IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER CAN SMELL STRONG CHEMICAL FUMES THROUGHOUT VEHICLE. IT COULD CAUSE CONSUMER TO HAVE HEALTH PROBLEMS.*AK
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
What owners actually said
130 reportsTHE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. AFTER WAITING TWO HOURS THE RECEPTIONIST TOLD HIM THERE WERE NO SPARE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL. (96V107000) *YH *SCC
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES FUSE FAILURES INTERMITTENLY, DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. *MJ
WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY VEHICLE REVVED OUT OF CONTROL. *AK
IN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF I HAVE HAD THREE HANDLES BREAK ON MY 1993 COROLLA. ONE HANDLE JUST HAS A HOLE IN THE PLASTIC, BUT TWO OTHERS ACTUALLY BROKE OFF RENDERING THE DOORS INOPERABLE. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT A YEAR AGO. THE RIGHT REAR HANDLE JUST FELL OFF IN MY NIECE'S HAND WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR. …
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IN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF I HAVE HAD THREE HANDLES BREAK ON MY 1993 COROLLA. ONE HANDLE JUST HAS A HOLE IN THE PLASTIC, BUT TWO OTHERS ACTUALLY BROKE OFF RENDERING THE DOORS INOPERABLE. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT A YEAR AGO. THE RIGHT REAR HANDLE JUST FELL OFF IN MY NIECE'S HAND WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR. BECAUSE THE DOOR MUST BE TAKEN APART TO REPLACE THE PLASTIC HANDLE, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE COST FOR THE REPAIR IS APPROX. $250.00. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURED ONLY A MONTH OR TWO LATER. THE INSIDE DRIVER'S HANDLE BROKE OFF AS I ATTEMPTED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. THIS WAS ABOUT A $75.00 REPAIR THAT I HAD TO MAKE IMMEDIATELY. IT SCARES ME THO THINK OF BEING TRAPPED IN THE CAR WITH A BROKEN DOOR HANDLE. I HAVE YET TO FIX THE RIGHT REAR HANDLE BECAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE COST . SOMETHING HAS TO BE WRONG WITH THE PLASTIC THEY USED. NO ONE I KNOW HAS EVER HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
THREE TIMES ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED, WITH THE SECOND AND THIRD BEING ONLY 2 YEARS APART!*AK
AIR BAG LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. DEALERSHIP PREVIOUSLY CHECKED VEHICLE FOR ANY APPLICABLE RECALLS AND FOUND NO INFORMATION ON COMPUTER SYSTEM. HOWEVER, WITHIN THE PAST TWO WEEKS CONSUMER RECEIVED A FOLLOW-UP RECALL 96V107000 NOTICE. *AK CONSUMER INFORMED DEALER OF RECALL NOTICE RECEIVED, DEALER EXPLAINED THEY …
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AIR BAG LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. DEALERSHIP PREVIOUSLY CHECKED VEHICLE FOR ANY APPLICABLE RECALLS AND FOUND NO INFORMATION ON COMPUTER SYSTEM. HOWEVER, WITHIN THE PAST TWO WEEKS CONSUMER RECEIVED A FOLLOW-UP RECALL 96V107000 NOTICE. *AK CONSUMER INFORMED DEALER OF RECALL NOTICE RECEIVED, DEALER EXPLAINED THEY DID NOT FIND RECALL BECAUSE OF NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM, DEALER ORDERED THE AIR BAG SENSOR PART, CONSUMER HAS APPOINTMENT TO HAVE RECALL REPAIRS. *TT
CONSUMER NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. A PRIVATE MECHANIC EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THERE WAS A CRACK IN FUEL TANK NEAR HEAT SHIELD FOR EXHAUST SYSTEM THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR LEAK. REPAIR SHOP WAS REPLACING FUEL TANK TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PARTS WERE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. PLEASE PROVI…
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CONSUMER NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. A PRIVATE MECHANIC EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THERE WAS A CRACK IN FUEL TANK NEAR HEAT SHIELD FOR EXHAUST SYSTEM THAT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR LEAK. REPAIR SHOP WAS REPLACING FUEL TANK TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PARTS WERE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS.*AK
DURING FRONT END COLLISION, @25-30 MPH, DRIVER'S AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. CAR WAS TOTALED OR NEAR TOTALED (YET TO BE DETERMINED) *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