RoadVitals

2001 Toyota Corolla Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Apr 29, 2016
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
9%
of 133 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2

What this page shows

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Toyota Corolla submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming body or structure

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Body & structure
Filed Apr 29, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DOOR HANDLE WAS REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN OIL CHANGE, THE MECHANIC OPENED THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND THE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE FRACTURED. THE DOOR HANDLE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,452.

NHTSA ID
10862168
Incident
Aug 17, 2005
Mileage
75,452 mi
AirbagsBody & structureOther / unspecified
Filed Dec 21, 2014
Crash reported1 injury reported

ON 4/22/2008 [XXX], THE OWNER OF A PT.CRUISER, HIT MY TOYOTA HEAD ON AFTER CROSSING THE CENTER LANE AND WAS DRIVING 35 MPH, WHILE I WAS ALMOST STOPPED ON FALLING WATER DRIVE IN EAGLE RIVER.. IT FLATTENED THE RIGHT FRONT AND LATER LEFT FRONT TIRE, AND BUMPER AND QUARTER PANELS ON THE LEFT. I FELT LIKE I HAD AN ELECTRIC SHOCK TO MY SPINE THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND MY SEAT BELT WAS ON. , I COULDN'T LIFT THE COMPACT SPARE TIRE TO CHANGE THE FLAT WITHOUT MY NECK HURTING. I HAD CHIROPRACTIC TREATMENT BUT MY NECK WAS STILL SORE . A YEAR LATER I WENT TO MY GP DR. BARNES AND HE ORDERED AN MRI. THE MRI SHOWED BLOWN DISCS AND /DR. BARNES ORDERED PT. PT. UNSUCCESSFUL AND WENT TO NEUROSURGEON DR. KRALICK . WHO SUGGESTED POSTERIOR CERVICAL. LAMINECTOMY AND SPINAL FUSION C-3-C7 AND HAD SAME 4-7-2010. UNFORTUNATELY I DEVELOPED SEROMA AND ABSCESS AT PROV. HOSPITAL. I CODED BLUE TWICE. I HAD MASSIVE DISABILITY AND WAS ALMOST PARALYZED BY THE INFECTION. I HAD MASSIVE REHAB AND MED EXPENSES IN EXCESS OF $500,000 I AM STILL RECOVERING 4 YEARS LATER AND HAVE TO TQKE FLEXIRIL AND PERKASET FOR PAIN. I HAVE PROFOUND NEUROPATHY IN MY FEET AND HANDS CRAMPING IN MY LEFT HIP, KNEE AND CALF AND SHARP PAIN AT THE SITE OF THE INCISION. IF THE AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED AS IT SHOULD, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN HURT SO BADLY IN MY SPINE.. *TR

NHTSA ID
10667472
Incident
Apr 22, 2008
Mileage
100,000 mi
Body & structureInterior & seats
Filed Jan 14, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES WERE BROKEN. THE CONTACT REPLACED ALL FOUR DOOR HANDLES THREE TIMES BUT THE FAILURES WERE RECURRING. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000. UPDATED 02/24/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLES BROKE OFF AT DIFFERENT MILEAGE INTERVALS AND WERE REPLACED BY HIM, ON ALL FOUR DOORS. UPDATED 02/24/14

NHTSA ID
10559968
Incident
Jan 12, 2011
Mileage
108,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Jul 7, 2012
Crash reported1 injury reported

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. HE WAS DRIVING A 2001 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF HIM WAS GOING SLOW-SO HE DECIDED TO PASS THE GUY. AS HE WAS DOING SO-THE TRUCK TURNED LEFT. MY HUSBAND HIT HIM HEAD-ON AND THEN THE CAR ROLLED ONTO ITS TOP. NEVER DID THE AIRBAGS GO OFF. FORTUNATELY HE HAD HIS SEATBELT ON. HE WAS TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO HOSPITAL. THE MOST DAMAGE HE RECEIVED WAS HIS LEFT HAND AND ARM WERE BADLY INJURED. HE STILL HAS TO HAVE SURGERY THIS NEXT WEEK. WHY DIDN'T THE AIRBAG DEPLOY? *TR

NHTSA ID
10464555
Incident
Jul 2, 2012
Mileage
180,000 mi
Body & structureInterior & seats
Filed Jun 6, 2011

THIS IS A 2001 TOYOTA COROLLA WITH 420,000 KM ON IT. IT WAS DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY ON SAT JUNE 4TH. ON JUNE 5TH WHILE APPROACHING 60 KM ON AN IN TOWN ROAD IN NEWMARKET ON THE FRONT HOOD RELEASED AND FLEW BACKWARD SMASHING THE WINDSHIELD AND DAMAGING THE HOOD, AND SOME OF THE CHASSIS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10404582
Incident
Jun 5, 2011
Mileage
420,000 mi
Body & structureElectricalEngine
Filed Feb 17, 2010

