Toyota Yaris: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Toyota Yaris problems by model year, from 260 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Years to avoid: 2019 (54%, 14 drivetrain complaints), 2017 (43%, 10 drivetrain complaints) and 2011 (40%, 2 drivetrain complaints). 3 of the 5 Toyota Yaris years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share.
Best years on this measure: 2012 (6%) and 2010 (22%). 2012 rests on fewer than 60 complaints, so treat it as provisional. A low share means owners complained about other things more than the drivetrain, not that nothing ever fails.
The sharpest change between consecutive years is from 2011 (40%) to 2012 (6%), down 34 points. The complaint pattern shifts at that year, so check which year the car in front of you is.
By raw volume, the 2019 drew the most drivetrain complaints (14 of 36 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Toyota Yaris year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Yaris | no elevated signal | 22% | 9 | 90 | 4/5 | 9 |
| 2011 Yaris | high | 40% | 2 | 25 | 3/5 | 3 |
| 2012 Yaris | no elevated signal | 6% | 1 | 35 | 5/5 | 5 |
| 2013 Yaris | too few to score | – | 1 | 9 | – | 1 |
| 2014 Yaris | too few to score | – | 0 | 3 | – | 1 |
| 2015 Yaris | too few to score | – | 1 | 15 | – | 4 |
| 2016 Yaris | too few to score | – | 0 | 5 | – | 2 |
| 2017 Yaris | high | 43% | 10 | 31 | 2/5 | 3 |
| 2018 Yaris | too few to score | – | 1 | 12 | – | 1 |
| 2019 Yaris | high | 54% | 14 | 26 | 1/5 | 3 |
| 2020 Yaris | too few to score | – | 3 | 9 | – | 1 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Toyota Yaris years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
Toyota Yaris fuel system recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the Toyota Yaris involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 17 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2021 | 21V617000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2019 |
16 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2010 | 10V035000 | equipment: other: labels | 2010 |
| Feb 2010 | 10V036000 | equipment: other: labels | 2010 |
| Jul 2013 | 13V292000 | steering: electric power assist system | 2012 |
| Apr 2014 | 14V168000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2010 |
| Apr 2014 | 14V169000 | seats | 2010 |
| Mar 2015 | 15V134000 | structure | 2012 |
| Oct 2015 | 15V689000 | visibility: power window devices and controls | 2010 |
| May 2016 | 16V340000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2011 |
| Jan 2017 | 17V006000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2012 |
| May 2017 | 17V295000 | tires: temporary/emergency spare tire | 2017 |
| Jan 2018 | 18V024000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010 |
| Jan 2018 | 18V025000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2012 |
| Mar 2019 | 19V244000 | equipment: other: labels | 2019 |
| Apr 2019 | 19V319000 | air bags: side/window | 2017 |
| Jun 2019 | 19V503000 | equipment: other: labels | 2017–2019 |
| Oct 2019 | 19V741000 | air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module | 2010–2012 |
What the free pages leave out on the Toyota Yaris
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Toyota Yaris
What are the worst years for the Toyota Yaris?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Toyota Yaris years are the 2019 (54% of relevant complaints, high), the 2017 (43% of relevant complaints, high) and the 2011 (40% of relevant complaints, high). 3 of 5 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Toyota Yaris?
On engine and transmission complaints, the best Toyota Yaris years are the 2012 (6%) and the 2010 (22%). That describes the model year; any one car still needs an inspection.
Does the Toyota Yaris have engine problems?
In some years. Across the 5 scored years, 36 of 111 relevant NHTSA complaints (32%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is engine. The years with an elevated share are 2011, 2017 and 2019.
Is the Toyota Yaris reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 3 of 5 Toyota Yaris years we score have an elevated complaint share and 2 do not. Pooled across those years, 32% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the Toyota Yaris?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the Toyota Yaris years we track, out of 17 in total: 21V617000 (Sep 2021, 2019). Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.