IL: 9 MD: 8 WI: 8 OH: 7 TN: 7

Who Files Complaints?

2.6%

Original Owners

97.4%

Second+ Owners

Toyota Corolla — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

Year	Complaints	Median Mileage	Top Issue	Crashes
1990	31	-	Automatic Transmission	3
1991	96	89,800	Door	22
1992	115	-	Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe	8
1993	154	101,000	Frontal	46
1994	199	133,526	Frontal	78
1995	226	159,000	Frontal	63
1996	151	76,500	Frontal	34
1997	149	99,876	Retractor	22
1998	278	76,691	Air Bags	45
1999	188	70,000	Tires	30
2000	176	71,000	Engine	35
2001	163	67,500	Air Bags	39
2002	141	62,000	Air Bags	38
2003	857	85,000	Air Bags	142
2004	558	58,000	Air Bags	85
2005	969	69,424	Air Bags	144
2006	970	59,000	Air Bags	163
2007	983	44,530	Air Bags	165
2008	378	39,871	Air Bags	95
2009	1769	24,000	Air Bags	276
2010	1567	6,050	Air Bags	210
2011	689	30,000	Air Bags	71
2012	496	34,415	Air Bags	54
2013	269	25,000	Air Bags	62
2014	379	33,000	Air Bags	104
2015	303	26,500	Air Bags	104
2016	306	24,999	Air Bags	104
2017	271	13,192	Air Bags	67
2018	193	17,874	Air Bags	33
2019	281	10,000	Power Train	39
2020	380	7,000	Engine	35
2022	111	12,500	Electrical System	17
2023	108	-	Steering	16
2024	89	15,311	Unknown Or Other	19
2025	28	-	Unknown Or Other	6

Active Recalls (1)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

Occupant Classification

Campaign 23V865000 | 20/12/2023

An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may con

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

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Vehicle Rankings

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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