Problems · NHTSA complaints
1996 Toyota Corolla problems
Owners filed 133 complaints about the 1996 Toyota Corolla with NHTSA between Sep 1995 and Oct 2019. The most-cited component is air bags (31).
Complaints
133
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
31
Reported by owners
Fires
13
Reported by owners
Injuries
32
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags31
- Seat belts19
- Exterior lighting13
- Electrical system12
- Service brakes, hydraulic11
- Engine and engine cooling9
- Vehicle speed control6
- Tires6
- Visibility5
- Structure5
- Equipment4
- Power train4
- Seats4
- Steering3
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
12
41
14
13
11
7
8
8
3
2
1
2
2
0
1
3
0
0
0
2
0
1
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1996 | 12 |
| 1997 | 41 |
| 1998 | 14 |
| 1999 | 13 |
| 2000 | 11 |
| 2001 | 7 |
| 2002 | 8 |
| 2003 | 8 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Air bags
31 reports22 crashes3 fires
“FEB 14, 2012, WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON PANEL. DROVE IMMEDIATELY TO CAPITOL AUTO SERVICE, 94-422 UKEE STREET, WAIPAHU, HI 96797 AND SPOKE WITH OWNER, MR. FOX TO ASK WHAT PROBLEM WAS.(CONTACT PH-(808) 676-1888. AFTER INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THE PROBLEM WAS THE AIRBAG AND THAT IT WOULD NEED TO BE RESOLVED IN ORDER TO OBTAIN UPCOMING SAFETY INSPECTION. AFTER MUCH DIFFICULTY, HE WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN AN AIRBAG WHICH WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. INVOICE #2004, DATED FEB. 21, 2012. AMOUNT PAID $948.90. TO DATE, MY VEHICLE IS STILL NOT ON RECALL LIST. I RECENTLY LEARNED THAT TAKATA HAD KNOWLEDGE OF THE DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS 10 YEARS AGO AND DID NOT DISCLOSE THIS INFORMATION. MY CLAIM IS BE REIMBURSED FOR THOSE MONIES PAID ($948.90) WHEN VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE RECALL LIST AND I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE AIRBAG IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A SAFETY CHECK AND BE ABLE TO OPERATE MY VEHICLE ON OUR ROADWAY.. I AM ABLE TO EMAIL YOU A PHOTO COPY OF THE INVOICE USING MY CELL PHONE IF YOU REQUIRE SAME. THANK YOU.”
Seat belts
19 reports2 crashes
“DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FOR TOYOTA COROLLA '96 MODEL IS DEFECTIVE: THIS BELT CANNOT BE PULLED OUT BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE RELEASING MECHANISM. I COULD NOT DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT NEAR THE DRIVER'S SIDE SET. *NLM”
Exterior lighting
13 reports4 related recalls
“I HAVE A 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER WHILE DRIVING AND GO OFF AND ON. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF AND WOULD NOT COME BACK ON TILL I TURNED THE POWER OFF IN THE CAR AND RE-STARTED THE CAR. MY HUSBAND HAS INSTALLED NEW HEADLIGHTS TWICE BUT THIS HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN GREENVILLE, NC AND THEY TOLD ME I DID NOT HAVE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. I CONTINUE TO ONLY HAVE ONE HEADLIGHT TO DRIVE WITH, THE LEFT OR RIGHT, I USUALLY START OUT WITH BOTH ON AND THEN ONE WILL GO OUT. I AM VERY SCARED ABOUT DRIVING MY CAR AT NIGHT. I CALLED THE TOYOTA 1-800 NUMBER TO ASK FOR ADVICE BUT THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND TO TAKE MY CAR TO A TOYOTA GARAGE. *TR”
Electrical system
12 reports1 crash5 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUSPENSION WAS UNSTABLE AND THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10E002000 (SUSPENSION). THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL SHORT IN WHICH THE FUSES SHORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE DASHBOARD WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AND REWIRED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE FUSES. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR WITH FORCE TO COMPLETELY STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Service brakes, hydraulic
11 reports4 crashes
“BRAKES FAILED WHILE APPROACHING CARS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. *AK”
Engine and engine cooling
9 reports2 fires
“I NO LONGER OWN THIS VEHICLE, BUT IT WAS A 1996 TOYOTA COROLLA, AND I HOPE THE INFORMATION I PROVIDE HERE CAN HELP SOMEHOW WITH ANY CURRENT INVESTIGATIONS. AROUND 100,000 MILES, I TOOK MY CAR TO A NON-DEALER MECHANIC TO REPLACE MY TIMING BELT AS A MATTER OF MAINTENANCE. AFTER THIS REPLACEMENT, MY CRUISE CONTROL NEVER WORKED AGAIN, AND I NOTICED THAT IN MOMENTS OF DECELERATION (EITHER IN BRAKING OR COASTING) THAT THE ENGINE WOULD SUDDENLY RACE AND I COULD FEEL THE GAS PEDAL PULL FROM ITS RESTING POSITION. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MODEL I'VE INDICATED IS INACCURATE -- I DON'T RECALL WHAT THE MODEL WAS AS I NO LONGER OWN THE VEHICLE. I'VE BEEN AS SPECIFIC AS I CAN BE. I JUST THOUGHT IT MIGHT PROVE USEFUL. THE INCIDENT DATE IS ALSO INACCURATE AS THIS OCCURRED FREQUENTLY ENOUGH TO NOTICE, BUT NOT OFTEN ENOUGH OR SEVERELY ENOUGH TO WARRANT MY TAKING TO A DEALER. *TR”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.