2021 Toyota Corolla: What to check before buying

Airbags fail to deploy in crashes, according to most of the crash reports here. These include rear-end hits, an offset frontal collision and a 50 mph deer strike. Several reports say every bag fired except the driver's steering wheel bag. Others say the seat belts did not lock or tighten. The filings count 8 crashes and 8 injuries, including fractures. One fire started in the dashboard airbags while the car was parked. Many other filings concern recall 23V865000. Owners say the repair part was unavailable and dealers could give no timeline, in one case for over 14 months.

Coolant bypass valves fail, and nearly every report here traces back to this part. An "Engine Maintenance Required" message appears, often only when the A/C is on, and it can cover the speedometer and trip data. Dealers read code P2681-15 and replace the valve. Failures cluster between about 33,000 and 52,254 miles. Owners worry about overheating. Quotes run from $500-$700 to about $1,000, and many say warranty did not cover the repair. One complaint describes unintended acceleration while parking that caused a crash.

Failures in this category vary widely, and several carry real risk. Horn failures are tied to the clock spring, which failed at 95k and again at 147k in one case. Owners link this circuit to airbag function. Other reports describe sudden power loss or stalling on the highway, reduced engine power with safety features switched off, and a trunk fire that followed a brake hold malfunction warning. Repeat coolant bypass valve failures, a blacked-out infotainment screen and an airbag recall with no remedy available also appear. The category includes 3 crashes.

On manual-transmission cars, the clutch slave cylinder fails. Brake fluid from the shared reservoir then leaks onto the clutch and flywheel. The pedal sticks or stays down, and the car can get stuck in first gear. Reported failures fall between about 42,000 and 58,000 miles. Some dealers have refused to cover the damaged clutch. CVT owners describe jerking, a "drive-start control malfunction" warning with repeated stalling on hills, and a transmission failure on the highway. One parked car rolled away and injured its owner.

Windshield wipers stop mid-sweep, often at a 45 degree angle, mostly on the intermittent setting or after a washer spray. Some resume on their own. Others only restart once the stalk is cycled off and on. Owners describe losing sight of the road in heavy rain. Dealers often cannot reproduce the fault, and one repair quote ran $855 - 1,100. Onset is reported from about 30,000 miles. A few reports also describe a windshield cracking without impact and a sunroof shattering while the car was moving.

Sidewalls split or blow out on these tires. Reports describe a blowout with tread separation at highway speed, one at 53,253 miles, along with sidewall splits on three of four 225/40R18 Dunlop tires and a sudden front tire rupture. One buyer of a certified used car found discontinued Primewell replacement tires, a model the maker replaced over tread skid and wear issues. These complaints concern the tires themselves rather than the car's design.

Wheel studs seize and snap when owners try to remove the lug nuts for a roadside tire change. In one case this left the car stuck with a flat. Another complaint says the spare tire, jack and lug wrench were missing from a car that has a storage slot for them. The remaining report describes a chain-reaction rear-end crash and complaints about sudden acceleration, with no clear wheel fault.

No single pattern shows up in these reports, but some are serious. In one rear-end crash, the steering wheel came off the column and left the driver with no steering at speed. Other reports describe heavy steering and a pull to the left only with cruise control on, and an "Engine Stopped / Power steering low" message followed by the car shutting down. A minor impact with a stop sign post reportedly tore the control arm from the subframe. Wipers that switch on by themselves during turns are also filed here.

Low-beam headlights leave a dark V-shaped gap or fall short of the road ahead. Several owners say this makes debris hard to see at highway speed. Others report the left headlight throws only about half as far as the right one, which leaves the adjacent lane dark. One owner reports two collisions with objects in the road and blames the headlights. A turn signal lens also fogged with moisture on a new car.