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1981 Toyota Corolla

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 1 of 3 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Seat Belts. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Air. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

1 reports
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5,000 miles · Feb 10, 2010
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

I WAS DRIVING HOME AND OUTSIDE OF MY GARAGE I PUT MY CAR IN PARK AND GOT OUT AND OPENED OUR GARAGE DOOR, WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE IT SHOT ACROSS OUR GARAGE BREAKING STAIRS LEADING INTO OUR HOUSE, A WORKBENCH AND DID THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE TO MY TOYOTA COROLLA AND OUR HOUSE. THE SOUND OF THE TIRES SCREECHING WAS LIKE S…

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I WAS DRIVING HOME AND OUTSIDE OF MY GARAGE I PUT MY CAR IN PARK AND GOT OUT AND OPENED OUR GARAGE DOOR, WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE IT SHOT ACROSS OUR GARAGE BREAKING STAIRS LEADING INTO OUR HOUSE, A WORKBENCH AND DID THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE TO MY TOYOTA COROLLA AND OUR HOUSE. THE SOUND OF THE TIRES SCREECHING WAS LIKE SOMETHING ON A RACE TRACK. LUCKILY MY 8 YEAR DAUGHTER WAS ASLEEP ON THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR THEREFORE DID NOT GET OUT AND OPEN THE GARAGE DOOR, OTHERWISE SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN RUN OVER. I HAD TWO NEIGHBORS BY MY HOUSE ONE A LAWYER THE OTHER AN ENGINEER FOR BELL LABS AND BOTH AGREED MY CAR OVER ACCELERATED. I WAS TOLD TO CALL THE TOYOTA REGIONAL OFFICE TO REPORT THIS AND THE REGIONAL OFFICE IN PHILADELPHIA WAS EXTREMELY RUDE AND SAID I MUST HAVE STEPPED ON THE GAS. FIRST OF ALL STEPPING ON THE GAS WOULD NEVER HAVE MADE THE CAR GO AT THAT RATE OF SPEED. I THINK TOYOTA HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM A LONG TIME, MY BOSSES NEIGHBOR HAD THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPEN TO HIM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10308271

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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