2012 Toyota COROLLA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Toyota COROLLA has 496 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 6.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (75% of all complaints), specifically: the driver fell asleep at the wheel, awoke and tried to correct his lane position. upon his attempt, the car could not be stabilized or controlled. this was a front end crash at a speed of approximately 50 - 55 mph going through a chain link fence, hitting hundreds of stacked lobster crates (like . ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.

1 fire report 49 crash reports 34 injuries

496

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

6.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

370 complaints

75%

• THE DRIVER FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL, AWOKE AND TRIED TO CORRECT HIS LANE POSITION. UPON HIS ATTEMPT, THE CAR COULD NOT BE STABILIZED OR CONTROLLED. THIS WAS A FRONT END CRASH AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 50 - 55 MPH GOING THROUGH A CHAIN LINK FENCE, HITTING HUNDREDS OF STACKED LOBSTER CRATES (LIKE
• TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE IN THE LEFT LANE PROCEEDED TO ENTER THE RIGHT LANE, THE CONTACT SWERVED OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID A CRASH. AS A RESULT, SHE CRASHED HEAD ON INTO A POLE AND THE DRIVER FRONTAL AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY C
• I BELIEVE THERE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE RELATED TO THE PLACEMENT OF THE AIR BAG SENSOR. MY WIFE AND A CO-WORKERS WIFE WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THAT SEVERELY DEFORMED THE FRONT OF A 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA WITHOUT TRIGGERING THE AIRBAG SENSOR. UPON INSPECTION, IT APPEARS THAT THE PORTION OF THE CAR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 30 crashes

“THE DRIVER FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL, AWOKE AND TRIED TO CORRECT HIS LANE POSITION. UPON HIS ATTEMPT, THE CAR COULD NOT BE STABILIZED OR CONTROLLED. THIS WAS A FRONT END CRASH AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 50 - 55 MPH GOING THROUGH A CHAIN LINK FENCE, HITTING HUNDREDS OF STACKED LOBSTER CRATES (LIKE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

19 complaints

• THE COMPONENT/SYSTEM IS KNOWN IN THE INDUSTRY AS ELECTRIC POWER STERRING(EPS). I PURCHASED MY NEW COROLLA S ON 26 MARCH 2012. I TRADED IN MY 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA BASE THAT DID NOT HAVE EPS. MY COROLLA S WAS ORDERED AND I WAITED APPROX 2 MONTHS BEFORE IT ARRIVED. I DID NOT TEST DRIVE THE 2012 MODEL(I
• I TEST DROVE A NEW 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA LE TODAY AND WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THAT, AT FREEWAY SPEEDS (65 MPH), THE STEERING DID NOT TRACK WELL (LIKES TO DRIFT SIDEWAYS, BUT ONLY SLIGHTLY) AND MY CONSTANT STEERING CORRECTIONS SEEMED TO JERK THE VEHICLE (AND DRIVER) SIDE TO SIDE SLIGHTLY. THE SLIGHTEST
• THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I REPORT THIS ISSUE. I LOGGED 1,500MILES ROUNDTRIP FROM HOUSTON TO EL PASO. THIS IS ALSO THE 4TH LONGEST TRIP I HAVE TAKEN IN THIS CAR. THE PROBLEM IS THE STEERING IS DANGEROUS OVER 65+ MPH! THE FRONT END OF THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT FLOATS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I HAVE ZERO FEELI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“THE COMPONENT/SYSTEM IS KNOWN IN THE INDUSTRY AS ELECTRIC POWER STERRING(EPS). I PURCHASED MY NEW COROLLA S ON 26 MARCH 2012. I TRADED IN MY 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA BASE THAT DID NOT HAVE EPS. MY COROLLA S WAS ORDERED AND I WAITED APPROX 2 MONTHS BEFORE IT ARRIVED. I DID NOT TEST DRIVE THE 2012 MODEL(I”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

16 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING A LOW PARKING SPEED, SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY, CAUSING HER TO CRASH INTO A FENCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOTALED AND THAT THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE
• THE SPEED CONTROL WAS SET TO 60MPH OVER A STRETCH OF EMPTY INTERSTATE. AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE ENCOUNTERED A SLIGHT ELEVATION IN THE ROAD, THE ENGINE REVVED TO OVER 4,500 RPM AND INCREASED MY SPEED TO ALMOST 70MPH. THIS SUDDEN ACCELERATION WAS UNEXPECTED AND NOT WITHIN NORMAL SPEED CONTROL OPERATING
• 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO GAS PEDAL PROBLEM AND WINDOW ON DRIVER'S SIDE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE STREAKS ON THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW. CONSUMER'S HANDWRITING IS ILLEGIBLE. *JB

