YearToAvoid

2014 Toyota Corolla Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

87/100

#3 most-complained of 16 Corolla years

The 2014 Toyota Corolla ranks 3rd worst of 16 model years, with a Complaint Index of 87 and 269 NHTSA complaints. Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 26% of complaints and 44 crashes, giving it an Avoid verdict relative to other Corolla years.

Complaints
269
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
64 / 3
Injuries / deaths
50 / 1
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
32
29 city / 36.5 hwy

Top 2014 Toyota Corolla problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags69 (26%)
  2. Electrical System59 (22%)
  3. Engine46 (17%)
  4. Other39 (14%)
  5. Structure & Body35 (13%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain26 (10%)
  7. Brakes22 (8%)
  8. Steering18 (7%)
  9. Seat Belts15 (6%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers15 (6%)

What owners report

  • Owners report frontal airbags failing to deploy in moderate-speed crashes, sometimes with seatbelts not locking correctly.
  • Some drivers describe sudden unintended acceleration at low speeds, causing the car to lurch into parked cars, fences, or trees.
  • Curtain airbags deployed in one crash while the driver's airbag failed to fire, leaving the driver to exit through the passenger side.
  • One owner reported the anti-lock brake system not engaging during a stop, followed by unintended acceleration into the vehicle ahead.
  • A steering wheel self-locked and prevented the ignition key from turning, requiring the owner to wiggle the wheel to free it.
2014 Toyota Corolla complaints: complaints filed per quarter242014 Q12015 Q32017 Q12018 Q32020 Q12021 Q42023 Q22024 Q4
371 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2014 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2014 Q4 (24).

2014 Toyota Corolla recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V024000Jan 17, 2020Airbags2,891,976 vehicles

    Air bags: air bag/restraint control module

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.

    Risk: In the event of a crash, air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners that do not deploy as intended may increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk beginning March 2, 2020. A second letter notifying owners of the remedy repair will be mailed between March 16, 2020 and June 27, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB03, 20TA03 and 20TA05.

  2. NHTSA 13V505000Oct 17, 2013Visibility & Wipers9,795 vehicles

    Visibility:windshield wiper/washer:switch/wiring

    Toyota Motor Engineering & manufacturing North America, Inc. (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Camry and Camry HV, model year 2013 Avalon and Avalon HV and model year 2014 Corolla vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the windshield wiper switch assembly may short circuit. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, No. 104, "Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems."

    Risk: A short circuit could cause inoperative windshield wipers, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiper switch assembly, free of charge. The recall began on November 8, 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

2014 Toyota Corolla fuel economy and fuel cost

City
29 MPG
Highway
36.5 MPG
Combined
32 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,050
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2014 compared with other Corolla years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2012Caution73446529
2013Caution53201529
2014Avoid87269232
2015Caution60219131.5
2016Caution67214131.5

All Toyota Corolla years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 Toyota Corolla reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2014 Corolla ranks 3rd worst among 16 model years, with a Complaint Index of 87 and an Avoid verdict relative to other years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2014 Toyota Corolla?
Airbags are the top problem area, making up 26% of the 269 complaints, tied to 44 crashes and a median failure mileage of 41,000 miles.
Does the 2014 Toyota Corolla have an airbag recall?
Yes. NHTSA recall 20V024000 covers 2011-2019 Corolla vehicles for an airbag electronic control unit issue that can affect deployment in certain crashes.
How many recalls does the 2014 Toyota Corolla have?
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2014 Corolla: one for airbags (20V024000) and one for a wiper switch assembly (13V505000).

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.