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1985 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. 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.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

3 reports
104,000 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Unknown Or Other

ON MAY 23, 2003, I STOPPED AT VILLAGE SEVEN AMOCO, MY USUAL PLACE FOR CHECK UPS FOR MY VEHICLE. THE TEMPERATURE WAS RISING SLOWLY. I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS VERY LUCKY I STOPPED BECAUSE HAD I PROCEEDED FOR ANOTHER FEW MILES THE HEAD GASKET WOULD HAVE BLOWN. THEY INSTALLED A NEW THERMOSTADT, THE FIRST ONE I HAD EVER RECEIVED. THE FOL…

Read full complaint

ON MAY 23, 2003, I STOPPED AT VILLAGE SEVEN AMOCO, MY USUAL PLACE FOR CHECK UPS FOR MY VEHICLE. THE TEMPERATURE WAS RISING SLOWLY. I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS VERY LUCKY I STOPPED BECAUSE HAD I PROCEEDED FOR ANOTHER FEW MILES THE HEAD GASKET WOULD HAVE BLOWN. THEY INSTALLED A NEW THERMOSTADT, THE FIRST ONE I HAD EVER RECEIVED. THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY, MAY 28 WHEN I BACKED OUT OF MY DRIVEPLACE THERE WAS A PUFF OF WHITE SMOKE; FRIGHTENED I ONCE AGAIN WENT TO VILLAGE SEVEN AMOCO TO REPORT WHAT I HAD SEEN. JERRY CASH, SERVICE MANAGER, SAID THEY WILL HAVE TO LET THE CAR COOL OFF BEFORE CHECKING IT OUT. THE CAR SAT FOR ALMOST THREE HOURS BEFORE I WAS TOLD MY HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN, COST ESTIMATED AT $1600.00; I WAS OFFERED $50.00 FOR MY CAR. REFUSING TO HAVE ANYTHING DONE TO MY VEHICLE I LEFT. THERE WERE NOT ANY SIGNS OF ANY PROBLEMS AS I DROVE HOME. AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION AND OPINIONS I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH ANOTHER SERVICE STATION FOR A 'SECOND OPINION.' ON MAY 30TH I WAS TOLD BY CRAIG AT CRAIG'S AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SERVICE THAT THERE WERE ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR, NO PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAD GASKET. I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE BBB OF COLORADO SPRINGS, HAD MY COMPLAINT CONSIDERED AND WAS TOLD IN A FORM LETTER, DATED JUNE 6, 2003, "... YOUR COMPLAINT WAS CONSIDERED A LETTER OF EXPERIENCE RATHER THAN A COMPLAINT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS A CIVIL ISSUE AND THE BBB IS NOT A LEGAL OR ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. ...".

NHTSA ODI #10070361

Mileage unknown · Jun 22, 1998
Steering

HARD TO STEERING IN TRAFFIC, ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENT, DUE TO DEFECT IN THE POWER STEERING GEAR RACK AND PINION

NHTSA ODI #537175

Mileage unknown · Oct 16, 1996
Electrical SystemFuel System, GasolinePower Train

DEFECTIVE VC JOINTS, ALSO ELECTRICAL WIRES BURNED AND CARBURETOR PROBLEMS.. *AK

NHTSA ODI #509949

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

1

PE87057 · Igniter Assembly Failure

Opened Sep 10, 1987 · Closed Mar 30, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System

SUMMARY: TOYOTA RECOVERED SOME FAILED IGNITION CONTROL MODULES FROM THEFIELD. INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT A SOLDER JOINT IN THE POWER TRANSISTOROF THE MODULE WAS SUBJECT TO FAILURE. BECAUSE THE PART IS AN EMISSIONRELATED COMPONENT A VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS RECALL CAMPAIGN WAS CONDUCTED.THE PREDOMINANT MODE OF FAILURE IS AN INABILITY TO START THE ENGINE,ALTHOUGH A STALLED CONDITION CAN OCCUR WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING.SINCE THE REPORTED OCCURENCE OF ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES IS SMALL, AND THEREPAIR IS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE EMISSIONS RECALL CAMPAIGN, THELIKLEHOOD OF FURTHER ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES IS REMOTE.===

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