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 7 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING A LOW PARKING SPEED, SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY, CAUSING HER TO CRASH INTO A FENCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOTALED AND THAT THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

14 complaints

• (1) 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA, 4 DOORS,4 CYLINDER. WHEN YOU DRIVE THE CAR AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH OR HIGHER THE CAR'S STEERING WHEEL ALWAYS STEER TO THE LEFT SIDE AND YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO HANDLE FIRMLY ALL THE TIME. (2) WHEN YOU ROLL THE REAR WINDOW ALL THE WAY DOWN, THE BACK WINDOW, DOESN'T MATTER WHICH ONE
• VEHICLE STEERING HAS POOR ON-CENTER FEEL. WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN OVER 30 MPH, THE WHEEL CAN BE TURNED AN INCH RIGHT OR LEFT OF CENTER AND IT WILL NOT RETURN. THIS RESULTS IN ADDITIONAL DRIVER FATIGUE FROM STEERING CORRECTIONS TO OVERCOME THE DEAD SPOT NEAR CENTER. BRIGHT COLORED AND CHROME TRIM
• SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE (NEW) FROM THE DEALERSHIP, MY DAUGHTER WAS GETTING BITES ALL OVER HER LEGS AND I ALSO HAD SOME BITES, WHICH IS WHY I CHECKED THE BOX INJURY--HER BITES WERE SO BAD, HER LEGS SWELLED UP AND THEY WERE GETTING INFECTED. AT THE SAME TIME, WE BEGIN NOTICING SPIDERS C

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“(1) 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA, 4 DOORS,4 CYLINDER. WHEN YOU DRIVE THE CAR AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH OR HIGHER THE CAR'S STEERING WHEEL ALWAYS STEER TO THE LEFT SIDE AND YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO HANDLE FIRMLY ALL THE TIME. (2) WHEN YOU ROLL THE REAR WINDOW ALL THE WAY DOWN, THE BACK WINDOW, DOESN'T MATTER WHICH ONE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

13 complaints

• THE COMPONENT/SYSTEM IS KNOWN IN THE INDUSTRY AS ELECTRIC POWER STERRING(EPS). I PURCHASED MY NEW COROLLA S ON 26 MARCH 2012. I TRADED IN MY 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA BASE THAT DID NOT HAVE EPS. MY COROLLA S WAS ORDERED AND I WAITED APPROX 2 MONTHS BEFORE IT ARRIVED. I DID NOT TEST DRIVE THE 2012 MODEL(I
• APPROXIMATELY 10 WORKING DAYS HAVE PAST AFTER ARBITRATION OF THE EPS(ELECTRIC POWER STEERING) OF MY 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA S IN WHICH TODAY IN THE MAIL CAME THE DENIAL. I ENTERED INTO A CLAIM TO HAVE DON MCGILL TOYOTA OF HOUSTON PURCHASE THIS CAR BACK. PLEASE EVERYONE, THE EPS SYSTEM IS NOT A COMPONEN
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIO FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT A RODENT HAD BREACHED THE VEHICLE AND DAMAGED WIRES TO THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AS WELL AS THE AIR BAG. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 496 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: THE DRIVER FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL, AWOKE AND TRIED TO CORRECT HIS LANE POSITION. UPON HIS ATTEMPT, THE CAR COULD NOT BE STABILIZED OR CONTROLLED. THIS WAS A FRONT END CRASH AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 50 - 55 MPH GOING THROUGH A CHAIN LINK FENCE, HITTING HUNDREDS OF STACKED LOBSTER CRATES (LIKE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: THE COMPONENT/SYSTEM IS KNOWN IN THE INDUSTRY AS ELECTRIC POWER STERRING(EPS). I PURCHASED MY NEW COROLLA S ON 26 MARCH 2012. I TRADED IN MY 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA BASE THAT DID NOT HAVE EPS. MY COROLLA S WAS ORDERED AND I WAITED APPROX 2 MONTHS BEFORE IT ARRIVED. I DID NOT TEST DRIVE THE 2012 MODEL(I
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING A LOW PARKING SPEED, SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY, CAUSING HER TO CRASH INTO A FENCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOTALED AND THAT THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: (1) 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA, 4 DOORS,4 CYLINDER. WHEN YOU DRIVE THE CAR AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH OR HIGHER THE CAR'S STEERING WHEEL ALWAYS STEER TO THE LEFT SIDE AND YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO HANDLE FIRMLY ALL THE TIME. (2) WHEN YOU ROLL THE REAR WINDOW ALL THE WAY DOWN, THE BACK WINDOW, DOESN'T MATTER WHICH ONE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)