1997 Toyota Corolla: problems, recalls and reliability
6 recalls and 135 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is seat belts (29% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall Feb 2010
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 135 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 toyota corolla equipped with cooper response touring tires, size: 175/65/r14. While driving 65 mph, the contact felt a vibration coming from the steering wheel and the front passenger side tire blew out. In addition, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact had to apply force to the steering wheel in order to steer the vehicle. The contact previously noticed bubbles on the sidewalls of both front and rear passenger tires. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle failure mileage was 93,000 and the tire failure mileage was 6,000.”Owner report · Steering · Sep 2015
“My driver side seat belt will not come out. I have actually had this problem before and got it fixed about a year or two ago. I paid over 300.00 for a mechanic shop to completely replace my seat belt. Now it is happening again to the replacement seat belt. I really don't think it should be my responsibility to get this seat belt thing fixed every two years because of faulty/defective engineering.”Owner report · Seat Belts · Jul 2015
“Tl*the contact owned a 1997 toyota corolla. The contact stated that while driving at 50 mph, the vehicle was crashed from the rear and later spun out of control. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained injuries to the neck and back that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 158,000.”Owner report · Air Bags · Feb 2015
Show 7 more owner reports
“Toyota corolla dx 1997 the car was sold by the manufacturer in st louis missouri while I was in law school. The car has been now in florida for the last ten year in a warm, extremely humid climate. The manufacturer has admitted to a problem with the airbags. Apparently in humid climates. Now does it not make sense to check out the airbag if the car has been in a humid climate .regardless where the car was sold ? Or is the car safe because it was sold somewhere else and if the car is then driven in a humid climate the airbag will work since the dealership was in a cold weather climate? *tr”Owner report · Air Bags · Jun 2014
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 toyota corolla. The contact stated that the vehicle was driven over a speed bump and the fuel tank impacted the pavement and cracked. As a result, there was a fuel leakage. The contact stated that the problem was that the fuel tank did not have a protective shield installed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer and the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 319,695.”Owner report · Fuel System, Gasoline · Aug 2011
“I have a toyota corolla 1997 and the gas tank is pressed so that it breaks. I have already changed two tanks in less than six months and tell me that looks like a factory flaw wanted to know if I could help? *tr”Owner report · Fuel System, Gasoline · Feb 2011
“1997 toyota corolla, unit was westbound in the center lane. Unit 1 had an equipment failure with the rear tires. Unit 1 attempted to pull onto the right berm but lost control due to the equipment failure. Unit 1 went off the right side of the roadway struck the guardrail, and spun to rest in the center lane. *bf according to the police report, when the officer arrived on the scene the rear tires were completely deflated and separated from the rim. It was unknown as to what caused the rear tires to deflate. (ohio traffic crash report # 10-0044-91. *jb updated 03/21/11 *bf”Owner report · Tires · Jan 2011
“Tl*the contact owns a 1997 toyota corolla. The contact was driving approximately 45 mph attempted to brake. Suddenly, the back heel area of the shoe was stuck inside of the lever that retracts the front driver side seat. The vehicle crashed into another vehicle and was destroyed. A police report was filed for the incident. There were two personal injuries. The vehicle was towed to the insurance company. The manufacturer and authorized dealer were notified of the failure. The failure and current mileages were 75,000. Updated 05/12/10 *bf updated 05/14/10.*jb”Owner report · Seats · Feb 2010
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 toyota corolla. While driving 65 mph with the vehicle speed control activated, the vehicle accelerated up to 80 mph and would not decelerate. After repeated brake application the vehicle decelerated to 20 mph, and then she turned the engine off. A mechanic disabled the cruise control. Also they had to repair the entire brake system because the brake system was damaged due to her excessive braking. The manufacturer has not been notified. The failure mileage was 99,876.the vehicle identification number was unavailable.”Owner report · Vehicle Speed Control · Aug 2009
“I experience sudden acceleration on my toyota corolla 1997 when the cruise control is active and set on speed. It happened about 4 times overt he last three years and I can correct it by turning off the cruise control. Sometimes it would happen when I set the speed and sometimes would happen when I accelerate with the cruise control set on speed. *tr”Owner report · Vehicle Speed Control · Jul 2009
When filing, owners marked a crash in 22 of these complaints and injuries in 22 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 6 campaigns
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Remedy: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Remedy: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
IF THE AIR BAG COMPUTER IN A SUBJECT VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A MECHANICAL SHOCK (I.E., RAPIDLY MOVING THE FRONT SEAT BACK AGAINST THE STOPS OR A SUDDEN RELEASE OF THE PARKING BRAKE) WITHIN A VERY SHORT TIME AFTER THE ENGINE IS STARTED, THE AIR BAG CAN DEPLOY INADVERTENTLY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE AIR BAG COMPUTER.
RIDE CONTROL IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT STRUT MOUNTS BRANDED AS GABRIEL RIDE CONTROL OR ARVINMERITOR, P/NOS. 142435, 142193, 142305, 142303, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FRONT STRUT MOUNTS DID NOT CONTAIN A WELD JOINT BETWEEN THE BEARING HOUSING AND THE RATE PLATE.
Remedy: RIDE CONTROL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND REPLACE THE AFFECTED PARTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RIDE CONTROL AT 1-248-458-1396.
K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Remedy: K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 1997 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Corolla by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Toyota Corolla reliable?
NHTSA has 135 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on record for the 1997 Toyota Corolla. The most complained-about area is seat belts (29% of complaints).
At what mileage do 1997 Toyota Corolla problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 99,000 miles or less.
Does the 1997 Toyota Corolla have open recalls?
6 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning exterior lighting:headlights. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.