IllustrationCoolant bypass valve broken
2021 Toyota Corolla
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2021 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: 25 of 185 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 52 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
18 crash reports2 fire reports10 injury reports
Engine complaints
40 reportsEngine maintenance required P268115 engine coolant bypass valve
The car shows the message “Engine Maintenance Required” that leads to the coolant bypass hose being bad.
The engine maintenance required sign popped up on my 2021 Toyota Corolla and took it to a dealer to get it diagnosed and they reported back it was the coolant bypass valve. They want 1,000$ to fix the issue even tho the person I was dealing with at the dealer shop said it’s happening to all the corollas from 30,000 miles to 50,0…
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The engine maintenance required sign popped up on my 2021 Toyota Corolla and took it to a dealer to get it diagnosed and they reported back it was the coolant bypass valve. They want 1,000$ to fix the issue even tho the person I was dealing with at the dealer shop said it’s happening to all the corollas from 30,000 miles to 50,000 miles .
Coolant bypass valve has failed. AutoNation Toyota in Cerritos has verified issue. This issue has caused potential engine overheating, engine maintenance required warning light has popped up in my vehicle, was told by AutoNation that my vehicle is not covered for this repair and I will have to pay out of pocket.
Vehicle: 2021 Toyota Corolla Apex, 2.0L Engine Component Failure: The Engine Coolant Bypass Valve (also called Water Valve) malfunctioned. Its plastic housing cracked and leaked coolant, corroding the electrical connector. This prevents proper electronic control of engine temperature. The failed component is available for inspe…
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Vehicle: 2021 Toyota Corolla Apex, 2.0L Engine Component Failure: The Engine Coolant Bypass Valve (also called Water Valve) malfunctioned. Its plastic housing cracked and leaked coolant, corroding the electrical connector. This prevents proper electronic control of engine temperature. The failed component is available for inspection if removed. Safety Risk: This issue poses a safety risk due to potential engine overheating. Overheating can lead to sudden loss of power or engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a collision, especially at high speeds. A roadside breakdown in unsafe conditions is also a risk. Confirmation: A Toyota dealership service center confirmed the problem, diagnosing it as a leaking coolant bypass valve requiring replacement. Inspection: The vehicle was inspected by a Toyota dealership technician. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. Warnings/Symptoms: The primary symptom was the "Engine Maintenance Required" message illuminating in the instrument cluster. This first appeared approximately [State how long ago, e.g., "3 weeks ago" or "at 45,000 miles"]. No other immediate symptoms like visible leaks or temperature fluctuations were initially noticed, though a leak was confirmed later.
My 2021 Corolla showed an ENGINE MAINTENANCE REQUIRED message. This message pertains to replacing the ENGINE COOLANT BYPASS VALVE - a common occurrence for the 2019-2023 corolla/rav4 models. I have seen multiple instances online of complaints of this same issue around the 50k-60k mark of the vehicle. This SHOULD be a RECALL due…
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My 2021 Corolla showed an ENGINE MAINTENANCE REQUIRED message. This message pertains to replacing the ENGINE COOLANT BYPASS VALVE - a common occurrence for the 2019-2023 corolla/rav4 models. I have seen multiple instances online of complaints of this same issue around the 50k-60k mark of the vehicle. This SHOULD be a RECALL due to how common the problem is. I’m here to add on to that TALLY of complaints that have already been submitted.
On my 2021 Toyota Corolla SE at 43k miles the “service engine needed” notification came on. As I’m researching it’s a known issue with these models and RAV4 models. The cooling valve is needing to be replaced and Toyota does not cover it costing us about $500-$700 at the dealership.
My 2021 Toyota Corolla's engine coolant bypass valve has shorted out once again. This is the second time this has happened in less than 40,000 miles. The vehicle has been inspected by two different dealers one two separate occurrences for the same issue, even after replacing the failed equipment.
My 2021 Toyota Corolla has 43k miles at this moment and the engine coolant bypass valve went out prematurely. There should be a recall on this part because a lot of people are having issues with this part on these cars at such low millage. Thanks
Official recalls
123V865000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification
Dec 20, 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.