COMPONENT SPOTLIGHT

Toyota Corolla electrical problems

878 distinct owner reports with an electrical-system component in this snapshot.

Includes the electrical-system component and its detailed subcategories. Related recalls and investigations must also name this component; they are not linked by narrative keyword alone.

52 crash reports78 fire reports24 injury reports

Reports by model year

Recall and investigation columns show each year’s full history. A report naming several years can appear in more than one row.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

539 reports with mileage · 339 unknown

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 owners actually said

878 reports
2014 model year · 51,000 miles · Apr 28, 2017
Electrical System

THE RADIO AND GPS SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK ANY MORE, THE SYSTEM TRIES TO LOAD AND ALL OF SUDDEN STOPS AND STARTS AGAIN. APPARENTLY LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #10981276

2010 model year · 59,000 miles · Apr 26, 2017
Electrical SystemEngineStructureFire

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR YESTERDAY AND AS I WENT TO ACCELERATE THE CAR DIDN'T MOVE SO I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL AGAIN AND IT WENT REAL SLOW. THEN THE CAR JERKED AND BEGAN TO SMOKE REALLY BAD SO I PULLED OVER AND OPEN THE HOOD AND FLAMES BEGAN TO SHOOT OUT.

NHTSA ODI #10980841

2003 model year · 178,000 miles · Apr 12, 2017
Electrical System

VEHICLE IGNITION SWITCH ENGAGES STARTER ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS WHEN TURNING THE KEY. AFTER A UNSPECIFIED PERIOD OF TIME HAS LAPSED, THE VEHICLE WILL ENGAGE STARTER AND START. VEHICLE HAS BEEN STRANDED NUMEROUS TIMES AROUND TOWN.

NHTSA ODI #10972091

2003 model year · 180,000 miles · Apr 12, 2017
Electrical System

INSTRUMENT DISPLAY PANEL FAILS TO LIGHT UP IN THE STATIONARY POSITION FOR APPROX. 15 SECONDS. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AND VEHICLE IS MOVING INSTRUMENT DISPLAY MAY NOT COME ON.

NHTSA ODI #10972089

2009 model year · 114,820 miles · Apr 10, 2017
Electrical SystemStructureFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. THE DOOR ALSO BECAME EXTREMELY HOT. THE VEHICLE DID NOT CATCH FIRE. THERE WAS NO POLICE OR FIRE REPORT FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER W…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. THE DOOR ALSO BECAME EXTREMELY HOT. THE VEHICLE DID NOT CATCH FIRE. THERE WAS NO POLICE OR FIRE REPORT FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,820.

NHTSA ODI #10971754

2010 model year · 193,000 miles · Apr 3, 2017
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

CAR WOULD START THEN DRIVING AT 10MPH THE CAR STALLS AND THE DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATE THE DASHBOARD. PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTART WITH NO PROBLEM BUT IF SOMEBODY WAS BEHIND ME IT WOULD'VE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. LAST WEEK CAR DID THE SAME THING EXCEPT I THE CAR WAS IN MOTION TOWARDS AN INTERSECTION FROM IDLE AND HAD TO QUICKLY PUT …

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CAR WOULD START THEN DRIVING AT 10MPH THE CAR STALLS AND THE DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATE THE DASHBOARD. PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTART WITH NO PROBLEM BUT IF SOMEBODY WAS BEHIND ME IT WOULD'VE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. LAST WEEK CAR DID THE SAME THING EXCEPT I THE CAR WAS IN MOTION TOWARDS AN INTERSECTION FROM IDLE AND HAD TO QUICKLY PUT IT IN PARK AND RESTART IT AND MOVE IT BEFORE I WOULD'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN A DEADLY ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #10970089

2014 model year · 15,000 miles · Apr 1, 2017
Electrical System

GOOD AFTERNOON, ON BEHALF OF MY BROTHER [XXX] I AM SUBMITTING A FAULTY ECO BOOST LIGHT FIXTURE. THE WIRING IS AND HAS BEEN OFF BEFORE THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. HONESTLY AS THE CONCERN ABOUT GLOBAL EMISSIONS BEING REVISED AND EDITED DAILY, SMOG IS A CONCERN THAT I AM ATTENUATED FOR AS THE GROWTH OF TREES OUT LOCALLY I…

