2020 Toyota Corolla
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 308 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 11th highest complaint count among 26 Corolla model years with reports.
Of the 2020 reports, 22 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 23 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, sensor, occupant classificationDec 20, 2023
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.
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 23V865000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpNov 4, 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200, 2018-2019 Lexus NX300 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy parts should be available for all affected vehicles by late March 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-012. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA01.
Campaign 20V682000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, rear/other, buckle assemblyDec 11, 2019
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019-2020 C-HR and 2020 Corolla and Corolla Hybrid vehicles equipped with rear seat belt assemblies with a dual-mode locking mechanism. The seat belt webbing sensor locking mechanism may not lock as intended.
In the event of a crash involving multiple impacts, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seat belt assembly production dates, and replace the assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 19TB22 and 19TA22.
Campaign 19V877000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: service brakes
23 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Service brakes, Sep 18, 2026
The concentric slave cylinder in my vehicle is a big issue with these cars. There has been so many reports of issues happening with these cars manual transmission Corolla's. This can cause fluid to spew, brakes to stop working, and no longer able to drive the vehicle safely. This part should be recalled and covered by Toyota.
Service brakes, Feb 23, 2026
I am having a problem with my 2020 Toyota Corolla's brakes. I live in [XXX] . In the winter when the car is cold the brakes work normally. When the car has been driven for a while, the car has warmed up, and the brake fluid has thinned, the brakes behave abnormally. When I stop at a red light, after 20 to 40 seconds, the brake pedal slowly drops towards the floor. My understanding is that this could indicate a problem with the master brake cylinder. My fear is that there could be a sudden failure of the cylinder causing an accident. I brought the car to Rudy Luther Toyota in Golden Valley. When I brought the car in, it was warm and the brakes were malfunctioning. Unfortunately, they let the car sit for several hours, the brake fluid cooled, and the mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Service brakes, Jan 15, 2026
Clutch slave cylinder started leaking leading to a sticking clutch pedal, making it difficult to engage the transmission with the engine, and a lower brake/clutch fluid level which could have caused braking issues if the fluid got too low.
Power train, Electrical system, Service brakes, Nov 22, 2025
Beginning on April 18, 2025, my 2020 Toyota Corolla LE began experiencing repeated failures involving multiple safety systems while driving. Without warning, several lights illuminate at the same time, including: Brake System Malfunction, Pre-Collision System, Parking Brake System, Vehicle Stability Control, Check Engine, and Secondary Collision Brake System. These warnings appear suddenly during normal driving, then sometimes disappear, then return again unpredictably. These failures disable several integrated safety systems and create a serious safety risk due to changes in braking performance, loss of stability control, and disabled collision-avoidance functions. Diagnostic scans from both the dealership and an independent mechanic repeatedly show: P1578 — Brake System Malfunction P265B — Rocker Arm Actuator Position Sensor Circuit Range/Performance (Bank 1) Both codes reappear even after being cleared. The vehicle was with Loving Toyota Lufkin, TX multiple times over seven months. They received over $7,100 in insurance payments for repairs, $463 towing cost (due to the negligence of Loving Toyota) and almost $1,500 in rental cars (Paid by State Farm) but were unable to diagnose or fix the underlying failure. Loving Toyota also provided a courtesy rental for 7+ weeks while they did no repairs to the car. The safety warnings continue to occur. Toyota Corporate is now involved but the vehicle remains unsafe to drive. The same code P265B is present that was present back in April 2025. This car is not safe! The problem has been reproduced by me, the dealership, and an independent shop. The vehicle is available for inspection. All scans, photos, videos, and documentation are available upon request. Date first occurred: April 18, 2025 Issue continues intermittently to present day
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH and making a left turn, the Forward Collision Avoidance system activated ad the vehicle stopped independently. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the braking function resumed, and the contact was able to continue driving. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the Forward Collision Avoidance was functioning correctly and there were no failure found with the brakes. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact reported that the vehicle had started to shake abnormally while driving at speeds under 40 MPH. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle back to a dealer or mechanic to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 25, 2025
The anti-lock brake system (ABS) malfunctioned when the vehicle was still very new, with only 25,000 miles. Diagnostics from two independent service centers confirmed that the ABS electronic control unit is failing due to an external failure. Both specialists stated that such a failure is highly uncommon and is a clear quality issue related to the electronic components. A critical system like ABS should not fail this early, raising serious concerns about the durability and reliability of the vehicle’s braking system.
