Problems · NHTSA complaints
2012 Toyota Yaris problems
Owners filed 35 complaints about the 2012 Toyota Yaris with NHTSA between Jun 2013 and May 2022. The most-cited component is air bags (18).
Complaints
35
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
12
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
11
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags18
- Structure5
- Electrical system4
- Wheels4
- Vehicle speed control4
- Service brakes2
- Visibility/wiper2
- Seat belts1
- Suspension1
- Engine1
- Seats1
- Tires1
- Other / unknown2
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 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
3
1
4
1
14
5
2
3
0
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 14 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 |
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
18 reports9 crashes3 related recalls
“I was driving a 2012 yaris when I was in an accident that totaled the vehicles. I was hospitalized for 3 weeks which I believe the airbags had played a major role in the seriousness of the injuries I sustained but not sure how to prove that they failed to protect me and possible they made things worse with the scar across my forehead from being sliced open needing numerous staples as well as shattered pelvis. Is there any way by looking at the pictures can you tell me if the air bags did their job”
Structure
5 reports2 crashes1 related recall
“ON MY WAY HOME, A 70'S TRUCK HIT MY LEFT SIDE, THE AIRBAG CAME OUT BLIND ME AND MADE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICULE. IS A MIRACLE THAT IM ALIVE. HAPPENED AT PR132 KM0.4 GUAYANILLA PR 00656.”
Electrical system
4 reports1 fire
“WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 70 MPH AND HAD TO BRAKE FOR SLOWER TRAFFIC AHEAD. WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ABS SYSTEM ENGAGED, BRAKING THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR, THEN THE RIGHT ALMOST SENDING ME OFF THE ROAD. AFTER THIS HAD HAPPENED, THE SPEEDOMETER HAD STARTED JUMPING TO DIFFERENT SPEEDS VERY RAPIDLY AND I WAS UNABLE TO TELL MY CORRECT SPEED. THE ANTILOCK BRAKES HAVE CONTINUED TO ENGAGE RANDOMLY WHEN THEY ARE NOT NEEDED, CAUSE LOSS OF BRAKING CONTROL AND THE OVERALL ABILITY TO COME TO A STOP. THE SPEEDOMETER ALSO JUMPS AROUND EVERY NOW AND THEN. THE ABS LIGHT WAS ONLY TRIGGERED ONCE, AND THEN TURNED OFF.”
Wheels
4 reports2 crashes
“DRIVING DOWN HWY 94....WITH 4 CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS A MASSIVE CHUNK OF SOME TYPE OF HARD DEBRIS....THE CAR THUMPED SO HARD AND SCARED US ALL.!!!! WE CONTINUED ON TO CHURCH AT ASSUMPTION IN ST PAUL AFTERWARDS WE DROVE OFF TO LEAVE AND FELT THE CAR FLAPPING...WE HAD TO PULL OVER IN A TURN LANE DOWNTOWN ST PAUL GOT OUT AND SAW WE HAD A FLAT TIRE...AFTER A LOT OF WORK AND TIME...WAITING AND GETTING HELP WHEN WE GOT THE TIRE OFF THE RIM WAS BENT!!! THE SMALL SPARE TIRE WAS PUT ON...I HAD TO HAVE THE RIM REPLACED WHICH HAD TO BE PUT ON ORDER AND THE TIRE HAD TO BE REPLACED THAT WAS ONLY 2 MONTHS AGO THAT I GOT IT!! I HAVE PICTURES OF THE TIRE AND RIM..THEY DO NOT FIT IN THE FILE HERE.”
Vehicle speed control
4 reports1 crash
“SALUDOS CUANDO ME DETENGO LAS REVOLUCIONES BAJAN MUCHOS EL CARRO EMPIEZA A TEMBLAR Y HACE COMO PARA APAGARSE”
Service brakes
2 reports
“BRAKES: LEFT SIDE REAR BRAKE SHOE ADJUSTER BAR PART REPLACEMENT DOES NOT FIT ON BRAKE. DEALER AND PEP BOYS BOTH TRIED TO REPLACE IT AND THE PARTS DO NOT MATCH, A RIGHT SIDE ADJUSTER BAR HAD TO BE USED IN ITS PLACE. REPAIRS WERE ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES OVER A PERIOD OF APPROXIMATELY 10 MONTHS FROM NOV 2016 TO SEPT 2017. SPEED SENSOR: I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE IN THE MIDDLE LANE WHEN THE SPEED SENSOR STOPPED WORKING, THE CAR ACTED LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL AND I COULD NOT GET OVER OR CONTINUE DRIVING IT. HAD TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SPEED SENSOR REPLACED AND PROBLEM WAS FIXED. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED IN AUGUST 2015, MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75, 000 AT TIME.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.