2021 Toyota Corolla
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 185 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 18th highest complaint count among 26 Corolla model years with reports.
Of the 2021 reports, 18 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 13 people were injured.
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
Representative owner complaints
185 reports, newest first.
Service brakes, May 1, 2024
Electronic brake actuator failed on vehicle after slightly after warranty expired resulting in a $2100 repair. This is a known Toyota issue across different models. A recall should be issued and repair costs refunded.
Air bags, Apr 24, 2024, crash
The contact's daughter was a passenger in a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while the vehicle was driving at an undisclosed speed, vehicle A abruptly merged into the lane of vehicle B, causing the driver of vehicle B to suddenly apply the brakes, rapidly reducing speeds. As a result, the vehicle in which the contact's daughter was a passenger collided with the rear of vehicle B, and, in turn, the vehicle in which the contact's daughter was a passenger was rear-ended by another vehicle behind. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a towed yard and deemed a total loss by the owner's insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact transported his daughter to an area hospital, where she was treated for a contusion to the face, whiplash, and numbness in her left shin. The contact was unaware if any other injuries had been reported. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine, Apr 9, 2024
The engine coolant bypass valve circuit short to battery or open and lower hose - Trouble Code - DTC: P268115. The error message "Engine Maintenance Required - Visit Your Dealer" was consistently popping up and I couldn't see my speed or dash or how many miles I had till empty even after acknowledging the message and pressing ok & back. It would stay on while my car was on no matter what. I couldn't use or see any of my information on my dash. The problem has come up multiple times by different people in the auto forum and I was warned that I would have to replace it again in 15 months. There was no light that came on on my dash just the message that would pop up and block my speed so I couldn't see how fast I was going or when I was going to be out of gas. I'm not sure if it's been inspected by the manufacturer. It first appeared after 3 years of owning my brand new car. I was very shocked that I already needed to replace a part in my engine after only having and driving my car for a short amount of time and 30,000 miles on it. It was an expensive part and caused me to have to guess how fast I was going while driving as I couldn't see or get the message to go away even after acknowledging it. I took it to Toyota and they told me the only way to get the notification to go away was to replace it but they did tell me that they have recently had multiple cars come in with the same issue. I had to drive my car in danger as I couldn't immediately afford to pay to get it fixed right away and was in college away from home and didn't have enough time to leave my car in the shop.
Air bags, Apr 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Other or unspecified, Mar 31, 2024
A crack appeared in my windshield on the passenger side. Ther is no damage from a rock and we haven’t had extreme temperature changes. It is growing and will soon be on the drivers side.
Air bags, Mar 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Air bags, Mar 27, 2024
I am filing this complaint to report a significant safety concern regarding my 2021 Toyota corolla LE due to the recall on it. The passenger airbag sensor issue poses a serious risk to the safety of myself and my passengers. Despite being aware of the recall and its associated risks, the remedy for this safety concern is not expected to be available until the end of the year. This delay is concerning as it leaves me and other owners of affected vehicles vulnerable to potential accidents or injuries. I have attempted to address this issue with the manufacturer, but I have not received a satisfactory response or resolution as they said they need to wait for the Toyota HQ to provide the remedy for this manufacturing error. Therefore, I am submitting this complaint to request assistance from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addressing this safety concern promptly and effectively. We were told this recall would be completed by February of this year 2024 but it still has not been resolved
Service brakes, Mar 1, 2024
29,000 miles had to replace front rotors dealership stated the rotors were destroyed also causing me to change brake pads - seems odd that rotors would be so damaged after less than 29,000 miles
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Feb 1, 2024
The rear back up camera continues to adhered road salt and sand debris that blocks the camera's ability to project a clear view in the dashboard monitor every winter season here in upstate New York from early November through last snow in Spring (April-May). I addressed with Toyota office ( I 800-331-4331) at least four times and told to go back to the area Toyota dealer as I previously had done that previous 3 years. I get strange looks as to why their going to resolve this safety concern as the maintenance manual on page 240 of the owner's manual states on right top page,: "If dirt or foreign matter ( such as drooletsz,snow, mud etc.) is adhering to the camera, it cannot transmit a clear image. In this case, flush with a large quantity of water and wipe the camera lens clean with a soft and wet cloth." This cleaning procedure doesn't work in subfreezing temperatures and only causes the water to freeze to this area of the rear hatch area and to the floor or driveway! This is a serious safety flaw having to rely on a dirty camera monitor when backing up which every time I leave my single lane driveway going directly to the avenue I reside. Besides with water and wet soft cloth leaving road grit debris on the camera will further risk to scratching up the view lense cover! So where's the safe solution to this repeated issue every winter now for the 3rd year?
