2019 TOYOTA COROLLA Recalls, Complaints & Safety

Clutch release bearing/slave cylinder failed at 29,900 miles. Without warning or unusual symptoms, clutch pedal stuck to floor and was unable to shift gears without manually pulling clutch pedal up.

The clutch slave cylinder in my 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback failed, causing brake fluid to leak out. The leaking fluid contaminated the clutch assembly, resulting in both the slave cylinder and clutch needing replacement. The failed components should be available for inspection from the repair facility upon request. The failure led to a loss of proper clutch operation, which made it difficult to shift gears and control the vehicle. This created a risk of stalling in traffic or being unable to accelerate when needed, increasing the potential for a collision, especially in busy or high-speed driving conditions. Yes, the issue was diagnosed and confirmed by the dealership. They identified the failed slave cylinder and verified that brake fluid leakage caused contamination of the clutch, requiring replacement of both components. The vehicle has been inspected by a service technician/mechanic at the Toyota dealership. Prior to the failure, there were no warning lights or dashboard messages indicating a problem. The issue appeared suddenly when the clutch began to malfunction due to the fluid leak causing me to not be able to shift gears and the clutch pedal not returning.

Error message that said 'drive start control malfunction. Took 6 mos and numerous attempts to resolve. Replaced numerous parts including the fuel pump because the plastic it's made out of was just disintegrating and and cracking. This has cost thousands of dollars in parts and labor. Also getting a msg on info screen 'connected device not supported' now. Apparently toyota did an update and there was a bug in the program yet I have to pay to fix their error to the dcm.

2019 Toyota Corolla hatchback. Complete transmission failure.

The slave cylinder failed l3aving me stranded in a parking lot. Luckily I wasnt driving down the highway as the slave cylinder is also part of the brake system they use the shared brake fluid reservoir. This is a very common problem and is a 4k plus cost to fix. Not including the time that has to go into fighting the warranty companies and dealers.

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. The hazard, power steering, and LDA warning lights were illuminated. The message "Lane Departure Alert Malfunction - Visit your Dealer" was displayed. The contact stated that when the LDA was deactivated, a red power steering warning light was intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where a battery replacement was performed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the same local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic, where it remained for further investigation. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,488.

While the vehicle was parked and powered off, a fire originated inside the driver seat area. There was no collision, no aftermarket electrical equipment installed, and no heated seat or accessory usage at the time of the incident. The vehicle was stationary when the fire began. The fire damage was concentrated within the driver seat assembly, consistent with a suspected electrical failure involving seat wiring, seat-mounted components, or associated harnesses. This is not consistent with owner misuse or external ignition sources. The insurer (Allstate Insurance Company) declared the vehicle a total loss but declined further fire-origin or electrical defect investigation. The vehicle is at risk of being sold or dismantled through a salvage auction, which would destroy critical evidence related to a potential manufacturer defect. The vehicle is currently listed on Copart (Lot# 99091095 highlighted as ‘Run and Drive’) I have completed a Power of Attorney (HSMV 82053) per Allstate requirement, along with a limited conditions notification for evidence preservation however Allstate is refusing to accept the conditions stating their intent to sell it as salvage. This incident presents a serious safety concern involving spontaneous ignition within the passenger compartment. Similar failures pose a risk of injury, death, or property damage, particularly if ignition occurs while occupied. I am requesting that NHTSA review this incident for potential electrical system or seat assembly defects and preserve this complaint as part of any pattern or trend analysis involving Toyota vehicles.

Fire

While the vehicle was parked and powered off, a fire originated inside the driver seat area. There was no collision, no aftermarket electrical equipment installed, and no heated seat or accessory usage at the time of the incident. The vehicle was stationary when the fire began. The fire damage was concentrated within the driver seat assembly, consistent with a suspected electrical failure involving seat wiring, seat-mounted components, or associated harnesses. This is not consistent with owner misuse or external ignition sources. The insurer (Allstate Insurance Company) declared the vehicle a total loss but declined further fire-origin or electrical defect investigation. The vehicle is at risk of being sold or dismantled through a salvage auction, which would destroy critical evidence related to a potential manufacturer defect. The vehicle is currently listed on Copart (Lot# 99091095 highlighted as ‘Run and Drive’) I have completed a Power of Attorney (HSMV 82053) per Allstate requirement, along with a limited conditions notification for evidence preservation however Allstate is refusing to accept the conditions stating their intent to sell it as salvage. This incident presents a serious safety concern involving spontaneous ignition within the passenger compartment. Similar failures pose a risk of injury, death, or property damage, particularly if ignition occurs while occupied. I am requesting that NHTSA review this incident for potential electrical system or seat assembly defects and preserve this complaint as part of any pattern or trend analysis involving Toyota vehicles.

Fire

While the vehicle was parked and powered off, a fire originated inside the driver seat area. There was no collision, no aftermarket electrical equipment installed, and no heated seat or accessory usage at the time of the incident. The vehicle was stationary when the fire began. The fire damage was concentrated within the driver seat assembly, consistent with a suspected electrical failure involving seat wiring, seat-mounted components, or associated harnesses. This is not consistent with owner misuse or external ignition sources. The insurer (Allstate Insurance Company) declared the vehicle a total loss but declined further fire-origin or electrical defect investigation. The vehicle is at risk of being sold or dismantled through a salvage auction, which would destroy critical evidence related to a potential manufacturer defect. The vehicle is currently listed on Copart (Lot# 99091095 highlighted as ‘Run and Drive’) I have completed a Power of Attorney (HSMV 82053) per Allstate requirement, along with a limited conditions notification for evidence preservation however Allstate is refusing to accept the conditions stating their intent to sell it as salvage. This incident presents a serious safety concern involving spontaneous ignition within the passenger compartment. Similar failures pose a risk of injury, death, or property damage, particularly if ignition occurs while occupied. I am requesting that NHTSA review this incident for potential electrical system or seat assembly defects and preserve this complaint as part of any pattern or trend analysis involving Toyota vehicles.

Fire

Clutch stopped working while driving. Car has 61,000 miles.

My 2019 hatchback clutch failed Clutch Release Bearing and Slave Cylinder Assembly is leaking. Toyota part # 31400-19027

rattle in transmission. Car hesitates to accelerate randomly leading to unpredictable acceleration sometimes. Transmission is failing.

All 2019-2022 Toyota Corolla 6 Speed Manual Transmission cars are affected. The slave cylinder is a defective part that fails prematurely anywhere between the 20,000-70,000 mile range. The slave cylinder on this car is made out of plastic and is located inside of the transmission, when the slave cylinder fails, it leaks brake fluid all over causing the car to lock into gear and not be able to shift which is a major safety risk when there is no signs of failure. My car locked up in the middle of a busy highway and had to be pushed off the side of the road. Not only is this a safety risk, but since the part is located inside of the transmission, which is not normal, it leaks brake fluid all over the clutch and flywheel, which will all need replacement. The dealership quotes between 4-5 thousand dollars to repair, and is not covered under warranty. Toyota knows that this part is a defective part because the new models received an updated slave cylinder made out of metal, rather than plastic, but no cars have been recalled. The car was towed to my local dealership and it is currently being worked on. The incident was reported to Toyota Corporate and a case was opened to investigate this issue. Every single model made between those years are effected and has caused thousands of people to be left with an expensive repair that is unavoidable.

I believe the break booster on my 2019 Toyota Corolla is defective. This caused my stopping distance to increase significantly, making it difficult to control my vehicle and putting myself and other drivers at risk. There were no warning lamps or messages or other symptoms prior to the start of the issue on October 10, 2025. I quickly took my car to a local mechanic the next day who said I had an issue with my brake booster. To make sure this was the issue I followed up and went to a Toyota dealership for a diagnostic. They initially told me that "all brake systems components were functioning normally at this time" and that all I need to do was to change the break fluid. I did this, but the problem persisted. I then returned to the Toyota dealership for a second diagnostic. This time they noted that the brake master cylinder and brake booster are loosing pressure internally and need to be replaced. When I googled this I saw that some 2019 Corolla (and other hybrid) vehicles were included in a 2019 recall for a brake booster pump that could fail, leading to a loss of braking assist, similar to what I was experiencing. I brought this up with the Toyota brand engagement center. They said there was no recall at this time on file, but that they would put me in touch with a representative who would manage my case (case # 251015000598). The representative would not pick up my phone calls. I was not able to speak with him. After many calls, a different representative spoke with me and told me that the case was already closed and that the assigned representative said he had explained to me why. This is not true as I had not had the chance to speak with him. I am concerned that Toyota has not given my break booster pump due diligence and is dismissing my legitimate safety concern and I would like to report this safety problem to the NHTSA.

Manual transmission intermittent failure to/rough to engage first gear and reverse. Clutch slave cylinder high rate of failure/total failure of manual transmission. Transmission incidents happen at least once per day.

Faulty slave cylinders , that lead to more damage such as the clutch & flywheel and

At approximately 66,200 miles, the slave cylinder on the clutch started failing. It will be dropped off at the dealership tomorrow afternoon for repair, hopefully driven under its own power. The clutch feels spongy and friction point is unusual. This puts others’ safety at risk because the clutch could fail, causing the car to lurch forward from being stopped, and puts my safety at risk because the car could break down at any time when it finally completely fails. There are no warning lamps, just a clutch prematurely failing. This is a very common problem with the manual transmissions in this model. I purchased a Toyota for reliability, and this part should not fail for several hundred thousand miles, if ever. There needs to be a recall on these cars.

I have a 2019 Toyota Corolla hatchback and the headlight went out. Instead of replacing the bulb Toyota has made it so you had to purchase the entire unit which is called a headlight assembly unit and that’s in the thousands of dollars the LED lights are supposed to last the lifetime of the car so it makes it really unsafe to drive at night Currently my passenger side light has gone out and like I said it’s in the thousands to replace it so I’m unfortunately not in a position where I can do that and now my driver side light is starting to flicker and starting to cut out. There’s no way to just replace a bulb you have to replace the entire unit which is in the thousands of dollars it makes it very unsafe to drive at night. And Toyota has stated that the LED lights should last the entire life of the vehicle if not longer.

Vehicle was involved in a fatal head-on collision. Upon inspection of the driver restraint system, the driver restraint webbing was torn. The airbags and pretensioners deployed in the collision. The maximum recorded longitudinal delta-v was -41.4 miles per hour (with recorded clipping).

Crash 1 deaths

My clutch slave cylinder broke. This is a known problem for 6mt toyota corolla hatchbacks yet there hasn't been a recall. Some go bad as soon as 40,000 miles which is very premature.

I hit a deer going roughly 65mph on my way to work. The hit crushed the radiator into the engine, destroyed the airbox, folded the hood, and practically vaporized the headlight. The airbag, however, did not deploy- not in the wheel or in the side curtain. I wasn't injured but thought it was strange the because the crash totalled the car (~$16k of damage) and was at a high speed. The car had one accident prior, hitting a concrete pillar at a low speed (less than 10mph) and had been repaired two years earlier. I kept every maintainence record for the car and never had any airbag lights on or service done. Because the airbags didn't deploy, the car didn't initiate the Safety Connect call to 911 or anyone else. I recently saw Toyota settled with many owners of 2019 Corolla sedans but the hatch wasn't included, but I have (anecdotally) heard of similar stories from other hatch owners. I now own a 2023 Corolla hatch and feel a bit concerned the same issue could present.

Crash

I hit a deer going roughly 65mph on my way to work. The hit crushed the radiator into the engine, destroyed the airbox, folded the hood, and practically vaporized the headlight. The airbag, however, did not deploy- not in the wheel or in the side curtain. I wasn't injured but thought it was strange the because the crash totalled the car (~$16k of damage) and was at a high speed. The car had one accident prior, hitting a concrete pillar at a low speed (less than 10mph) and had been repaired two years earlier. I kept every maintainence record for the car and never had any airbag lights on or service done. Because the airbags didn't deploy, the car didn't initiate the Safety Connect call to 911 or anyone else. I recently saw Toyota settled with many owners of 2019 Corolla sedans but the hatch wasn't included, but I have (anecdotally) heard of similar stories from other hatch owners. I now own a 2023 Corolla hatch and feel a bit concerned the same issue could present.

Crash

I hit a deer going roughly 65mph on my way to work. The hit crushed the radiator into the engine, destroyed the airbox, folded the hood, and practically vaporized the headlight. The airbag, however, did not deploy- not in the wheel or in the side curtain. I wasn't injured but thought it was strange the because the crash totalled the car (~$16k of damage) and was at a high speed. The car had one accident prior, hitting a concrete pillar at a low speed (less than 10mph) and had been repaired two years earlier. I kept every maintainence record for the car and never had any airbag lights on or service done. Because the airbags didn't deploy, the car didn't initiate the Safety Connect call to 911 or anyone else. I recently saw Toyota settled with many owners of 2019 Corolla sedans but the hatch wasn't included, but I have (anecdotally) heard of similar stories from other hatch owners. I now own a 2023 Corolla hatch and feel a bit concerned the same issue could present.

Crash

The emblem on my car contains a sensor/radar for adaptive cruise control and foward collision warning that is also connected to automatic emergency brakes. The safety of me and my [XXX] old are at risk because if I needed assisted braking/collision warning, my car no longer provides that. The braking on my car feels as if I am needing to apply a lot of pressure on the brake to stop completely or even to come to slower speeds to adjust to traffic. The problem was reproduced prior to me officially picking up my car on [XXX]. The estimator told me that he isn't quite sure what is causing the sensor issue but according to the calibration system it is working fine and he doesn't know how to fix the issue. As for the brakes he said that they feel fine to him. My car was inspected by Crash Champions and I have been told that my vehicle feels fine and the sensor is working fine according to the calibration system. My car did not originally have this issue until after an accident on [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Crash

The emblem on my car contains a sensor/radar for adaptive cruise control and foward collision warning that is also connected to automatic emergency brakes. The safety of me and my [XXX] old are at risk because if I needed assisted braking/collision warning, my car no longer provides that. The braking on my car feels as if I am needing to apply a lot of pressure on the brake to stop completely or even to come to slower speeds to adjust to traffic. The problem was reproduced prior to me officially picking up my car on [XXX]. The estimator told me that he isn't quite sure what is causing the sensor issue but according to the calibration system it is working fine and he doesn't know how to fix the issue. As for the brakes he said that they feel fine to him. My car was inspected by Crash Champions and I have been told that my vehicle feels fine and the sensor is working fine according to the calibration system. My car did not originally have this issue until after an accident on [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Crash

I had recalls “repaired”, but my airbags do not work and Bob Howard Toyota told me that they work and that they only check the sensor to make sure the sensor works. My fuel pump was was supposedly replaced but I still experience issues such as stuttering, slight stalling, engine is working harder to produce normal speeds, fuel economy has depleted and I’m loosing 194 mpg after each fuel up. There are no lights on, but I have a code reader that pulls in two issues. I reported to Toyota’s customer service and because they put in the system everything is okay they were unable to do anything.

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2019 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while attempting to review the Carfax Report for the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 39,893, and at the time of reviewing the Carfax, it was discovered that the mileage was altered but unavailable.

