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1997 Toyota Corolla

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Toyota Corolla do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 129.

About this comparison →
135Owner complaints

Model-year median: 129

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
172
1994176
1995129
1996135
1997225
1998155
1999145
2000
Compare all Corolla years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Seat Belts
38Air Bags
29Vehicle Speed Control
9Service Brakes, Hydraulic
8Electrical System
7
All reported categories
Structure
7Tires
7Power Train
6Steering
5Engine And Engine Cooling
4Visibility
4Fuel System, Gasoline
3Latches/locks/linkages
3Unknown Or Other
3Seats
2Suspension
2Wheels
2Child Seat
1Equipment
1Exterior Lighting
1Interior Lighting
1Service Brakes
1

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: 21 of 135 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.

  • Seat Belts. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

22 crash reports5 fire reports16 injury reports

Tires complaints

7 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 2011
TiresCrash

1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, UNIT WAS WESTBOUND IN THE CENTER LANE. UNIT 1 HAD AN EQUIPMENT FAILURE WITH THE REAR TIRES. UNIT 1 ATTEMPTED TO PULL ONTO THE RIGHT BERM BUT LOST CONTROL DUE TO THE EQUIPMENT FAILURE. UNIT 1 WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY STRUCK THE GUARDRAIL, AND SPUN TO REST IN THE CENTER LANE. *BF ACCORDING …

Read full complaint

1997 TOYOTA COROLLA, UNIT WAS WESTBOUND IN THE CENTER LANE. UNIT 1 HAD AN EQUIPMENT FAILURE WITH THE REAR TIRES. UNIT 1 ATTEMPTED TO PULL ONTO THE RIGHT BERM BUT LOST CONTROL DUE TO THE EQUIPMENT FAILURE. UNIT 1 WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY STRUCK THE GUARDRAIL, AND SPUN TO REST IN THE CENTER LANE. *BF ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, WHEN THE OFFICER ARRIVED ON THE SCENE THE REAR TIRES WERE COMPLETELY DEFLATED AND SEPARATED FROM THE RIM. IT WAS UNKNOWN AS TO WHAT CAUSED THE REAR TIRES TO DEFLATE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0044-91. *JB UPDATED 03/21/11 *BF

NHTSA ODI #10388768

Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 2006
Tires

DOUGLAS P185/65R14BL XTRAC TIRE - TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE ON THE INSIDE OF RIGHT FRONT DRIVERS SIDE. TIRES PURCHASED AT WALMART, ALTHOUGH UNDER WARRANTY, WALMART CLAIMS THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10152105

Mileage unknown · Sep 23, 2002
Tires

WHILE TRAVELING ON FREEWAY, TIRE EXPLODED. TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE AND BLEW ACROSS FREEWAY. COULD BARELY DRIVE TO GET ONTO SHOULDER. METAL FROM INSIDE TIRE SCRAPED PAINT OFF SIDE OF MY CAR AND THE FLYING RUBBER DISLODGED MY REAR BUMPER. NLM

NHTSA ODI #767629

Mileage unknown · Aug 29, 2000
Tires

THE GOODYEAR TIRE ON THE VEHICLE SEPERATED WHILE DRIVING, THE TREAD GOT CAUGHT UP INTO THE REAR AXLE CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND ACCIDENT. *MJS

NHTSA ODI #554121

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Tires

TIRE SIDEWALL FAILED (GOODYEAR) CAUSING FLAT TIRE.( INVICTA GS ) ( P175/65R14 ). *YC

NHTSA ODI #607732

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Tires

SIDEWALL BLISTER AND CUT RESULTING IN TIRE FAILURE ON TWO OCCASIONS.

NHTSA ODI #607042

Mileage unknown · Jun 17, 1997
Tires

WHEEL CYLINDER REPLACED DUE TO BRAKE LIGHT STAYING ON.

NHTSA ODI #603366

Official recalls

1

97V043001 · Air Bags

Mar 20, 1997

IF THE AIR BAG COMPUTER IN A SUBJECT VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A MECHANICAL SHOCK (I.E., RAPIDLY MOVING THE FRONT SEAT BACK AGAINST THE STOPS OR A SUDDEN RELEASE OF THE PARKING BRAKE) WITHIN A VERY SHORT TIME AFTER THE ENGINE IS STARTED, THE AIR BAG CAN DEPLOY INADVERTENTLY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE AIR BAG COMPUTER.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Toyota Corolla problems

Toyota Corolla electrical problems →Toyota Corolla transmission problems →