NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 188 owner complaints for the 2021 Toyota Corolla.
Recalled components: air bags. Most-reported area: air bags (53 complaints, 28%).
One of the best Corolla years by owner complaints
The 2021 drew 49 owner complaints in its first three years, against 82 for a typical Corolla year since 2016. No open NHTSA investigation names it, and it has no recall telling owners not to drive or to park outside.
Years to avoid: 2010; best year: 2021. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.
NHTSA listing: COROLLA. Toyota campaign 23TA15, 23LA03.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2021 Toyota Corolla.
What owners report
Owners have filed 188 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Corolla. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Most named: adaptive cruise control (4); automatic emergency braking (3)
Unknown or other33 · 18%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Toyota Corolla recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2021 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2010 Corolla drew the most (592) and the 2021 drew 49.
Owner complaints
2021: 188 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Toyota Corolla
Model year
Complaints
2010
1,244
2011
585
2012
446
2013
201
2014
271
2015
220
2016
216
2017
190
2018
144
2019
206
2020
316
2021
188
2022
106
2023
74
2024
68
2025
34
2026
18
Safety recalls
2021: 1 recallTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Toyota Corolla
Model year
Recalls
2010
17
2011
9
2012
5
2013
5
2014
2
2015
1
2016
1
2017
3
2018
3
2019
6
2020
6
2021
1
2022
0
2023
4
2024
3
2025
1
2026
1
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: air bags (53), engine (41), electrical system (23). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2021 Toyota Corolla safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2021 Toyota Corolla earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2021 Toyota Corolla?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2021 Toyota Corolla.
How do I check if my Corolla has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Toyota dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: COROLLA.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.