2017 Toyota Corolla
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 189 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 17th highest complaint count among 26 Corolla model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 47 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 44 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, air bag/restraint control moduleJan 17, 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.
In the event of a crash, air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners that do not deploy as intended may increase the risk of injury.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk beginning March 2, 2020. A second letter notifying owners of the remedy repair will be mailed between March 16, 2020 and June 27, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB03, 20TA03 and 20TA05.
Campaign 20V024000 on NHTSA.gov
Equipment, other, labelsJun 28, 2019
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. SET's number for this recall is SET19A.
Campaign 19V503000 on NHTSA.gov
Tires, temporary/emergency spare tireMay 2, 2017
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated on the Tire Pressure Label.
A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074. Toyota's number for this recall is 17R2.
Campaign 17V295000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
189 reports, newest first.
Air bags, Mar 12, 2024
See attached document for complaint
Power train, Jan 2, 2024
My college son was driving down from Orlando, and when he got here I took his/my car to my mechanic because the AC was not cold. I felt a hard shift when I put it in reverse, and when I started to drive the car to the mechanic, it didn’t feel right. They fixed my AC and I asked him to check the car as I was worried it did not feel safe to drive. They changed all the filters and did a complete transmission flush even though it was not due for 60,000 miles and there is less than 54,000 miles on this vehicle. They changed all the filters and upon doing the transmission flush my mechanic of 15 years found chunks of metal and shavings in the transmission pan. He took pics & told me my transmission was bad but it was an internal defect and I needed to take it to Toyota as there was no damage on the outside of my transmission, it’s pan, gasket or filter and there were no signs of any leak. He told me these CVT transmissions were a problem and there were a lot of ones not recalled, but there was a Special Service Campaign JSD for 1.3 million of these transmissions from Toyota. Toyota said my Vin number was not part of this Special Service Campaign JSD but I found there were also 3400 recalls on the CVT transmissions from the Toyota hatchback. Toyota told me because my car was already out of warranty, even if it was a manufacturing defect, they were not responsible. I take very good care of my cars. I have two Toyota Corollas, both 2017 and now I am very concerned about the other one. I’ve been on a lot of Toyota forums and it seems there are so many other Toyota Corollas that don’t have many miles on them and all of a sudden their transmission has an internal defect. I brought it to the dealership and they simply said it needed to be replaced, that it was hard shifting when going into reverse and banging gears intermediately. They told me if I wanted to know what the defect was I would have to pay at least 15 hrs of labor to start. My son could have been killed driving it
Air bags, Oct 21, 2023, crash
I was hit yesterday and my airbags didn't deploy. WHY???
Other or unspecified, Sep 10, 2023, crash
Twice within one month my Corolla experienced Sudden Unintended Acceleration. The first time I had just entered the parking lot of my local Star Market. I stopped for a man in the crosswalk and was just about to ease off the break when I saw a woman approaching the crosswalk so I stayed on my break. Suddenty the car revved up and went forward. I think it was so loud the woman heard it and stopped. My car returned to normal operation within maybe five seconds and as I drove by the woman, I yelled there was something wrong. Went home and scheduled an appointment with Toyota. It took a few days for them to check my car. I think this type of issue brings in the next level up of repair. I was told they went over everything and could find nothing wrong. My car was safe to drive. I drove it for exactly one month and it did the same thing. This time I was inching my way into a parking space that was up against a wall. Nowhere near the gas. I was maybe a couple of feet from the wall when the car accelerated again. The engine really revved up again and I went into the wall. The car was drivable, and I got it right back to Toyota. It is still sitting there pending investigation. I am waiting to hear from someone from their liability department. I'm not sure what will happen, but I know I will not drive that car again. My biggest concern is that Toyota will claim I'm elderly and hit the gas, not the brake. That is not what happened.
