Toyota Corolla Visibility Problems
Owners have filed 171 complaints with NHTSA about visibility problems on the Toyota Corolla across 24 model years. The 2004 model year has the most (27). The words owners use most often: “side window” (16% of reports).
- 171visibility complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- 54%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Side window: mentioned in 27 of 171 complaints (16%)
- Visibility glass: mentioned in 9 of 171 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do visibility problems happen?
Based on 96 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 171 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 6 a fire, 5 an injury.
Toyota Corolla visibility complaints by model year
| Model year | Visibility complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Corolla | 2 | 2% | 7,000 |
| 2020 Corolla | 1 | 0% | 3,000 |
| 2017 Corolla | 1 | 1% | 13,500 |
| 2016 Corolla | 2 | 1% | 1,397 |
| 2014 Corolla | 4 | 1% | 7,700 |
| 2013 Corolla | 2 | 1% | 3,455 |
| 2012 Corolla | 2 | 0% | 8,200 |
| 2011 Corolla | 1 | 0% | 51,000 |
| 2010 Corolla | 9 | 1% | 7,129 |
| 2009 Corolla | 15 | 1% | 5,885 |
| 2008 Corolla | 6 | 2% | 22,422 |
| 2007 Corolla | 9 | 1% | 48,000 |
| 2006 Corolla | 2 | 0% | — |
| 2005 Corolla | 16 | 2% | 42,000 |
| 2004 Corolla | 27 | 6% | 49,422 |
| 2003 Corolla | 26 | 4% | 66,400 |
| 2002 Corolla | 8 | 7% | 79,894 |
| 2001 Corolla | 1 | 1% | 60,000 |
| 2000 Corolla | 7 | 5% | 60,000 |
| 1999 Corolla | 8 | 5% | 67,000 |
| 1998 Corolla | 5 | 2% | — |
| 1997 Corolla | 4 | 3% | — |
| 1996 Corolla | 8 | 6% | — |
| 1995 Corolla | 5 | 3% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
Visibility:power window devices and controls
Model years: 2009, 2010, 2011
Problem: Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, and 2009-2010 Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. During the manufacturing of the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.
Risk: If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the PWMS circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 20, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is C0M.
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer:switch/wiring
Model years: 2014
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & manufacturing North America, Inc. (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Camry and Camry HV, model year 2013 Avalon and Avalon HV and model year 2014 Corolla vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the windshield wiper switch assembly may short circuit. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, No. 104, "Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems."
Risk: A short circuit could cause inoperative windshield wipers, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiper switch assembly, free of charge. The recall began on November 8, 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Visibility:power window devices and controls
Model years: 2009
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 Camry, Camry Hybrid, RAV4, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Tundra, Sequoia, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Yaris, Scion xB, Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The power window master switch assemblies in some of these vehicles were built using a less precise process for lubricating the internal components of the switch assemblies. Irregularities in this lubrication process may cause the power window master switch assemblies to malfunction and overheat.
Risk: If the switch overheats, it may melt, possibly resulting in a fire.
Fix: Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will inspect the switch and apply a special grease that inhibits heat build up or replace any switch damaged by the defect, free of charge. Toyota owners that experience a problem with a switch should not attempt to make repairs, but should contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331. General Motors will contact the Pontiac Vibe owners affected by this recall and GM dealers will inspect and repair switches as necessary. Those owners may contact Pontiac Customer Care at 1-800-762-2737.
Visibility:glass, side/rear
Model years: 2003, 2004
Problem: Toyota is recalling 662,178 my 2003-2004 corolla, corolla matrix and pontiac vibe vehicles equipped with power windows. The driver and front passenger door glass bolts may loosen and come off, causing the door glass to separate from the window regulator. Due to the components becoming loose and possibly rattling, an abnormal noise may be heard from the driver and /or front passenger door when operating the power windows.
Risk: The door glass may separate from the window regulator, bind and shatter during operation of the power windows, causing driver distraction and/or injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger door glass bolts with newly designed bolts free of charge. The recall began on april 16, 2008 to toyota owners. The recall began on may 21, 2008, for pontiac owners. Owners may contact toyota at 1-888-270-9371 or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Corolla. The contact lowered the front passengerâs side window; however, while attempting to raise the window, the window failed to respond. The contact researched online and associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V162000 (Visibility). The contact…
The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving 70â75 MPH, the sunroof shattered without impact. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. The VIN was…
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds with the front windshield wipers activated in inclement weather, the front driverâs and passenger side windshield wipers operated in an untimely manner. The contact stated that the front driverâs…
While driving on the highway (I-75) in Michigan on April 2, 2022 the sunroof exploded for no apparent reason.
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH, the passengerâs side front mirror made an abnormal sound and shattered. The air bag warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled the vehicle over safely. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Toyota Corollas have visibility problems?
No. NHTSA has 171 owner complaints about visibility for the Toyota Corolla. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Toyota Corolla visibility?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list visibility. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about visibility problems on the Toyota Corolla?
The most frequent phrase is “side window”, in 27 of 171 complaints, followed by “visibility glass” (9).
Other Toyota Corolla problems
- Air Bags problems (4,560)
- Steering problems (1,169)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (1,127)
- Electrical System problems (828)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (656)
- Power Train problems (637)
- Engine problems (609)
- Structure problems (417)
See all Toyota Corolla problems.