Total Complaints
149 filings
TOYOTA COROLLA · model year
149 NHTSA complaints, 22 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997TOYOTACOROLLA carries 149 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 22 crashes, 5 fires, 22 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 1997 COROLLA is seat belts:front:retractor with 24 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (22) and air bags (9). 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 1997 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.
Total Complaints
149 filings
Crashes Reported
22 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 24 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 22 |
| AIR BAGS | 9 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 7 |
| SEAT BELTS | 6 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 5 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 4 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 3 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 3 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 2 |
| TIRES | 2 |
DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN MANUALLY TO REPAIR MALFUNCTIONING ELECTRIC DOOR LOCK
Mileage: 135,000
I WAS SCANNING MY VEHICLE WITH AN OBD2 SCANNER AND LEARNED THAT MY CAR, WHICH I'M NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER, HAS HAD RECALLS AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE BEEN RECTIFIED. ATTACHED ARE SCREENSHOTS OF THE RECALL INFORMATION. THE FIRST ONE HAS ME MORE WORRIED THAN THE OTHER....INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS. PLEASE READ THE DETAILS. THE SECOND (FRONT STRUTS) IS SOMETHING THAT ALSO CONCERNS ME BECAUSE OF ITS LACK OF SHOCK ABSORPTION. MY VIN# [XXX] (ALSO ON THE SCREENSHOTS) IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THE HISTORY OF MY VEHICLE AND WHETHER OR NOT THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN RESOLVED, PLEASE SHARE IT WITH ME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I WAS SCANNING MY VEHICLE WITH AN OBD2 SCANNER AND LEARNED THAT MY CAR, WHICH I'M NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER, HAS HAD RECALLS AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE BEEN RECTIFIED. ATTACHED ARE SCREENSHOTS OF THE RECALL INFORMATION. THE FIRST ONE HAS ME MORE WORRIED THAN THE OTHER....INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS. PLEASE READ THE DETAILS. THE SECOND (FRONT STRUTS) IS SOMETHING THAT ALSO CONCERNS ME BECAUSE OF ITS LACK OF SHOCK ABSORPTION. MY VIN# [XXX] (ALSO ON THE SCREENSHOTS) IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THE HISTORY OF MY VEHICLE AND WHETHER OR NOT THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN RESOLVED, PLEASE SHARE IT WITH ME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
ON MARCH 23, 2013, I PURCHASED FOUR NEW COOPER TIRES FROM SEARS AUTO CENTER IN LIMA, OHIO, FOR MY 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE SPECIFIC TIRES INSTALLED WERE COOPER RESPONSE TOURING M+S 175/65R14, DOT U9EX LRC 4110, A08. SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE DRIVEN LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON THE TIRES AND MAINTAINED APPROPRIATE TIRE PRESSURE, MAINTENANCE, AND ALIGNMENT. IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THIS MORNING (OCTOBER 30, 2016), THE TIRE TREAD OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE, CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND FORCING ME OFF THE ROAD. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON I-475 NORTH TRAVELLING AT THE SPEED LIMIT, IN THE MIDDLE LANE. IT TOOK LESS THAN TEN SECONDS TO COAST TO A STOP. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES TO IMPACT OURS BEFORE REACHING THE SHOULDER. ADDITIONAL DAMAGE FROM THIS TREAD SEPARATION INCLUDE DESTROYING THE WHEEL WELL, BODY DAMAGE, LAUNCHING THE HEADLIGHT APART FROM THE CAR, SPONTANEOUS RELEASE OF WIPER FLUID ON TO THE WINDOW AS THE TREAD RIPPED OFF FROM TH
Mileage: 200,000
ON MARCH 23, 2013, I PURCHASED FOUR NEW COOPER TIRES FROM SEARS AUTO CENTER IN LIMA, OHIO, FOR MY 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE SPECIFIC TIRES INSTALLED WERE COOPER RESPONSE TOURING M+S 175/65R14, DOT U9EX LRC 4110, A08. SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE DRIVEN LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON THE TIRES AND MAINTAINED APPROPRIATE TIRE PRESSURE, MAINTENANCE, AND ALIGNMENT. IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THIS MORNING (OCTOBER 30, 2016), THE TIRE TREAD OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE, CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND FORCING ME OFF THE ROAD. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON I-475 NORTH TRAVELLING AT THE SPEED LIMIT, IN THE MIDDLE LANE. IT TOOK LESS THAN TEN SECONDS TO COAST TO A STOP. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES TO IMPACT OURS BEFORE REACHING THE SHOULDER. ADDITIONAL DAMAGE FROM THIS TREAD SEPARATION INCLUDE DESTROYING THE WHEEL WELL, BODY DAMAGE, LAUNCHING THE HEADLIGHT APART FROM THE CAR, SPONTANEOUS RELEASE OF WIPER FLUID ON TO THE WINDOW AS THE TREAD RIPPED OFF FROM TH
Mileage: 200,000
ON MARCH 23, 2013, I PURCHASED FOUR NEW COOPER TIRES FROM SEARS AUTO CENTER IN LIMA, OHIO, FOR MY 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE SPECIFIC TIRES INSTALLED WERE COOPER RESPONSE TOURING M+S 175/65R14, DOT U9EX LRC 4110, A08. SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE DRIVEN LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON THE TIRES AND MAINTAINED APPROPRIATE TIRE PRESSURE, MAINTENANCE, AND ALIGNMENT. IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THIS MORNING (OCTOBER 30, 2016), THE TIRE TREAD OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE, CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND FORCING ME OFF THE ROAD. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON I-475 NORTH TRAVELLING AT THE SPEED LIMIT, IN THE MIDDLE LANE. IT TOOK LESS THAN TEN SECONDS TO COAST TO A STOP. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES TO IMPACT OURS BEFORE REACHING THE SHOULDER. ADDITIONAL DAMAGE FROM THIS TREAD SEPARATION INCLUDE DESTROYING THE WHEEL WELL, BODY DAMAGE, LAUNCHING THE HEADLIGHT APART FROM THE CAR, SPONTANEOUS RELEASE OF WIPER FLUID ON TO THE WINDOW AS THE TREAD RIPPED OFF FROM TH
Mileage: 200,000
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.
