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2021 Toyota Corolla

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2021 Toyota Corolla do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 129.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 25 of 185 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 52 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

18 crash reports2 fire reports10 injury reports

What owners actually said

185 reports
Mileage unknown · May 18, 2026
Power Train

LA TRANSMISSION AUTOMATICA CVT USADAS EN LA MAYORIA DE LOS TOYOTAS, NO PUEDES REVISAR SI ESTA EL ACEITE SUCIO , YA QUE ES COMPLETAMENTE SELLADA, Y CUANDO PREGUNTAS EN EL DEALER TE DICEN QUE CON ESTAS NUEVAS TRANSMISSIONES NO NECESIAS CAMBIAR EL FLUIDO(ACEITE ), RESULTA QUE ESTAS TRANSMISSIONES LA MAYORIA SOLO DURAN DE 50000 A 1…

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LA TRANSMISSION AUTOMATICA CVT USADAS EN LA MAYORIA DE LOS TOYOTAS, NO PUEDES REVISAR SI ESTA EL ACEITE SUCIO , YA QUE ES COMPLETAMENTE SELLADA, Y CUANDO PREGUNTAS EN EL DEALER TE DICEN QUE CON ESTAS NUEVAS TRANSMISSIONES NO NECESIAS CAMBIAR EL FLUIDO(ACEITE ), RESULTA QUE ESTAS TRANSMISSIONES LA MAYORIA SOLO DURAN DE 50000 A 100000 MILLAS, ES INCREIBLE COMO TOYOTA SIENDO UNA COMPANIA DE BUENA REPUTACION, NOS H AFECTADO A MILES DE CONSUMIDORES, LE COMENTO ESTO PORQUE MI AUTO ES 2021, MENOS DE 5 ANOS, CON 135000 MILLAS ,YA NO TENGO GARANTIA, ES FRUSTANTE QUE TODO ESTO LO HAGAN PARA HACER GASTAR MAS AL CONSUMIDOR SOLO POR SU INTERES ECONOMICO

NHTSA ODI #11738457

Mileage unknown · May 16, 2026
Electrical SystemEngine

The vehicle displays an “Engine Maintenance Required” warning message shortly after the air conditioning is turned on. The warning does not usually appear immediately at startup but consistently appears when the A/C system is activated. The vehicle currently remains drivable, but the issue appears related to the engine cooling s…

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The vehicle displays an “Engine Maintenance Required” warning message shortly after the air conditioning is turned on. The warning does not usually appear immediately at startup but consistently appears when the A/C system is activated. The vehicle currently remains drivable, but the issue appears related to the engine cooling system and may involve the coolant bypass valve/flow control valve, which has been widely reported by other owners of similar model vehicles. The problem raises safety concerns because a cooling system malfunction could potentially lead to overheating while driving. The issue has been reproduced multiple times. A generic code scan at an auto parts store did not show stored engine codes. The vehicle was taken to a Toyota dealership and Toyota customer service was contacted regarding known coverage programs related to this issue, but the VIN was reportedly not included. Warning symptoms first appeared during normal driving and continue intermittently whenever the air conditioning system is used.

NHTSA ODI #11738354

Mileage unknown · May 3, 2026
Seat Belts

The rear seatbelt sensor doesn't work well, sometimes the rear seatbelt are buckled what it says they're not and sometimes they're not buckled and it says they are.

NHTSA ODI #11735354

Mileage unknown · Apr 29, 2026
StructureVehicle Speed ControlCrash

The car accelerated on its own when I was attempting to park it. I had no control over the car and it ended up crashing into multiple vehicles.

NHTSA ODI #11734684

Mileage unknown · Apr 29, 2026
Structure

When attempting to replace the rear glass at Safelite on 4/29/2026, the worker noticed rust on the headliner. Now the rear glass can't be replaced until a body shop replaces the rusted headliner. I began leasing this car in December 2020, and now I own it. Now I am driving with a plastic covering over the rear window, which pose…

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When attempting to replace the rear glass at Safelite on 4/29/2026, the worker noticed rust on the headliner. Now the rear glass can't be replaced until a body shop replaces the rusted headliner. I began leasing this car in December 2020, and now I own it. Now I am driving with a plastic covering over the rear window, which poses a safety hazard.

NHTSA ODI #11734636

90,000 miles · Apr 24, 2026
Air BagsCrashInjury

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while his son was driving at 3 MPH, they were rear-ended by a BMW X5 and pushed forward, crashing into a Ford Explorer. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that his son sustained injuries consisting of lacerations to his face and was taken to the …

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The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while his son was driving at 3 MPH, they were rear-ended by a BMW X5 and pushed forward, crashing into a Ford Explorer. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that his son sustained injuries consisting of lacerations to his face and was taken to the hospital by ambulance, where medical attention was provided. There was no reported fire. A police report was filed, which indicated that the air bags deployed. The contact stated that the air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to a towing lot. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ODI #11733617

Mileage unknown · Apr 2, 2026
Engine

The Clutch Slave Cylinder needs replacement

NHTSA ODI #11728738

Mileage unknown · Mar 24, 2026
Engine

Engine maintenance required, call dealer. The engine coolant bypass valve needs to be replaced. Known issue in Toyota corolla’s yet no recall to remedy the repair.

NHTSA ODI #11726859

Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 2026
Electrical System

Coolant bypass valve has shorted out. “Engine maintenance required” notification popped up on the gauge cluster

NHTSA ODI #11725939

65,000 miles · Mar 5, 2026
Power Train

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the clutch pedal failed to function as intended. The clutch pedal was stuck, and the contact was unable to shift gear. The contact forced the clutch back into neutral while holding the clutch pedal. Once the clutch pedal was released, the ve…

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The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the clutch pedal failed to function as intended. The clutch pedal was stuck, and the contact was unable to shift gear. The contact forced the clutch back into neutral while holding the clutch pedal. Once the clutch pedal was released, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and traveled down to the floorboard. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. The contact kicked the clutch pedal upwards to continue driving back to the residence. The contact arrived at the residence and inspected the vehicle, and became aware that there was brake fluid leaking from the vehicle, and the brake fluid reservoir was empty. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the clutch slave cylinder had failed and damaged the clutch and the flywheel. The vehicle remained with the independent mechanic unrepaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

NHTSA ODI #11722293

Official recalls

1

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.

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.

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