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.
Other or unspecified, Dec 8, 2022
Every thing is good
Electrical system, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Oct 28, 2022
Around 1900-2000 miles of ownership, 6 months after purchase, I was driving on I95 in the rain, 65 MPH, traffic in West Palm Beach, Fl, on my way to Apple(Mall). Upon exit, my engine completely stalled out. I pulled off road, not smoothly at all, turned off the car and it restarted 30 minutes later so I resumed my travels. The next day, my vehicle alerted me that the communication module had blown, not in those words. I had called Toyota and told the representative of the spoken alert and she informed me to go to dealership. They were clueless how to fix and reset battery. This communication is vital for all modules to perform safety features. Today I had a large screw in tire and no alerts of low pressure. Tire read 12 lbs pressure. My lane departure/correction doesnt work half of the time. My attorney has informed me that he hears there are concerning issues involved and noncompliance has led to him filing suit today. Software Source code leaked and left open on GitHub for 5 years has compromised the safety of all connected customers and their devices.
Exterior lighting, Oct 9, 2022, crash
Headlights are defective. There is a "V" shaped dark spot in the headlights of the vehicle when on low beam. The significant unlit "V" shaped area does not allow the driver to see objects in the roadway which come up on a driver rather quickly, resulting in collisions. Toyota is aware of the defect, but will not act on it. Toyota Claim # 220811002276. There have been two collisions involving items in the roadway due to this headlight defect. Total out of pocket costs on the damage have been in excess of $1,500.
Seat belts, Oct 7, 2022
I have brought my car to Toyota of New Orleans (the same place I bought it) regarding an issue where if my kids are in the backseat unbuckled the seat belt alert does not ring to indicate that the seatbelts are not hooked also if I undo the seatbelt while driving it does not alert either. Also, when I am driving and nobody is in the backseat, and nothing is on the seats etc. the seat belt alert will begin to ring. I have record this on my phone and showed Toyota they have checked my care twice and I let if at the dealership for 3 days and they cannot duplicate the problem I explained it happens at different times however they said they see the video but can't get it to do it at the shop. so now I am stuck with a car that is a safety concern for me and my children.
Other or unspecified, Sep 8, 2022
No problems
Other or unspecified, Aug 31, 2022
No problem
Air bags, Aug 24, 2022, crash
Front end collision at 50mph with deer. No airbag deployment, car was totaled
Wheels, Service brakes, Aug 23, 2022, crash
Recently my car was in an accident involving 2 other vehicles. An SUV in front of me rear-ended someone and then I rear-ended the SUV. We were in heavy traffic at a major intersection and were stopped at a red light. The light turned green and we began to move. We were accelerating from a stop and were maybe approaching 10 -15 mph. Traffic started to back up at the next light and so the first car stopped suddenly so as not to block the intersection. Then the driver in front of me crashed into that car. He was on his phone, not looking, and didn't have time to brake. I was about 2-3 car lengths behind when he came to a complete stop. I was also still accelerating, as were most cars, since the light had just turned green. As soon as the vehicle in front of me hit the other car and stopped moving, I immediately applied my brakes. Based on the distance I believe I should have been able to stop. I remember thinking there was plenty of room. Except that the ABS came on and, instead of stopping my car before hitting the object in front of me (because the car is also capable of doing that), it just continued to let my car slide right into the back of the vehicle in front of me. I was then "at fault" according to my insurance company despite my explanation of the details. This led to a $500 deductible for repairs and an increase in my insurance rate. I honestly believe that the ABS should not have activated in that situation. If the car is able to recognize and even stop for objects in front of it, why would it let me slide into another car? I've had similar situations with my other cars in the past and they always stopped quickly, often avoiding this very situation. To summarize, I feel that the antilock brake system in my car failed to act in a safe and appropriate manner, thus causing an increased risk of damage or injury to the vehicle and passengers. In my case it resulted in damage to my car and a lot of extra money to cover those damages. Thank you
Power train, Jul 12, 2022
I was driving home from school, and while trying to change lanes on fairly busy road on a hill and my car with a CVT transmission stalled out and a check engine light appeared on my dash with a message reading “drive-start control malfunction”. While trying to limp the car home, the engine killed power three or four times within like a five minute drive up some hilly roads and I constantly had to pull to the side and turn the car off and on just to make it up the next hill. I took it in the same day the issue were happening and they didn’t diagnose the issue until two three week after I had originally brought it in and said it was a CVT issue. A week or two prior to this happening, I was coming down a hill towards a stop light and when I get hit the stop light my car jerked and the “drive-start control malfunction” messages appeared then immediately went away, so I paid it no mind.