Seat belts, Service brakes, Engine, May 4, 2024
At 4 years and 1/2 old car 2020 Corolla XSE an Engine Maintenance Required SEE DEALER light turned on. Did diagnostic with OBD 2 scanner at two locations auto body shop and Uto zone. Nothing appears. It is in fact a NEEDED future recall since thousands if not more people have encountered the same. It is a Coolant By Pass Valve. Cost is only $99.53 + tax at dealer. Problem is that should be under warranty or extended warranty or recall. Dealer likes to charge $800 (180-200 for diagnostic, $110 part, $400 labor. Part only takes 30 minutes to install. I should be able to buy at dealer for $110 and have them install for free or pay 30 minutes of work time = $85. 1 hour is about $175. So instead of trying to be billed $800 I should only be billed for $85 labor (30 minutes) + $110 part = Brand total of $105 USD. My daughter [XXX] and I, [XXX] (dad) bought the car at Longo Toyota El Monte, CA 91731. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Service brakes, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jan 30, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the gear shifter was shifted to drive and then reverse, but the vehicle failed to respond as needed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and a diagnostic test was performed. The vehicle was diagnosed with a locked cylinder. The dealer stated that there was recall for the failure however, the vehicle had exceeded the mileage limitation. The vehicle was repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V544000 (Electronic Stability Control, Service Brakes) as a possible solution to the failure however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,249.
Wheels, Service brakes, Engine, Sep 23, 2023
I had to replace all four tires before reaching 40k miles. Brakes needed to be fully replaced with only two years of driving it. AND Engine Maintenance Light on for an issue with the coolant bypass valve, not covered under warranty. This is causing issues with the engine, when driving even at 25 miles per hour or at 65 the car sounds like its dragging or forcing itself, the wheel shake & car feels unbalanced even with a tire alignment. Overall i give the car a 2.5 out 5 star in performance. The body of the car is so fragile and made by very cheap materials. Spending a fortune on this vehicle and it hasnt even reached 60k miles yet.
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 17, 2023, crash
I was going to work on 12/15/2022. There was a stop sign and I needed to take a right turn in order to join the freeway-10 east highway to head on to work. it was about 6: 40 am approximate time. There were too many cars ahead of me at the stop sign. My brakes failed to hold on while I waited for my turn. There were at least 3-4 cars ahead of me. Therefore I did not want to hurt anyone or any other car ahead of me. Therefore I veered off to my right-hand side where there was some space and tried to stop the car but it did not do so. Therefore, My car had to hit the high-way pole to come to a stop. The airbags deployed and hit me more to my right side. The car got totaled as per California casualty insurance information. I am glad to be alive. I went later to the hospital as there were no direct visible injuries.
Service brakes, Feb 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH and making a right turn, while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to stop. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that she shifted to park(P) and heard an abnormal noise. The contact stated that the vehicle continued to move forward until reaching the curb. The contact stated she had experienced the failure two times. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to her residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
Service brakes, Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 20, 2023
While operating our 2020 Toyota Corolla hybrid at a slow speed in a parking lot, we began to apply the brakes as we pulled into a parking stall. As the brakes were applied , the vehicle suddenly lunged forward with abrupt force. Both tires left acceleration marks on the painted concrete curb and the vehicle struck a large concrete pillar with such force that the pillar was partially dislodged from the ground. The vehicle was brought to a Toyota dealership and the sales management was notified of the incident. We also filed complaint with the Toyota Corporation. We were contacted by a Toyota Corporation representative and were told that they would conduct the vehicle inspection. Several weeks later we received a letter from the Toyota Corporation legal department which informed us of their findings. The letter conveyed that no defect was discovered and the incident had not been captured in the vehicle's computer. We informed the Toyota dealership of the results. The only assistance offered was their willingness to sell the vehicle at auction, which we adamantly declined. At this time we are making arrangements to have the vehicle towed to a recycling lot for destruction.
