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ProblemsByVin File / 2005-TOYOTA-COROLLA
2005 · toyota

toyota Corolla problems

1 safety recall. 938 owner complaints. We mapped every trouble spot before you sign the papers.

0 5 10
Reliability score
6.2 / 10

Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.

1
Critical
0
Severe
0
Moderate

Top trouble spots 8 categories with 3+ complaints

airbags
511 reports · avg $1,100
severe
engine
110 reports · avg $3,100
severe
electrical
60 reports · avg $850
severe
cruise control
55 reports · avg $600
severe
powertrain
35 reports · avg $2,500
severe
brakes
26 reports · avg $450
severe
fuel system
25 reports · avg $1,200
moderate
steering
22 reports · avg $700
severe

What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim

2005 Corolla · airbags
TAKATA RECALL: I RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION 6 MONTHS AGO THAT NO PASSENGERS COULD SAFELY SIT IN MY FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AS A RESULT OF THE TAKATA RECALL. SINCE THEN, MY PASSENGERS HAVE BEEN ON SEVERAL UNCOMFORTABLE LONG, 5+ HOUR FREQUENT TRIPS, OR I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO USE MY CAR…
12/30/2015 · NHTSA ODI #10816971.0
2005 Corolla · powertrain
2005 TOYOTA COROLLA LE 4 DOOR SEDAN. INCIDENT MILEAGE 106,000; CURRENT MILEAGE 108,000. HARSH SHIFT, ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WITH DTC P2716. OCCURS CONSTANTLY. CAR (ESPECIALLY IN LOW GEARS) LURCHES FORWARD AS IT SHIFTS TO THE NEXT GEAR. I HAVE TO BE EXTRA CAREFUL OF MY…
12/30/2009 · NHTSA ODI #10297550.0
2005 Corolla · airbags Crash
2005 TOYOTA COROLLA HIT THE REAR END OF ANOTHER AUTOMOBILE ON THE FREEWAY. DRIVER WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30-35 MPH. THERE WAS SEVERE DAMAGE TO FRONT END OF THE 2005 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT INFLATE ON IMPACT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DECLARED THE CAR TOTALED…
12/30/2005 · NHTSA ODI #10146587.0
2005 Corolla · airbags
TAKATA RECALL. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 6 MONTHS SINCE WE RECEIVED THE INTERIM RECALL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA. WE HAVE HEARD NOTHING SINCE. TOYOTA IS ACTING IN AN UNETHICAL AND DANGEROUS MANNER BY TAKING SO LONG TO REMEDY THIS POTENTIALLY FATAL DEFECT. AS A COUPLE THAT ALMOST ALWAYS…
12/29/2015 · NHTSA ODI #10816857.0

Estimate your repair exposure

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Active recalls showing 1 of 1

critical NHTSA 18V883000 12/12/2018

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2002-2005 Lexus SC and Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2005 Toyota Corolla and Tundra, and 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe vehicles

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General Motors will notify the Pontiac Vibe owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, or replace the air bag assembly that includes an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371, Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. Toyota's numbers for these recalls are J0A (Zone A Toyota), J0B (Zone B Toyota), J0C (Zone C Toyota), JLI (Zone A Lexus), JLJ (Zone B Lexus), and JLK (Zone C Lexus). Note: This recall includes vehicles that have had their air bag previously replaced under an earlier air bag campaign.

Common questions

Is the 2005 Toyota Corolla reliable?

It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.2 out of 10 based on 938 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Toyota Corolla has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.

What's the most common problem on the 2005 Toyota Corolla?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 511 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.

What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?

The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.

How do I check if my Toyota Corolla has open recalls?

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2005 Toyota Corolla?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 938 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans aren't always better value.

Related vehicles

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 6 hours ago. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with toyota. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you complete a quote or purchase.
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