Power train, Electrical system, Seat belts, Jan 30, 2024
Vehicle has numerous electrical/mechanical issues that seem to stem from an autonomous learning remote sensor. The problems include, but are not limited to 1. Seatbelt sticking on driver’s side, problem resolves itself, possibly after someone has had a good chuckle on satellite watching the driver struggle to disengage the safely belt, 2. Trunk remotely popped at speeds ranging from 0 (park) to 70mph on highway, 3. Ignition light on and off, usually correctible by disengaging and reengaging battery lead, 4. Car shutoff and burglar alarm engaged while in park, again , correctible by disengaging and engaging battery lead, 5. Car gas gauge reading false on the light side ( less than E), then after disengaging and engaging battery lead, reverts back to 1/4 tank, 6. Clock time changed, presumably after vehicle shutoff and restarted in the middle of the night. Clock reset via auto computer, etc. All incidents are usually corrected by disengaging and engaging the battery lead, after a brief pause to reset the vehicle’s ECU.
Engine, Jan 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while his granddaughter was driving approximately 20 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the Parking Brake and Lane Tracing Assist malfunction indicators were illuminated before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle failed to restart and was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine control unit software needed to be updated. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 30,000.
Structure, Nov 29, 2023
While driving my car I noticed a sloshing noise like water, I thought it was a bottle of wiper fluid until I opened and closed my passenger rear door. The door was full of water, I looked it up online and found tips to loosen a plug on the bottom of the door to let the water drain out. I did this and it was pouring out of the door. I called for service, took the vehicle in, asked about damage to electrical inside the door like speakers and locking systems. The man explained due to the way the door is made IF any water got in it would not affect these systems. They advised the plugs can get full of debris and to loosen the plugs after heavy rain. This has now happened several times, I have to check all my doors and drain them after it rains. Note there are three plug holes, all have plugs so no water can freely drain on it's own.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Nov 29, 2023
My car shows that the vehicle needed to be serviced, in checking the Toyota app I saw there was a warning for the adaptive lighting system/electrical concern. The warning light had been on for some time, thinking I was due for regular maintenance like an oil change I had ignored it for a bit. Everytime I would start the car this warning would appear. I too the car in for service, they also did a 20k maintenance service and kept the car overnight overnight as they were unable to locate the issue same day. The following day I was advised they couldn't determine the issue and they cleared the code.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 20, 2023
At around 0750 AM on 20Nov2023, the sun roof exploded while turning roughly 15 MPH onto an onramp of a highway. Nothing hit the car from the outside. The sun roof glass shattered and fell onto the sun roof cover. Glass could have fallen inside as well as onto me and could have obstructed my vision, causing a crash. No pot holes or noticeable bumps were struck prior to or after the malfunction. Car was at a red stop light for a minute or so prior to the malfunction. The temperature was around 45 degrees Fahrenheit when the malfunction occurred. The heat was not turned on in the car at any point. When speaking with the dealership service center, they said no on else has come in with this issue. When doing a quick google search, up to 5 individuals from 2022 have had the same issue with varying toyota models and years, including 2020 SUVs. The car will be taken into the dealership for inspection tomorrow, 21Nov2023. No warning lights related to the problem appeared.