Service brakes, Oct 19, 2022
Front passenger side brake caliper was rusted and seized. At the time of this issue the car is two years old and had 40k miles. The car has lived its entire life in western North Carolina with me being its only owner. It has never been driven in salty conditions other than twice to the beach. The dealership refused to fix this safety issue under the platinum warranty I purchased because it is "Enviromental". This is a major safety concern. I have a 1997 suburban which gets drove in salty conditions every winter and has never one had an issue with its calipers or any operational part rusting.
Service brakes, Aug 11, 2022
2020 Toyota Corolla EPB (Electronic Parking Brake) Issue. The message "EPB Shift Interlock Function Activated" is being shown since last few months. This message never appeared in the past 2.5 yrs since I purchased the car, started showing up up only now. I took it to the dealership and they asked to keep brakes pressed while starting the car. I now keep my brakes pressed and start the car, and still I keep getting this error message. I have documented this issue and is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTXosvPffMo Please help Toyota help address this issue. Not sure something is not working as expected in the car or if something is started to fail in the car with EPB and so it's showing up the message. The message looks like information message and looks like harmless message, but why its showing up now, i.e after 2.5 yrs of use and never before. So, that's needs to be investigated, if there is any long term impact.
Air bags, Structure, Service brakes, Dec 21, 2021, crash
While driving my car it turned off and it was hard for me to turn and all my lights was hard to steer and all the lights on the dash board turned on and they was not turning off and I got in. A wreck by me not being able to turn and hit a bush and my car got total
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Dec 15, 2020, crash
WAS ON A HEAD ON COLLISION THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO OPEN NO BREAKS OR INDICATION THAT THE BREAKS WERE FAILING.ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP SHORTLY AFTER THE BATTERY EXPLODED SED .NOW THE CARE IS TOTALLY FOR ALL THE FROND END DAMAGE AND THE COST OF THE BATTER WOULD BE TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.I WAS DRIVING INTERSTATE 15 IN RIVERSIDE CALIFORNIA REAR END THE CAR IN FRONT.
Service brakes, Oct 20, 2020, crash
HAS TWO ISSUES ONE WHEN BREAKING FROM 45PH OR SO IT SKIDS AND BRAKES SKIP BAD SECOND ISSUE WHEN THE AUTO BREAKING IS ON, AND WHEN CAR BREAKS IN FRONT OF YOU IT STOPS NO PROBLEM, BUT THEN IT JUST STARTS MOVING AGAIN AND WHEN YOU TRY TO STOP IT WON'T LET YOU.
