858 of the
14,546 complaints filed about the Toyota Corolla
are about the braking system —
6% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2010.
On Monday, January 5, 2026 at approximately 3:15 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, in the middle of stopped traffic (leftmost lane, southbound on Van Nuys Boulevard near the Saticoy Street intersection in Los Angeles, California), the vehicle, a 2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE, suddenly started slowly moving backward. The driver pressed on the brake pedal, but the vehicle did not stop. In a panic, the driver removed the key from the ignition, which immobilized the vehicle. While in the middle of traffic, the driver contacted a family member for assistance and the vehicle was towed to the driver's residence. On the following day, January 6, 2026, the vehicle was towed to a service center for inspection. It is unknown if the warning messages observed January 6, 2026 were due to the vehicle being towed. At the service center, a tire was replaced and the brake system was flushed, at the owner's expense. Afterward, the driver continued to operate the vehicle. As of August 5, 2026, this incident had not recurred.
NHTSA complaint #11755140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
It was heavy rain traffic came and when I slowed down the anti lock breaks effected me from stopping fast enough and were made me just slid into back off vehicle in front off me giving me injury's to my kneck due to the air bags did NOT deploy.
NHTSA complaint #11752771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that, while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle suddenly accelerated despite the brakes being applied, causing the driver to crash into a parked vehicle. The TPMS warning light was illuminated. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployments, or police reports filed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.
NHTSA complaint #11748588 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Toyota South Atlanta in Morrow, Georgia, released my vehicle after a factory warranty repair for transmission failure. However, they failed to properly complete or verify the repair. The dashboard is now throwing critical error codes stating 'A malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle, or automatic transmission has been detected' and 'A malfunction in the VSC, TRAC, or hill-start assist control system has been detected.' Additionally, their own technician documented that my front brakes FAILED. They forced me to drive away without a safety waiver, and a front brake pad has since completely fallen out in front of my home . The vehicle suffers from total mechanical transmission and brake failure.
NHTSA complaint #11745462 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I performed a search on Google for any corolla's braking problem and found an incident "EXACTLY" like my daughter experienced! Here is the link to it on Reddit - Terrifying brake failure on my new 2025 Corolla Hybrid – Pedal went to the floor with zero warning! [XXX] BELOW IS THE VERBIAGE FROM TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE SENT BACK TO ME 06/19/2026: Thank you for contacting our Brand Engagement Center regarding the incident that occurred on [XXX], and was reported to us on May 12, 2026. You reported that while your daughter was driving your 2025 Toyota Corolla Hybrid, she experienced a brake failure incident causing a collision to occur. You stated that she was exiting to the right and applied pressure to the brake pedal. However, the brakes made a loud noise, the brake pedal went to the floor, and your vehicle collided with the rear-end of another vehicle. You also expressed concern that the front Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) airbags failed to deploy. This is the summation. Of course they found nothing... Respectfully, [XXX] email- [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11745303 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle was hard to stop, and he lost control but was able to avoid a crash. The maintenance light was illuminated. Upon further research, the contact indicated the failure was related to TSB T-SB-0088-23. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine mount had cracked. The engine was hanging from the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who had repaired the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
NHTSA complaint #11740314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving my 2024 Toyota Corolla SE gas model (with the convenience package) on the interstate in [XXX] during stop-and-go traffic. Traffic had been moving slowly for about 15 minutes, and I had Brake Hold turned on, cruise control was off, Proactive Driving Assist was on. I was behind a semi truck and was moving very slowly, getting ready to stop. I had maybe 3 or 4 car lengths between me and the semi so they could see me in their mirrors. As I was about to stop, the brake pedal suddenly went all the way to the floor, the car jerked to a stop, and the electronic/emergency parking brake applied on its own. I put the car into Park and then back into Drive, and the problem did not happen again during that drive. There were no warning lights, dash lights, or warning messages before this happened, and there were also no warning lights or dash lights afterward. The issue happened suddenly with no prior symptoms that I noticed. I believe the brake system, Brake Hold system, electronic parking brake system, or a related brake/vehicle control system malfunctioned. This put my safety and the safety of others at risk because the car unexpectedly stopped abruptly in interstate traffic. Since I was in heavy stop-and-go traffic and other vehicles, there was a risk of being rear-ended, causing a crash, or becoming disabled in traffic. I took the vehicle to a Toyota dealership after the incident. They were not able to reproduce the problem, but they did find stored code C14FE14. They told me they checked the brake system, cleared the code, tested the steering angle sensor connector, and said everything tested within specification. They also performed a multipoint inspection and said the battery, brake pads, and other inspected items tested well. To my knowledge, the vehicle has only been inspected by the Toyota dealership/service center. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11738739 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2025 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while attempting to drive from a complete stop, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The front end of the vehicle lowered down while the rear-end rose and made an abnormal squealing sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact's husband assisted the contact in driving, and the vehicle was able to respond after several attempts; however, the contact's husband stated that the vehicle felt like the parking brake was engaged unintendedly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the failure could not be duplicated; however, an unknown part was replaced. The contact stated that while driving 35-45 MPH, the vehicle in front of the contact's vehicle slammed on the brakes. The contact then depressed the brake pedal, but the pedal travelled down and rested on the floorboard. Additionally, the front end of the vehicle lowered while the rear end of the vehicle rose, and the vehicle crashed underneath the rear-end of the truck. There was no warning light illuminated. The air bags failed to deploy. Toyoya Safety Connect system automatically connected the contact to a representative. The contact was transported to the hospital by emergency units. The contact sustained a fractured sternum, three fractures on the back, and the contact was hospitalized for 3 days. The contact's husband later arrived at the hospital and received medical assistance. The contact's husband sustained headaches, neck pain, bruised stomach as the seat belt fractured. The other driver did not sustain injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and totaled by the insurance company. The dealer and the manufacturer were contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.
NHTSA complaint #11731330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving approximately at 65 MPH, and applying the brake pedal to exit off a ramp, the vehicle failed to decelerate. The contact continued to press the brake pedal; however, the vehicle did not stop, causing them to rear-end another vehicle, which caused their vehicle to come to an abrupt stop. The air bags did not deploy. The contact did not receive any injuries, and no medical attention was needed. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed by Georgia Carolina Recovery Services. The contact was informed by the adjuster that the vehicle may be totaled; however, the decision had not been finalized. The dealer was contacted and informed about the incident. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,500.
NHTSA complaint #11729611 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
#### The ABS Defect 12. Within seven (7) days of purchase, and with fewer than [NUMBER] miles driven, the subject vehicle experienced a catastrophic failure of the ABS pump containing the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) [citation:1 from previous analysis]. 13. This failure caused the ABS warning light to illuminate and completely disabled the ABS functionality, reducing the braking system to non-power-assisted, pre-ABS technology. 14. The failure occurred with no warning and despite the vehicle being operated under normal driving conditions. 15. Upon information and belief, the ABS pump/ECU unit contained manufacturing and/or design defects that existed at the time the vehicle left Defendants' control. #### The Airbag System Defect 16. On or about [DATE OF CRASH], Plaintiffs were involved in a motor vehicle collision while operating the subject 2026 Toyota Corolla. 17. Upon information and belief, the crash forces were of sufficient magnitude that the vehicle's Airbag Control Unit (ACU) should have deployed the front airbags. 18. The airbags failed to deploy, causing Plaintiffs to sustain enhanced injuries that would have been prevented or mitigated had the airbags functioned properly. 19. Upon information and belief, the Airbag Control Unit in the subject vehicle is of the same type or design as those implicated in prior class action litigation against Toyota involving defective ACUs manufactured by ZF-TRW Automotive . 20. Defendants have previously settled claims regarding ACUs that were vulnerable to "electrical overstress," which could disable the airbag system entirely during a crash, for $78.5 million . 21. Defendants failed to warn Plaintiffs that the 2026 Toyota Corolla might contain an ACU with these same vulnerabilities.
NHTSA complaint #11728132 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am having a problem with my 2020 Toyota Corolla's brakes. I live in [XXX] . In the winter when the car is cold the brakes work normally. When the car has been driven for a while, the car has warmed up, and the brake fluid has thinned, the brakes behave abnormally. When I stop at a red light, after 20 to 40 seconds, the brake pedal slowly drops towards the floor. My understanding is that this could indicate a problem with the master brake cylinder. My fear is that there could be a sudden failure of the cylinder causing an accident. I brought the car to Rudy Luther Toyota in Golden Valley. When I brought the car in, it was warm and the brakes were malfunctioning. Unfortunately, they let the car sit for several hours, the brake fluid cooled, and the mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11719920 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I have a Hybrid version of the 2023 Corolla in the SE trim. Everytime the car is cold (engine just started), and I'm pressing the brake, I can hear some clicking noises similar to a CV Axle noise when they are bad. That braking noise goes away as the car heat up. The noise is sensitive to speed, it changes frequency with it. I haven't experience loss of brakes but I'm concerned with the noise and the possibility of it.
NHTSA complaint #11719548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On February 19, 2026, at only 80 driven miles in this new 2026 Toyota Corolla hatchback, while moving slowly in reverse on dry pavement with no throttle input, no sharp steering and no misuse of the brake the vehicle spun out of control 4-5 times in the parking lot finally causing a collision with a parked vehicle which then it stopped. This collision nearly caused serious injury to the driver. Since its a brand new vehicle bugs and recalls are hard to tell, but we cannot drive this vehicle any longer due to safety issues.
NHTSA complaint #11719536 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Make: Toyota Model: Corolla (likely hatchback/sedan) Year: 2026 VIN: [XXX] Mileage at Incident: 80 Date of Purchase: February 17, 2026 Date of Incident: February 19, 2026 Description of Defect: While moving slowly in reverse on dry pavement (no throttle, no sharp steering, no brake misuse), the vehicle suddenly spun out of control—yaw/skid like rear wheels lost grip or stability control malfunctioned and steering wheel locked. No prior warning. The spin caused a collision with another vehicle and nearly resulted in serious injury/death to the driver/owner (myself, [XXX] ). Suspected Causes (based on symptoms and similar reports): • Possible ESC (electronic stability control) or yaw sensor failure. • ABS/traction control pulsing/locking wheels unexpectedly in reverse. • Electronic power steering (EPS) glitch—wheel felt “fighting” or unresponsive during the event. • No fault codes pulled by dealer yet, but similar low-speed reverse spin-outs reported in 2025-2026 Corollas (e.g., NHTSA complaints on “ABS ghosting” or “rear-end slide”). Additional Info: • Dealer (Toyota of Hollywood, 6920 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA) has the vehicle awaiting inspector. • Demand letter sent/hand-delivered today (February 21, 2026) under Song-Beverly Act—safety defect, one occurrence. • No insurance claim filed—this is manufacturer liability, not driver error. • Photos of skid marks/collision available if requested. What I Want NHTSA to Do: Investigate for potential recall—safety risk is high (uncontrolled spin in reverse at low speed). This is the second such incident in recent Corollas I’ve seen reported; could affect others. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11719598 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact discovered brake fluid on the clutch pedal, and the brake pedal was mushy while depressed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the brake master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 89,900.
NHTSA complaint #11718784 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact rented a 2025 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds and entering into a parking space, the contact applied the brake pedal; however, the adaptive cruise control system engaged unexpectedly, causing the vehicle to accelerate and crash into a building. The driver was unable to turn off the adaptive cruise control system. There were no reported injuries, fire, or airbag deployment. A police report was filed. The vehicle remained drivable after the incident. The contact also stated that the vehicle continued to surge forward at intersections following the crash. An unknown local dealer was contacted, where it was diagnosed and determined that reprogramming was needed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.
NHTSA complaint #11717840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While reversing out of a parking spot, I noticed my break and steering wheel felt extremely stiff. I lost control of the vehicle for a second until I instinctively pushed HARD on the break. I realized it was unsafe to continue reversing, so I switched from R (reverse) to D (drive), I let go of the break pedal slowly, but the car continued to reverse. I pushed hard on the stiff break again, and switched from D (drive), to P (park), I let go of the break pedal again, and the car continued to roll back in reverse still. I realized my cars breaks, steering wheel, and gears were being unresponsive. I kept my foot on the break pedal, used the parking stick and set the car into P (parking) again, and turned it off. The car did not roll back as before, and was completely off. I turned the car back on again, and it went back to normal. The steering wheel and break pedal were not stiff, and the gears were all working and being responsive. I searched up the problem, and from what I have read, it is currently unsafe to drive my vehicle. I have kept up with proper and regular maintenance on my vehicle. But from what I have researched, the corolla has had a massive recall on this exact problem. However, my vin number indicates my vehicle is not eligible for a recall. I would like to receive proper help for this problem, as it is a dangerous and widely known problem with the 2013-2019 corollas.
NHTSA complaint #11717408 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving at 2pm after an Ice Storm had hit texas and a majority of ice was missing but there was a small patch under a bridge. There were two stoplights once which was not under a bridge and one about 50-100 in front which was. I had accelerated to about 20 before the other light changed to red and I attempted to stop but due to ice I kept sliding forward adn the ABS was going wild and while I had the brake held down the pedal was going wild from the ice and after the car has stopped the brake pedal arm had bent so drasticly my brake lights wouldn't turn off due to the pedal arm being bent into the sensor below the dash. Toyota then refused to cover any part of the repair cost under the warrenty due to outside influence. I did not and could not have expected that using the brake pedal in an emergency situation would brake the brake pedal and they refuse to cover it under manufacturer warranty.
NHTSA complaint #11715051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On [XXX] at [XXX]. in Cupey, Puerto Rico I was moving from west to east in the[XXX] parish underground parking. While parking my car in reverse, I needed to drive forward to accommodate the car in the parking space. As I shifted to drive, the vehicle accelerated on its own, the breaks were not working and hit a concrete wall. All the airbags exploded, and I was stuck inside the car. The car doors did not open from inside. The acceleration and break systems failed to work at the moment of the car crash. My safety was affected by the car crash impact. I was pressed against the seat by the airbags and the doors were not opening from the inside. I have panic attacks after this incident. The problem has not been confirmed by a car dealer nor independent service center. The vehicle has been inspected by an insurance representative. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior the the failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11711536 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Clutch slave cylinder started leaking leading to a sticking clutch pedal, making it difficult to engage the transmission with the engine, and a lower brake/clutch fluid level which could have caused braking issues if the fluid got too low.
NHTSA complaint #11711259 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.