MYRModel Year Report

1997 Toyota Corolla

● Typical for this model
1997 Toyota Corolla
RENDERED 2026-11-01T12:41:10.965Z

This year's complaint volume is within 30% of this model's typical year.

This verdict reflects complaint volume compared to this model's typical year. Recalls and safety issues below apply regardless of the verdict — always check them.

How is this computed?

Complaints
135
Recalls
6

Campaigns on file for 1997

Investigations
0

None on file

Top problem
Seat belts

28% of complaints

Complaints per year

1980: 2 complaints 1980 1981: 3 complaints 1982: 5 complaints 1983: 1 complaint 1984: 6 complaints 1985: 3 complaints 1986: 3 complaints 1986 1987: 14 complaints 1988: 26 complaints 1989: 23 complaints 1990: 27 complaints 1991: 73 complaints 1992: 65 complaints 1993: 134 complaints 1994: 184 complaints 1995: 176 complaints 1996: 129 complaints 1997: 135 complaints 1997 135 1998: 225 complaints 1999: 155 complaints 2000: 145 complaints 2001: 133 complaints 2002: 117 complaints 2003: 721 complaints 2004: 477 complaints 2004 2005: 854 complaints 2006: 840 complaints 2007: 836 complaints 2008: 314 complaints 2009: 1,459 complaints 2010: 1,244 complaints 2010 2011: 584 complaints 2012: 446 complaints 2013: 201 complaints 2014: 270 complaints 2015: 220 complaints 2016: 215 complaints 2016 2017: 178 complaints 2018: 136 complaints 2019: 204 complaints 2020: 310 complaints 2021: 188 complaints 2022: 100 complaints 2022 2023: 73 complaints 2024: 65 complaints 2025: 31 complaints 2026: 18 complaints
1980: 2 complaints 1980 1981: 3 complaints 1982: 5 complaints 1983: 1 complaint 1983 1984: 6 complaints 1985: 3 complaints 1986: 3 complaints 1986 1987: 14 complaints 1988: 26 complaints 1989: 23 complaints 1989 1990: 27 complaints 1991: 73 complaints 1992: 65 complaints 1992 1993: 134 complaints 1994: 184 complaints 1995: 176 complaints 1996: 129 complaints 1997: 135 complaints 1997 135 1998: 225 complaints 1999: 155 complaints 2000: 145 complaints 2001: 133 complaints 2001 2002: 117 complaints 2003: 721 complaints 2004: 477 complaints 2004 2005: 854 complaints 2006: 840 complaints 2007: 836 complaints 2007 2008: 314 complaints 2009: 1,459 complaints 2010: 1,244 complaints 2010 2011: 584 complaints 2012: 446 complaints 2013: 201 complaints 2013 2014: 270 complaints 2015: 220 complaints 2016: 215 complaints 2016 2017: 178 complaints 2018: 136 complaints 2019: 204 complaints 2019 2020: 310 complaints 2021: 188 complaints 2022: 100 complaints 2022 2023: 73 complaints 2024: 65 complaints 2025: 31 complaints 2025 2026: 18 complaints
1980: 2 complaints 1980 1981: 3 complaints 1982: 5 complaints 1982 1983: 1 complaint 1984: 6 complaints 1984 1985: 3 complaints 1986: 3 complaints 1986 1987: 14 complaints 1988: 26 complaints 1988 1989: 23 complaints 1990: 27 complaints 1990 1991: 73 complaints 1992: 65 complaints 1992 1993: 134 complaints 1994: 184 complaints 1994 1995: 176 complaints 1996: 129 complaints 1997: 135 complaints 1997 135 1998: 225 complaints 1999: 155 complaints 2000: 145 complaints 2000 2001: 133 complaints 2002: 117 complaints 2002 2003: 721 complaints 2004: 477 complaints 2004 2005: 854 complaints 2006: 840 complaints 2006 2007: 836 complaints 2008: 314 complaints 2008 2009: 1,459 complaints 2010: 1,244 complaints 2010 2011: 584 complaints 2012: 446 complaints 2012 2013: 201 complaints 2014: 270 complaints 2014 2015: 220 complaints 2016: 215 complaints 2016 2017: 178 complaints 2018: 136 complaints 2018 2019: 204 complaints 2020: 310 complaints 2020 2021: 188 complaints 2022: 100 complaints 2022 2023: 73 complaints 2024: 65 complaints 2024 2025: 31 complaints 2026: 18 complaints 2026

1997: 135 complaints

View as data table
YearComplaints
19802
19813
19825
19831
19846
19853
19863
198714
198826
198923
199027
199173
199265
1993134
1994184
1995176
1996129
1997135
1998225
1999155
2000145
2001133
2002117
2003721
2004477
2005854
2006840
2007836
2008314
20091,459
20101,244
2011584
2012446
2013201
2014270
2015220
2016215
2017178
2018136
2019204
2020310
2021188
2022100
202373
202465
202531
202618

Known problem areas

Percentages can add to more than 100% — a complaint can name more than one system.

