Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
2011 Toyota Corolla — Known Issues & Recalls
Complaints from Jan 2012 to Dec 2011
The most reported issue is air bags problems (396 complaints). 44 complaints involved crashes. 2 involved fires.
Open Safety Recalls (9)
NHTSA Campaign: 19V005000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Toyota 4Runner, 2014-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2014 Toyota Sienna, Lexus IS-F, and 2014-2017 Lexus GX460 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Toyota is also recalling certain 2011-2013 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Lexus IS250, IS350, 2011-2016 4Runner, 2011-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2011-2014 Toyota Sienna, Lexus IS-F, 2011-2017 Lexus GX460, and 2011-2012 Lexus ES350 vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Toyota is also recalling certain 2010-2013 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Lexus IS350, 2010-2016 4Runner, 2010-2013 Lexus IS250, 2010-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2010-2014 Lexus IS-F, and 2010-2012 Lexus ES350 vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or replace the air bag assembly. The recall began February 15, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are "Zone A" Toyota: G0P, Lexus: GLG; "Zone B" Toyota: G0R, Lexus GLH; "Zone C" Toyota: H0A, and Lexus: HLA.
NHTSA Campaign: 19V741000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0A, J0B, and J0C. Lexus' numbers for this recall are JLI, JLJ, and JLK.
NHTSA Campaign: 16V340000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Scion xB and Lexus IS F, 2009-2011 Toyota Corolla and Corolla Matrix, 2006-2011 Toyota Yaris, Lexus IS250 and Lexus IS350, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, Lexus IS250C, Lexus IS350C and Lexus GX460, 2011 Sienna, 2007-2011 Lexus ES350, and 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe 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.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 Scion xB and Lexus IS F, 2007-2008 Toyota Yaris, 2006-2008 Lexus IS250 and Lexus IS350 and 2007-2008 Lexus ES350 vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Vehicles of these model years and models that were not originally sold or ever registered in either Zones A or B are not subject to this safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota 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 December 6, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for interim notification for this campaign are G1P (Toyota Zone A), G1R (Toyota Zone B), G2G (Lexus Zone A), and G2H (Lexus Zone B). Toyota's numbers for final remedy for this campaign are G0P (Toyota Zone A), G0R (Toyota Zone B), GLG (Lexus Zone A), and GLH (Lexus Zone B).
NHTSA Campaign: 14V743000
Component: SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.
Risk: Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.
NHTSA Campaign: 15V689000
Component: VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, and 2009-2010 Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. During the manufacturing of the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.
Risk: If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the PWMS circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 20, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is C0M.
NHTSA Campaign: 11V566000
Component: STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 COROLLA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A NON-TOYOTA, BLUE TOOTH HANDS FREE DEVICE OR NAVIGATION UNIT AND CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 TOYOTA SIENNA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A NON-TOYOTA, OVERHEAD ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM AND/OR BLUETOOTH HANDS FREE DEVICE. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE FRONT A-PILLAR TRIM PANEL RETENTION CLIP MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING THE INSTALLATION OF THE AFTERMARKET ACCESSORY.
Risk: A DAMAGED A-PILLAR TRIM PANEL RETENTION CLIP MAY ALLOW THE TRIM PANEL TO COME LOOSE AND INJURE AN OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE A-PILLAR TRIM PANEL RETENTION CLIP AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 30, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.
NHTSA Campaign: 13V014000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
Risk: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
NHTSA Campaign: 13V123000
Component: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
Fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
NHTSA Campaign: 20V024000
Component: AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.
Risk: In the event of a crash, air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners that do not deploy as intended may increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk beginning March 2, 2020. A second letter notifying owners of the remedy repair will be mailed between March 16, 2020 and June 27, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB03, 20TA03 and 20TA05.
