← New search

2020 Toyota Corolla

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Corolla years

Owner complaints for the 2020 Toyota Corolla are substantially higher than the model-year median of 129.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 68 of 305 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 108 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

22 crash reports1 fire reports15 injury reports

What owners actually said

305 reports
Mileage unknown · Dec 11, 2022
Electrical SystemPower Train

1. First problem I had with my 2020 Toyota Corolla Hatchback SE: SAFETY RECALL 20TA07 (Backup LampsMay Become Inoperative) - 10.29.2020 2. Second problem was with the software draining the battery way too rapidly, which made me unable to start my car. I had to have a tow truck come by and he was able to recharge the battery (he…

Read full complaint

1. First problem I had with my 2020 Toyota Corolla Hatchback SE: SAFETY RECALL 20TA07 (Backup LampsMay Become Inoperative) - 10.29.2020 2. Second problem was with the software draining the battery way too rapidly, which made me unable to start my car. I had to have a tow truck come by and he was able to recharge the battery (he knew to do that with my car instead of towing it away, because he was seeing this type of issue with this type of car a lot). I took it to my local toyota dealership and had them inspect it. They told me that they need to update the software of the vehicle and that I should not be having this problem again after. *EL1934 FIRMWARE UPDATE (5.21.2021)* 3. Third problem I had was with the temperature gauge. The needle pointer in the dash did not go up and stay in the middle between C & H. It stayed closer to C (cold). It took longer than it should have to heat up the interior of the car when I turn the heat on in the morning. I took it to my local toyota dealership and after they inspected this issue, they told me that they needed to replace the thermostat unit. *MA001 THERMOSTAT ASSEMBLY* (3.19.22) 4. Fourth problem is with the transmission. I felt jerking motions from the car when accelerating and when braking-coming to a stop. **26312 CAR JERKING UPON ACCELERATION /FOUND TRNSMISSION CODE /NEED NEW TRANS ASSY UPON INSPECTION AND HEATLH CHFCK FOUND CODE P07457F AND PO7757F SOLENOID A B BOTH STUCK OFF /REST MEMORY /NO CHANGED /FOUND NEED NEW TRANS MISSION ASSY /REMOVE AND REPLACE TRANMISSION ASSY AND PERFORM RESET AND INITIALIZATION/PERFORM HYDRULIC AND ELECTRICAL TEST /NO PROBLEM FOUND /PROBLEM AT THE TRANSMISSION ITSELF CAR JECKING UPON ACCELERATION** Transmission, Automatic - Replace* (12.10.2022) I found out online that the transmission problem was known for 2018-2020 corolla hatchbacks, but Toyota did not replace it immediately. There should be a general recall for the transmissions for these vehicles ASAP!

NHTSA ODI #11496954

Mileage unknown · Nov 29, 2022
Steering

The steering makes a thumping noise. The car also veers off to the left or right while driving. I had a front-end alignment performed by the dealer. It still does the same thing. I did take it to the Dealer, twice and they claimed there was no issue. I've never heard a thumping noise in any other car that I've owned. I have not…

Read full complaint

The steering makes a thumping noise. The car also veers off to the left or right while driving. I had a front-end alignment performed by the dealer. It still does the same thing. I did take it to the Dealer, twice and they claimed there was no issue. I've never heard a thumping noise in any other car that I've owned. I have not had an accident but there is something going on with the steering of the car. I'm not sure if the steering column was broken or attempted to be stolen. There are scratches around the ignition switch that were there when I bought the car.

NHTSA ODI #11495247

Mileage unknown · Nov 21, 2022
Unknown Or Other

RE: Front bumper issue Toyota case The car comes with a front bumper that is not good for CA road conditions When I purchased the new car, and tried to leave the dealership, its front bumper came off slightly, a man stopped me and told me, I asked the selling man, who put it back and told me "its design for easy way, you can p…

Read full complaint

RE: Front bumper issue Toyota case The car comes with a front bumper that is not good for CA road conditions When I purchased the new car, and tried to leave the dealership, its front bumper came off slightly, a man stopped me and told me, I asked the selling man, who put it back and told me "its design for easy way, you can put back.". I also showed him there is no tight lock, both sides missed two locks too, the selling man said that is the way. About 200 miles, this happened again, I put it back. It happened again and again. Finally I felt this is not right. I contacted Toyota for warranty service 2021. Toyota sent me to a dealership. They did not have any body shop, but a service dept. He put it back for me, and said "you got a scratch that made it". The CA driveway always have curve, the tiny scratch is common. It will not make the bumper off. I showed him two cars in the dealership with more serious scratch but bumper is not off at all. This now happened to my other side, I contacted Toyota again, They sent me to dealership again, the service man said "Your scratch made it. " I told that I showed two body shops and both told "This kind car comes with this issue, not good for design and for CA road conditions". I gave body shop numbers to him, he did not call and ask me to get a letter from them, and said :"We are service, not good for body". Then I asked :How can you say the scratch made it if you are not the body shop, and not good at that? The car was just 9500 miles now. I got 5 new Honda, one was 2012 now, they got the similar scratch and bumper is good. The Honda was 39000 miles now. This car design is not good for CA road conditions, and a tiny scratch will make the front bumper off, in fact its back bumper also up and down, I need put too. All above happened in the local driving. If it is on the highway, it is not safe. Also if Toyota put this information on ads, who will buy this kind car? Thanks,

NHTSA ODI #11494388

Mileage unknown · Nov 11, 2022
Structure

I’ve owned my 2020 Toyota Corolla since April of 2019. Around June of 2022 I noticed a sloshing/ swooshing sound. I didn’t think much of it, but it kept doing/ hearing it. Finally I got tired of hearing the noise, and started to look for where the noise was coming from. I then realized there was water in my rear doors. I didn’t …

Read full complaint

I’ve owned my 2020 Toyota Corolla since April of 2019. Around June of 2022 I noticed a sloshing/ swooshing sound. I didn’t think much of it, but it kept doing/ hearing it. Finally I got tired of hearing the noise, and started to look for where the noise was coming from. I then realized there was water in my rear doors. I didn’t know what to do since once I realized what was happening or how it was happening, my warranty period had just passed, since at this point I have owned the vehicle for over 3 years. I kept researching and found the article attached in pdf. I was able to complete the work myself. At this point I am now worried the interior will have rust, since the water would sit there for days/ weeks after it rains. I think this resolves the issue of getting the water to exit the doors, but I don’t believe it resolves how the water is entering the vehicle. I truly believe this car will rust out from the inside, and will be left paying for the bad manufacturing of Toyota, with regards to this vehicle, and possibly a dangerous vehicle issue, as the rust will compromise the integrity of the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI #11493244

85,000 miles · Oct 19, 2022
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkagesStructure

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle emitted an abnormal slushing sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that upon parking and inspecting the vehicle, he noticed that the abnormal sound was coming from the front driver's side…

Read full complaint

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle emitted an abnormal slushing sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that upon parking and inspecting the vehicle, he noticed that the abnormal sound was coming from the front driver's side door. The contact then moved each door of the vehicle from side to side and noticed that the failure occurred on the front passenger's side door and the front and rear driver's side doors. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions and the water was drained from the doors; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they would cover the repair of the vehicle. The contact stated that it had been two months and the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that he was concerned for his safety as he was a disabled veteran. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

NHTSA ODI #11489938

Mileage unknown · Oct 19, 2022
Service Brakes

Front passenger side brake caliper was rusted and seized. At the time of this issue the car is two years old and had 40k miles. The car has lived its entire life in western North Carolina with me being its only owner. It has never been driven in salty conditions other than twice to the beach. The dealership refused to fix this s…

Read full complaint

Front passenger side brake caliper was rusted and seized. At the time of this issue the car is two years old and had 40k miles. The car has lived its entire life in western North Carolina with me being its only owner. It has never been driven in salty conditions other than twice to the beach. The dealership refused to fix this safety issue under the platinum warranty I purchased because it is "Enviromental". This is a major safety concern. I have a 1997 suburban which gets drove in salty conditions every winter and has never one had an issue with its calipers or any operational part rusting.

