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1996 Toyota Corolla

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 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

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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: 15 of 129 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 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

31 crash reports13 fire reports21 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

32 reports
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46,797 miles · Jun 14, 2017
Air Bags

FEB 14, 2012, WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON PANEL. DROVE IMMEDIATELY TO CAPITOL AUTO SERVICE, 94-422 UKEE STREET, WAIPAHU, HI 96797 AND SPOKE WITH OWNER, MR. FOX TO ASK WHAT PROBLEM WAS.(CONTACT PH-(808) 676-1888. AFTER INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THE PROBLEM WAS THE AIRBAG AND THAT IT WOULD NEED TO BE RESOLVED IN ORDER TO OBTAI…

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FEB 14, 2012, WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON PANEL. DROVE IMMEDIATELY TO CAPITOL AUTO SERVICE, 94-422 UKEE STREET, WAIPAHU, HI 96797 AND SPOKE WITH OWNER, MR. FOX TO ASK WHAT PROBLEM WAS.(CONTACT PH-(808) 676-1888. AFTER INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THE PROBLEM WAS THE AIRBAG AND THAT IT WOULD NEED TO BE RESOLVED IN ORDER TO OBTAIN UPCOMING SAFETY INSPECTION. AFTER MUCH DIFFICULTY, HE WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN AN AIRBAG WHICH WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. INVOICE #2004, DATED FEB. 21, 2012. AMOUNT PAID $948.90. TO DATE, MY VEHICLE IS STILL NOT ON RECALL LIST. I RECENTLY LEARNED THAT TAKATA HAD KNOWLEDGE OF THE DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS 10 YEARS AGO AND DID NOT DISCLOSE THIS INFORMATION. MY CLAIM IS BE REIMBURSED FOR THOSE MONIES PAID ($948.90) WHEN VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE RECALL LIST AND I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE AIRBAG IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A SAFETY CHECK AND BE ABLE TO OPERATE MY VEHICLE ON OUR ROADWAY.. I AM ABLE TO EMAIL YOU A PHOTO COPY OF THE INVOICE USING MY CELL PHONE IF YOU REQUIRE SAME. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ODI #10995155

115,000 miles · Feb 4, 2007
Air BagsCrashInjury

AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING VIOLENT COLLISION. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10181551

115,000 miles · Feb 4, 2007
Air BagsCrashInjury

MY TOYOTA COROLLA (1996) WAS TOTALED IN A RECENT CRASH -- BUT THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY! *JB

NHTSA ODI #10181549

Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 2003
Air BagsCrash

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAREND COLLISION AT 35 MPH AND BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10037812

120,000 miles · Jul 3, 2003
Air BagsCrashInjury

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A MINOR ACCIDENT AND THERE WAS A DELAY WITH THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYING, WHICH CAUSED INJURIES TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER. *AK *CB

NHTSA ODI #10022171

Mileage unknown · Jan 11, 2002
Air BagsCrash

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 20 MPH, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY MECHANIC, VEHICLE SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO FRONT END. NO INJURIES.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8002055

Mileage unknown · Sep 27, 2001
Air BagsCrash

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION OF 50-60 MPH WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #896966

Mileage unknown · Nov 8, 2000
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #735971

Mileage unknown · Oct 26, 2000
Air BagsElectrical SystemCrashFire

I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT 10/23/00, IN WHICH I HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM BEHIND. I WAS DRIVING AT 45MPH. MY AIR BAGS FAILED TO GO OFF. LUKILY, I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT. THE ESTIMATED DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE IS OVER $6,000, WHICH IS MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH. ALSO, IN FEB. OF THIS YEAR, WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, ANOTHER DRIVER INFO…

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I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT 10/23/00, IN WHICH I HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM BEHIND. I WAS DRIVING AT 45MPH. MY AIR BAGS FAILED TO GO OFF. LUKILY, I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT. THE ESTIMATED DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE IS OVER $6,000, WHICH IS MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH. ALSO, IN FEB. OF THIS YEAR, WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, ANOTHER DRIVER INFORMED ME MY LEFT TAIL LIGHT WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE CAUSED MY ALTERNATOR TO BLOW, AND THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER, THEY COULDN'T FIND THE CAUSE. I TOOK MY CAR TO A TOYOTA DEALER, AND NOT ONLY COULD THEY NOT FIND THE CAUSE, BUT THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THAT HAPPENING BEFORE. AFTER TOWING FEES, BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, ALL NEW FUSES, TAIL LIGHT AND WIRE HARNESS I SPENT $500.*AK

NHTSA ODI #735157

Mileage unknown · Jul 7, 2000
Air BagsCrashInjury

I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE (PARALLEL, SIDE OF THE ROAD) WHEN I WAS STRUCK BY A CROWN VICTORIA GOING AT LEAST 50MPH. THE IMPACT CAUSED THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY CROLLA TO FOLD, ACCORDIAN STYLE, AND RESULTED IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF THE VEHICLE. NEITHER THE DRIVER SIDE NOR PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I WAS WEARING…

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I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE (PARALLEL, SIDE OF THE ROAD) WHEN I WAS STRUCK BY A CROWN VICTORIA GOING AT LEAST 50MPH. THE IMPACT CAUSED THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY CROLLA TO FOLD, ACCORDIAN STYLE, AND RESULTED IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF THE VEHICLE. NEITHER THE DRIVER SIDE NOR PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT, SO ONLY MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #725081

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

EA97015 · 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

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