Service brakes, Sep 17, 2020
ON SLOW BRAKING AT SPEEDS LIKE 1-2MPH, THE PEDAL VIBRATES WITH SPRING EFFECT. THE ISSUE IS WITH BRAKE PEDAL SPRING WHICH TOYOTA IS NOT READY TO FIX. SHOWN TO DEALERSHIP, AND SERVICE DIRECTOR AT DEALERSHIP SAID THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE THE ISSUE AND SENT ME AWAY. SECOND TIME, I FILED COMPLAINT AND HAD TOYOTA TECH HAD A LOOK ON IT, THE DEALERSHIP DIRECTOR THEN UPDATED ME SAYING THAT TOYOTA TECH WAS ABLE TO FEEL THE SPRING VIBRATION AND THEY DON'T HAVE A FIX FOR IT NOW AND THE SPRINT VIBRATION EXISTS ON ALL NEW 2020 MODEL TOYOTA COROLLA'S. REQUEST TOYOTA TO ISSUE A FIX FOR THIS AND ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
Service brakes, Aug 22, 2020, crash
I WAS DRIVING DOWN A HILL APPROACHING A STOP SIGN WHEN MY BRAKES GAVE OUT AND STOPPED WORKING THE ROAD WAS DAMP AND IT WAS SLIGHT RAIN. I PRESSED DOWN ON MY BRAKES 5 TIMES AND NOTHING HAPPENED TO MAKE THE CAR STOP SO MY CAR KEPT DRIVING TOWARDS A DITCH AND I ALMOST FELL OFF A HILL INTO MORE TREES.
Seat belts, Service brakes, Apr 20, 2020
I'VE BEEN BEGINNING TO HEAR A NOISE IN MY BREAKS I ASKED A MECHANIC AND HE SAID IT'S TOO SOON FOR MY NEW CAR TO HAVE BREAK PROBLEMS HE SAID HE'S NEVER HEARD SUCH THE WEIRD NOISE BEFORE ESPECIALLY ON A NEW CAR
Power train, Service brakes, Engine, Dec 12, 2019
WILL DRIVING THE CAR DECELERATED AND WOULD NOT GO PASS 20MPH. BREAK,ENGINE,ECT. LIGHTS TURNED ON. THE CAR HAS ONLY 1345 MILES. SO FAR IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE. SECOND TIME GOING TO THE DEALERSHIP.
Service brakes, Oct 8, 2019, crash
EXITING FREEWAY. MADE A LEFT. SLOWED DOWN AT RED LIGHT. REALIZED THE CAR WASN'T STOPPING. SLAMMED BRAKE PEDAL TO FLOOR. CAR CONTINUED TO MOVE AND HIT ANOTHER CAR. POLICE REPORT MADE. COLLISION LOCATION AT 3520 MASSACHUSETTS AVE, LEMON GROVE, CA 91945. THIS IS A NEW CAR AND NO REASON FOR BRAKES TO NOT BE WORKING.
Other or unspecified, Electronic stability control (ESC), Service brakes, Aug 13, 2019
WE BOUGHT THE CAR ON 07-29-19 AND ON 08-04-19 WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM MARYLAND THE CAR SENSOR LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING AFTER ONLY 250 MILES ON THE CAR. THE FLASHING LIGHTS WERE FOR BRAKES AND PARKING BRAKE, LANE DEPARTURE AND ASSIST, BACK UP AND FRONT CAMERA, CHECK ENGINE, TIRE PRESSURE, HEAD LIGHTS, AND RSA MALFUNCTIONS. BASICALLY THE ENTIRE SAFETY SYSTEM OF THE CAR MALFUNCTIONED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THIS HAPPENED ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING IT. 7-29-19, 8-2, 5, 9-19 AND THE CAR WAS IN MOTION EACH TIME WHILE ON A HIGHWAY. I HAD IT TO THE DEALER TWICE AND THEY ARE STILL WORKING ON IT. THE FIRST TIME THEY SAID THE CAR NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED AND THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THE SECOND TIME THE SERVICE MANAGER IS CLAIMING IT IS A WIRE WHICH I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE SINCE THERE ARE MULTIPLE CODES AND I DON'T THINK THEY ALL GO THROUGH ONE WIRE. OUR FAMILY DOES NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE CAR WHEN ALL OF THESE LIGHTS ARE FLASHING AND NOT KNOWING IF THE CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE AND IF THE SAFETY FEATURES IN THE CAR WILL OPERATE PROPERLY. I HAVE VIDEO AND PICTURES OF THE CODES THAT WERE FLASHING IF NEEDED. I COULD NOT UPLOAD THEM DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE FILES.