Problems · by component
2004 Toyota Corolla engine and engine cooling problems
46 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Toyota Corolla cite engine and engine cooling, 9% of all 506 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
46
9% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine and engine cooling
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“MY VEHICLE'S AIR CONDITIONER (2004 TOYOTA COROLLA) IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE SYSTEM WILL WORK FOR A FEW MOMENTS (BLOWING OUT COLD AIR) AND THEN WILL START BLOWING WARM TO HOT AIR. THE FAN STILL WORKS, THERE IS NO LOUD NOISES AND I CAN HEAR THE COMPRESSOR ENGAGE WHEN I TURN THE SYSTEM ON. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND THAT BRINGING THIS FACT TO YOUR ATTENTION MANY RESULT IN A RECALL OF THE UNIT. I HAVE ALSO READ THAT TOYOTA HAS ADDED AND EXTRA PLASTIC PIECE TO THE A/C CONDENSER ON 2007-2009 MODELS. THANK YOU FOR READING THIS AND FOR STANDING UP FOR CONSUMERS. *TR”
“I WAS DRIVING AT 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE CAR STALLED OUT. WE WERE ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD LUCKILY. IT DID START AGAIN BUT STALLED AGAIN IF I WENT OVER 40 MPH. I HAD REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION THE WEEK BEFORE AND HAD A TRANSMISSION PLACE CHECK IT OUT. THEY SAID THE TRANSMISSION IS FINE AND THAT THE ERROR CODE IS FOR THE ECM. I HAD TAKEN THE CARE BACK TO MY TRANSMISSION PLACE (CERTIFIED TRANSMISSION IN BELLEVUE NE.) AND HE HAD THE SAME ANSWER FOR ME. I ATTEMPTED TO WORK WITH TOYOTA ON THIS THROUGH THEIR CUSTOMER COMPLAINT DEPT. THEY REFERRED ME TO NICK ANDERSON (CUSTOMER CARE MANAGER) AT BELLEVUE TOYOTA. HE DIDN'T CARE THAT THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE OR THAT IT STALLED ON US GOING 70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. ALL HE CARED ABOUT IS THAT THE CARE IS OVER MILES ON THE EXTENDED WARRANTY (80,000) AND HE WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR ME AT ALL. I BELIEVE IN COMPANIES THAT BACK THERE PRODUCT AND I NO LONGER BELIEVE IN TOYOTA. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A VERY STRONG CHANCE THAT THE REASON I HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS AUTO IS BECAUSE OF THE ECM THAT WAS MISDIAGNOSED AS TRANSMISSION ISSUES. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE TRUE BECAUSE I AM HAVING THE…”
“THE VEHICLE I BELIEVE HAS AN ECM (ENGINE CONTROL MODULE) PROBLEM. SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT WHERE THE VEHICLE WANTED TO SHUT OFF AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE ERRATIC RPM FLUCTUATION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS AT A STOP OR HESITATES WHEN TAKING OFF. TOYOTA HAS DONE A RECALL ON SOME OF THE 2005 THRU 2008 MODELS AND I BELIEVE THIS MODEL SHOULD BE INCLUDED SINCE IT USES THE SAME ECM AND HAS THE SAME ENGINE AS THE OTHER MODELS”
“CAR SUDDENLY STALLS, SOMETIMES WHILE AT A STOP BUT HAS HAPPENED WHEN MOVING. WON'T START FOR A LITTLE WHILE THEN WILL START. HAS HAPPENED 3-4 TIMES IN THE PAST 5 MONTHS. *TR”
“MY 2004 TOYOTA COROLLA SUDDENLY HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING, MAKING A HORRIBLE METALLIC CLANKING AS THE CAR STALLED. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST REPAIR FACILITY, THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT PIECES OF THE ENGINE LITERALLY BROKE APART AS IF THE METAL WAS FATIGUED. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT EXPLAIN HOW THIS HAPPENED WITH ONLY 117,000 MILES ON THE CAR. IT TOOK OVER A MONTH TO FIND A USED ENGINE AND SCRAPE TOGETHER THE MONEY NEEDED FOR REPAIRS. THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS REPLACED, FOR A TOTAL OF $2500. I WAS ALSO FORCED TO RENT A CAR DURING THIS TIME, AND THE CAR RENTAL AMOUNT IS AROUND $600. *TR”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE AND ATTEMPTED TO STALL. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SO THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STALL AT ALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALER WHERE THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS EXCESS CARBON BUILD UP IN THE THROTTLE BODY FROM A NEW BATTERY THAT WAS INSTALLED. THE DEALER THEN PERFORMED A THROTTLE BODY CLEANING WHICH REMOVED THE CARBON BUILD UP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WITHIN THE LAST 3 TO 4 MONTHS THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO DIAGNOSTIC TEST OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36000. UPDATED 12/03/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED IT FELT AS THOUGH THE ENGINE WAS GOING TO STALL. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE INVOICE, THE DEALER STATED THE ENGINE BELT WAS GLAZED AND THE TENSIONER HAD LACK OF TENSION. UPDATED 12/14/10”
Showing 6 of 46 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.