Owner-Reported Issues (20 of 589)
Unknown Or Other →6 issues
Your sunroof glass suddenly exploded outward while you were driving 55 mph on the highway in moderate weather with no warning signs. Glass fell into the cabin onto you and your passenger, creating a dangerous distraction while you were merging—you could have swerved into another vehicle. The repair will likely involve replacing the entire sunroof glass panel and checking the sunroof frame and mechanism for defects.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your Lyft driver account was suspended because your 2011 Toyota Corolla is subject to an NHTSA recall. You'll need to have the recall inspection performed at a Toyota dealership to resolve the suspension and get your account reactivated.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your car failed the Texas vehicle safety and emissions inspection. This could be due to emissions system issues, engine problems, or safety-related components not meeting state standards. You'll need to diagnose and repair the specific failure points to pass inspection.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your sunroof spontaneously shattered while you were driving with no warning signs beforehand. This is a safety concern because if the inner compartment had been open, debris could have entered the cabin. You'll need to have a glass company replace the entire sunroof assembly.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your car's paint is peeling rapidly, which you believe is due to a manufacturing defect. You were eligible for a Toyota customer support repair program, but missed the deadline before the peeling became severe. Toyota Customer Care directed you to file this NHTSA complaint. Addressing this issue would likely involve stripping and repainting the affected areas.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
The paint on your car's roof is peeling off. This is a cosmetic issue that doesn't affect how your car drives, but it can expose the underlying metal to rust if left unaddressed. Fixing this would typically involve sanding down the affected area and repainting the roof.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Air Bags →4 issues
During a multi-vehicle collision at 40 MPH, your Corolla's front airbags only partially deployed instead of fully inflating to protect you. The complaint also mentions the brakes may not have provided sufficient stopping power during the incident. You sustained injuries to your lower back, ribs, and neck that required medical care.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your airbag system had a history of recalls and warning light issues starting in 2021. After diagnostic codes indicated problems with the driver and passenger airbag circuits, a harness kit was installed under warranty in June 2024. Despite the repair, your vehicle was later involved in a rear-end collision where the airbags failed to deploy, and the vehicle was totaled. This suggests the airbag system may not have been functioning properly even after the recall repair.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your airbag warning light came on while you were driving at 70 mph, and it has turned on and off several times since then. Your car was previously fixed under an airbag recall, but hasn't been looked at by a mechanic since that repair. The fix will likely involve a diagnostic scan to identify whether there's an electrical issue with the airbag system or if the previous recall repair needs adjustment.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Your airbags failed to deploy during a front-end collision at 15 MPH when another vehicle ran a red light and hit the driver's side of your car. No warning lights appeared before the crash, and the airbag system showed no signs of malfunction. The manufacturer was notified of this safety failure, which occurred at approximately 150,000 miles. This would typically require a diagnostic scan of the airbag control module and replacement of any faulty sensors or wiring in the airbag system.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Suspension,air Bags →1 issue
Your car was in a frontal collision at approximately 20 mph (caused by a dog running into the road), which damaged the front bumper, but the airbags did not deploy. You were wearing your seatbelt at the time. No warning lights or indicators appeared on the dashboard before the accident to suggest an airbag system problem.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Steering →1 issue
While driving straight, your steering wheel suddenly jerked hard left and right several times, causing your car to drift into the oncoming traffic lane before returning to normal. The dealer couldn't reproduce the problem and found no warning lights or error codes. This erratic steering behavior needs investigation, as it could indicate a problem with the steering system's mechanical components or electronic control system that only occurs intermittently.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Power Train,unknown Or Other →1 issue
Your transmission isn't engaging properly — when you shift into Drive or Reverse, the car acts like it's in Neutral and won't move forward or backward. Initially it seemed fine, but a week later you noticed the engine revving up while the car only slowly accelerates to 20 mph with a slipping sensation. Your car is now undriveable. The transmission fluid may need replacing, the transmission filter may be clogged, or internal transmission components may need repair or replacement.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Air Bags,vehicle Speed Control,visibility/wiper →1 issue
Your car has an outstanding airbag recall that hasn't been repaired, which is a serious safety concern with children in the vehicle. You're also experiencing engine revving at idle without touching the gas pedal and unexpected speed drops (10-15 mph) while driving, particularly during cruise control. Additionally, your headlights have condensation making them foggy and nearly unusable at night, the window weather stripping has deteriorated, the dashboard panel above the radio cracked and broke into pieces, and your front seat adjustment mechanisms are sticking and difficult to move. Addressing these issues will likely require recall service at a dealership for the airbags, possible fuel system or throttle control diagnostics for the engine and speed fluctuations, headlight lens replacement or restoration, weather stripping replacement, dashboard panel replacement, and seat track mechanism repair or replacement.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Power Train →1 issue
Your car made strange noises when you let off the accelerator at low speeds, and the check engine and traction control warning lights came on. You also noticed the car hesitating when accelerating. A mechanic diagnosed that your transmission valve body needed replacement, though the dealer suggested the entire transmission might need to be replaced. This issue typically requires transmission repair or replacement work.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Seats →1 issue
Your driver's seat is heating up while you drive, even though your car doesn't have heated seats. This has happened multiple times while driving, not just from sun exposure. The seat getting unexpectedly hot suggests an electrical issue with the seat assembly or wiring.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Electrical System,exterior Lighting →1 issue
Your headlights and fog lights started blinking and then stopped working completely. At the same time, your airbag, oil, and fuel warning lights came on, and your tires began losing air. Plugging something into the aux port temporarily stopped the problem. A qualified technician should diagnose the electrical system to identify the root cause and restore lighting function.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Tires →1 issue
Your Yokohama Avid Ascend tires wore out after only about 20,000 miles, even though they came with an 85,000-mile warranty. When you brought your car in for service, the dealer found the front tires down to 3/32 inch of tread and the rear tires to 4/32 inch — both indicating significant wear in less than three years of ownership. The dealer suggested contacting Yokohama customer service about the premature wear and indicated they would return the tires.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Engine →1 issue
You heard a loud knocking sound coming from your engine while driving, even though no warning lights appeared on your dashboard. Your dealer diagnosed the problem as a failed oil pressure sending unit. The repair involved replacing the oil pressure sending unit.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Structure,unknown Or Other →1 issue
Your car's paint has started peeling extensively over time, affecting both how it looks and potentially its resale value. You believe this is a widespread manufacturing defect affecting other 2011 Corollas and are requesting a recall or repair solution from Toyota.
Parts you may need:
As an Amazon Associate, MyCarTSB earns from qualifying purchases.
Get notified when any of these become free repairs
We'll alert you if a new recall is issued for your vehicle — that means a free fix at the dealer.
Related Vehicles
Other Toyota Corolla years: