YearToAvoid

2009 Toyota Corolla Structure & Body Problems

NHTSA has 52 owner complaints about body and structure problems in the 2009 Toyota Corolla, 4% of all 1,459 complaints for this model year. That is the highest body and structure complaint count among 21 Corolla model years. These complaints report 14 crashes, 2 fires, and 10 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 35,500 miles.

Structure & Body complaints
52
4% of 1,459
Crashes reported
14
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
10
Median mileage
35,500 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2009 Toyota Corolla body and structure complaints were filed

First complaint Jul 29, 2008, latest Jan 28, 2021.

2009 Toyota Corolla structure & body complaints: complaints filed per month3Jul 2008Sep 2009Nov 2010Apr 2013Aug 2014Apr 2017Feb 2019
52 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2008 to Jan 2021; peak Feb 2010 (3).

Structure & Body recalls for the 2009 Toyota Corolla

  1. NHTSA 16V396000Jun 2, 2016Structure & Body7,749 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

    Risk: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.

Structure & Body complaints by Corolla model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200525 (3%)
  2. 200622 (3%)
  3. 200721 (3%)
  4. 20086 (2%)
  5. 200952 (4%)
  6. 201037 (3%)
  7. 201128 (5%)
  8. 201218 (4%)
  9. 201313 (6%)
  10. 201435 (13%)
  11. 201534 (16%)
  12. 201622 (10%)
  13. 201713 (7%)
  14. 20187 (5%)
  15. 20199 (4%)
  16. 202011 (4%)
  17. 20219 (5%)
  18. 20227 (7%)
  19. 20232 (3%)
  20. 20241 (2%)
  21. 20252 (6%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Toyota Corolla have body and structure problems?
NHTSA has 52 owner complaints about the body and structure in the 2009 Toyota Corolla, 4% of all complaints for this model year, including 14 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 35,500 miles.
Which Toyota Corolla year has the most body and structure complaints?
The 2009 Toyota Corolla has the most body and structure complaints (52), compared with 52 for the 2009.
Is there a body and structure recall for the 2009 Toyota Corolla?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2009 Toyota Corolla concerns the body and structure: 16V396000.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.