Problems · by component

2009 Toyota Corolla engine and engine cooling problems

43 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Toyota Corolla cite engine and engine cooling, 3% of all 1,533 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
43
3% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“2009 TOYOTA COROLLA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CLAIM FORM FOR INSTALLATION OF THE RE-TUNED ECU SETTLEMENT WAS DENIED DUE TO VEHICLE OWNERSHIP. NOTICE OF DENIED CLAIM RECORDS INDICATE CONSUMER IS NOT CURRENT OWNER OF VEHICLE. *SMD”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 1, 2016Engine and engine coolingODI 10870972
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED COOLANT LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,575.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 11, 2014Engine and engine coolingODI 10621338
“I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED WITH 18,000 MILES ON IT IN JULY OF 2010. AND I HAVE ALL SERVICE DONE AT A TOYOTA DEALER. AT 25,975 MILES, REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES, MACHINED ROTORS, BRAKE FLUID FLUSH, CLEANED AND ADJUSTED REAR BRAKES(1/28/12). (BRAKE PEDAL FELT SOFT). AT 37,966 MILES , REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES AGAIN(12/21/12). PADS LASTED 11,991 MILES! AT 55,662 MILES, REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES, MACHINED ROTORS AGAIN(2/20/2014). PADS LASTED 17,696 MILES! SINCE I DO MAINLY HIGHWAY DRIVING, I FEEL THAT THERE IS A DEFECT ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT BRAKE ABNORMAL WEAR. ALSO, AT 50,548 REPLACED #2 STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY. AT, 50,691 REPLACED ALTERNATOR. AT 55,662 REPLACED WATER PUMP, COOLANT AND DRIVE BELT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 19, 2014Steering, Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Service brakesODI 10573336
“2009 TOYOTA COROLLA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO WATER PUMP PULLEY DISENGAGEMENT AND NEED FOR THIRD SET OF TIRES ON VEHICLE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, FOLLOWED BY A SOUND OF SOMETHING HITTING THE HIGHWAY. HE GRADUALLY SLOWED DOWN AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, RAISED THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THE FLYWHEEL FOR THE WATER PUMP SITTING ON TOP OF THE ENGINE. HE WALKED BACK UP THE HIGHWAY IN AN ATTEMPT TO LOCATE WHAT FELL FROM THE VEHICLE. HE GATHERED WHAT HE FOUND AND WAS LOOSE UNDER THE HOOD, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST SERVICE CENTER AND HAD A NEW WATER PUMP INSTALLED. WHILE AT THE SERVICE CENTER, THE BRAKES WERE SERVICED AND A NEW SET OF TIRES WERE RECOMMENDED BECAUSE THEY WERE CUPPING. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER ESTABLISHMENT TO HAVE THE TIRES INSPECTED. FIRESTONE, INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE LEFT FRONT AND REAR TOW WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND THEY ADJUSTED THE LEFT FRONT TO CORRECT IT, BUT INFORMED HIM, THEY COULD NOT MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENT FOR THE REAR, AS THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE GIVEN THAT THE ALIGNMENT ISSUE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE CUPPING. WITHIN A WEEK OF HAVING THE NEW WATER PUMP INSTALLED,…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 25, 2013Suspension, Engine and engine cooling, Tires, EquipmentODI 10553424
“WELL, THERE WAS A VERY LOUD RATTLE NOISE WHEN STARTING ENGINE (COLD ENGINE) I TOOK CAR TO PUENTE HILLS, CA TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AS THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A CAMSHAFT GEAR ASSEMBLY KNOWN ISSUE IN THE TOYOTAS 2009. THEY CHARGED ME ABOUT $179.00 FOR LABOR AS THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED AND GOES AWAY ONCE IN A WHILE, BUT CONTINUES AFTER ALL. I JUST TOOK CAR BACK TO SAME DEALER, AS THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WILL COST ABOUT $872.15 TO FIX PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE'S A RECALL OR ANY OTHER LEGAL REMEDIES I COULD TAKE IN THIS MATTER. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 9, 2013Engine and engine coolingODI 10523989
“I HAVE HAD THIS COROLLA FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS, AVERAGE ABOUT 700 MILES PER WEEK - DRIVE IT DAILY. I HAVE HAD NO SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH IT UNTIL THE PAST MONTH OR SO IN WHICH I HAVE EXPERIENCED TWO "SUDDEN ACCELERATION" EVENTS. IN BOTH CASES I WAS TRAVELING AT A VERY LOW SPEED, ABOUT 10 MPH OR SO IN PARKING LOTS. WHILE COASTING / BRAKING WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, SUDDENLY IT WAS AS IF THE BRAKE PEDAL TURNED INTO AN ACCELERATOR PEDAL! I FELT ALL OF THE BACK-PRESSURE THE BRAKE PEDAL NORMALLY HAS LEAVE AND IT WENT ALMOST COMPLETELY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. AT THE VERY SAME INSTANT THE ENGINE REVVED AND BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AND THE CAR "LEAPED" FORWARD. IN BOTH CASES THIS LASTED ONLY A FEW SECONDS THEN THINGS WENT BACK TO NORMAL. THERE WERE NO INDICATOR LIGHTS ON THE PANEL WARNING OF ANYTHING WRONG. IN BOTH CASES MY FOOT WAS CLEARLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND NOWHERE NEAR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I VISUALLY INSPECTED THE FLOOR MAT AND THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO INTERFERENCE BETWEEN IT AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS CAR HAS ALREADY HAD ALL OF TOYOTA'S "RECALL" REMEDIES APPLIED TO IT AND COULD BE EASILY ASCERTAINED BY EXAMINING THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS AT BUTLER TOYOTA OF MACON,…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 4, 2012Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed controlODI 10450183

Showing 6 of 43 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.