2001 Toyota Corolla: problems, recalls and reliability
4 recalls and 133 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine and engine cooling (22% 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 133 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“My daughter hit a stopped car at approx 30 mph. She hit the steering wheel and then the airbags deployed too late. She was driving on a city street. She was going straight.”Owner report · Air Bags · Apr 2019
“Daytime running lights do not turn automatically. The high beam indicator light flashes. I turn the lights on and the high beam indicator light stops flashing. I have replaced the daytime running light relay twice and neither one fixed the problem. The daytime running light relays were used not new.”Owner report · Electrical System · Dec 2017
“Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota corolla. The contact stated that the low beam headlights illuminated to see approximately 10 feet of the road. The vehicle was taken to the dealer (cox toyota of burlington, north carolina for diagnostic testing. The dealer had not rendered a diagnosis. The vehicle was still at the dealer getting repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Aug 2017
Show 7 more owner reports
“Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2001 toyota corolla. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v340000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.”Owner report · Air Bags · Mar 2017
“Driver air bag came out n burned my arm actually both did by I had no passanger tho it broke windshield,anyway it's been ten days my skin is raw severe pain no signs of getting better the bruiseb goes all way around whole bk of arm I am goin bk to drs. As I've been caring for it w clean non stick pads n hv to apply triple antibiotic ointment literally a 13$ tube lasts two days I then wrap n at nite let air get it.there is no sign of healing burnt thru all layers of skin to now it is raw to the meat the pain is crazy u wud xpect so sort of relief after way ten days I am going to further my research.way chemicals are in these airbags that's way I want to know.”Owner report · Air Bags · Jul 2015
“Engine stalled during driving, occurred to both of my cars this one is 2001 corolla, happened to my 2006 corolla a week ago. Very concerning about corolla's driving safety issue. Re-ignite the car, run normally. *tr”Owner report · Engine · Jun 2014
“Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota corolla. The contact stated that the ABS sensor illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was inspected, diagnosed and repaired by an authorized dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 107,900.”Owner report · Service Brakes · May 2014
“The best way to describe how much trouble I have had gotten a new set of tires every 90-120 days since I have owned my car the shocks are always professionally installed they have broken one and then before I can get to the shop within 3 days of feeling like I am driving on square tires they start to feel like I am only on rims with in 50 hwy and interstate miles they start to come down and the tires are rubbing on the car causing the damage to the tires and the pads have broken twice I have tried different shops but the same outcome broken”Owner report · Suspension · Feb 2013
“My husband was driving on the highway. He was driving a 2001 toyota corolla. The truck in front of him was going slow-so he decided to pass the guy. As he was doing so-the truck turned left. My husband hit him head-on and then the car rolled onto its top. Never did the airbags go off. Fortunately he had his seatbelt on. He was taken by ambulance to hospital. The most damage he received was his left hand and arm were badly injured. He still has to have surgery this next week. Why didn't the airbag deploy? *tr”Owner report · Structure · Jul 2012
“This is a 2001 toyota corolla with 420,000 km on it. It was driven on the highway on sat june 4th. On june 5th while approaching 60 km on an in town road in newmarket on the front hood released and flew backward smashing the windshield and damaging the hood, and some of the chassis. *tr”Owner report · Latches/Locks/Linkages · Jun 2011
When filing, owners marked a crash in 32 of these complaints and injuries in 58 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 4 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 CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE 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: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
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.
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.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2001 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 2001 Toyota Corolla reliable?
NHTSA has 133 owner complaints and 4 recall campaigns on record for the 2001 Toyota Corolla. The most complained-about area is engine and engine cooling (22% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2001 Toyota Corolla problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 65,500 miles or less.
Does the 2001 Toyota Corolla have open recalls?
4 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.