Service brakes, Jun 23, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the parking brake warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. Additionally, the brake warning light was illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,800.
Engine, Jun 1, 2022, crash
2021 TOYOTA COROLLA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OVER A BARRIER. WHEN THE CONSUMER REVERSED THE VEHICLE, IT ACCELERATED BACKWARDS INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE CAUSING DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. *JS
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, May 1, 2022
My 2021 Toyota Corolla, with 3000 miles and less than a year on it, is repeatedly exhibiting a "check gas cap" warning message followed a day or two later by a "check engine, visit your dealer" warning. This has happened twice. I have returned to the dealer once to have the system reset, after which the same sequence of warning messages recurred. This message wipes out my dashboard display and keeps me from using my cruise control and radar distancing feature. I have not yet determined what other safety features are neutralized by this recurring malfunction. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Service brakes, Parking brake, Apr 21, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle came to a squeaky stop. The contact was able to get off the road safely. The contact stated once on the side of the road, he noticed the electric parking brake was engaged. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the regular service brakes were inoperable while the electric parking brake was engaged. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic found no failure with the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 12,200.
Air bags, Seat belts, Feb 8, 2022, crash
While driving down a two-way street an oncoming car departed its lane resulting in an offset frontal collision on the driver's side. The driver's side airbag did not deploy, the seat belts did not pretention/lock and the pre-collision system did not engage brakes or alert the driver. The driver of the car suffered a broken bone as a result. The driver of the oncoming colliding car was okay, their airbags deployed.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jan 23, 2022
When I was driving on the freeway on January 21, 2022, I had my iPhone X plugged into the car's infotainment system via USB to enable Apple CarPlay and navigate using Google Maps. In the middle of driving, the navigation system lost accuracy of my precise location. It continuously kept rerouting, as it believed that I had exited the freeway and was now on the side street. GPS precision is unreliable when the connected phone is not unlocked and on the Google Maps app (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't). This is obviously a safety hazard, since I have to exit the Google Maps app on my phone, reopen it, and reroute to the location so the software accurately picks up my location (luckily, the car has lane-trace assist). Another issue is when using Google Maps (an issue with all navigation app, really; here I use Google Maps as an example, but I've had an issue with all maps apps I use, including Apple Maps) navigation with Apple CarPlay and the iPhone locks itself or the driver exits the Google Maps app on the phone. Sometimes, when the phone locks itself from idle usage (as it should, since the driver is focusing on the road) or when the Google Maps app is exited (but not closed), the navigation interface on the car's infotainment system freezes. It shows the current location of the vehicle as stationary when it really should be moving. The intended functionality is the navigation software should continue running and updating as the car moves, regardless of whether the phone is locked or if the Google Maps app is only running in the background. This issue happens sporadically, but poses a significant risk of a collision, as it forces the driver to use their phone and reroute their navigation instead of paying attention to the road. Toyota needs to coordinate with Apple to address this issue on Apple CarPlay and subsequently release a software update to drivers.
Exterior lighting, Visibility/wiper, Dec 30, 2021
I purchased this vehicle new in June 2021. It is the hatchback model. Prior to that I drove a motorcycle since 2015. I noticed right at the beginning that the headlights don't illuminate far enough ahead at night for what I consider safe. My ability to see off into the distance ahead of the vehicle is far less than what I would get from my motorcycle, which doesn't make any sense to me because this car has LED headlights which are supposed to be better. I live in Washington, DC and have family in New Jersey that I visit regularly. There are two ways I can go. The first is Interstate 95 which has a speed limit of 65 but I set my cruise control at 60. When I come to an area where there is no street lighting and there are no other cars around which are helping illuminate the roadway, I am overdriving my headlights. This is not safe. The second route is taking Route 50 to the Annapolis Bay Bridge, then getting on Route 301 North towards Middletown, Delaware and then New Castle, Delaware, over the Delaware Memorial Bridge and then Route 295 towards Burlington County where my family lives. Route 50 is 65 mph until you get to Annapolis where its reduced to 55, then stays 55mph all the way to Route 301, and then Route 301 is 55 mph, until the Delaware Memorial Bridge. When I get to Route 301 North there is very little other lighting on the road other than my headlights. There are far fewer cars than on Interstate 95 so I get very little illumination from passing cars. Even if I reduce my speed to 50 mph, I am still over-driving my headlights. There has to be something wrong with how the headlights have been positioned. They are not shining for any reasonable distance ahead of the car. I have gone to the Toyota dealer in Bethesda, MD where I purchased it, Jim Coleman Toyota three times to tell them about it. Each time they have told me that there is nothing wrong with the lights. But I don't know what they did to check them.
