YearToAvoid

2019 Toyota Yaris Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

50/100

#8 most-complained of 15 Yaris years

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

The 2019 Toyota Yaris has a complaint index of 50, ranking 8th worst among 15 model years, and carries a Caution verdict. It has 26 complaints, 3 recalls, one fire, and one crash, with Engine as the top problem area.

Complaints
26
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
1 / 1
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
34
30 city / 39 hwy

Top 2019 Toyota Yaris problems

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

  1. Engine10 (38%)
  2. Electrical System9 (35%)
  3. Fuel System7 (27%)
  4. Other5 (19%)
  5. Steering5 (19%)
  6. Brakes2 (8%)
  7. Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (4%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (4%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers1 (4%)

What owners report

  • Engine compartment fires reported, including one case where fire broke out shortly after the vehicle was parked.
  • Unintended acceleration reported even with the brake pedal depressed, in one case leading to a crash into a tree and a house.
  • New vehicles stalling in traffic with warning lights illuminating shortly after purchase, sometimes at very low mileage.
  • Steering or alignment problems causing the car to feel like it is drifting or sliding sideways, reported at very low mileage around 1,000 to 1,100 miles.
  • Electrical system issues including sudden pulling or straining noises and check engine lights paired with jerking during acceleration and braking.
  • Fuel system problems causing the car to stall in hot weather and fail to restart until it cooled down.
2019 Toyota Yaris complaints: complaints filed per month3Jan 2019Aug 2019Nov 2020Jul 2021Nov 2021Apr 2022Sep 2023Jul 2024
41 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2019 to Jul 2024; peak Jan 2019 (3).

2019 Toyota Yaris recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V617000Sep 27, 2021Fuel System31,307 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Yaris, Yaris Hatchback, and Yaris Sedan vehicles. An impeller within the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.

    Risk: A fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 30, 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 21TB05 and 21TA05.

  2. 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.

  3. NHTSA 19V244000Mar 27, 2019Other3,634 vehicles

    Equipment:other:labels

    Gulf States Toyota (GST) is recalling certain 2019 C-HR, 4Runner, Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, Land Cruiser, Prius, RAV4, Sequoia, Tacoma, Sienna, Tundra and Yaris vehicles. The text on the load capacity label may become illegible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

    Risk: If the driver cannot read the label, they may unknowingly overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GST will notify owners, and dealers will provide corrected load carrying capacity modification labels, free of charge. The recall began May 24, 2019. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 19R1.

2019 Toyota Yaris fuel economy and fuel cost

City
30 MPG
Highway
39 MPG
Combined
34 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$1,900
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 Yaris years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2017Good4315333.5
2018No verdict214133.5
2019Caution5026334
2020Best149134.5

All Toyota Yaris years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Toyota Yaris reliable compared to other Yaris years?
It ranks 8th worst out of 15 model years tracked, with a complaint index of 50 and a Caution verdict, putting it in the middle of the pack rather than among the worst or best years.
What is the top problem area for the 2019 Toyota Yaris?
Engine complaints lead with 10 reports, making up 38% of all complaints for the year, including a case involving an engine compartment fire.
Does the 2019 Toyota Yaris have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2019 Yaris, covering a fuel pump impeller issue and two separate load-carrying capacity label corrections; none are do-not-drive recalls.
What year Toyota Yaris should I avoid?
According to NHTSA data, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 carry Avoid verdicts with complaint indexes as high as 100, making them worse than the 2019 model, which is rated Caution.
What is the fuel economy of the 2019 Toyota Yaris?
EPA rates the 2019 Yaris at 34 mpg combined (30 city / 39 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $1,900.

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.