MotorYearvehicle reliability by model year · NHTSA data

2021 Toyota Corolla

2021 Toyota Corolla
Photo: LuvsMG481 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Complaints
182
Per 100k sold
73
≈249k sold (est.)
Recall campaigns
1
Crash / fire reports
18 / 2

Complaints by component

A complaint can name multiple components.

air bags
52 (29%)
engine
38 (21%)
unknown or other
31 (17%)
electrical system
21 (12%)
power train
19 (10%)
visibility/wiper
15 (8%)
exterior lighting
8 (4%)
seat belts
8 (4%)
forward collision avoidance
8 (4%)
service brakes
7 (4%)
vehicle speed control
7 (4%)
structure
5 (3%)

Complaints by vehicle age

Years between the model year and the reported incident.

47
24
0
3 · 47 complaints · age 3 years
0
1
2
3
4
5
View as table
029
116
224
347
445
521

Complaints by odometer reading

Mileage at failure, where the complainant reported it. When this curve rises early, problems show up while the vehicle is still young.

9
5
0
0k · 9 complaints · 0,000–10,000 miles
0k
10k
20k
30k
40k
50k
60k
70k
80k
90k
100k
110k
View as table
0k9
10k2
20k0
30k2
40k0
50k4
60k2
70k0
80k2
90k2
100k0
110k2

Recalls (1)

air bags · 2023-12-20 · 23V865000

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.

Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.

Crash-test ratings (NHTSA NCAP)

2021 Toyota COROLLA 4 DR FWD
Overall★★★★★5/5
Frontal crash★★★★★5/5
Side crash★★★★★5/5
Rollover★★★★4/5
NCAP frontal crash test, 2021 Toyota COROLLA 4 DR FWD
NCAP frontal test (NHTSA)
NCAP side crash test, 2021 Toyota COROLLA 4 DR FWD
NCAP side test (NHTSA)

Recent complaints

2026-07-03 · engine · ODI 11748179

The coolant bypass valve issue

2026-06-15 · tires · ODI 11744107

Over the past year and a half I’ve had to deal with unknown reasons for at least 13 tire problems. And one of those problems was a complete blow out on the highway. When I went to get my spare tire and change it there wasn’t anything in the trunks spare compartment. I called the dealership and they said they don’t do that (meaning they don’t provide the car with a spare). I was very confused and stressed. I felt played and wasn’t made to feel confident in this purchase. That not the only thing. The electric system does pretty much whatever it wants. Changes my music, gives advice for things we didn’t ask and the volume is always highering itself and lowering just whenever it chooses. The airbag light has been on most of the time letting me know the passenger airbag isn’t on or working properly. The engine light has been on for at least four months now. I understand Warranty for regular checkups and maintenance but this feels a bit more serious than me making sure I’ve secured my warranty. I have called and taken the vehicle into both Toyota of Visalia and Toyota of Selma where I got financing for the vehicle. Toyota of Visalia wasn’t very much help at all and preceded to talk down to me. Toyota of Selma keeps giving me the run around and telling me different things about my warranty. This car isn’t worth the trouble my credit score goes through to secure it each month just to have something else fail me in it. At this point I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to replace the DC to DC because the car died a week ago and hasn’t turned back on since. And yes I’ve tried jumping the battery already. I’ve only had this car a year and a half. I wasn’t made aware of any issues with it when I drove it home that day. It was a nice ride home but less than a couple months I was already having questions about its performance. I really wish this complaint would even help but I’m just writing to probably waste my own time.

2026-06-05 · power train · ODI 11742375

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving in third gear, the vehicle failed to shift into a lower gear and became stuck in Neutral. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a defective slave cylinder, which was replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,023.

2026-06-05 · power train · ODI 11742377

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond and remained in first gear. The contact shifted into Neutral, manually pulled the clutch, and attempted to reverse, but the vehicle failed to respond as intended. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the slave cylinder and the clutch cylinder assembly had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 56,000

2026-06-03 · seat belts · ODI 11741728

Within a week of buying my vehicle in May of 2021 I went to Clearwater Toyota where I bought the vehicle from and complaining about the three seat belts in the back malfunctioning. When nobody is sitting in the backseat they sound off as if somebody is sitting there. I know that there is a recall on the front seat belt sensor doing this same issue for the Toyota Corollas but everyone I have spoken to that owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla complains about the back seats doing it as well the sensors misfire or sound off every hour as I'm driving at least once an hour. As an Uber Lyft driver I am concerned about my passengers in the backseat wearing the seat belts and the seat belt malfunctioning due to the sensors malfunctioning since I bought the vehicle in May of 2021. Any of the above questions I would have to stay unknown.