IllustrationCAR IN STORAGE ENTERED VEHICLE SEAT BELT LOCKED IN PLACE WOULD NOT RETRACT. *TR
1993 Toyota Corolla
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1993 Toyota Corolla do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 129.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Corolla years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 12 of 130 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
39 crash reports5 fire reports29 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
14 reportsREAR SEAT BELT HAS A FAILURE THAT DOESN'T ALLOW THE BELT TO RETRACT BACK INTO IT'S HOLLISTER. AS A RESULT, THE BELT BECOMES INOPERATIVE. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
I HAD THE RECALL DONE ON MY CAR SEVERAL YEARS AGO ON THE SEAT BELT HARNESS. TEH FIRST SWITCH FAILED THAT WAS IN THE RECALL AND THEY REPLACED THAT ONE AT JIM BIAER IN FORT MADISON, IOWA AND NOW THE SWITCH ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WILL NOT WORK AT ALL I CAN HEAR IT CLICKING BUT IT IS INOPERATIVE. *AK
THE SEATBELT RETRACTORS DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE BELTS WILL GET STUCK SO THAT THE BUCKLE DOESNT REACH THE RECEIVER, AND THE OCCUPANT IS LEFT UNPROTECTED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT WHICH CAUSED BELT TO BE INOPERATIVE WHEN USED, LEAVING DRIVER WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF RESTRAINT IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED AND CONSUMER WAITED FOR A RESPONSE. ALSO SEEKING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK
MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR-END ACCIDENT WITH ENOUGH DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE TOYOTA TO TOTAL THE CAR. HER AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK IN THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS. SHE AND HER BOYFRIEND, WHO WAS IN THE FRONT RIGHT SEAT, WERE BOTH INJURED BECAUSE THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK, …
Read full complaint
MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR-END ACCIDENT WITH ENOUGH DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE TOYOTA TO TOTAL THE CAR. HER AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK IN THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS. SHE AND HER BOYFRIEND, WHO WAS IN THE FRONT RIGHT SEAT, WERE BOTH INJURED BECAUSE THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK, AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. AGAIN, CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS - AIR BAG AND BELTS DID NOT WORK. PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE.
NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY CONSUMER. 8MJS
REAR SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR ON DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S SIDES JAMMED ON 3 OR MORE OCCASIONS BECAUSE THE SLOT THROUGH WHICH THE BELT IS RETRACTED IS TOO SMALL. *AK
CHILD WAS IN REAR BACK PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT WHEN VEHICLE CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP, SEAT BELT CAME UNFASTENED. BELT DID HAVE A LOCKING CLIP ON IT. *AK
UPON IMPACT, DURING FRONTAL CRASH AT APPROX. 30MPH, 12:30 ON FRONT BUMPER, SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED TO RETRACT ENOUGH, DRIVER/ PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES WHEN HITTING STEERING WHEEL AND DASH. *AK
Official recalls
296V107000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
Jun 20, 1996
IF LIQUID IS SPILLED IN THE CONSOLE BOX AREA, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAN ILLUMINATE AND STAY "ON" DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS LEAKAGE CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE COVER OVER THE AIR BAG SENSOR TO PREVENT POSSIBLE MALFUNCTION CAUSED BY THE SPILLING OF LIQUID SUBSTANCES ON THE SENSOR. AIR BAG SENSORS DAMAGED BY PREVIOUS LIQUID SPILLAGE WILL BE REPLACED.
94V220000 · Electrical System:wiring
Nov 8, 1994
AN UNUSED HARNESS CONNECTOR FOR POWER WINDOWS, POWER DOOR LOCKS AND SUNROOF WAS IMPROPERLY ROUTED UNDER THE FLOOR CARPET IN THE LEFT KICK PANEL. IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS WHERE LARGE AMOUNTS OF ROAD SALTS ARE USED, THE SALT WATER OR SNOW CARRIED INTO THE VEHICLE BY THE DRIVER'S SHOES CAN PENETRATE THE CARPET AND DRIP ONTO THE CONNECTOR RESULTING IN THE FORMATION OF A SALT BRIDGE BETWEEN THE TERMINALS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAUSES AN ELECTRICAL SHORT INSIDE THE HARNESS, AND CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE UNUSED HARNESS CONNECTOR.
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
1EA97015 · Turn Signal Failures
Opened Jul 22, 1997 · Closed Sep 21, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
There is no summary currently available