IllustrationFOURTH CYLINDER WAS DAMAGED BY A LOOSE VALVE, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE. DAMAGE MANIFESTED AS I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND REACCELERATING. CAR BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN, STEERING WHEEL BECAME RIGID, A CLOUD OF SMOKE CAME OUT, AND THE CAR JUST DIED.*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 reportsMY HUSBAND WAS STRUCK ON THE DRIVERS FRONT SIDE AND FRONT OF CAR, CAUSING THE WHOLE FRONT END TO BE SMASHED IN, INCLUDING THE FIRE BERECADE WALL. WHEN HIT, AIR BAG IN THE CAR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING HIM TO HIT THE WINDOW. *AK
THIS VEHICLE HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHEN SHIFTING TRANSMISSION IT GETS STUCK IN BETWEEN GEARS. VEHICLE HAS TO BE PULLED TO THE SIDE, AND SIT BEFORE IT CAN BE PLACED INTO A GEAR. TOYOTA HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
VEHICLE WAS TURNING A CORNER WHEN THE AXLE BROKE AT THE THREAD AREA THIS CAUSED THE WHEEL TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE THE VEHICLE BEING HELD ON BY ONLY THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY. IF THE VEHICLE HAD BE GOING FASTER THIS COULD OF BEEN A DISASTER
DEALER TOLD ME THAT EXHAUST MANIOLD CRACK WAS VERY COMMON WITH 1993 TOYOTA COROLLA. EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACK CAUSES INPROPER AIR MIXTURE AND EXCESSIVE AIR POLUTION. CASUES IMPROPER AIR/FUEL RATIO IN CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND DANGEROUS EXHAUST FUMES IN CAR'S PASSANGER COMPARTMENT.
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
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT REMAINING ON. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND REPAIRS WAS MADE AT CONSUMER'S COST. PROBLEM REOCCURRED. VEHICLE TAKEN BACK TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS, PROBLEM HAS NOT RETURNED SINCE. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT OWNER'S COST. *AK *ML
TAIL LIGHTS KEEP BURNING OUT EVERY 5,000 MILES. PROBLEM KEEPS REOCCURRING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
POWER WINDOW REGULATOR CABLE ASSEMBLY BROKE ON TWO OCCASIONS. *MJS
RED AIRBAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE AIRBAG MAY NOT COME OUT IN AN ACCIDENT. *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