NHTSA ODI #11489911

60,000 miles · Sep 26, 2022
Electrical System

Battery and alternator died causing power steering to fail and wheels to lock up. Should not happen on a car this new, brought to dealer and charged me $740 to fix it.

NHTSA ODI #11486344

Mileage unknown · Sep 20, 2022
Electrical SystemStructure

DOORS FILL UP WITH RAIN WATER AND WATER IS SLOSHING AROUND INSIDE DOOR FRAME. NEED DOORS REPLACED DUE TO ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS BEING DAMAGED BY MOISTURE CORROSION.

NHTSA ODI #11485436

Mileage unknown · Sep 2, 2022
Unknown Or Other

While driving I heard water sound in my car like a wave and checked the car and finally realized that passenger side door in front is holding water . When moving the door back and forth you can hear it. I have heard it before and the noise stop it’s been raining and The wave back again.

NHTSA ODI #11482533

Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 2022
Back Over PreventionPower TrainUnknown Or OtherCrashInjury

I am not sure what the component is but I am driving and as I accelerate the gas my car will lose power to increase speed. If I am at the stop sign or stop light and I proceed to go the car will stall and not get going once I place my foot on the gas. I have reached out to the dealer by phone and when I have obtained service I…

Read full complaint

I am not sure what the component is but I am driving and as I accelerate the gas my car will lose power to increase speed. If I am at the stop sign or stop light and I proceed to go the car will stall and not get going once I place my foot on the gas. I have reached out to the dealer by phone and when I have obtained service I am being advised that it's nothing. But I have experienced it on multiple occasions and even had an accident and nothing is being done to resolve the issue. I know that it can't be normal for the vehicle to do that and I am tired of getting the run around in regards to it. I was able to see that there has been a recall but do not see that it is in regard to me vin number. Can you please assist me with this matter. I should not be in the middle of driving or at a stop light and not able to accelerate my vehicle to a regular speed. I would like to have this matter looked into by a different Toyota dealer. Also it happens randomly and when I take to the dealership nothing is ever done and the issue is constantly being ignored. I am being told that due to no check engine light being on that my car is fine and its not. I don't want to lose my life due to the fact that I have purchased a faulty car and have not been made aware of any issues to protect my safety.

NHTSA ODI #11481575

Official recalls

3

23V865000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification

Dec 20, 2023

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.

Consequence & remedy

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

Remedy: 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 contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.

20V682000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Nov 4, 2020

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200, 2018-2019 Lexus NX300 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy parts should be available for all affected vehicles by late March 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-012. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA01.

19V877000 · Seat Belts: Rear/other:buckle Assembly; Seat Belts:rear/other

Dec 11, 2019

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019-2020 C-HR and 2020 Corolla and Corolla Hybrid vehicles equipped with rear seat belt assemblies with a dual-mode locking mechanism. The seat belt webbing sensor locking mechanism may not lock as intended.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash involving multiple impacts, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seat belt assembly production dates, and replace the assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 19TB22 and 19TA22.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Seat Belts: Rear/other:buckle Assembly

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019-2020 C-HR and 2020 Corolla and Corolla Hybrid vehicles equipped with rear seat belt assemblies with a dual-mode locking mechanism. The seat belt webbing sensor locking mechanism may not lock as intended.

Consequence: In the event of a crash involving multiple impacts, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seat belt assembly production dates, and replace the assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 19TB22 and 19TA22.

Seat Belts:rear/other

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019-2020 C-HR and 2020 Corolla and Corolla Hybrid vehicles equipped with rear seat belt assemblies with a dual-mode locking mechanism. The seat belt webbing sensor locking mechanism may not lock as intended.

Consequence: In the event of a crash involving multiple impacts, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seat belt assembly production dates, and replace the assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 19TB22 and 19TA22.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Toyota Corolla problems