2017 Toyota Corolla Problems

What owners reported to NHTSA about the 2017 Toyota Corolla, its recalls, and what to check before you buy one.

Toyota Corolla, 2014 to 2019 model years
Photo: Aneekr, CC BY-SA 3.0
How the 2017 compares

About average for the Corolla

Owners filed about as many complaints as a typical Corolla year. The main thing to watch is the air bags, which half of owners reported by about 27,000 miles.

Based on owner complaints to NHTSA, compared with other Corolla years from 2012 to 2024. A good year can still be a bad car, so check the one you are looking at.

Owners have filed 178 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Toyota Corolla. The most reported problem area is the air bags (54, 30% of complaints), followed by the brakes and stability control and the cruise control and acceleration. That ranks 9th of 13 Corolla years from 2012 to 2024 for complaints. It has 3 recalls.

Complaints178filed with NHTSA
Recalls3for this model year
Crashes4441 injuries reported
Fires1reported in complaints

4 of these complaints came from Utah owners.

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Most reported problems

Problem areas ranked by how many complaints mention them. One complaint can name more than one area. Open an area to see what to check on a 2017 Toyota Corolla before you buy.

Air bags

54 complaintsAir bag warning lights, air bags that did not deploy, and inflator recalls.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 27,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
  • Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

My2017 Toyota Corolla was Purchased at Dave Edward’s Certified Pre Owned Car Dealer in Spartanburg South Carolina in 2018 It has Multiple Recall Notices by Toyota USA on ILLEGAL FACTORY INSTALLED CHINESE AIR BAGS THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN TOYOTA USA AUTOMOBILES BY INFERIOR DESIGN AND POOR QUALITY ALARM FAILURE THIS [VIN] TOYOTA…Owner complaint, filed 2026
While I was driving in the middle lane through an intersection, a car from the opposite side failed to yield while turning and hit me on my driver's side. My car was traveling at approximately 35 MPH, and the other vehicle was exceeding the speed limit. The impact caused my car to veer in the opposite direction and I lost consciousness…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Brakes and stability control

30 complaintsBrakes that feel soft or grab, grinding, ABS and stability control faults.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 4,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
  • The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
  • Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

My brakes seem to malfunction when engaged after hitting potholes and/or street depressions. This has occurred on Kensington Street east of Church Avenue. This is between Church Avenue and Dale Mabry Highway among other streets. My safety was put at risk as I felt the brakes were not going to hold or stop the vehicle. No, it has not been…Owner complaint, filed 2021
First occured at 45k, driving home on city street traveling straight at about 40mph when traffic came to stop, went to brake and pedal depressed to floor and car did not stop. Was able to engine brake and using parking brake to safetly stop. Towed to nearest shop, and master cylinder had premature failure and replaced $500. Notified…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 52,000 miles

Cruise control and acceleration

29 complaintsHesitation, loss of power, sudden acceleration and cruise control problems.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 4,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
  • Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

Recently purchased a used 2017 Toyota Corolla. During the test drive I did not attempt to use the cruise control as it was only driven on city or small highways. Travel with the car at those locations has been good. Yesterday while on a freeway, I used the cruise control. It started out okay, but when I got to a downhill or uphill…Owner complaint, filed 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine revved and the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration. The vehicle crashed into a concrete barrier while turning into a parking space. The contact was not able to depress the brake pedal in time to stop the vehicle. No…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 55,000 miles

Electrical system

21 complaintsDead batteries, warning lights, failed screens and cameras, and electrical shorts.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 13,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
  • Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
  • Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Toyota Corolla. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was an independent dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 100,534. It was later discovered upon checking the Carfax Report, that the mileage was 112,085.Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 112,085 miles
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 81,456 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 257,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain

15 complaintsHarsh or delayed shifts, slipping, shuddering, CVT whine, and drivetrain clunks.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 2,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
  • Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
  • Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
  • If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for brake service, the contact was informed that the transmission chain had fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to another independent mechanic for the transmission to be replaced. The vehicle was not…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 111,000 miles
My college son was driving down from Orlando, and when he got here I took his/my car to my mechanic because the AC was not cold. I felt a hard shift when I put it in reverse, and when I started to drive the car to the mechanic, it didn’t feel right. They fixed my AC and I asked him to check the car as I was worried it did not feel safe…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Seats and seat belts

