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1999 Toyota Corolla

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1999 Toyota Corolla do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 129.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
155Owner complaints

Model-year median: 129

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1999 Toyota Corolla

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 155 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Tires: 22 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 20 reports
  • Air Bags: 19 reports
  • Suspension: 14 reports
  • Vehicle Speed Control: 13 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    129
    1996    135
    1997    225
    1998    155
    1999    145
    2000    133
    2001    117
    2002
    Compare all Corolla years →

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

    What owners reported most

    Tires
    22    Engine And Engine Cooling
    20    Air Bags
    19    Suspension
    14    Vehicle Speed Control
    13
    All reported categories
    Structure
    10    Seat Belts
    9    Steering
    9    Visibility
    8    Exterior Lighting
    7    Latches/locks/linkages
    7    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    7    Electrical System
    6    Power Train
    6    Unknown Or Other
    6    Fuel System, Gasoline
    5    Equipment
    3    Fuel System, Other
    3    Seats
    3    Engine
    1    Interior Lighting
    1

    Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

    When problems were reported

    Mileage at the reported incident

    53 reports with mileage · 102 unknown

    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.

    • Tires. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Air Bags. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

    NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

    24 crash reports5 fire reports16 injury reports

    Power Train complaints

    6 reports
    Clear category filter
    112,063 miles · Jul 20, 2013
    Power Train

    I WAS DRIVING HOME AND EXITING THE HIGHWAY WHEN THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOUD CRACKLING NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. I CONTINUED HOME APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE, I THEN PARKED THE CAR CHECKED ALL FLUIDS, EVERYTHING WAS FINE. NEXT DAY I WAS DRIVING AND UPON ACCELERATION THE CAR HESITATED TO MOVE BUT AT A SLOW SPEED IT WENT ON. ANYHO…

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    I WAS DRIVING HOME AND EXITING THE HIGHWAY WHEN THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOUD CRACKLING NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. I CONTINUED HOME APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE, I THEN PARKED THE CAR CHECKED ALL FLUIDS, EVERYTHING WAS FINE. NEXT DAY I WAS DRIVING AND UPON ACCELERATION THE CAR HESITATED TO MOVE BUT AT A SLOW SPEED IT WENT ON. ANYHOW, AS I DROVE I NOTICED THAT UPON ACCELERATION IT WOULD QUIET, BUT ONCE I RELEASED THE PEDDLE THERE WAS A LOUD CRACKING SOUND, AND IT FINALLY STOPPED MOVING. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10525906

    45,000 miles · Feb 15, 2010
    Power TrainVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

    1999 TOYOTA COROLLA ACCELERATOR STUCK AND COULD NOT BE STOPPED EVEN WHEN APPLYING BRAKE. DRIVER DID NOT KNOW TO PLACE GEAR IN NEUTRAL. CRASHED INTO REAR OF PICKUP AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH TRIGGERING BOTH AIR BAGS. CAR WAS TOTALED AND DRIVER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. DRIVER FEMALE, AGE 85 WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR EVALUATION. NO SI…

    Read full complaint

    1999 TOYOTA COROLLA ACCELERATOR STUCK AND COULD NOT BE STOPPED EVEN WHEN APPLYING BRAKE. DRIVER DID NOT KNOW TO PLACE GEAR IN NEUTRAL. CRASHED INTO REAR OF PICKUP AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH TRIGGERING BOTH AIR BAGS. CAR WAS TOTALED AND DRIVER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. DRIVER FEMALE, AGE 85 WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR EVALUATION. NO SIGN OF MINI-STROKE. AT THAT TIME FLOOR MATS WERE SUSPECT. FLOOR MAT WAS IN PROPER PLACE. HOWEVER, DRIVER SUSPECTS STUCK ACCELERATOR. ACCORDING TO INSURANCE COMPANY, CAR HAS BEEN SOLD FOR PARTS AND NOT AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. ACCELERATOR HAD NOT STUCK PRIOR TO THIS EVENT. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10310575

    500 miles · Aug 16, 2005
    Power Train

    I HAD PURCHASED A 1999 TOYOTA COROLLA. SHORTLY AFTER BUYING IT, THE FRONT WHEELS BEGAN ROTATING IMPROPERLY. I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE, AND THEY SAID THE IMPROPER ROTATION OF THE WHEELS, WAS CAUSED BY AN IMPAIRMENT IN THE TRANSMISSION LINKAGE AND THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I GOT A SECOND OPINION, AND THE SAME DIAGNOSIS WA…

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    I HAD PURCHASED A 1999 TOYOTA COROLLA. SHORTLY AFTER BUYING IT, THE FRONT WHEELS BEGAN ROTATING IMPROPERLY. I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE, AND THEY SAID THE IMPROPER ROTATION OF THE WHEELS, WAS CAUSED BY AN IMPAIRMENT IN THE TRANSMISSION LINKAGE AND THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I GOT A SECOND OPINION, AND THE SAME DIAGNOSIS WAS FOUND. SINCE THEN, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, EVERY TIME I PASS A COROLLA OR PRISM FROM 1999 ON, THE MAJORITY OF THE FRONT WHEELS ARE NOT ROTATING SMOOTHLY AND HAVE A WOBBLE/IMBALANCE PROBLEM, WHICH LIKE MINE, I'M SURE IS A RESULT OF TRANSMISSION LINKAGE PROBLEMS. TOYOTA DENIES ANY DEFECT. I KNOW THERE IS, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN WATCHING NEW AND USED COROLLAS AND PRISMS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. I AM A TRUTHFUL AND HONEST CITIZEN, JUST TRYING TO HELP THE GENERAL PUBLIC. WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP OLD AND NEW CONSUMERS OF COROLLAS KNOW THIS. THIS IS REAL. *JB

    NHTSA ODI #10133124

    66,900 miles · Mar 22, 2004
    Power Train

    WHEN I WAS DRIVING MY 1999 TOYOTA COROLLA, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING. THEN WHEN I TRIED TO MAKE RIGHT TURN, I HEARD SOMETHING BROKE AND THE CAR COULDN'T MOVE. TOWED THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND FOUND THE LEFT TRANSAXLE WAS BROKEN. FORTUNATELY, THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON LOCAL STREET. IF IT WERE ON HIGHWAY, I COLD HAVE BEEN I…

    Read full complaint

    WHEN I WAS DRIVING MY 1999 TOYOTA COROLLA, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING. THEN WHEN I TRIED TO MAKE RIGHT TURN, I HEARD SOMETHING BROKE AND THE CAR COULDN'T MOVE. TOWED THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND FOUND THE LEFT TRANSAXLE WAS BROKEN. FORTUNATELY, THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON LOCAL STREET. IF IT WERE ON HIGHWAY, I COLD HAVE BEEN INJURIED.*AK

    NHTSA ODI #10062795

    Mileage unknown · Apr 2, 2003
    Power Train

    NUMBER 2 PISTON WASN'T COVERED UNDER POWERTRAIN WARRANTY.

    NHTSA ODI #10011764

    Mileage unknown · Mar 6, 2000
    Power Train

    WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 45 MPH CONSUMER TRIED TO CHANGE GEARS FROM 5 SPEED TO 4 SPEED, AND GEARS WOULD NOT SHIFT. CONSUMER HAD TO PUT ON EMERGENCY LIGHT TO AVOID BEING HIT BY ONCOMING VEHICLES. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #857949

    Recall campaigns

    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 ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.

    Go deeper into Toyota Corolla problems

    Toyota Corolla electrical problems →Toyota Corolla transmission problems →