FaultScore

2001 Toyota Corolla transmission problems

10 of the 163 complaints about the 2001 Toyota Corolla are about the transmission — 6% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 45,000 miles.

D

10

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Automatic Transmission 5 50.0%
Manual Transmission 1 10.0%
Gear Position Indication (Prndl) 1 10.0%
Axle Assembly 1 10.0%
Clutch Assembly 1 10.0%
Differential Unit 1 10.0%

Transmission & Drivetrain across every Toyota Corolla year

1992 15 2.6%
1995 13 2.2%
2001 10 1.7%
2003 64 11.0%
2004 16 2.7%
2005 39 6.7%
2006 43 7.4%
2007 29 5.0%
2008 13 2.2%
2009 45 7.7%
2010 50 8.6%
2011 19 3.3%
2014 26 4.5%
2015 30 5.1%
2016 22 3.8%
2017 15 2.6%
2018 12 2.1%
2019 52 8.9%
2020 37 6.3%
2021 19 3.3%
2022 15 2.6%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 153,000 miles Madison, WI

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

RE: UNSAFE REBUILT TRANSMISSION, 2001 TOYOTA COROLLA WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON 7/29/2008. IN JANUARY 2009, THE ENGINE DUMPED OIL AND BURNED OUT, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. ABOUT TWO DAYS LATER THE TRANSMISSION FELL APART. OUR MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS FROM A SALVAGE YARD AND WAS BEING HELD TOGETHER WITH EPOXY. THE TRANSMISSION MOUNT WAS BENT, INDICATING TO THE MECHANIC THAT THE CAR MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN SOME KIND OF ACCIDENT. ALSO I BELIEVE THE MECHANISM FOR THE BOLT TO GO THROUGH (TO HOLD THE TRANSMISSION IN PLACE) WAS MISSING ALONG WITH THE BOLT. ALL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR SHOULD BE VERIFIED WITH HARRY, OWNER OF IMPORT AUTO, AT 2583 UNIVERSITY AVE, MADISON, WI 53705; PHONE 608-231-1221. HE HAS BEEN KEEPING THE TRANSMISSION FOR INSPECTION BY INTERESTED AUTHORITIES. HARRY CALLED THE TRANSMISSION A "FRAUD." IT SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN INSTALLED LIKE THAT. THE TRANSMISSION WAS UNSAFE. I ALLOW MY GRANDSON TO DRIVE THIS CAR. HE IS A STUDENT, AGE 19. HE HAS A PART-TIME JOB WITH PIZZA HUT, DELIVERING PIZZAS. HE IS ALSO IN A BAND. TWO DAYS BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, HE WANTED TO DRIVE THE CAR A LONG DISTANCE FOR A GIG. I TOLD HIM TO TAKE MY OTHER CAR. IF HE HAD TAKEN THE COROLLA, THE TRANSMISSION COULD HAVE COME APART AT HIGH SPEED ON FREEWAY IN THE DEAD OF WINTER. HE AND OTHERS COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. MY MECHANIC ORDERED ANOTHER REBUILT TRANSMISSION, BUT IT TOO HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. HE IS FLABBERGASTED THAT THESE TRANSMISSIONS ARE BEING SOLD, AND HE TOLD US HE HAD NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE IN HIS 40-YEAR CAREER. WE OPTED TO INSTALL A NEW TRANSMISSION. BOTTOM LINE: BAD, UNSAFE TRANSMISSIONS ARE BEING SOLD AND UNSCRUPULOUS MECHANICS OR CAR OWNERS ARE INSTALLING THEM. WE HAVE PHOTOS AND MORE INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #10281562 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 45,000 miles ST. Louis, MO

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25-40 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A CLUNKING SOUND. A MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WOBBLING AND SHAKING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, AND THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL WAS WORN AND DEFECTIVE. THE COST FOR THE REPAIR WAS $1,700. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,300 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. UPDATED 07/29/08.

NHTSA complaint #10233501 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 45,000 miles ST. Louis, MO

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25-40 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A CLUNKING SOUND. A MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WOBBLING AND SHAKING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, AND THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL WAS WORN AND DEFECTIVE. THE COST FOR THE REPAIR WAS $1,700. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,300 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. UPDATED 07/29/08.

NHTSA complaint #10233501 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 53,821 miles Roslindale, MA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

ON 8-20-07 I BROUGHT THE COROLLA TO TOYOTA TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED AND TO CHECK A HISSING SOUND AND THE BRAKE LIGHT THAT WAS GOING ON AND OFF. THE COURTESY INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE BRAKES, THE DRIVE BELT TENSIONER, TIMING CHAIN AND THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THROTTLE CABLE HAD TO BE REPLACED. I HAD ALL OF THE WORK DONE. ON 9-27-07 I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO TOYOTA BECAUSE THE CAR SLIGHTLY HESITATED WHEN I BACKED UP ON A HILL. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE REVERSE GEAR. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE HOME AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION COULD GO WITH FLUIDS LEAKING EVERYWHERE. THE CAR ONLY HAD 53,821 MILES ON IT. I WAS TOLD THAT TOYOTA WOULD NOT COVER THE TRANSMISSION SINCE THE CAR WAS 6 YEARS OLD. I HAD THE CAR REPAIRED WITH A USED TOYOTA TRANSMISSION BECAUSE I COULD NOT AFFORD THE PRICE OF A NEW TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA complaint #10211086 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Arlington, TX

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

GEARS TEND TO POP FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JUMP FORWARD, ALMOST HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. CONSUMER WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECK UP.

NHTSA complaint #10103808 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 43,000 miles Gaithersburg, MD

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

WHILE DRIVING AT 55/65 MPH THE DRIVER WAS SUDDENLY UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS. IT WA SDETERMINED THAT THE STANDARD CLUTCH FAILED WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA complaint #10037759 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 30,000 miles Garfield Heights, OH

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

WHEN VEHICLE IS AT AN IDLE IN THE PARK GEAR THE ENTIRE VEHICLE SHAKES SEVERELY.

NHTSA complaint #10018171 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Petoskey, MI

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AT 35 MPH VEHICLE STALLS. ABLE TO RESTART ENGINE, BUT VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.

NHTSA complaint #8001039 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sunrise, FL

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND FRONT LEFT TIRE BLEWOUT. SHE HEARD A NOISE, AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDERS. GOODYEAR, INTEGRITY, P175/65R14, DOT M68JC9032200. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT ALL FOUR TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, TO REPLACE RIMS. *AK TRANSMISSION FAILED AND REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #6900653 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Butler, PA Crash 1 injured

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

TRAVELING ON STRAIGHT SECTION OF ROAD. REAR DRIVER SIDE AXLE SHEARED IN HALF, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER.

NHTSA complaint #754773 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2001 Toyota Corolla problems

← Full 2001 Toyota Corolla report