AI DamageToyota Yaris: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Toyota Yaris across 9 model years: 45 owner complaints and 172 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 27% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 24% of all complaints
- 3 Vehicle speed control 16% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 16% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 11% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 9% of all complaints
- 8 Forward collision avoidance 7% of all complaints
- Engine: 12 complaints (27% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 7.
- Electrical system: 11 complaints (24% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 80.
- Vehicle speed control: 7 complaints (16% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 7.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 7 complaints (16% of all).
- Service brakes: 6 complaints (13% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 26.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl 2007–2020
- automatic, 4-speed 2007–2019
- automatic, 6-speed 2017–2020
- manual, 5-speed 2007–2018
- manual, 6-speed 2017–2020
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 45 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 12 | 1 | 7 |
| Electrical system | 11 | 0 | 80 |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 6 | 4 | 26 |
| Steering | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Air bags | 4 | 3 | 19 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 1 | 149 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 11 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 166 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
No warning lights. However, in the past the car would stop randomly for no reason. Also it has a hesitation when you hit the gas.
The paramedics, fire department, and police arrived and created a report. The contact's wife suffered bruising and body aches upon impact. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an impound lot. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired.
Was in a car accident in december of 2018 and air bags didn't deploy. Went to the dealership and they said they couldn't help. Entire sensor of the front were torn off and still didn't deploy. My sister was seriously injured.
While traveling at about 25 miles an hour I attempted break and make I turn into a neighborhood when I applied my brakes my brakes locked up and my steering wheel locked up and I ran up on a curb and into a stop sign I didn't hit the stop sign very hard because I was applying my brakes the entire time but needless to…
Takata recall my wife was hit in the front end and no airbags went off
The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained a cracked sternum that required medical attention. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was towed and deemed destroyed. The failure mileage was 10,000.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a…
- Some customers may experience echoing on the line calling the vehicle when using Bluetooth Hands Free
- The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air…
- OBSOLETE NOTICE January 23, 2025
- When certain vehicle ECUs are replaced, the ECU Security Key must be written in order for that ECU to…
- The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix…
- To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used…
- Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical…
- Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal…
- Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad…
- Some 2005 – 2024 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a…
- The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix…
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other models of this make
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.