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ProblemsByVin File / 2012-TOYOTA-COROLLA
2012 · toyota

toyota Corolla problems

1 safety recall. 445 owner complaints. We mapped every trouble spot before you sign the papers.

0 5 10
Reliability score
6.4 / 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
367 reports · avg $1,100
severe
steering
18 reports · avg $700
severe
electrical
10 reports · avg $850
moderate
body
8 reports · avg $1,500
severe
cruise control
8 reports · avg $600
severe
brakes
7 reports · avg $450
severe
powertrain
7 reports · avg $2,500
severe
visibility
5 reports · avg $350
moderate

What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim

2012 Corolla · cruise control
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING IN REVERSE AT 5 MPH, IT BEGAN TO ACCELERATE FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT…
12/29/2015 · NHTSA ODI #10816708.0
2012 Corolla · airbags
TAKATA RECALL-DESPITE NUMEROUS CALLS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH STONE MOUNTAIN TOYOTA, I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET MY VEHICLE 'S AIRBAGS REPLACED. I HAVE BEEN GIVEN APPOINTMENTS ON NOVEMBER 2 AND DECEMBER 28 FOR THIS WORK TO BE PERFORMED, AND HAVE BEEN TOLD FOR THE NOVEMBER DATE THAT…
12/28/2017 · NHTSA ODI #11057049.0
2012 Corolla · cruise control Crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING A LOW PARKING SPEED, SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY, CAUSING HER TO CRASH INTO A FENCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOTALED AND THAT THERE…
12/27/2012 · NHTSA ODI #10490200.0
2012 Corolla · airbags
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE…
12/22/2016 · NHTSA ODI #10937125.0

Estimate your repair exposure

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Active recalls showing 1 of 1

critical NHTSA 17V006000 09/01/2017

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, Yaris, Scion xB, Lexus ES350, GX460, IS-F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, and Lexus LFA vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 1, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331, or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. Toyota's numbers for final remedy for this campaign are G0P (Toyota Zone A), G0R (Toyota Zone B), H0A (Toyota Zone C), GLG (Lexus Zone A), GLH (Lexus Zone B) and HLA (Lexus Zone C).

Common questions

Is the 2012 Toyota Corolla reliable?

It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.4 out of 10 based on 445 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 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 2012 Toyota Corolla?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 367 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 2012 Toyota Corolla?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 445 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 3 days 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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