473 of the
14,546 complaints filed about the Toyota Corolla
are about the body and structure —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2009.
I am reporting a severe manufacturing defect involving the Blizzard Pearl paint (Paint Code 070) on my 2014 Toyota Corolla. The exterior paint is actively peeling and delaminating from the vehicle body panels in large, brittle chunks, exposing the bare metal underneath.This issue presents a distinct safety hazard to both myself and other drivers on the road. The paint detaches unexpectedly while driving at highway speeds, causing flying debris that can distract or impact the windshields of trailing vehicles. Furthermore, the structural degradation and exposed metal can lead to premature rust, compromising the integrity of the body panels over time.Toyota has previously acknowledged this specific adhesive failure between the factory primer layer and the metal sheet body under a prior Warranty Enhancement Program (Customer Support Program 19N01). However, the peeling continues to spread to new panels, creating an ongoing road hazard. I am requesting that the NHTSA investigate this widespread defect as a structural safety issue.
NHTSA complaint #11756992 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was broadsided at the front end of the drivers side on Saturday 07/25/2026 by a wayward vehicle drifting into my lane. After the crash, the airbags deployed and then I could not open the driver seat door. Three other passer-bys who kindly stopped to check on me could not open the door from outside either. Finally, after being stuck for at least 10 minutes in the car, the police arrived, who somehow managed to open the door and let me out. This is a serious safety hazard; if the car caught fire, I could be burnt alive.
NHTSA complaint #11753117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
There was a recall for the paint on this vehicle and over the past 4 years the paint has peeled off exposing under the clear coat putting the body of the vehicle at risk for futher rust and damage. When contacting the manufacturer they agreed that the paint was recalled and they were fixing vehicles but I missed the deadline.
NHTSA complaint #11752948 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I own a 2015 Toyota Corolla with Super White paint. The vehicle has experienced widespread paint peeling and delamination consistent with Toyota's known Super White paint defect. The paint is peeling in multiple locations across the vehicle, including along numerous body panel edges and on the exterior surface of the trunk. The condition has continued to worsen and now affects a substantial portion of the vehicle. In affected areas, the white paint has separated from the vehicle and exposed the underlying gray primer. The paint failure is not the result of an accident, collision, or improper maintenance. A professional body shop inspected the vehicle and advised that the paint failure is consistent with Toyota's known Super White paint defect. After learning today that Toyota had previously established a Customer Support Program for vehicles affected by this defect, I contacted Toyota and requested assistance. Toyota declined coverage because the program had expired. I never received notice of the program while it was active and therefore had no opportunity to have the vehicle inspected or repaired under the program. I am filing this complaint because Toyota previously acknowledged this paint defect through its Customer Support Program, yet owners who did not receive notice of the program may be left responsible for significant repair costs caused by what appears to be a known manufacturing defect.
NHTSA complaint #11741509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Right plastic bumper cover came with no clips or a wheel well, leaving debris hitting electrical components in my vehicle no damage was done luckily I caught it in time
NHTSA complaint #11739146 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The factory white paint on my 2014 Toyota Corolla has been peeling and delaminating in large sheets down to the primer and bare metal. This appears to be a paint adhesion failure, not normal wear or surface chipping. The vehicle has not been in any accidents, repainted, or subjected to improper care. The problem developed gradually and has continued to worsen over time. Large sections of paint detach from body panels such as the hood, roof, trunk, and sides. Paint has come off while driving and during routine car washing. This condition presents a safety concern because pieces of paint can separate at driving speeds and become road debris, which could strike other vehicles or create hazards for nearby drivers. In addition, exposed metal body panels are vulnerable to corrosion, which may affect the long‑term safety and integrity of the vehicle. No warning lights or messages were present prior to the paint failure. A Toyota dealership visually confirmed the peeling paint and indicated this issue has been observed on other Toyota vehicles with white paint. No repair was offered without full repainting at the owner’s expense. The affected areas are visible and available for inspection upon request.
NHTSA complaint #11734621 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When attempting to replace the rear glass at Safelite on 4/29/2026, the worker noticed rust on the headliner. Now the rear glass can't be replaced until a body shop replaces the rusted headliner. I began leasing this car in December 2020, and now I own it. Now I am driving with a plastic covering over the rear window, which poses a safety hazard.
NHTSA complaint #11734636 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I have super white (040) paint and it's flaking off due to original manufacturer paint defect. Paint is flaking off my passenger back door and a large piece/area of roof. flakes of paint will come off at highway speeds, creating a vision hazard for drivers behind me or a distraction when flakes hit the windshield.
