YearToAvoid

2019 Toyota Corolla Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2019 Toyota Corolla has a complaint index of 25 out of 21 model years, ranking 16th worst overall and earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Corolla years. NHTSA lists 202 complaints, 5 recalls, and a top problem area of Transmission & Powertrain (27% of complaints).

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
25/100
#16 of 21 Corolla years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
202
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
5
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
23
reported in complaints
Fires
1
Injuries
15
Top issue
Transmission & Powertrain
Best nearby year
2018
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
32.5
28.5 city / 37.5 hwy
Injuries / deaths
15 / 1

Top 2019 Toyota Corolla problems

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

  1. Transmission & Powertrain54 (27%)
  2. Engine50 (25%)
  3. Fuel System43 (21%)
  4. Other32 (16%)
  5. Airbags31 (15%)
  6. Electrical System20 (10%)
  7. Brakes16 (8%)
  8. Seat Belts9 (4%)
  9. Structure & Body9 (4%)
  10. Steering8 (4%)

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

What owners report

  • Owners report the brake hold feature disengaging on its own, allowing the car to roll and crash while unoccupied.
  • Some drivers say the brake pedal failed to stop the vehicle even when fully depressed, leading to rear-end collisions.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in multiple crashes, including rear-end and side-impact collisions.
  • Several owners describe the forward collision and pre-collision braking systems not activating despite an imminent crash.
  • One driver reported the steering wheel locking up while attempting to change lanes.
  • Owners also mention sudden loud noises with loss of steering control followed by acceleration or braking failure.
2019 Toyota Corolla complaints: complaints filed per quarter202019 Q12020 Q12021 Q12022 Q12023 Q12024 Q12025 Q12026 Q1
202 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2019 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2020 Q2 (20).

2019 Toyota Corolla recalls

5 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 20V012000Jan 13, 2020Fuel System1,830,752 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500, LX 570, RX 350L, and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla, and certain Lexus NX 300, and ES 350 vehicles on January 13, 2020. On March 4, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include certain 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser, 2018 Avalon, Corolla, 2014 FJ Cruiser, 2017 Sienna and Lexus 2018 ES 350, 2018-2019 GS 300, 2013-2014 GS350, 2014-2015 GX 460, IS 350 and LX 570, 2014 IS F, 2018-2019 IS 350, LC 500H and LS 500H, 2013-2015 LS 460, 2015 NX 200T and RC350, 2017 RC 200T and RX 350. Toyota also removed the 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser and 2018-2019 Lexus GX 460 and LX 570 and 2019 NX300 from inclusion in this recall. On March 19, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include 2015 Lexus GS350 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

    Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB02 and 20TA02 for Toyota vehicles and 20LB01 and 20LA01 for Lexus vehicles.

  3. NHTSA 19V503000Jun 28, 2019Other1,325 vehicles

    Equipment:other:labels

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

    Risk: An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. SET's number for this recall is SET19A.

See all 5 recalls for the 2019 Toyota Corolla →

2019 Toyota Corolla fuel economy and fuel cost

City
28.5 MPG
Highway
37.5 MPG
Combined
32.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,000
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.

2019 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
2017Good35178331
2018Best5134331
2019Good25202532.5
2020Caution70306333
2021Good40185133

All Toyota Corolla years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Toyota Corolla reliable?
Relative to other Corolla model years, the 2019 is rated "Good" with a complaint index of 25 and a rank of 16th worst out of 21 years tracked.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 Toyota Corolla?
NHTSA complaint data shows Transmission & Powertrain issues lead at 27% of complaints, followed by Engine problems at 25% and Fuel System issues at 21%.
Does the 2019 Toyota Corolla have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2019 Corolla, covering airbags, the fuel pump, a CVT torque converter issue on hatchback models, and two labeling corrections.
How does the 2019 Corolla compare to other years?
With a complaint index of 25, the 2019 Corolla ranks better than earlier years like 2009 (index 100) and 2010 (index 95), but not as low as 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024, or 2025, which are rated "Best."
What is the fuel economy of the 2019 Toyota Corolla?
EPA rates the 2019 Corolla at 32.5 mpg combined (28.5 city / 37.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,000.

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.