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2023 Toyota Corolla problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
61%
127 of 207 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

61% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2023 Toyota Corolla are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.

Worse than 82% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 40 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 51%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2023 Toyota Corolla have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 127 of 207 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2023 Toyota Corolla concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (61%), and the largest group is filed under engine (115). For comparison, the 2022 scores 44%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
127
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
247
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
5
14 crashes · 9 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE115 · 47%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM81 · 33%
STEERING60 · 24%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER42 · 17%
VISIBILITY/WIPER30 · 12%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING26 · 11%

The years either side

2010
11%
95 of 1,264
2011
29%
47 of 590
2012
15%
11 of 446
2013
24%
31 of 202
2014
26%
50 of 269
2015
34%
51 of 220
2016
30%
39 of 214
2017
27%
34 of 189
2018
44%
47 of 142
2019
64%
110 of 204
2020
55%
154 of 308
2021
49%
59 of 185
2022
44%
54 of 149
2023
61%
127 of 247

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2023 Toyota Corolla

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES08/05/2026
On Monday, January 5, 2026 at approximately 3:15 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, in the middle of stopped traffic (leftmost lane, southbound on Van Nuys Boulevard near the Saticoy Street intersection in Los Angeles, California), the vehicle, a 2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE, suddenly started slowly moving backward. The driv…

One of 127 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2023 Toyota Corolla?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns on the 2023 Toyota Corolla, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

5 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
steering: column25V040000 · Jan 2025
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, Lexus RX350, 2023-2024 NX250,…
steering24V878000 · Nov 2024
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Corolla and Corolla Hybrid vehicles. Due to cracks developed during the manufacturing process, the steering…
air bags: frontal23V864000 · Dec 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Corolla Cross vehicles that were previously inspected at a dealership under recall 23V-384. The instrument panel may…
steering: column23V480000 · Jul 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, 2023 Lexus RX350, RX350 Hybrid, RX500…
electrical system: instrument cluster/panel23V384000 · May 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Corolla Cross vehicles. The instrument panel may have been produced without the required perforation, which could…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2023 Toyota Corolla? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2023 Toyota Corolla

Does the 2023 Toyota Corolla have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 127 of 207 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2023 Toyota Corolla concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (61%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2023 Toyota Corolla?

No. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns on the 2023 Toyota Corolla, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Toyota Corolla years are better?

Among the Toyota Corolla years we track, the 2010 (11%), the 2012 (15%) and the 2013 (24%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2023 (61%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2023 Toyota Corolla?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2023 Toyota Corolla has an elevated engine complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing engine work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the engine. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.