Total Complaints
3 filings
TOYOTA COROLLA · model year
1981 TOYOTA COROLLA
3 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1981TOYOTACOROLLA carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1981 COROLLA is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 1 filings, followed by service brakes, air:antilock:wheel speed sensor (1) and service brakes, hydraulic (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 1981 COROLLA. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
3
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20100210CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I WAS DRIVING HOME AND OUTSIDE OF MY GARAGE I PUT MY CAR IN PARK AND GOT OUT AND OPENED OUR GARAGE DOOR, WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE IT SHOT ACROSS OUR GARAGE BREAKING STAIRS LEADING INTO OUR HOUSE, A WORKBENCH AND DID THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE TO MY TOYOTA COROLLA AND OUR HOUSE. THE SOUND OF THE TIRES SCREECHING WAS LIKE SOMETHING ON A RACE TRACK. LUCKILY MY 8 YEAR DAUGHTER WAS ASLEEP ON THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR THEREFORE DID NOT GET OUT AND OPEN THE GARAGE DOOR, OTHERWISE SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN RUN OVER. I HAD TWO NEIGHBORS BY MY HOUSE ONE A LAWYER THE OTHER AN ENGINEER FOR BELL LABS AND BOTH AGREED MY CAR OVER ACCELERATED. I WAS TOLD TO CALL THE TOYOTA REGIONAL OFFICE TO REPORT THIS AND THE REGIONAL OFFICE IN PHILADELPHIA WAS EXTREMELY RUDE AND SAID I MUST HAVE STEPPED ON THE GAS. FIRST OF ALL STEPPING ON THE GAS WOULD NEVER HAVE MADE THE CAR GO AT THAT RATE OF SPEED. I THINK TOYOTA HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM A LONG TIME, MY BOSSES NEIGHBOR HAD THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPEN TO HIM. *TR
Mileage: 5,000
20021218SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT INTERMITTENTLY BRAKES LIGHT HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST PAST YEAR. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
19951116SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED DURING ACCIDENT, CAUSING DRIVER TO HIT HEAD ON WINDSHIELD/INJURY. *SKD
Compare 1981TOYOTACOROLLA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1981 TOYOTA COROLLA have?▼
The 1981 TOYOTA COROLLA has 3 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1981 TOYOTA COROLLA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1981 TOYOTA COROLLA is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.
Is the 1981 TOYOTA COROLLA safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.