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ProblemsByVin File / 2008-TOYOTA-COROLLA
2008 · Toyota

Toyota Corolla problems

2 safety recalls. 344 owner complaints. We mapped every trouble spot before you sign the papers.

0 5 10
Reliability score
6.8 / 10

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

0
Critical
2
Severe
0
Moderate

Top trouble spots 8 categories with 3+ complaints

airbags
157 reports · avg $1,100
severe
cruise control
43 reports · avg $600
severe
engine
40 reports · avg $3,100
severe
brakes
19 reports · avg $450
severe
electrical
19 reports · avg $850
severe
powertrain
12 reports · avg $2,500
moderate
steering
12 reports · avg $700
severe
visibility
8 reports · avg $350
moderate

What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim

2008 Corolla · electrical
I WAS DRIVING AT 65 MILES AN HOUR, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND I LOST POWER. I HIT THE ACCELERATOR AND NOTHING HAPPENED. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF OF ROAD SAFELY. AFTER RESTARTING THE CAR, IT SHIFTED HARSHLY INTO FIRST AND WOULD NOT LET ME ACCELERATE PAST 25. *TR
12/29/2016 · NHTSA ODI #10938403.0
2008 Corolla · airbags
I HAVE VISITED AND CALLED KENDALL TOYOTA IN MIAMI FIVE TIMES (TODAY INCLUDED) TO CHANGE THE AIRBAGS IN MY MATRIX AND THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS THE SAME: WE DON'T HAVE THEM, THEY ARE IN BACK ORDER. WHAT ARE WE TOYOTA OWNERS OF RECALLED AIRBAGS CAUSING DEATHS SUPPOSED TO DO?
12/29/2016 · NHTSA ODI #10938598.0
2008 Corolla · brakes
2008 TOYOTA COROLLA. VEHICLE WAS PARKED, STARTED AND THEN PUT IN REVERSE. UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES WHILE IN REVERSE THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. SEEMS AS IF THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. VEHICLE HIT A MAILBOX AND THEN STOPPED. SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED APPROX 1 MONTH LATER. AGAIN…
12/29/2009 · NHTSA ODI #10297407.0
2008 Corolla · airbags Crash
SOMEONE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME AND I HIT THEM WITH THE FRONT OF MY CAR. I WAS DRIVING 40 MILES AN HOUR ON A CITY STREET. IT CRASHED IN THE FRONT END, RADIATOR, FENDERS AND HOOD. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I HAD BEEN SENT A RECALL NOTICE AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT AT A…
12/28/2020 · NHTSA ODI #11385345.0

Estimate your repair exposure

Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.

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At 80,000 miles
Likely repair cost in next 24 months
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Active recalls showing 2 of 2

severe NHTSA 19V627000 28/08/2019

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Corolla, 2005-2008 Corolla Matrix, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles equipped with a front passenger air bag assembly replaced under a prior recall

An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

Fix: Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assembly or sub-assembly, free of charge. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are K1Q and K0Q. Pontiac owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is N192273760.
severe NHTSA 10V384000 26/08/2010

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2008 COROLLA AND COROLLA MATRIX VEHICLES

THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WARNINGS AND CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEFECT. THE ENGINE WARNING LAMP COULD BE ILLUMINATED, HARSH SHIFTING COULD RESULT, THE ENGINE MAY NOT START, OR THE ENGINE COULD SHUT OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. AN ENGINE SHUTOFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PRODUCTION NUMBER OF THE ECM AND REPLACE THE ECM IF NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. TOYOTA WILL MAIL AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER 2010 TO ADVISE OWNERS OF THIS DEFECT AND RECALL. THIS INTERIM NOTIFICATION WILL INFORM OWNERS THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE A FUTURE NOTIFICATION WHEN PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE TO HAVE THE FREE REMEDY PERFORMED ON THEIR VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 29, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Common questions

Is the 2008 Toyota Corolla reliable?

It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.8 out of 10 based on 344 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 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 2008 Toyota Corolla?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 157 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 2008 Toyota Corolla?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 344 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 1 day 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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