MODELYEARINDEX

Which Toyota Corolla years to avoid

Across 12 scored model years, the 2010 model year carries the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Toyota Corolla Full report
F
Grade 2010–2021
2010 vs model median 4.0×
Model median3× median
Steering 322
Speed Control 161
Brakes 141
Avoid

2010

Best

2012 · 2021

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
3.95× 879 F
2011
0.97× 182 C
2012
0.59× 99 C
2013
0.85× 148 C
2014
1.22× 219 C
2015
1.33× 199 C
2016
1.44× 233 C
2017
1.03× 201 C
2018
0.82× 148 C
2019
0.85× 170 C
2020
1.16× 261 C
2021
0.87× 200 B
2022 P
0.61× 131 B
2023 P
0.57× 118 B
2024 P
0.54× 100 B
2025 P
0.34× 47 A

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2010 F 879 reports · median 4,650 mi

  1. Steering 322

    I have a 2010 corolla which I bought just a few weeks ago and I have been having problems with the steering from the start. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Speed Control 161

    Driving a rental 2010 corolla in tucson. As I was braking to a stop at traffic light, the car suddenly surged ahead. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Brakes 141

    I have a 2010 toyota corolla, but because I live in texas, I AM not part of the recall to have a newly designed intake air connector to relocate the brake system vacuum port. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

128 crash · 9 fire · 102 injuries

2011 C 182 reports · median 15,000 mi

  1. Speed Control 38

    The contact owns a 2011 toyota corolla. The contact was driving approximately 55 MPH and as he removed his foot from the accelerator pedal in anticipation that the vehicle would decelerate, the vehicle continued to… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Steering 35

    The contact owns a 2011 toyota corolla le. The contact stated that when driving at various speeds, the electric power steering would become unstable. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Engine 20

    My brand new car (53 miles on it) seems to loose power when you are driving at 40 to 50 MPH. I have my foot on the accelerator maintaining the speed and it feels as if someone else is stepping on the brake. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

42 crash · 3 fire · 33 injuries

The best year for the Corolla

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2021 is the best-scoring Corolla model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 75.7 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations. On complaint rate alone the lowest is 2012 at 0.59× this model’s median, against 0.87× for 2021.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2021 0.87× 200 B
2012 0.59× 99 C
2018 0.82× 148 C

Recalls

32 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
20V024000 AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE 2011–2019 2,891,976
10V017000 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL 2010 2,230,661
20V012000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2018, 2019 1,830,752
15V689000 VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS 2010, 2011 1,814,284
16V340000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010, 2011 1,754,517
20V682000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2020 1,525,742
14V168000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010 1,486,413
19V005000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2013 1,299,448
10V023000 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL 2010 1,126,915
23V865000 AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION 2020, 2021 999,901
19V741000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010–2013 928,220
18V024000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2010, 2013 628,018

+ 20 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2010 were reported at a median of 4,650 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Toyota Corolla years should you avoid?
2010 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Toyota Corolla model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Toyota Corolla?
2021 is the best-scoring Toyota Corolla model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 75.7 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Toyota Corolla have?
32 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Toyota Corolla model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2010 Corolla
Complaints in window
879
Severity-weighted
1,358.5
Model median (weighted)
344
vs model median
3.95×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
17
Open investigations
1
Score 6.7 F