Problems · NHTSA complaints
2018 Toyota Corolla problems
Owners filed 136 complaints about the 2018 Toyota Corolla with NHTSA between Apr 2018 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is air bags (36).
Complaints
136
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
26
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
17
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags36
- Fuel/propulsion system23
- Engine17
- Fuel system, gasoline15
- Electrical system13
- Power train12
- Seat belts11
- Vehicle speed control11
- Service brakes11
- Suspension5
- Steering5
- Structure4
- Forward collision avoidance4
- Seats3
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
17
22
45
7
12
12
7
6
8
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 17 |
| 2019 | 22 |
| 2020 | 45 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 12 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 7 |
| 2025 | 6 |
| 2026 | 8 |
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
36 reports17 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“I was driving home from church late Sunday night. A really rough storm hit and it knocked down a huge tree in the road covering the entire road. I did not see the tree until I got up on it and I went straight through it. I was running around 40 mph and total front end impact took the whole bumper off but my airbags did not deploy.”
Fuel/propulsion system
23 reports1 fire
“Due to recent reports of fuel pump recalls, my daughter bought a 2018 Toyota Corolla almost a year ago. Right now that is problem and her car will not start. I need a free replacement of her fuel pump. Thank you.”
Engine
17 reports1 fire
“I was driving the car and expressway. The car was making a sound. The car did not have an engine light on it. Also, the car just switched gears. I pulled over and II was driving the car and expressway. The car was making a sound. The car did not have a engine light on it. Also, the car just switched gears. I pulled over and I tried to park the car, but it wouldn’t allow me to park the car. Which it is left in drive with the emergency brake still in place .and if you let the break down the car will roll . . I got it looked at and now they are saying it’s the transmission, but it never had a light on to identify what was wrong with the car. There was no codes on the car.”
Fuel system, gasoline
15 reports1 crash1 fire1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, or upon approaching a stop, the engine sounded very weak, almost as if the vehicle would shut off. The contact stated that the vehicle had shut off previously while driving through a drive thru. The vehicle was restarted, and the check engine warning light illuminated while driving. The contact also stated that after refueling the vehicle, the accelerator pedal had to be pumped while starting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed and DTC: P0171 was retrieved. The contact was informed that the EVAP valves and system were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V012000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) as possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85,750. The VIN was not available.”
Electrical system
13 reports1 crash2 fires
“After having no indication of any issue, my 2018 Toyota Corolla has stopped re-starting after fueling. The only light that appeared was regarding my battery. My battery is brand new and tested.”
Power train
12 reports1 crash
“The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle, and the vehicle failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the tachometer was raised to high levels while exiting the highway. While at a stoplight, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating with the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. An OBD2 scanner was used to diagnose the vehicle, and DTC: P0741, P075B, P1604, P2757, P2820(X4) were retrieved, which were related to the torque converter. The contact was informed that the CVT transmission needed to be replaced, and the contact was provided with an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but denied any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 76,099.”
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.