Air bags, Oct 14, 2023, crash
I was rear-ended by a large truck F250 estimated speed 20 25 miles an hour no airbags deployed at all was enough to injure my neck and back
Tires, Oct 13, 2023
Primewell PS830 205/55/R16 - These tires were discontinued by the manufacturer one or two years ago and replaced with an upgraded tire because of tread skid and wear issues. The tires were on a Certified Used Toyota Corolla I purchased on September 29, 2023 from Toyota of Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL. I mentioned on the test drive that the brakes were making noise at every stop, with an occasional thud sound. The salesman, Dustin Dolan, first told me the noise was because the car hadn't been driven recently, then that the noise was normal and then that he agreed the sound wasn't right. He said he'd have the brakes "looked at." They weren't. The car consistently made skidding noises when braking. The dealer continued to tell me the brakes were fine and the tires were fine because they would never sell at car with unsafe tires. I also found a slit in the rear passenger sidewall. Took car to a reputable dealer. They found the tires with uneven wear and choppy condition. They also discovered rusted rotors. They repaired the brakes and replaced the unsafe, discontinued tires with new tires.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Wheels, Sep 13, 2023
I am making a complaint about my 2021 corolla SE because I am constantly running into issues that cost and are not my fault as to why these issues have come about. I bought my car in March 2021, in May 2021 my car hit a bump in the highway and cracked my rim and bust my tire. Luckily I have alloy and tire coverage so I did not have to come out of my pocket. Next, my two front tires are constantly wearing down on the inside of the tread making the wires be exposed and causing me to have a blow out or needing to replace my tires at least 4 to 5 times since I have had my car. My car only has 71,000 on it to need that many tires replaced. I go and get my car serviced where I purchased my car at the toyota dealer so If I needed and alignment or tires rotated they would have let me know that and the only time I was informed I needed an alignment was when I got all new tires. Then, in November of 2022 my front lighting sytem when completely out ( signals lights, blinkers, brake lights, etc. I went to get it checked on and the dealer made me feel as if I had an entire electrical issue going on with my car and I would have to pay $160 x2 in order for them to just figure out what was wrong with my practically new vehicle. They came back and explained it was only a fuse and the fuse is $5 but still attempted to charge me for diagnostics. After this encounter I had to be ugly just to not come out of pocket for a large sum. At that visit there was an "engine malfunction" light on as well that they did not mend and continues to blink to this date. Prior to my last servicing appointment last week my entire radio system went out ( backup camera, radio, gps system, bluetooth). I was told at the dealer that I would have to pay $160 for them to diagnose my issue and and then pay for the repair. I asked my service manager if there were any recalls on my car for these issues and he stated no but as for the 2022-2023 models there are recalls. I need help with this.
Engine, Aug 25, 2023
I went in after my vehicle displayed a check engine code after my recent visit to the dealer which included a regular oil change plus multi point inspection. At 51k miles the check engine went on and said immediately to go to the dealer. After paying for the dealer inspection, which was extra money, the issue was the engine coolant bypass valve for my vehicle that failed and leaked. I asked if this was common and the dealer said yes since they've been replacing them. I checked online forums and hundreds of people have had this issue at random miles. This costed me over $900 dollars to repair and could of damaged my cars engine leaving me without a vehicle or cause a safety accident. I paid a hefty bill for a faulty item that should have been recalled since it's quite "common" according to the toyota dealership. I regularly maintain my vehicle with the recommended maintenance and this should have not occurred.
Air bags, Jul 10, 2023, fire
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, upon approaching it, he observed flames emanating from both the driver's and passenger's side air bags, overtaking the entire dashboard. The local fire department arrived and was able to extinguish the flames. Both police and fire reports were filed following the fire, but no injuries were reported. No warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic but instead towed to a tow yard. The vehicle was not repaired pending an insurance claim. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 55,000.