NHTSA complaint #11732564 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Component: VISIBILITY / SUN VISOR Vehicle: 2023 Toyota Corolla Both the driver-side and passenger-side sun visors in my 2023 Toyota Corolla have failed within approximately two years of normal use. The visors no longer remain in their intended position and instead fall downward unexpectedly. When this occurs, the visor drops directly into the driver’s field of vision, creating a significant safety hazard by obstructing forward visibility while driving. This condition can happen without warning and requires the driver to physically move the visor out of the way, causing distraction and increasing the risk of an accident. The vehicle has not been modified, damaged, or subjected to abnormal conditions. The visors were used only as intended. Sun exposure is a normal and expected condition for this component, and failure under these circumstances indicates a potential defect in materials or workmanship. Both visors failing in the same manner suggests a systemic issue rather than isolated wear and tear. The vehicle was taken to a Toyota dealership, where I was initially told the repair would be covered under the manufacturer’s warranty. However, the claim was later denied and classified as “wear and tear” due to sun exposure. Given the function of sun visors, this explanation is not reasonable. This issue presents an ongoing safety concern due to impaired driver visibility. I am submitting this complaint so that this defect can be reviewed and tracked for potential broader impact.
NHTSA complaint #11729300 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Blizzard pearl paint is peeling all over the vehicle. Large chips of paint are coming off. I took it to the dealer and called the Toyota corporate office and was told that the recall had expired and I would have to pay out of pocket. The exposed metal is now starting to show signs of rusting that will impact the structural integrity and safety of the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11727057 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
After having my vehicle washed at a car wash, paint began to peel. The vehicle at the time had only 42000 miles. Toyota repair apologized for the paint problem (V70 white) and said they would provide me with a car rental for 1-2 weeks while its repainted as there is a recall for the paint (again apologised for the inconvience). After discovering the recall expired, the insurance technician said he would call me back in 1-2 days as the vehicle is no longer under the recall (Does the paint repair itself after that time period)? The technician never called me back. The cost to repaint the vehicle is 7-$14000, more than the value of the vehicle with only 4 years worth of miles driven
NHTSA complaint #11722847 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Factory paint on my 2015 Toyota Corolla is delaminating and peeling in sheets down to primer on multiple body panels (hood, fender, and door area). There is no impact damage, scratches, or external cause. This appears to be a factory paint adhesion failure. Exposed metal creates corrosion risk and loss of vehicle value. The condition has been confirmed visually by a Toyota dealership, but Toyota corporate denied assistance stating the extended paint program expired. I was never notified of any paint defect program. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
NHTSA complaint #11715076 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Approximately 2022 the driver, front side panel paint began to bubble and come off. I noticed the back hood started doing the same a few months later. By 2023, the roof was doing the same thing. I took it into Young Toyota in Logan, Utah that year and spoke with the service Manager, Russ Otley. He looked at the paint and took some pictures on this cell phone and told me he would call Toyota Customer Care. I don't he ever did because I did not hear back from him. Now it is 2026 and I have send several complaints into both this website and through the dealership manager Russ Otley. The pain is much worse now. Knowing that Toyota has had paint recalls on this issue before, I think Toyota company should get this fixed asap.
NHTSA complaint #11710556 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while stopped in traffic, white paint chips were floating in the air. The white paint peeled off the trunk lid. Upon further investigation, the prime color had peeled off, and the contact could see the metal part of the trunk lid. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact was informed that the warranty on the vehicle had expired, and there was no assistance to be offered. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
NHTSA complaint #11699490 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On October 1st, 2025, I was in a car accident. I was side-swiped on the highway by a truck, which led me to collide with a metal fence. My airbags did not deploy after the collision. After filing a claim with my insurance company on October 1st, I was informed the same day that my vehicle is a total loss. Prior to the accident, there were no warning lamps or messages.
NHTSA complaint #11692238 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I hit a deer going roughly 65mph on my way to work. The hit crushed the radiator into the engine, destroyed the airbox, folded the hood, and practically vaporized the headlight. The airbag, however, did not deploy- not in the wheel or in the side curtain. I wasn't injured but thought it was strange the because the crash totalled the car (~$16k of damage) and was at a high speed. The car had one accident prior, hitting a concrete pillar at a low speed (less than 10mph) and had been repaired two years earlier. I kept every maintainence record for the car and never had any airbag lights on or service done. Because the airbags didn't deploy, the car didn't initiate the Safety Connect call to 911 or anyone else. I recently saw Toyota settled with many owners of 2019 Corolla sedans but the hatch wasn't included, but I have (anecdotally) heard of similar stories from other hatch owners. I now own a 2023 Corolla hatch and feel a bit concerned the same issue could present.
NHTSA complaint #11687461 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This complaint concerns two separate incidents, both involving defective interior door handles. First, in 2023, the driver side driver door handle broke abruptly when the driver attempted to exit the vehicle. As a result, the driver, [XXX] , was trapped in the vehicle and required someone else to let him out from the outside. This was repaired privately at substantial cost to the owner. Then, the exact same thing happened to the passenger side front seat interior door handle in January 2025. The handle mechanism seems to be made of cheap plastic and seems to have broken, preventing the passenger from exiting the vehicle at all and leaving them effectively trapped in the front seat. This has been a major issue recently when transporting family members to the hospital, as time was lost when they tried to get out of the driver side passenger door and found that the door handle mechanism was inoperable. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11665704 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.