14 complaintsBelts that will not latch or retract, seat adjusters and passenger occupancy sensors.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 24,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
  • Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bags and seat belt warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the air bags and the passenger's side seat belt warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the front passenger's side…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 13,369 miles
This vehicle when it's impacted there's really no help or assistance to get the vehicle removed off your property on the vehicle is a hazard it really needs to be retested and there needs to be someone to know that it's not safe for children and being this vehicle a lot of times it's kids slides and it doesn't have the front part of the…Owner complaint, filed 2022

Steering

13 complaintsLoss of power steering assist, wandering, play in the wheel and noises when turning.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 50,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
  • On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
  • A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the vehicle's power steering would suddenly fail. The contact would wait till the power steering would restore proper functionality. The failure occurred 2 times. The warning light indicating the power steering had malfunctioned had sounded…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 62,000 miles
Steering wheel is hard to turn while driving.because of hard steering wheel, it is hard to turn. I feel risky while turning because there would be a chances that it won't turn in time and would have the risk of collision.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 66,900 miles

Lights, wipers and visibility

12 complaintsHeadlights that dim or fail, wiper and washer failures, and windshield cracks.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 18,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
  • Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

Headlights are inadequate, even dangerous. You can see a distinct "horizon line" in front of the car which has a sharp cutoff above which there is no illumination. In spite of their extreme intensity, these headlights illuminate everything but the road ahead. Makes me feel like I am driving without headlights. I thought they were not…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 35,000 miles
I recently purchased a used 2017 corolla and I agree with 2 others that the windshield has a design flaw. It is extremely angled in toward the car and reflects the dashboard in the window. The dashboard is like a mirror and the ventilation levers that run along the dash reflect in the lower half of the window and thus cut off visibility.…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 43,000 miles

Engine and cooling

10 complaintsStalling, misfires, oil consumption, leaks, overheating and engine failure.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
  • Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
  • Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
  • Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

While at idle the rpm will drop down to 400 rpm with it almost stalling out the car. This has been a continuing issue with no real answers on why.Owner complaint, filed 2022
While driving in the middle of active traffic, the vehicle experienced a sudden and dangerous loss of motive power. The first indication of a problem was the A/C abruptly blowing hot air. Immediately following this, the vehicle began violently shaking before the engine stalled completely. The low oil pressure warning light was triggered…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Body, doors and structure

10 complaintsRust, doors and liftgates that will not latch, leaks, and frame or structure concerns.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 20,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (9).

What to check before you buy

  • Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
  • Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
  • Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Corolla. The contact was unable to exit the vehicle after pulling on the driver’s side door handle. The contact made several attempts to exit the vehicle, but the door was jammed. Due to the failure, the contact was forced to exit the vehicle through front passenger’s side door. The contact was able to open…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 51,654 miles
To whom it may concern, I would like to report that my vehicle's paint has been peeling off since June 2018. The vehicle was purchased on 8/11/17, and I have continuously reported the paint problem to no avail from the dealership or manufacturer. As a matter of fact, in February 2019, the vehicle was serviced to due bubbles developing…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Fuel system

9 complaintsHesitation, stalling, fuel smell, fuel pump and injector failures.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 42,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
  • On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
  • Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

Car is turned off and parked in driveway. Few hours later went to start the car. Noise coming from gas tank. Fuel pump running by itself, loud and noticeable.Owner complaint, filed 2021
The contact owns a 2017 toyota corolla. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact shifted the vehicle into park and restarted the vehicle. On another occasion while the vehicle was in a parking lot, the vehicle shutoff and was towed to deluca toyota (1719 sw college rd, ocala, fl…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 79,000 miles

Driver assist systems

9 complaintsPhantom braking, false collision warnings, and lane keeping or backup sensors that act up.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
  • Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
  • Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

While driving in the middle of active traffic, the vehicle experienced a sudden and dangerous loss of motive power. The first indication of a problem was the A/C abruptly blowing hot air. Immediately following this, the vehicle began violently shaking before the engine stalled completely. The low oil pressure warning light was triggered…Owner complaint, filed 2026
My 2017 Toyota Corolla is Involved in Illegal Airbags that Are A Horrible CRASH RATING F - by .Toyota of Spartanburg South Carolina in 3 Recall To the Owner of 2017 Toyota Certified Pre Owned USA Automobile The NTSA Has Multiple Auto Manufacturing Companies that Are CHINESE AIRBAGS That ARE UNSAFE AND CAN DEPLOY and HURT PASSENGERS and…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Wheels and tires