Air bags, Seat belts, May 9, 2023, crash
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while at a stop light in the turning lane, another vehicle rear-ended the contact, causing minor damages to the rear bumper of the vehicle. The contact was unsure of the damages to the other vehicle. No air bags deploy. The contact stated that the front driver side and front passenger side seat belts did not restrain causing both the contact and the passenger to strike their head. The contact noise was broken along with other head, eyes, and face injuries and the passenger also head and eyes injuries, both the contact and passenger sought medical attention and were transported to the hospital. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not towed. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided and advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 5,000.
Other or unspecified, Feb 14, 2023, crash
I was parked in my parking space I reversed into the space. I left the car running in park to dispose of trash. When I come back to my car to retrieve my cell phone and key out of the ignition. When the car turned off, the car began to roll down as my space is at a slight decline and the result of this was me bumping into a motorcycle who is parked directly across from my spot. I attempted to brake and I wasn’t able to steer as I had vehicles to my left and right and this happened in a distance of maybe 20-25 ft. The other party was notified no one was hurt but both my vehicle and his bike took damage. I have damage to my front grill because of this malfunction. This has never happened before but as this is a new car, this concerns me greatly and has been brought to Toyota’s attention. I wanted to file a complaint as I know others have my same vehicle and they may have had or might end up in the same situation as I was in. I believe it is the parking brake that was the issue.
Air bags, Jan 24, 2023, crash
The contact owned a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, another vehicle ran a red light and crashed into the front passenger's side door. The contact stated that the air bags deployed, except for the driver's side steering wheel air bag. The impact caused her chest to lunge forward, and the contact fractured her neck. A passenger seated in the passenger's side front seat sustained bruising from her neck, her waist, and a fractured collarbone. Medical attention was received. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 7,000.
Steering, Air bags, Seats, Jan 17, 2023, crash
I was rear ended. During the impact, which was enough to accelerate my vehicle from 9 mph to 36 mph, the steering wheel came completely off of the car and hit me in the head. The steering wheel was in the back seat immediately following the impact and my vehicle was traveling at 36 mph with no way to steer out control it and no airbags in front of me in case of a secondary collision. This happened on a busy interstate with dozens of drivers endangered by my out of control vehicle. Traffic had slowed for construction and it was a miracle I wasn't further injured or caused injury to anyone else. Toyota sent an inspector to look over the vehicle, and it may still be available on the wrecker lot.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 23, 2022
came out and windshield was cracked. Toyota makes defective cheap windshields
Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 21, 2022
I purchased my Toyota corolla SE 2021 in May 2021 with 11 miles on it. I received safety connect trial for one year. It was so unsafe. I believe there was an invasion of privacy because after requesting my data held at Toyota Corp., I read of times of install/deactivation that were not proper in accordance of my purchase and my understanding of the set up at time of purchase. It appears this safety connect was already connected before my purchase, which is a safety issue and is a violation of privacy and lead to data breach. With my connected device, iPhone, acting crazy and miss reading my locations and redirecting, etc., I was on my way to Apple in December 2021 with 2016 miles on my car. I believe the remote connect was being controlled by others as up to five devices are allowed on the module. GPS worked accordingly obviously, because when I exited the interstate, immediately my engine stalled out at 50 miles an hour in the rain. I was scared to death and found the closest gas station to pull over and stop my engine. About 30 minutes later, I continued to apple, 1 mile away. After restarting my car, I was alerted to be safe and contact my provider. I found out that that meant that my control module was blown. This has affected me in a few ways. Maps have read I am in China, South Florida, north, Florida, Georgia, California. I also went to the local Toyota for an oil change and tire rotation in October 2022 and learned that I needed a tire replacement and the pressure was down to 15 pounds. No light appeared. If the communication module is destroyed, then all of the safety features are, as well. No lights alert, no Blindspot warning days, automatic emergency, braking has failed as well, as I recall when it worked and it is not even sensing a vehicle or anything in front of it. Also the red signs that display, stop, certain miles per hour, etc. are reading incorrectly. Furthermore, Toyota wants to disclaim all warranties associated.