I have a 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback. The problems started on July 21st, 2025. While driving my 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback, I noted white exhaust smoke, even after the engine was warm. One week prior, I had filled the coolant reservoir, but when I checked it, the coolant was almost gone again. There were no visible leaks or puddles under the car. I refilled the coolant, but within days the car began shaking severely upon startup and emitted a coolant-burning smell. 5 minutes after, multiple warning lights illuminated on the dashboard simultaneously. I replaced the car battery, and the warnings disappeared. However, while merging onto the freeway, the same warning lights came back, the car lost power, and I could not accelerate above ~25 mph. If this occurred in heavy traffic, it could lead to a serious collision. I exited the freeway and had the car towed. DTCs from the independent mechanic and the Toyota dealer included: P11ED00 P030085 P030027 P030200 (Cylinder 2 misfire) C142571 (Stop light relay actuator stuck) U1117 B2284 B15AD The Toyota dealer identified a “Port Injector #2 malfunction” and recommended replacing all four injectors (~$2,000) but could not confirm this would fix it. They noted a coolant-burning smell but advised addressing the misfire first before further diagnosis. There is an active class action lawsuit alleging that 2019–2023 Toyota Corolla and RAV4 models have defective coolant bypass valves that may cause engine issues, overheating, or coolant loss without visible leaks. This matches the coolant loss, white exhaust smoke, and eventual power loss while driving. I request that NHTSA investigate this issue in connection to the reported coolant bypass valve defects affecting 2019–2023 Toyota Corolla models.

While driving my 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE, I lost almost all power to my accelerator and a check engine light appeared on my dash. I came to a stop and stalled the vehicle, once it stalled I turned the engine back on and shifted into reverse a felt and heard a loud clunk noise coming from right under my car and its not only shifting into reverse is the loud noise active but its also shifting into drive from reverse. I scanned my vehicle with a aftermarket scan tool and got 2 exact same codes for "Torque Converter Clutch Pressure Control Solenoid Control Circuit Performance/Stuck Off" and then two more codes for "Torque Converter Clutch Pressure Control Solenoid Control Actuator Stuck On". My torque converter in my CTV transmission failed. I was not at a risk of putting other people or myself in danger but if would have if i was moving faster at the time this happened. I have done my research on the recalls that are active on this vehicle and on the Toyota OEM TIS website there is only 1 recall that was taken care of in 2021 for the fuel pump and then there is a Warranty Enhancement Program for the Flow Shut-off Valve Coolant Leak. I did not find anything on that Toyota TIS website about the CVT recall but when i search my year, make and model on the web, I see that there is a recall for about 3,400 vehicles in the USA and nearly 1,000 in Canada that have a active recall for the CTV. I also saw the recall consequence and it matches up with what happened with my Corolla. I have attempted to contact 5 difference Toyota dealerships in my state to have them help me figure out the issue I am having with my vehicle not being listed in the recall but my CTV just failed. No one has reached back out in the past two days and I am continuing to call almost 3 times a day. I would like some clarity on how I should go about handling this issue.

Slave cylinder failure. 90,000 miles. Multiple complaints about the issue.

Front Windshield wipers abruptly pause during operation causing extreme danger when driving during rain. Wipers do not resume motion unless manually prompted, only to get stuck again immediately after.

The driver’s side door would not close because the latch on the body of the car to which the door attaches fell off. The dealer’s body shop stated that they have never seen this happen before and that the cost to repair including parts and labor would be $4894.52. The car was not safe to drive unless the door latch was replaced.

I am writing to express my concern regarding the quality of the paint on my 2019 Toyota Corolla. The paint has been peeling for the past two years, and the issue has progressively worsened. Despite taking good care of the vehicle, the paint is deteriorating at an unusual rate for a car of this age. I believe this may be a defect related to the original paint quality, and I would appreciate it if you could inspect the vehicle in this class and advise whether this could be covered under Toyota warranty or any goodwill repair program. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

I got an “engine maintenance requested” notification on my car. I took it to a mechanic and they said the coolant bypass valve is defected

Engine Coolant Bypass Valve Issues/Faulty. No problems prior to “engine maintenance message”. Message only comes up when the A/C is turned on.

My vehicle has a production date that falls within an existing safety recall J07 but Toyota is denying coverage. The cvt is making a grinding noise consistent with the torque converter issue described in the recall and my door has a stamp with being produced in 10/2018 when this recall was in effect. However they are denying coverage.

Manual driving shaft slips out of 6th gear while driving affecting the driving speed and increasing RPMs.

Brakes are hard when pressed. Check engine light is on and when I had it checked I was told that it was an issue with the ABS.