WE HAVE A 2001 TOYOTA COROLLA THAT WE PURCHASED IN JULY 2000 FROM DON MCGILL TOYOTA IN HOUSTON. IN NOV 2008 WE NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON EVERY MONTH AND SO I TOOK THE CAR TO AUTOZONE FOR A FREE DIAGNOSTIC TEST EACH TIME WITH THE RESULT SHOWING THAT THE CAR HAS AN ELECTRIC SHORT CIRCUIT PROBLEM. THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE TIMING CHAIN AND A PART CALLED A CAM. TO FIX THE PROBLEM IT WOULD COST ME AROUND 800 DOLLARS. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER DON MCGILL IN HOUSTON AND THEY SIMPLY IGNORED ME. I THEN CALLED UP TOYOTA IN CALIFORNIA AND THEY TOO IGNORED ME. THE RESULT IS I HAVE TO DO AN OIL CHANGE EVERY 1200 MILES AS THERE IS NO OIL IN THE ENGINE AFTER 1200 MILES. NORMALLY ONE WOULD HAVE AN OIL CHANGE DONE EVERY 3000 MILES. SO THE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON EVERY 1000 MILES INTERVALS. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY PEOPLE ON FORUMS ABOUT THE 2001 COROLLA, BUT TOYOTA NEVER BOTHERED FIXING. IN ADDITION TO THIS PROBLEM THE PLASTIC LINING AROUND OUR CAR WINDOWS, ON ALL FOUR DOORS HAS PEELED OFF. I REPORTED THIS TO THE TOYOTA DEALER LAST SPRING. THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS LINING PROBLEM AND YET THE DEALER IGNORED ME ON THIS. INSTEAD THEY ASKED ME TO COUGH UP $450 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IF THIS IS NOT A RIPOFF ON THE AMERICAN CITIZENS THEN WHAT IS? HERE ARE SOME URLS OF FORUMS, OF THE CHECK ENGINE PROBLEM ON THE 2001 COROLLA HTTP://WWW.COROLLAND.COM/FORUMS/INDEX.PHP?/TOPIC/18973-2001-COROLLA-CHECK-ENGINE-LIGHT-ISSUE/ HTTP://WWW.FIXYA.COM/CARS/T1082872-CHECK_ENGINE_LIGHT_2001_TOYOTA_COROLLA HTTP://WWW.TUNDRASOLUTIONS.COM/FORUMS/COROLLA-MATRIX/69501-2001-COROLLA-CHECK-ENGINE-P0446/ HTTP://WWW.2CARPROS.COM/FORUM/2001-TOYOTA-COROLLA-CHECK-ENGINE-LIGHT-IS-ON-VT126177.HTML THE SAME PROBLEM OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN REPORTED ON COROLLAS 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003,... WILL THE DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION ACT AGAINST TOYOTA AND HELP US FIX OUR CARS? *TR

NHTSA ID
10311542
Incident
Nov 1, 2008
Mileage
100,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Aug 17, 2008

PAINT STARTING TO FADE PROGRESSIVELY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10238577
Incident
Aug 17, 2008
Body & structure
Filed Aug 11, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE FRONT HOOD OF THE VEHICLE RELEASED, BLOCKING THE CONTACT'S VIEW OF THE HIGHWAY. THE HOOD SMASHED AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH CAUSED IT TO BEND OUT OF SHAPE AND BECOME DESTROYED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED AND THE ROOF ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD WAS ALSO DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 119,170.

NHTSA ID
10237674
Incident
Aug 11, 2008
Mileage
119,170 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 16, 2007

INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES: IN OCTOBER OF 2002, THE FRONT DRIVER-SIDE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE BROKE (THE SPRING INSIDE THE DOOR HANDLE BROKE THROUGH THE PLASTIC), AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE FRONT PASSENGER-SIDE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE BROKE. ABOUT A WEEK LATER THE DRIVER'S SIDE BACK SEAR DOOR HANDLE BROKE AS WELL. BOTH, DURING NORMAL USAGE OF OPENING THE DOOR. *NM

NHTSA ID
10182745
Incident
Jul 15, 2006
Body & structure
Filed Sep 6, 2005

DT: THE DASHBOARD HAS A BLACK BACKGROUND AND THE LETTERS ARE RED, AND WITH CERTAIN LIGHTING IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO READ. CAN'T SEE QUICKLY. HAS TO CONCENTRATE AND STUDY, WHICH TAKES THE CONSUMER'S EYES OFF THE ROAD. CONTACTED TOYOTA, THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. HOWEVER, ON 2005 MODELS THEY HAVE CHANGED IT BACK TO WHITE.*AK *JB

NHTSA ID
10132230
Incident
May 15, 2001
Mileage
2 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jun 7, 2003

INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES: IN OCTOBER OF 2002, THE FRONT DRIVER-SIDE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE BROKE (THE SPRING INSIDE THE DOOR HANDLE BROKE THROUGH THE PLASTIC), AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN MAY OF 2003, THE FRONT PASSENGER-SIDE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE BROKE (THE PLASTIC MOLDING AROUND THE DOOR HANDLE BROKE), THIS ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. BOTH DOOR HANDLES BROKE DURING NORMAL USAGE OF OPENING THE DOOR. *JB

NHTSA ID
10021213
Incident
May 24, 2003
Mileage
48,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jul 5, 2001

CURIOUS ABOUT THE INSIDE TRUNK RELEASE ON MY VEHICLE, ONE OF MY FRIENDS SAT IN THE TRUNK TO SEE IF HE COULD GET HIMSELF OUT. TO OUR SURPRISE, HE COULDN'T BECAUSE THE HANDLE WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO GLOW IN THE DARK DIDN'T BECAUSE IT IS ALMOST NEVER EXPOSED TO NATURAL LIGHT. I THINK THE GLOW IN THE DARK TRUNK RELEASE HANDLES ARE AN EXCELLENT IDEA AND A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BUT WITHOUT A METHOD TO KEEP THEM GLOWING (PERHAPS AN ELECTRIC LIGHT WHICH TURNS ON WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING), THEY ARE USELESS TO A PERSON TRAPPED INSIDE A TRUNK. YOU CAN CONTACT ME AT [email protected]. *AK

NHTSA ID
747907

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .