2020 Toyota Corolla

Typical pattern

15.1% of complaints about the 2020 Toyota Corolla came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2020 vehicle — around the middle of the 178 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 4.6 yr in service. The most-reported system is engine (108 complaints), typically at 4.7 yr or about 10,000 miles.

Complaints: 385
Median age at failure: 4.6 yr
Median mileage: 11,500 n=84
Crash / fire / tow: 9.9% of reports
Safety recalls: 3

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System

0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y

Engine

108 reports · 10,000 mi

4.7 yr

2.8%

Other

78 reports · 1,500 mi

4.5 yr

5.1%

Power train

37 reports · 15,000 mi

4.8 yr

5.4%

Electrical system

30 reports · 38,000 mi

4.9 yr

3.3%

Service brakes

21 reports · 7,000 mi

3.2 yr

33.3%

Visibility / wipers

17 reports · 1,600 mi

4.2 yr

Air bags

16 reports · 14,000 mi

4.6 yr

50%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

23V865000 2023-12-20

Air bags:sensor:occupant classification

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.

An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

20V682000 2020-11-04

Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus

If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

19V877000 2019-12-11

Seat belts: rear/other:buckle assembly

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019-2020 C-HR and 2020 Corolla and Corolla Hybrid vehicles equipped with rear seat belt assemblies with a dual-mode locking mechanism. The seat belt webbing sensor locking mechanism may not lock as intended.

In the event of a crash involving multiple impacts, the seat belt may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury.

In owners’ own words

Visibility / wipers 291 mi 1 mo in service

WAVY WINDSHIELD.DISORIENTING WHEN IN MOTION. DEALER SAID ALL VEHICLES HAVE THIS. I HAVE CHECK AND ALL DO NOT. THEY SAID IT IS KNOWN BUT NOT A DEFECT. I BELIEVE IT IS POOR LAMINATION AND ALONG WITH A BAD VIEW MAY NOT PROTECT IN AN ACCIDENT. I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS 'NORMAL"

Visibility / wipers 20 mi 4 mo in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE WINDSHIELD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED AND INFORMED NALLEY TOYOTA UNION CITY 4115 JONESBORO RD, UNION CITY, GA 30291, (770) 284-8361) ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Visibility / wipers 5,000 mi 8 mo in service

2020 MODEL/4-MONTHS OLD: A STRESS FRACTURE OF THE WINDSHIELD OCCURRED SUDDENLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON. UPON INSPECTION THE FRACTURE STARTED AT THE POINT OF INSTALLATION UNDER THE HOOD WITH NO OTHER OBVIOUS SIGNS OF DAMAGE OR IMPACT. THE FRACTURE STARTS AT THE EDGE OF THE GLASS AND RUNS UP TO EYE-LEVEL, THEN RUNS ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD.

Service brakes 2,093 mi 1 mo in service crash / fire / tow

EXITING FREEWAY. MADE A LEFT. SLOWED DOWN AT RED LIGHT. REALIZED THE CAR WASN'T STOPPING. SLAMMED BRAKE PEDAL TO FLOOR. CAR CONTINUED TO MOVE AND HIT ANOTHER CAR. POLICE REPORT MADE. COLLISION LOCATION AT 3520 MASSACHUSETTS AVE, LEMON GROVE, CA 91945. THIS IS A NEW CAR AND NO REASON FOR BRAKES TO NOT BE WORKING.

Other Corolla model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.