Problems · NHTSA complaints

2017 Toyota Yaris problems

Owners filed 15 complaints about the 2017 Toyota Yaris with NHTSA between Feb 2017 and Sep 2020. The most-cited component is air bags (4).

Complaints
15
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags4
  2. Vehicle speed control3
  3. Service brakes2
  4. Electrical system2
  5. Engine2
  6. Power train2
  7. Fuel/propulsion system1
  8. Tires1
  9. Suspension1
  10. Wheels1
  11. Other / unknown1

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
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
20173
20184
20197
20201

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

4 reports2 crashes1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA YARIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING, AND STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE WAS REAR-ENDED BY THE VEHICLE BEHIND HER WHICH CAUSED HER VEHICLE TO REAR-END THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF HER. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AT THE REAR AND THE FRONT, AND WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS YET TO MAKE A FINAL DECISION ON WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND SUSTAINED KNEE AND FACE INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MATTHEWS MOTORS WILMINGTON DEALER (5723 MARKET ST, WILMINGTON, NC 28405) AND WAS TOLD THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 2, 2020Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11352864

Vehicle speed control

3 reports
“I RECENTLY BOUGHT THE CAR FROM THE DEALER AND I TOOK IT BACK TO THEN 4 TIMES FOR THE SAME ISSUE AND THEY SAY IT IS NORMAL. SO MY ISSUE IS WHEN I'M AT A LIGHT AND I'M IN DRIVE OR REVERSE YOU CAN SEE THE RPM JUMP AROUND TO ABOUT 400 TO 700 AND THE CAR STARTS TO VIBRATE SHAKING THE CAR. THE CAR ONLY HAS 23,XXX MILES ON IT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 8, 2018Vehicle speed controlODI 11156977

Service brakes

2 reports1 crash
“MY VEHICLE HAS 21K MILES 2017 BOUGHT NEW AND THE FRONT ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED. I DRIVE LOCAL, AND I AM BEING TOLD HARD STOPS ON BRAKES WILL OVERHEAT THE ROTORS. I DO NOT DRIVE AT 90MPH THEN JAM ON THE BRAKES. I DO NOT DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CANNOT DRIVE AFTER DUSK. I BELIEVE THE ROTORS ARE DEFECTIVE. I NOTICE WHEN I DRIVE 10 MILES AND BACK THE ROTORS ARE TO HOT TO TOUCH, THEY ARE OVERHEATING. I CALLED TOYOTA USA AND THEY WILL DO NOTHING FOR ME. I SHOULD NOT BE REPLACING ROTORS AT 21K MILES. I HAD A 2008 YARIS AND DROVE THAT CAR FOR 5.5 YEARS AND I NEVER REPLACED ROTORS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 9, 2019Service brakesODI 11230330

Electrical system

2 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA YARIS. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND SHIFTED INTO GEAR, IT STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, PLACED INTO DRIVE, AND THEN STALLED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RICK HENDRICK TOYOTA OF FAYETTEVILLE (LOCATED AT 1969 SKIBO RD, FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28314, (910) 498-0110) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE OR DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,800.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 30, 2019Electrical system, EngineODI 11204667

Engine

2 reports
“THERE HAS BEEN MANY TIMES THAT WHEN I NEEDED THE CAR TO ACCELERATE IT WOULDN'T, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT SEVERAL TIMES. WHAT USUALLY HAPPENS IS I WILL COME UP TO A CORNER TO MAKE A TURN AND INSTEAD OF STOPPING I ACCELERATE TO AVOID ONCOMING TRAFFIC ONLY TO HAVE THE CAR HESITATE . SOMETIMES I HAVE HAD TO PUSH THE ACCELERATOR PEDDLE TO THE FLOOR AND EVEN THEN IT TAKES SOME TIME FOR THE CAR TO MOVE FASTER. ALSO I HAVE FOUND THAT IN TRAFFIC I WILL NEED TO ACCELERATE TO AVOID A COLLISION ONLY TO FIND THE CAR DOES NOT DOWNSHIFT AND SEEMINGLY HESITATING. NOW NOT EVERY TIME DOES THIS HAPPEN, BUT IT HAPPENS SPORADICALLY. THIS DANGEROUS, AND I ASKED THE DEALER TO CHECK OUT THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH THEY DID BUT THEY FOUND NOTHING. IT WAS ON JULY 19, 2017 THAT I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, LOMBARD TOYOTA CUSTOMER #103445, INVOICE #382304.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 27, 2017Power train, EngineODI 11048812

Power train

2 reports
“MANUAL TRANSMISSION SHUDDER. CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL WAS CHANGED AT 535 MILES. 20 MILES LATER SAME ISSUES BUT ONLY AT FIRST FROM A DEAD STOP. NOW AT 2100 MILES THE CAR HAS THE SHUDDER IN 5/6 GEARS AS WELL BETWEEN 59MPH TO 72. ALSO MANUAL GEAR LEVER STARTED TO DEVELOP 1/4 INCH PLAY SIDE TO SIDE. ITS HARD TO PUT IN FIRST/SECOND AT TIMES DUE TO PLAY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 23, 2017Power trainODI 10956582
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.