Toyota Yaris problems
103 owner complaints with NHTSA, no active recalls. Here's where owners say it breaks.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally.
- No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record
- Reliability score 7.8/10 — above the segment average
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Top trouble spots 8 categories with 3+ complaints
What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
I was in an accident going 55 MPH in the process my car clipped a curb and it snapped my axel causing the car to go head on into an object across the road my car also flipped none of the airbags deployed.
Tl*the contact owns a 2009 Toyota yaris. The day running lights on the vehicle are extremely bright. When driving at night, it appears that your standard head lights are lit; instead, the day runnings lights remain illuminated. When this occurs, the standard head lights and the…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Toyota yaris. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v340000 (air bags). The part needed for the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the…
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Toyota yaris. The contact was driving 5 MPH and attempting to park when the vehicle abnormally accelerated and crashed into a wall. The air bags did not deploy and the contact sustained injuries to the knees and hands. A police report was available.…
Estimate your repair exposure
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Under investigation 1 open at NHTSA
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA21002 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
Common questions
Is the 2009 Toyota Yaris reliable?
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.8 out of 10 based on 103 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Toyota Yaris is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
Should you avoid the 2009 Toyota Yaris?
On the NHTSA data, the 2009 Toyota Yaris does not need avoiding. Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally. The record behind that call: No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record; Reliability score 7.8/10 — above the segment average. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
What's the most common problem on the 2009 Toyota Yaris?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 42 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 73,251 miles. 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. Typical failure occurs around 73,251 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
How do I check if my Toyota Yaris 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 2009 Toyota Yaris?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 103 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 are not always better value.