Other or unspecified, Sep 8, 2023
Unknown I didn’t have any accidents
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 15, 2023, fire
On the morning of July 21st the vehicle was parked in the garage the night before when all of the sudden our neighbors were yelling at my wife and I to exit the house because they saw fire flames and black smoke coming out of the garage. Everything in that garage and part of the house was destroyed. After it was safe to enter the house we noticed the damage was concentrated where the Toyota was parked, the explosion from the engine caused the hood to almost touch the windshield. Half the engine was gone.
Air bags, Jun 19, 2023, crash
Three car accident. Driver 3 was at stop light (red) driver 2 (myself) was directly behind him (stopped). Driver 1 and at high speed hit me from behind. Airbags didn’t deploy. Causing injury to me and my passenger.
Vehicle speed control, May 14, 2023
Recently purchased a used 2017 Toyota Corolla. During the test drive I did not attempt to use the cruise control as it was only driven on city or small highways. Travel with the car at those locations has been good. Yesterday while on a freeway, I used the cruise control. It started out okay, but when I got to a downhill or uphill location, the car engine got very loud. The rpm’s revved to an extremely high level and the car accelerated and kept accelerating beyond the cruise set speed. I became very scared and didn’t know what was happening. Luckily I had quick thinking to hit the brakes immediately. I actually pulled over and stopped due to the issue and my nerves. The engine looked okay so once calmed, I began traveling again. I wanted to use the cruise on the freeway, so attempted a second time later. The same exact thing happened in the uphill / downhill scenario. I realized there is something wrong and it is not a good issue at all! This morning I began researching things related to the car. Prior to my purchase, I had checked for any outstanding recalls (which there were none) and problems people may have had with this car. There were no general concerning things I saw. This morning I began searches specific to cruise control issues and found discussions and even videos pertaining to cruise problems. People mention an array of scenarios and possible reasons such as the brake pedal sensor not working. Then I came across this site where other people described the same exact problem and safety concern of mine. I agree with all of them that it is definitely scary and thank goodness the brake works otherwise it would be a MAJOR safety concern!! I am now concerned and wondering why after many people have problems with this, there is not a fix or something being done?
Other or unspecified, May 4, 2023
Unknown
Air bags, Apr 19, 2023, crash
I was driving southbound on a main road when a car pulled out right Infront of me. This caused me to hit the left side of his car between the front and back door (Nissan Sedan) with the front right of my car. I hit his car at roughly 45mph. My car (Toyota Corolla) did not deploy any airbags. His car almost all the airbags went off. My car was totaled. The front right wheel was completely ripped apart, the fluids from around the engine all spilled out, and the front right door does not open. There is a police report filed and the accident is filed with my insurance (Progressive). The car was inspected by insurance just to determine if it is totaled and the value it's worth. There were never any warnings from my car and the car was regularly maintained. I believe my safety was at risk by the airbags not going off. I hit my face on the steering wheel causing injury to my jaw.
Electrical system, Engine, Dec 27, 2022
The car was in a traffic jam, when the car automatically turned off and the control panel started to display the battery signal. This event occurred when the car was in the middle of a road. The car was pushed by other person to a safety area and then it was turned on. This situation never happened before. The vehicle battery is practically new and after the incident, the battery signal (lamp) has not been activated. The vehicle was evaluated by a Toyota authorized dealer, cleaning the combustion system, but there is uncertainty that this situation can occur again. A car that automatically turned off in the middle of the road is a safety issue for the driver and passengers, and also for other drivers.
Power train, Dec 15, 2022
During a routine drive on the 91 West freeway my car got stuck in gear. I was unable to move the car that was on a busy freeway that was seconds ago driving perfectly.
Seat belts, Oct 18, 2022, crash
The contact owned a 2017 Toyota Corolla IM. The contact stated that while driving at 5 MPH, another vehicle struck the driver's side front door, causing the seat belt to forcefully retract inward on his chest. The air bags were deployed upon impact. The contact received medical attention for his chest pain and was diagnosed with two hernias. A police report was filed. The vehicle was driven to the residence by his neighbor and was deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000.