Seat belts

28% · 38 reports

Most commonly citing retractor and anchorage.

FIREINJURY
Show complaint excerpts

Driver's seat belt will not come out of holder often, must pull repeatedly to get unit to release. Once you get the seat belt on it locks often making it impossible for me to turn to see rear traffic. ?

NHTSA ODI report, 2004-03-15

The front seat belt wires part of rubbed together untill the seat belt caught on fire. The seat belt has a defect in it. This report is from a fire fighter.

NHTSA ODI report, 1997-02-03

Air bags

21% · 29 reports

Most commonly citing frontal.

CRASHINJURY
Show complaint excerpts

Tl*the contact owned a 1997 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle was crashed from the rear and later spun out of control. The air bags did not deploy.

NHTSA ODI report, 2015-03-03

The consumer tried to avoid hitting another vehicle and crashed, and the air bags failed to deploy.

NHTSA ODI report, 2003-04-22

After turning the ignition switch the driver's and passenger's air bags deployed without warning, causing the vehicle to become filled with smoke. Please describe further details.

NHTSA ODI report, 1997-02-10

Vehicle speed control

7% · 9 reports

Most commonly citing linkages.

CRASHINJURY

Service brakes

7% · 9 reports

Most commonly citing hydraulic.

CRASHINJURY
Show complaint excerpts

Driving on sh 79 freehold boro when attempting to apply brakes to stop and make turn pedal went all the way to the floor without any warning and failed to stop vehicle.

NHTSA ODI report, 2013-07-20

Power train

5% · 7 reports

Most commonly citing automatic transmission and axle shaft.

Safety timeline

6 recalls · 0 investigations · oldest first

To check one car, enter its VIN on the NHTSA recall page. Check a VIN →

  1. R
    1997-04-07Air bags97V043001 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…

    Remedy: Dealers will repair the air bag computer.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  2. R
    2006-04-03Exterior lighting06E026000 Certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber…

    Remedy: Pro-a motors will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. The recall began on April 3, 2006. Owners may contact pro-a motors at 323-838-2988.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  3. R
    2008-12-17Exterior lighting08E050000 K2 motor is recalling 1,921 aftermarket headlamps of various models sold for use on the above listed vehicles. These headlamps are missing the amber side reflex reflector which fails to conform…

    Remedy: K2 motor will notify owners and offer a full refund. The recall began on decemeber 17, 2008. Owners may contact K2 motor at 1-909-839-2992.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  4. R
    2009-05-11Exterior lighting09E012000 Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to…

    Remedy: Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on May 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  5. R
    2009-07-28Exterior lighting09E025000 Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to…

    Remedy: Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on July 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  6. R
    2010-03-15Suspension10E002000 Ride control is recalling certain front strut mounts branded as gabriel ride control or arvinmeritor, p/nos. 142435, 142193, 142305, 142303, sold as replacement equipment for the vehicles listed…

    Remedy: Ride control will notify owners of record and replace the affected parts free of charge. The safety recall began on March 15, 2010. Owners may contact ride control at 1-248-458-1396.

    Check if this car was fixed →

Buy-smart checklist

1997 Toyota Corolla — pre-purchase inspection

Inspect

  • Seat belts: 38 reports on file for this year.
  • Air bags: 29 reports on file for this year.
  • Vehicle speed control: 9 reports on file for this year.

Verify these recalls were completed

  • Recall 97V043001 · Air bags
  • Recall 06E026000 · Exterior lighting
  • Recall 08E050000 · Exterior lighting
  • Recall 09E012000 · Exterior lighting
  • Recall 09E025000 · Exterior lighting
  • Recall 10E002000 · Suspension
Inspected by ______________ Date ______________

Other years of this model

See all years ranked →

Best years3 years

Worst years3 years

FAQ

Is the 1997 Toyota Corolla reliable?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume compared to this model's typical year, the 1997 Toyota Corolla is rated "typical".
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Toyota Corolla?
The most-reported component is seat belts, accounting for 28% of complaints on file.
How many recalls does the 1997 Toyota Corolla have?
6 recalls on file for this model year.

Data updated 2026-11-01 · Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA, not independently verified defects. Methodology.