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Toyota · NHTSA safety record

2026 Toyota Corolla

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 17 safety complaints about the 2026 Toyota Corolla with the US government. Of those, 6 describe a crash, 4 people were injured and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the exterior lighting.

The most complained-about system is the brakes, named in 3 complaints, 18% of the total.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers November 2025 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

17 complaints on file

17

Complaints

6

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

4

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 8 · 47%
SERVICE BRAKES 3 · 18%
AIR BAGS 2 · 12%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2 · 12%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 2 · 12%
STEERING 2 · 12%
SUSPENSION 2 · 12%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 · 12%
ENGINE 1 · 6%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 · 6%
LANE DEPARTURE 1 · 6%
POWER TRAIN 1 · 6%
0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 17.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2026 at 16.

20 15 10 5
25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2025 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2026 Toyota COROLLA, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 4 DR N/A FWD
Overall Not rated
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash Not rated
Side barrier Not rated
Side pole Not rated
Rollover
Chance of rollover 10.5%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

1 on file

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

26V110000 · February 25, 2026

The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2026 Corolla vehicles. The front headlights may have missing headlight aim markings, which can result in improperly aimed headlights during service. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk
Incorrectly aimed headlights can reduce driver visibility or create a glare for oncoming traffic, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace both front headlight assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 20, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 26TA05.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 86 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 883 miles

The contact owns a 2026 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to avoid striking a deer the vehicle crashed into a tree. The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that the SOS system detected the impact to the vehicle and alerted First Responders. The vehicle was towed to the local tow yard and later towed to a Collision Center. The contact stated that the vehicle had not been accessed by the adjuster. The contact stated that there were damages to the front of the vehicle, the windshield was shattered, and damages to the hood of the vehicle and the front passenger's door failed to open. No Police report was filed because the crash

NHTSA complaint 11698108, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING

1 injured · crash · towed

This was a rental car. In the rain, the lane assistance would try to correct the vehicle even when the vehicle was in its lane. It was like it didn’t see the lane markings in the rain. The car was wrecked in the rain but had other incidents previously while driving in the rain. The adaptive cruise control also seemed to malfunction when I set it, it started going faster than what I had set it.

NHTSA complaint 11745459. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

1 injured

My brand-new 2026 Toyota Corolla LE is venting toxic chemical, burning plastic, and acetone-like fumes directly through the dashboard HVAC vents and interior materials. Exposure to the cabin air causes immediate, severe systemic injury, including acute respiratory distress, throat and vocal cord inflammation resulting in a lost voice, uncontrollable sweating, and severe neurological muscle weakness. I have a critical pre-existing medical condition consisting of two lung nodules, making this chemical inhalation an immediate, life-threatening hazard to my health. This exposure has previously left me physically incapacitated for five days. The manufacturer (Toyota Motor North America) has been

NHTSA complaint 11745779, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

1 injured

I also wanted to add the mold.. from the hour test was performed on this car. Ac in high flow. Within 12 hrs growth appears

NHTSA complaint 11751132. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WINDSHIELD-VISIBILITY: Description of Safety Defect & Incident: I am reporting a severe, life-threatening factory manufacturing defect internal to the windshield glass of my 2026 Toyota Corolla w approximately 1200 miles. I noticed this defect shortly after taking possession of the car, although the daytime sun was higher and I though that windshields might be made differently. It was a confusing situation. Under specific lighting conditions, the defect caused catastrophic light scattering, resulting in an instantaneous and complete loss of forward driving visibility. On 9/22/26, while driving up a hill at approximately 6:30 PM (sun low during sunset), the vehicle reached the crest of the

NHTSA complaint 11767243, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION
Purchase car at the end of July 2 weeks later heard a not a rattling sound while driving the vehicle. Took the vehicle for a service appointment at the dealership. I purchased it from. I was told by service as well as the sales manager that the rattling sound was found in both my car and another car with zero mileage. The sales manager stated I would have to put up with the rattling and the rattling has gotten progressively worse. The sales manager stated he could not help me any further. I bought the new car and traded in my old one that had a rattling sound and now drive a new car that rattles and that is what I told the sales manager and he stated I would have to wait to turn it in. The

NHTSA complaint 11765663, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I own a 2026 Toyota Corolla purchased in November 2025. The recurring problems began on December 8, 2025, when multiple warning lights appeared on the dashboard along with the message “System Malfunction – Visit Your Dealer.” The warning indicators involved several vehicle safety and driver-assistance systems. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Toyota dealership for inspection and repair. On June 16, 2026, the vehicle experienced another serious malfunction, including a “Transmission System Malfunction” warning. The electrical and operational problems continued despite dealership visits and repairs. The battery was also replaced, but this did not permanently resolve the recurring

NHTSA complaint 11751940, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle emissions out of the dashboard defroster vents deposit a sticky, chemical film onto the inside front windshield, causing severe driver vision impairment. The chemical vapor triggers immediate respiratory irritation and dizziness, presenting an imminent risk of a motor vehicle crash.Defect / Nonconformity: The vehicle suffers from a severe HVAC or interior component material failure causing toxic off-gassing. An official Toyota FTS report (RO #116504) documented dangerous TVOC levels of 9.455 mg inside the vehicle. The manufacturing defect substantially impairs the safety, use, and commercial value of the vehicle. I did not have car seats in trunk, the time completed on report is

NHTSA complaint 11751412, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
System or component that failed: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) / Climate Control System.Description of Incident: The vehicle's HVAC system emits a severe, persistent chemical odor / Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) smell directly into the passenger cabin.Nail polish remover, burning plastic after DRIVING FORTH 20 MIN, was not addressed. This toxic-smelling odor causes immediate physical discomfort, chest pain, neck stiffness, including headaches and respiratory irritation while driving, creating a driver distraction and safety hazard. Dealer status: The vehicle was taken to a Toyota dealership on june 13, july 29th, refused ANY FURTHER INVESTIGATION. UNDER WARRANTYbut the

NHTSA complaint 11751113, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Toyota Corolla

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 31 0 —
2024 63 2 1
2023 73 3 —
2022 101 0 —
2021 185 1 —
2020 306 3 1
2019 203 5 1
2018 134 3 1
2017 178 3 —
2016 214 1 —
2015 220 1 —
2014 269 2 1
2013 201 5 —
2012 446 5 —
2011 584 9 —
2010 1,244 17 —

Other 2026 Toyota models

Camry Hybrid 133 Grand Highlander 35 Tundra 32 RAV4 Hybrid 22 BZ 17 C-HR 8 4Runner 7 Prius 6

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Toyota on this site — 281 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst