Problems · NHTSA complaints

2012 Toyota Corolla problems

Owners filed 446 complaints about the 2012 Toyota Corolla with NHTSA between May 2012 and Sep 2026. The most-cited component is air bags (370).

Complaints
446
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
41
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
28
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags370
  2. Steering18
  3. Vehicle speed control16
  4. Structure14
  5. Electrical system13
  6. Service brakes11
  7. Power train8
  8. Seat belts7
  9. Seats5
  10. Engine4
  11. Visibility/wiper3
  12. Suspension3
  13. Electronic stability control (esc)2
  14. Exterior lighting2

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 4, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
201215
201315
201419
201513
20167
2017313
201814
20199
202012
20218
20223
202313
20242
20251
20262

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.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

370 reports30 crashes5 related recalls
“Hit head in passengers side into a cement pole, car was a total loss. No airbags deployed causing bodily injury to driver and passenger from impact and seatbelt , stopping us . Chest cavity injury’s”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 12, 2023Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11554742

Steering

18 reports1 crash
“I turned my car on and every light on the dashboard is practically on. It’s saying my (EPS) has failed and now it’s become hard to steer the vehicle. And none of my electrics as far as cruise control work and my speedometer isn’t working nor is it presenting me digital numbers on my dash.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 7, 2026Steering, Electrical systemODI 11722667

Vehicle speed control

16 reports7 crashes
“The contact owned a 2012 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while parking in a post office parking lot and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle experienced sudden and unintended acceleration, crashed into a tree, and shut off. There was no warning light illuminated before or after the crash. There was no property damage. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained a hematoma and pain in the right arm. The contact's friend transported the contact to Urgent Care, where the contact received medical assistance. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, where it was totaled by the insurance company. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The contact stated that she had reported a similar incident to NHTSA via mail in 2012. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 9, 2025Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 11703904

Structure

14 reports4 crashes
“There was a paint recall for my car that expired in 2022. My car’s paint didn’t start peeling until 2023 and I wasn’t informed of the recall. I found out through a Reddit post. The paint peeling is not my fault and I should not have to pay for it.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 2, 2024StructureODI 11606080

Electrical system

13 reports
“THE HORN STOPPED WORKING. TOYOTA VERIFIED IT IS THE ELECTRICAL BEHIND THE DASHBOARD, WHICH WILL COST $475.00 TO REPAIR. I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 89 WHEN THE CAR I WAS PASSING STARTED VEERING INTO MY LANE. I WENT TO USE MY HORN AND IT DID NOT WORK! VERY SCARY SITUATION.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 21, 2020Electrical systemODI 11360171

Service brakes

11 reports4 crashes
“BRAKES ON VEHECLE STARTED GETTING VERY LOW ON PEDAL AND SLOW TO STOP . MECHANIC WORKED ON IT REPLACED MODULATOR AND OVER $500. LATER BRAKES STILL NOT WORKING . ANOTHER MECHANIC (ANOTHER ($500) STILL WORKING ON VEHECLE WITHOUT LUCK AS PART THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROBLEM IS ATTACHED TO THE COMPUTER AND DEALERSHIPS WILL SELL WHOLE COMPUTER AT APROXIMA $4000.00 . HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR USED PART FOR PAST 6 MONTHS (UNABLE TO USE WE) AND EVERY SHOP STATED THAT PART IS PROMPTLY REMOVED FROM CRASHED VEHICLES AS IS A RECURRENT PEOPLE LOOKING FOR IT. ALSO WAS NOTIFIED THAT TOYOTA COROLLA 2012 BRAKE SYSTEM WAS CHANGED ONLY FOR THAT YEAR AND AGAIN YEAR AFTER SAME SYSTEM TILL NOW ... AT EVERY REPAIR SHOP I'M TOLD: ' THAT IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THAT CAR'...”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 15, 2019Service brakesODI 11207895
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 4, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.