Power train, Dec 29, 2021
Car was in dealership twice in one week for jerking while driving dealership said it was abc and was so called “fixed” both times only had my car for a little bit back before I had to take it back . 3rd time in the same week my transmission went out on me while on the highway with young kids in the car and almost caused a wreck. Car got towed in was confirmed it was my transmission and a dozen other codes going off . Toyota is lucky that the semi that was behind me when this happened did not plow into me
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Nov 26, 2021, fire
While driving the vehicle the brake hold system was activated at a red light. While proceeding through the light within (about) 5 minutes the vehicle indicated a brake hold malfunction. An odor of smoke was also present, at that point I turned off the vehicle and inspected the origin; the trunk. Upon opening the trunk the right side had a sizeable fire growing towards my assets. Police did arrive on scene, an adjuster has examined the damages, however this has not seemed to be replicated. I believe the risks associated with this incident are quite evident. There was no collision.
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Forward collision avoidance, Nov 8, 2021
The problem seems to occur when activating the Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) feature, as detailed next. During a recent trip, the car behaved in a potentially dangerous, life-threatening manner when the DRCC function was activated. Specifically, the car seems to increase the RPM of the engine to dangerous levels when going down a slope even if there is a speed limit set using the cruise control. In other words, the car does not change gear properly to keep the RPM in normal ranges. The engine’s RPM getting close, entering the red zone indicated by the RPM tachometer, and staying there even for seconds may cause an engine explosion which at highway speeds can be extremely dangerous for the passengers and other nearby vehicles on the road.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Nov 4, 2021
After bringing my 2021 Corolla into a certified mechanic that I personally trust is the most skilled and talented for Toyota brand, as a specialist for asian make vehicles. I was told that my unit was given a old battery despite the year of my vehicle. The safety of starting the engine was discovered 3 days ago. When I couldn't start the Car. I brought it to mountain view auto mechanics, in mountain view, CA. The mechanic I spoke with visually scans the engine and said that everything was not tampered with, but requires a replacement battery, by the Toyota dealership; any of the locations. Because the car is a 2021 it falls in the category of standard brand new warranty. A diagnostic fee has been said by Toyota of Stevens creek of the amounts of 230.00$ to find the issue. Even though I in with in warranty. I work at Quiktrak inc. as Field Inspector/authorized inspector my id# is CNP995 I perform inspection audits for vehicles and vessels all in the northern areas of California. I am complaining about my vehicle being un-safe for long term use, because of contraindications of how my car is. For the record. I have not modified any thing that would void my vehicles basic warrenty. Nor the CA emissions warenty
Tires, Oct 25, 2021
2021 TOYOTA COROLLA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE RUPTURE. THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING THE TIRE RUPTURED. THE CONSUMER CALLED TOYOTA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND WAS NOT PROPERLY ASSISTED. THE CONSUMER CALLED AAA FOR ASSISTANCE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR HAVING TO USE AAA AND FOR THE NEW TIRE.
Electrical system, Engine, Lane departure, Sep 30, 2021
Got in the car this morning and the check engine light came on. Needed to get to work so started driving. About 5 minutes later car started shuttering and reduced engine power displayed. Had to do 20 MPH all the way to work. Did not make for a good morning. The lane keep assist and other safety features were turned off as well. Not very safe when driving.
Exterior lighting, Sep 29, 2021
Turn signal light fogged up when washing vehicle. Must be moisture getting in somehow. On a 2 month old car. Not good
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Sep 26, 2021
The vehicle does not keep the set speed. Ex. When cruise is set to 65, the vehicle will remain at 64 never making it to 65. This occurs with clear road ahead and no traffic.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 18, 2021
Windshield wipers are not fast enough the motor isn't fast enough to keep up with moderate to Heavy Rain and occasionally wipers will just stop