Toyota Corolla IM Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Toyota Corolla IM options? We analyzed 2 model years (2017–2018) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Toyota Corolla IM has 8 owner complaints and 1 safety recall across model years 2017–2018. The most reported issue area is FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE.
- Make
- Toyota
- Model
- Corolla IM
- Model years analyzed
- 2017–2018 (2 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 8
- Safety recall campaigns
- 1
- Crash-related complaints
- 2
- Fire-related complaints
- 0
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2018 (8 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
- Reliability signal
- Excellent
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
ExcellentThe TOYOTA COROLLA IM has 8 NHTSA complaints and 1 recalls on record. 2 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 8 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 1 federal recall campaign
- 2 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Aug 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
1 recall foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2018. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 8 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
8 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
Originally my rear left tire had a blow out on 6/28, and when I brought the car in to have the tire changed on 6/29, Goodyear determined that the belts on all 4 tires were defective and concluded that it was a manufacturers defect. 1. Defective tires were replaced and recycled by Goodyear. 2. Safety at risk and could have led to another blowout or worse. unable to reproduce the issue. 3. Vehicle inspected by Toyota initially for the annual inspection, but unless the tires were removed they would not be able to see the bands. 4. The only time the tire pressure light came on prior to this was when I had a puncture that was repaired by Toyota. Since then there have been no other warnings. 225/45Z R17 94W DOT NUMBERS: CMH8AKM2123 CMH8AKM2223 CMH8AKM2223 CMH8AKM3023
"Precollition system malfunction" "visit your dealler". "Headlight system malfunction" " visit your dealer". Codes: B124C, C1AAO.
The steering wheel locks and unable ro drive
The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while his daughter was at a standstill at a traffic light when another vehicle rear-ended her and pushed her forward causing her to crash into the front vehicle. The contact stated the air bags failed to deploy. The driver sustain head, neck and back injuries, had bruises around the pelvic area, due to the seat belt. The rear driver passenger (granddaughter) sustained neck and head injuries. The contact stated both seek medical attention at a near hospital. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed to a body shop. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 32,365.
ok so what had happen is the cars so call foward collision of the speific car did nit work steering wheel lock when i made a left turn and i hit a curve lane departure did not work or anything i just hit the curve and not too long ago on sept 2021 i had a fender bender and i stepped on the brakes and car still slid without even going fast
I was driving came to a stop at red-light, car was idling and I felt a jerk from back, once light turned green car had loss of power when acceleration and didn't want to go. This incident happened on 5 different occasions starting in July 2021 into August
Read 2 more owner reports
I WAS DRIVING AT 65 MILES PER HOUR ON THE FREEWAY SUDDENLY THE RPM IDLE WHEN TO ALMOST 700 RPM AND QUICKLY DROPPED TO 0 RPM AND STARTED LOOSING SPEED , MY BRAKES WERE HARD TO PRESS .AND WE QUICKLY NOTICE THAT THE TRANSMISSION BLEW OUT.
2018 TOYOTA MATRIX IM THIS IS A LETTER ADDRESSING THE VEHICLES THAT ARE BEING SOLD AND DISTRIBUTED IN MY STATE OF CALIFORNIA. AS AN AMERICAN TO THIS BEAUTIFUL NATION, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, I'M APPALLED TO FIND THAT TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, U.S.A. IS LOSING BUSINESS AND HAVING COPYCATS OR AS I MAY CALL THEM TOYS 'SOLD' ON BEHALF OF A RELIABLE AND REPUTABLE COMPANY. AS A CHILD I NEVER PLAYED WITH TOYS AND HAVE ALWAYS HAD MY EYES IN BOOKS AND ON THE PRIZE. AS A MAN I KNOW I DON'T DESERVE A CAR THAT IS A HOT WHEEL PROTOTYPE. I WAS GRATEFUL THAT CAPITAL ONE AUTO FINANCE EXTENDED A LOAN TO FINANCE THIS VEHICLE AND WOULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO OWNERSHIP.MY FINDINGS AND RESEARCH HAVE DETERMINED THAT I DID NOT RECEIVE WHAT TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, U.S.A.;INC. IMPORTANCE IS ABOUT 'WE BUILD CARS AND TRUCKS THAT HELP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY GO PLACES RELIABLY AND SAFELY.' (HTTPS://WWW.TOYOTA.COM/USA/OUR-STORY/INDEX.HTML).THE VEHICLE I RECEIVED FROM FREEWAY TOYOTA LOCATED AT 1835 GLENDALE AVE, HANFORD, CA 93230 IS NOT WHAT TOYOTA'S LIFELONG PHILOSOPHY FOR CONSUMER'S SAFETY SHOULD BE. THE VEHICLE CAME WITH UPGRADED PARTS THAT WERE INSTALLED BY THE DEALERSHIP. I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE OR SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE. AN UNUSUAL SMELL COMING FROM THE ENGINE HAS BEEN LINGERING FROM DAY ONE OF THE PURCHASE. I DISREGARDED THE SMELL FOR A FEW WEEKS AND ADDRESSED MY CONCERN TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN GIVING ME EXTREME HEADACHES. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ADVISED THE CVT TRANSMISSION IS CONFORMED TO OPERATE WITH A SMELL THAT WILL LAST FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND EVENTUALLY DISAPPEAR. TO MY DISCOVERY I FOUND THAT THERE ARE STYROFOAM PIECES THAT ARE PLACED UNDER THE FLOOR MAT, ONE DISTINCTIVELY UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL AREA WHICH IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN FOR CONSUMERS. FROM PERSONAL USE I KNOW THAT STYRFOAM IS MAINLY USED TO KEEP LIQUIDS THAT ARE EITHER HOT OR COLD AT THE DESIRED TEMPERATURE.
Showing 8 of 8 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Toyota Corolla IM
These pages show model-year patterns across 2 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Toyota Corolla IM, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Toyota Corolla IM has 8 complaints on record across 2 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Toyota Corolla IM has 1 recall campaign in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 2 of the Toyota Corolla IM's 8 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Excellent) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Toyota Corolla IM vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Toyota Corolla IM vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Toyota Corolla IM has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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Check a Toyota Corolla IM by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Toyota Corolla IM.
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Toyota Corolla IM reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Toyota Corolla IM reliable?
Excellent. The Toyota Corolla IM has 8 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall campaign across model years. A commonly reported issue area is FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Toyota Corolla IM years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2018 (8 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Toyota Corolla IM problems?
Top reported issues: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE (2 complaints); STEERING (2 complaints); POWER TRAIN (2 complaints).
Does the Toyota Corolla IM have recalls?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign have been issued for the Toyota Corolla IM. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.