9 complaintsTire failures, wheels and lug nuts, and tire pressure sensor faults.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 12,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
  • Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
  • The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

The clips on the front bumper above the wheel broke while driving and the bumper keeps falling off and never been in a wreck. Trying to start a class action suit because I talked to four others at the Toyota dealership who had the same problemOwner complaint, filed 2021
The contact owns a 2017 toyota corolla. While accelerating from a stop, the vehicle independently pulled to the left or right without warning. The vehicle was taken to sansone auto mall (located at 90-100 us highway 1, avenel, nj 07001, (866) 809-9999) to be diagnosed, but a failure code could not be located. The contact was informed…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 42,002 miles

Suspension

6 complaintsClunks over bumps, broken springs, worn struts and uneven tire wear.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
  • Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
  • Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

At 60,00 miles I started hearing noises coming from the front suspension I took it to the dealership it was still under warranty they told me that it was the upper strut mount here. Dealership replaced front mount. Now it is doing again I'm at a hundred and ten thousand miles and that problem still persist something is going on with the…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 60,000 miles
Clunking noise, sometimes very noticeable when going over speed bump and turning steering to right or left. Took the car to toyota dealership twice. Both times they said the noise is normal. But independent mechanic says there is problem with cv joint and bushing. I am wondering if this vehicle is safe to drive.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 33,090 miles

Toyota Corolla complaints by year

Compare the 2017 with other years before you choose one. Tap a year to see its problems.

Compare with similar 2017 compact cars

Each car is rated against its own other years, since popular models always get more complaints than rare ones.

CarVs. its other yearsRecallsMost reported
2017 Toyota CorollaAbout average3Air bags
2017 Honda CivicWorse than most years6Steering
2017 Mazda Mazda3About average2Electrical system
2017 Hyundai ElantraAmong the worst years4Engine and cooling
Compare side by side

2017 Toyota Corolla recalls

This is every recall issued for the 2017 Toyota Corolla, not what is still open on one car. A recall that was fixed does not show up any differently here. Check a VIN at NHTSA to see what is still open on the car you are looking at, and ask the seller for proof any recall work was done.

Air bags Air bag / restraint control module

Jan 2020 · NHTSA campaign 20V024000
Risk
In the event of a crash, air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners that do not deploy as intended may increase the risk of injury.
Fix
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge.
Full recall summary

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.

Equipment Labels

Jun 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V503000
Risk
An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix
SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge.
Full recall summary

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Tires Temporary / emergency spare tire

May 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V295000
Risk
A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix
Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge.
Full recall summary

Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated on the Tire Pressure Label.

2017 Toyota Corolla questions

What are the most common problems with the 2017 Toyota Corolla?

The most reported problem areas on the 2017 Toyota Corolla are the air bags (54 complaints), the brakes and stability control (30 complaints) and the cruise control and acceleration (29 complaints).

Is the 2017 Toyota Corolla a good year to buy?

About average for the Corolla. Owners filed about as many complaints as a typical Corolla year. The main thing to watch is the air bags, which half of owners reported by about 27,000 miles. Based on owner complaints to NHTSA, compared with other Corolla years from 2012 to 2024. A good year can still be a bad car, so check the one you are looking at.

How many recalls does the 2017 Toyota Corolla have?

NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2017 Toyota Corolla. The most recent, from Jan 2020, covers the air bag / restraint control module. Recalls cover the whole model year, so check the VIN of the car you are looking at to see which are still open.

At what mileage do 2017 Toyota Corolla problems start?

Half of the owners who reported a problem with the air bags gave a mileage of about 27,000 miles or less. Half of the owners who reported a problem with the brakes and stability control gave a mileage of about 4,000 miles or less. Plenty of cars have these problems later or never, so ask for service records.

Which Toyota Corolla years should I avoid?

The Corolla years with the most complaints compared with the rest are 2012. Years with clearly fewer complaints are 2018. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly yet.

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Where these numbers come from. Complaints are reports that owners filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), counted from NHTSA’s complaint database as of November 5, 2026. Owners do not have to prove a problem to file one, so a complaint is a report, not a confirmed defect. Models that sell in big numbers get more complaints, and newer model years have had less time on the road, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Recalls come from NHTSA’s recall database and cover every vehicle of that model year, not one particular car. Quotes are trimmed, and anything that looks like a VIN is hidden.