IllustrationTHE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 40 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
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
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: 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 reportsVEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 50MPH AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED IMPROPERLY, AND KNOCKED DRIVER'S HEAD THROUGH SIDE WINDOW. GAS FROM THE AIRBAG IGNITED A FIRE ON THE DRIVER'S SWEAT SHIRT. MANUFACTURER SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. *AK
I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT GOING APPROX 50 MILES AN HOUR, FRONAL IMPACT. NEITHER OF THE AIRBAGS IN THE FRONT CAME OUT. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY INVESTIGATED THE CAR BUT THEY WILL NOT CONTACT ME AND LET ME KNOW WHAT THEIR INVESTIGATION TURNED UP. I HAVE CONTACTED THEM SEVERAL TIMES BUT THEY KEEP GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND.
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIRBAG RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT/INJURIES.
WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
DURING FRONTAL IMPACT AT 50MPH, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.700765 DUP OF 822156; POSTED ON 09-07-1999. *AK
NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DURING A COLLISION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING NOTICED THAT A VEHICLE WAS BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY, DID NOT HAVE TIME TO HIT THE BRAKES AND WENT RIGHT INTO THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. 523377 DUPLICATE OF 815096, POSTED ON 03-NOV-98. *AK
NON DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DURING A CRASH. *AK
WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR LEAKED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT.
Official recalls
0No 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
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