Motor Almanac

Toyota / Corolla / 2014

2014 Toyota Corolla

Family: Corolla · filed with NHTSA as COROLLA

Summary

  • In its first three years the 2014 Corolla drew 91 complaints — 1.0× the median of its generation (2014–2019). It does not stand out from the other years of this generation.
  • These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
  • Complaints are spread across systems: the largest, Airbags, holds 28% of the 249 that name a component.
  • 2 recalls filed for this model year.
  • 2 federal defect investigations cover this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints
269
Recalls
2
Investigations
2
NCAP overall
5 of 5 stars
Combined MPG
30–34
Annual fuel cost
$1,850–$2,100
Median mileage at complaint
35,000 mi (n = 180)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths
64 / 3 / 50 / 1

What owners report

Airbags

69 complaints · 28% of complaints that name a component · median 42,000 mi (n = 40)

Owner report The contact owned a 2014 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while the daughter was driving approximately 70 MPH the daughter lost control of the steering causing the vehicle to roll over and crash into a ditch. During the crash, the vehicle sustained severe front-end damage and was destroyed but no air bags were d…
Owner report The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact was involved in a head-on collision, however the air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained a concussion and was transported to the local hospital for treatment. The vehicle was towed to a local tow …

Electrical System

52 complaints · 21% of complaints that name a component · median 51,000 mi (n = 32)

Owner report Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2014 Toyota Corolla. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 109,000, but upon contacting the dealer to trade the vehicle in, it was discovered via a Carfax report that the mileag…
Owner report Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2014 Toyota Corolla. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 91,000 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 254,000.

Body & Structure

32 complaints · 13% of complaints that name a component · median 15,500 mi (n = 17)

Owner report I am reporting a severe manufacturing defect involving the Blizzard Pearl paint (Paint Code 070) on my 2014 Toyota Corolla. The exterior paint is actively peeling and delaminating from the vehicle body panels in large, brittle chunks, exposing the bare metal underneath.This issue presents a distinct safety hazard to bo…
Owner report The factory white paint on my 2014 Toyota Corolla has been peeling and delaminating in large sheets down to the primer and bare metal. This appears to be a paint adhesion failure, not normal wear or surface chipping. The vehicle has not been in any accidents, repainted, or subjected to improper care. The problem develo…

7% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2014–2019)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 87.

Model yearAll complaintsFirst three yearsNote
201426991
201522088
201621588
201719086
201814386
201920578

Recalls

Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

20V024000 · AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE

Filed 2020-01-17 · 2,891,976 vehicles

Defect: 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.

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.

Remedy: 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. Owners were notified of the safety risk beginning March 2, 2020. A second letter notifying owners of the remedy repair will be mailed between March 16, 2020 and June 27, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB03, 20TA03 and 20TA05.

13V505000 · VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING

Filed 2013-10-17 · 9,795 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Federal investigations

ActionComponentOpenedClosedRecall
EA21002AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE2021-09-17open
EA19001AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE2019-04-192024-09-1920V024

EA21002: Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

EA19001: Electrical overstress

Engines and fuel economy

VersionEngineTransmissionDriveCityHwyCombinedFuel cost / yr
Corolla1.8L 4cylAutomatic 4-spdFront-Wheel Drive273530$2100
Corolla1.8L 4cylAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Front-Wheel Drive293732$1950
Corolla1.8L 4cylAutomatic (AV-S7)Front-Wheel Drive293632$1950
Corolla1.8L 4cylManual 6-spdFront-Wheel Drive283631$2000
Corolla LE Eco1.8L 4cylAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Front-Wheel Drive304034$1850
Corolla LE Eco1.8L 4cylAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Front-Wheel Drive303833$1900

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

VariantOverallFrontalSideRollover
2014 Toyota Corolla 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆

Service bulletins

Toyota issued 440 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about equipment.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

DateComponentSummary
2026-01-07UNKNOWN OR OTHERSome 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Serv…
2025-06-13ELECTRICAL SYSTEMThe air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYAcid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYTo prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and in…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYThe condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicl…
2024-12-05STRUCTURE:BODYToyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the Removal Procedure …
2024-12-03STRUCTURE:BODYVehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can be identified by the …
2024-07-29STRUCTURE:BODYSome 2005 – 2024 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Serv…
2024-07-29STRUCTURE:BODYSome 2005 – 2024 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Serv…
2024-07-12STRUCTURE:BODYAcid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood…

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this Corolla, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Toyota Corolla model page.

Sources

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.