Air bags, Sep 27, 2022, crash
I got into a car accident on August 30, 2022. The airbags didn't go off. All of the airbags didn't go off when the accident happened. I have already filed a complaint against Toyota. They are looking into it.
Steering, Other or unspecified, Aug 11, 2022, crash
it seems the steering failed with this incident. the car was totaled no there were no lights on at the time. i was making a right turn after a complete stop. the steering would not straighten out. the car also accelerated after hitting the curb causing a second accident cracking an entire telephone pole in half and having to be replaced. the car wasn’t even 30 feet from the right turn.
Wheels, Aug 9, 2022
Air tire pressure light not working passager tire stays low and I do not get notified
Engine, Jul 4, 2022
While at idle the rpm will drop down to 400 rpm with it almost stalling out the car. This has been a continuing issue with no real answers on why.
Air bags, Jul 1, 2022, crash
The contact owned a 2017 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while stopped at a red light when the vehicle was rear-ended by another vehicle which then caused him to crash into the vehicle in front. The contact stated that the other driver was driving approximately 70-80 MPH. The contact stated that no air bags were deployed in his vehicle and was concerned due to having 4 child occupants in the vehicle during the failure. The contact stated that he sustained back, head, and neck injuries and was seen at the hospital a couple of days later. The contact stated that the other driver was seen with a bloody nose before she fled the scene. The contact stated that the front vehicle driver was not injured. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot and deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The dealer or the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.
Steering, Jun 29, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the vehicle's power steering would suddenly fail. The contact would wait till the power steering would restore proper functionality. The failure occurred 2 times. The warning light indicating the power steering had malfunctioned had sounded off several times. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who stated that the rack n pinion could be the cause. A repair had not occurred. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealer as of yet. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage 62,000.
Air bags, Jun 27, 2022, crash
The contact owned a 2017 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving at 40-45 MPH, she saw an object on the road. The contact stated that as she was trying to swerve to the right to avoid the sharp object, the vehicle drove over the sharp object. The sharp object pierced the tires and the subframe. The vehicle hit the curb and bounced back into the road. The was an unknown fluid leaking. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained back injuries. The contact did not seek medical assistance. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot where it was totaled. There was no further information provided. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,300.
Structure, Jun 14, 2022
Currently have paid off my WHITE TOYOTA COROLLA 2017, and is been a while since i notice the paint was pealing off and take it to the body shop, they told me to check my car for a recall since toyota has extended warranty for this matter (which i found here that does not have a recall), and that it was too soon for the car paint to be this bad, the top is also star to roasted and i just paid it off and think is not fair for me to be paying for something so early, also i take good care of it, washed two or more times at month and also handwax once or twice every month, hope this can do something about me and many more out there having the same issue.
Air bags, Seat belts, Service brakes, Jun 13, 2022, crash
This vehicle when it's impacted there's really no help or assistance to get the vehicle removed off your property on the vehicle is a hazard it really needs to be retested and there needs to be someone to know that it's not safe for children and being this vehicle a lot of times it's kids slides and it doesn't have the front part of the vehicle is impacted bad and it's hard to get the car replaced by the manufacturer in thewayenough restraint so that you can take your kids a little faster in the car without answering them it's also a hazard because only certain drivers know how to operate it and it's not always safe to have this car out and about without issues or malfunction
Vehicle speed control, May 27, 2022, crash
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine revved and the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration. The vehicle crashed into a concrete barrier while turning into a parking space. The contact was not able to depress the brake pedal in time to stop the vehicle. No air bags were deployed. No injury was sustained and no medical attention was received. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a body shop; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The vehicle was not deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
Electrical system, Apr 23, 2022
All windows and all door locks stopped working by switches.
Other or unspecified, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 21, 2022
I was traveling on the interstate home from work one night, I was kinda tired, I put on my turning signal to let the person behind me know I was getting in the right lane know when all of a sudden a car sped by, the blind spot warnings didn’t come on at all, as a matter of fact I only saw them appear only twice since I had this car and they haven’t been on since and I’ve had this car for a week and two days, that’s an accident waiting to happen.