Problems · NHTSA complaints
2001 Toyota Corolla problems
Owners filed 138 complaints about the 2001 Toyota Corolla with NHTSA between Sep 2000 and Feb 2023. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (32).
Complaints
138
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
33
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
58
People reported injured
Deaths
3
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling32
- Air bags24
- Vehicle speed control14
- Structure12
- Power train10
- Tires10
- Exterior lighting9
- Service brakes, hydraulic9
- Electrical system7
- Steering7
- Seats4
- Fuel system, gasoline4
- Engine2
- Fuel/propulsion system2
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 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
7
20
14
12
13
10
6
13
4
6
10
2
1
1
6
1
2
3
5
1
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 7 |
| 2001 | 20 |
| 2002 | 14 |
| 2003 | 12 |
| 2004 | 13 |
| 2005 | 10 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 13 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 6 |
| 2010 | 10 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 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
Engine and engine cooling
32 reports1 crash
“DRIVING CAR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH OIL LIGHT AND ENGINE RATTLED. SHUT CAR OFF AND HAD TOWED TO TOYOTA. THEY CHANGED CAM GEAR. DROVE CAR HOME OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND ENGINE RATTLED. DEALER DID HAVE IT TOWED BACK. DEALER STATED THAT IF THEY FIND THIS PART WAS NOT THE FIX THEY WOULD CREDIT ME COST. THEY THEN CHANGED OIL CONTROL VALVE, AND CHARGED ME $100.00 MORE ALONG WITH STATING THE CAM GEAR WAS STILL NECESSARY FOR FIX. BROUGHT CAR HOME AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. CHANGED OIL AND OIL LIGHT HAS NOT COME BACK ON, BUT DON'T FEEL THAT CAR IS REALLY FIXED. PAID $900.00 FOR ALL THIS AND NOT COMFORTABLE THAT CAR IS REALLY FIXED. CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY WOULD NOT HELP, JUST STATED THAT THIS IS IN THE DEALERS HANDS. GREAT THE DEALER WATCHING OUT FOR ITSELF WITH TOYOTA HAVING A HANDS OFF APPROACH TO TAKING CARE OF THIS. *TR”
Air bags
24 reports21 crashes
“MY DAUGHTER HIT A STOPPED CAR AT APPROX 30 MPH. SHE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND THEN THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED TOO LATE. SHE WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET. SHE WAS GOING STRAIGHT.”
Vehicle speed control
14 reports5 crashes
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE. A SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURRED AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BUMPER SUSTAINED DAMAGES, AND NO PERSONAL INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP WITH REPAIRS PERFORMED. THERE WAS NO MENTION OF A POLICE REPORT FILING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. ACCORDING TO THE LETTER THE CONSUMER SENT IN, SHE CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE, WHEN HER VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND THEN CRASHED INTO THE RESTAURANT BUILDING. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED SHE OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA COROLLA AND HER HUSBAND WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN IT ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT FIVE PARKED CARS. UPDATED 06/17/10*JB”
Structure
12 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DOOR HANDLE WAS REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN OIL CHANGE, THE MECHANIC OPENED THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND THE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE FRACTURED. THE DOOR HANDLE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,452.”
Power train
10 reports1 crash
“RE: UNSAFE REBUILT TRANSMISSION, 2001 TOYOTA COROLLA WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON 7/29/2008. IN JANUARY 2009, THE ENGINE DUMPED OIL AND BURNED OUT, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. ABOUT TWO DAYS LATER THE TRANSMISSION FELL APART. OUR MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS FROM A SALVAGE YARD AND WAS BEING HELD TOGETHER WITH EPOXY. THE TRANSMISSION MOUNT WAS BENT, INDICATING TO THE MECHANIC THAT THE CAR MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN SOME KIND OF ACCIDENT. ALSO I BELIEVE THE MECHANISM FOR THE BOLT TO GO THROUGH (TO HOLD THE TRANSMISSION IN PLACE) WAS MISSING ALONG WITH THE BOLT. ALL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR SHOULD BE VERIFIED WITH HARRY, OWNER OF IMPORT AUTO, AT 2583 UNIVERSITY AVE, MADISON, WI 53705; PHONE 608-231-1221. HE HAS BEEN KEEPING THE TRANSMISSION FOR INSPECTION BY INTERESTED AUTHORITIES. HARRY CALLED THE TRANSMISSION A "FRAUD." IT SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN INSTALLED LIKE THAT. THE TRANSMISSION WAS UNSAFE. I ALLOW MY GRANDSON TO DRIVE THIS CAR. HE IS A STUDENT, AGE 19. HE HAS A PART-TIME JOB WITH PIZZA HUT, DELIVERING PIZZAS. HE IS ALSO IN A BAND. TWO DAYS BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, HE WANTED TO DRIVE THE CAR A LONG DISTANCE FOR A GIG. I TOLD HIM TO TAKE MY…”
Tires
10 reports
“I PURCHASED A SET OF WINSTON WINNER 185/60R14 82 H THE TIRES WERE ROTATED AND AT ABOUT HALF OF THE LISTED LIFETIME OF THE TIRES, AND WITH PLENTY OF TREAD, ONE OF THE TIRES BLEW OUT AT 60MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. THE TIRE APPARENTLY BLEW OUT AROUND THE LETTERING OF THE TIRE AT THE T OF WINSTON. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION IT APPEARED AS IF A FEW OF THE OTHER LETTERS WERE CRACKING AT THE EDGE OF THE LETTERS ON THE SIDEWALL. THIS APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURING FLAW AND NOT A CUT OR SOME ROAD DEBRIS. *TR”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.