Mileage: 93,000
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.
Mileage: 170,000
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.
Mileage: 158,000
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
DRIVING ON SH 79 FREEHOLD BORO WHEN ATTEMPTING TO APPLY BRAKES TO STOP AND MAKE TURN PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE. PUMPED BRAKE PEDAL IN PANIC MANY TIMES WHEN VEHICLE PULLED SHARP RIGHT AND WHILE STILL PUMPING BRAKE PEDAL AND ATTEMPT TO USE HAND BRAKE VEHICLE FINALLY SLOWED AND STOPPED. MECHANIC ADVISED BOTH BRAKE LINES IN REAR WERE NOT COATED AND FLUID LEAKED FROM PLACE WHERE CLAMP STRAPPED THEM TO UNDERCARRIAGE OF CAR. LINES WERE RUSTED AS NO PROTECTION COATING WAS APPLIED DURING MANUFACTURING. THEY HAVE REPLACED MANY COROLLA BRAKE LINES DUE TO THIS LACK OF COATING. NO WARNING PRIOR TO BRAKES FAILING. NO TRAFFIC CLOSE WHILE BRAKING JUST TOTALLY SCARED TO DEATH. *TR
Mileage: 76,110
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.
Mileage: 319,695
THE DESIGN OF THE 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA SEDAN HAS A QUESTIONABLE SAFETY DESIGN IN THE FUEL FILLER TUBE. PART # 77201 OR 7720112500 APPEARS TO BE MAKE OF SIMPLE TUBE STEEL. THIS PART IS NOT PROTECTED FROM ROAD HAZARDS, CHEMICALS, OR ROAD SPRAY THAT CONTAIN SALT SUCH AS NORTHERN U.S., OR SEASIDE ARES. SINCE THIS GAS TUBE IS UNPROTECTED CLAMPS 77216A & 77218A HOLD THIS CORROSIVE CAUSING ACCELERATED RUSTING, AND PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE STEEL PIPE. THIS CAUSES A FUEL LEAK THAT RESULT IN A LARGE DISCHARGE OF FUEL WHILE FUELING, AND A LARGE DISCHARGE OF FUEL WHILE DRIVING . WHILE DRIVING, PRESSURE PULLS FUEL FROM THE MOUNTED TANK, TO THE LOWEST POINT BEHIND THE TANK WHICH IS RIGHT WHERE THE ABOVE LISTED CLAMPS TO THE BODY. THIS COULD SEE AN ESTIMATED DISCHARGE OF 25% OF THE TANK 13G CAPACITY OR 3.25G OF FUEL DISCHARGED PER TANK. ADDITIONALLY, WITH THE WEAKENING OF THE FUEL TUBE, AT THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE UNI-BODY FRAME. A DRIVER SIDE REAR COLLISION COULD SHEAR OFF THE FUEL TUBE FROM THE BOD
Mileage: 80,525
1997 TOYOTA COROLLA. CONSUMER WRITES TO INQUIRE ABOUT A RECALL ON THE GAS PEDAL ENTRAPMENT *TGW
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
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
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
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRIED TO UNLATCH THE SEAT BELT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED BUT IT STILL WOULD NOT RELEASE. SHE HAD TO USE A SCREWDRIVER TO OPEN THE SEAT BELT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE RELEASE BUTTON BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 99,000.
Mileage: 60,000
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
Mileage: 75,000
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
Mileage: 186,000
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.