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GOOD AFTERNOON, ON BEHALF OF MY BROTHER [XXX] I AM SUBMITTING A FAULTY ECO BOOST LIGHT FIXTURE. THE WIRING IS AND HAS BEEN OFF BEFORE THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. HONESTLY AS THE CONCERN ABOUT GLOBAL EMISSIONS BEING REVISED AND EDITED DAILY, SMOG IS A CONCERN THAT I AM ATTENUATED FOR AS THE GROWTH OF TREES OUT LOCALLY IS STILL A PHOTOSYNTHETIC PROCESS. THERE ARE QUITE A FEW OTHER SERVICE RECALLS THAT MAY BE IN NEED OF ADDRESSING FOR THIS MODEL. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10969911

2014 model year · Mileage unknown · Mar 17, 2017
Electrical SystemSteering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNAWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10966484

2017 model year · 800 miles · Feb 14, 2017
Electrical SystemForward Collision Avoidance

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CRASH AVOIDANCE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SENSOR DID NOT APPLY THE BRAKES OR DETECT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO CLOSE TO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER REFRESHED THE SENSOR SOFTWARE I…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CRASH AVOIDANCE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SENSOR DID NOT APPLY THE BRAKES OR DETECT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO CLOSE TO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER REFRESHED THE SENSOR SOFTWARE IN THE VEHICLE, BUT THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 800.

NHTSA ODI #10954600

2007 model year · 160,000 miles · Feb 8, 2017
Electrical System

KEY CAN BE REMOVED WHILE CAR IS OUT OF PARK. IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE TURNED ALL THE WAY OFF TO REMOVE IT. IT CAN BE REMOVED WHILE IN POSITION FOR THE RADIO PLAYING WHILE NOT RUNNING. HAVEN'T TRIED THIS WHILE MOVING FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

NHTSA ODI #10950409

Related Official recalls

3

95V195001 · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery

Oct 11, 1995

THE BATTERY CAN HAVE A DEFECTIVE WELD INSIDE THE POSITIVE AND/OR NEGATIVE TERMINAL ALLOWING THE CONNECTION INSIDE THE TERMINAL TO SEPARATE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A NO-START CONDITION, OR A BATTERY EXPLOSION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE DEFECTIVE BATTERIES.

94V220000 · Electrical System:wiring

Nov 8, 1994

AN UNUSED HARNESS CONNECTOR FOR POWER WINDOWS, POWER DOOR LOCKS AND SUNROOF WAS IMPROPERLY ROUTED UNDER THE FLOOR CARPET IN THE LEFT KICK PANEL. IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS WHERE LARGE AMOUNTS OF ROAD SALTS ARE USED, THE SALT WATER OR SNOW CARRIED INTO THE VEHICLE BY THE DRIVER'S SHOES CAN PENETRATE THE CARPET AND DRIP ONTO THE CONNECTOR RESULTING IN THE FORMATION OF A SALT BRIDGE BETWEEN THE TERMINALS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CAUSES AN ELECTRICAL SHORT INSIDE THE HARNESS, AND CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE UNUSED HARNESS CONNECTOR.

83V133000 · Electrical System:alternator/generator/regulator

Dec 8, 1983

VOLTAGE REGULATOR WHICH CONTROLS THE AMOUNT OF FLOW IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATOR, MAY HAVE MANUFACTURING ERRORS IN AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT. THE REGULATOR MAY OVERCHARGE THE BATTERY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: DEALER WILL REPLACE THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR AT NO CHARGE.

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

Related NHTSA investigations

1

PE87057 · Igniter Assembly Failure

Opened Sep 10, 1987 · Closed Mar 30, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System

SUMMARY: TOYOTA RECOVERED SOME FAILED IGNITION CONTROL MODULES FROM THEFIELD. INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT A SOLDER JOINT IN THE POWER TRANSISTOROF THE MODULE WAS SUBJECT TO FAILURE. BECAUSE THE PART IS AN EMISSIONRELATED COMPONENT A VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS RECALL CAMPAIGN WAS CONDUCTED.THE PREDOMINANT MODE OF FAILURE IS AN INABILITY TO START THE ENGINE,ALTHOUGH A STALLED CONDITION CAN OCCUR WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING.SINCE THE REPORTED OCCURENCE OF ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES IS SMALL, AND THEREPAIR IS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE EMISSIONS RECALL CAMPAIGN, THELIKLEHOOD OF FURTHER ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES IS REMOTE.===