YearToAvoid

2015 Toyota Corolla Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2015 Toyota Corolla has a complaint index of 45 and ranks 12th worst among 21 model years, earning a Good verdict. It has 219 complaints, 1 recall, and airbags are the top problem area with 56 complaints.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
45/100
#12 of 21 Corolla years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
219
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
1
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
60
reported in complaints
Fires
1
Injuries
50
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
2018
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
31.5
28.5 city / 36.5 hwy
Injuries / deaths
50 / 0

Top 2015 Toyota Corolla problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags56 (26%)
  2. Other37 (17%)
  3. Structure & Body34 (16%)
  4. Engine32 (15%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain30 (14%)
  6. Electrical System29 (13%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires22 (10%)
  8. Brakes20 (9%)
  9. Steering15 (7%)
  10. Fuel System11 (5%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Airbags sometimes failed to deploy in frontal or side-impact crashes, leaving occupants unprotected.
  • Side airbags occasionally deployed in crashes where impact was to the front of the vehicle, injuring a passenger.
  • Some owners reported sudden unintended acceleration while parking or braking, leading to low-speed collisions.
  • Steering wheels reportedly locked up or seized without warning while driving, causing loss of control.
  • Structural damage from side and rear impacts occurred without any airbag deployment.
2015 Toyota Corolla complaints: complaints filed per quarter122015 Q12016 Q32018 Q12019 Q32021 Q12022 Q32024 Q22025 Q4
219 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2015 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2015 Q3 (12).

2015 Toyota Corolla recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign 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.

2015 Toyota Corolla fuel economy and fuel cost

City
28.5 MPG
Highway
36.5 MPG
Combined
31.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,075
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.

2015 compared with other Corolla years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2013Good30201529
2014Caution50269232
2015Good45219131.5
2016Caution65214131.5
2017Good35178331

All Toyota Corolla years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Toyota Corolla reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2015 Corolla has a complaint index of 45 and ranks 12th worst out of 21 model years, giving it a Good verdict relative to other Corolla years.
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Toyota Corolla?
Airbags are the top problem area with 56 complaints (26% share) and 40 related crashes, followed by structure and body issues with 34 complaints and engine issues with 32 complaints.
Does the 2015 Toyota Corolla have any recalls?
NHTSA lists one recall for the 2015 Corolla, covering an airbag electronic control unit issue that could affect deployment during certain crashes; it is not a do-not-drive recall.
How does the 2015 Corolla compare to other Corolla years?
The 2015 model's complaint index of 45 is better than years like 2009 (100) and 2010 (95), but worse than the Best-rated 2018 (index 5) and 2022-2025 model years.
What is the fuel economy of the 2015 Toyota Corolla?
EPA rates the 2015 Corolla at 31.5 mpg combined (28.5 city / 36.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,075.

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.