The 2019 Toyota Corolla is everything you expect it to be: efficient, hassle-free, safe, convenient, reliable, and affordable. Like any newish car, it has its first-year kinks, like the occasional onboard computer glitch, but, overall, there’s very little to complain about here.
Key Points
- The 2019 Toyota Corolla‘s biggest issue has to do with its fuel pumps, resulting in two recalls and the biggest chunk of the 82 driver complaints on file with the NHTSA.
- An investigation into overstressed airbag control units has been open since 2019 with no definitive conclusion in sight just yet.
- A handful of complaints filed under electrical system and related categories address some minor design and issues, but very little that you might call a safety issue.
Fuel Pump Failure Makes up Two of Three Engine Stall Recalls
By far the 2019 Toyota Corolla’s biggest problem is with its fuel pump. This is an issue it shares with a number of 2019 Toyotas, including the Highlander, Avalon, Camry, 4Runner, and a number of Lexus models.
In the complaint categories for fuel system, propulsion, engine, power train, and speed control, you’ll find some reports of engine stall, engine shutdown, and general loss of engine power. In more cases than not, this can be tied to faulty fuel pumps.
Toyota issued a recall for over 1.5 million units in January, 2020, and again in November 2020, and, ideally, that would have been the end of it. But, with such massive recalls, there are going to be some hiccups along the way.
There are reports of parts shortages, making it difficult for Toyota owners to get the promised repairs, as well as drivers reporting that their car’s VIN was not included in the recall, even though they feel that it should have been.
One more recall may also affect a minority of drivers. In December, 2018, Toyota called 3,424 units back to the shop for CVT pump blades which could potentially detach, causing loss of engine power.
Airbag Investigation has Remained Open Since 2019
The 2019 Corolla has six recalls on file, with two of them being related to incorrect or worn labels and stickers, so you may think that you don’t have too much to worry about there. But, it’s also under investigation for what may prove to be some very severe airbag problems.
The investigation in question has been going on for years. It started in September, 2016, looking into airbag computer overstress in a number of Hyundai and Kia units. The investigation soon expanded to Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles, and then to Toyotas, with the current stage of the investigation having been launched in April, 2019.
The simplest way to put it is that the problem comes down to potentially bad wiring in the computer components that control the airbags. If something goes wrong, if the computer doesn’t get its calculations right or the wiring short circuits, the airbags don’t deploy when they’re needed. According to the investigation, “the probability of this occurring appears to be low.”
But, it’s a potentially serious problem, so the investigation will continue until they have enough data to conclude whether a recall is necessary.
There’s a Handful of Electrical System Complaints, but they’re Mostly Isolated Incidents
The 2019 Corolla has just 82 complaints on file with the NHTSA, as of the time of this writing, with most categories showing reports in the single digits. Most of these complaints can be rounded up under general electrical issues. The electrical system category has six complaints, there are three for forward collision avoidance, one for lane departure, and three for exterior lighting.
A few drivers have reported that their collision avoidance systems kicked in and brought the car to a halt when there were no obstacles in front of them, one driver claims that the lane departure alarm volume was “insufficient,” and three drivers feel that the headlights aren’t angled properly for maximum visibility at night.
In electrical system complaints, reports range from “this vehicle has no GPS support for Android” to “the hood over the instrument cluster is not large enough to prevent glare.”
The issues with forward collision avoidance, when reported in such low numbers, might have more to do dirty camera lenses than with software problems. Beyond that, most of these problems are a matter of personal preference. So make sure to test drive before you buy so that you know what you’re buying.
The 2019 Corolla is, Predictably, One of the Most Reliable Compacts on the Market Today
There’s not much wrong with a 2019 Toyota Corolla that hasn’t already been fixed with recalls or service bulletins. The car has a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, it has a perfect five-star safety rating with the NHTSA, and, on average, it should only cost around $381 a year, barely over a dollar a day, to maintain.
Year after year, the Corolla sweeps the top compact lists, usually placing in the top five, and often taking first place. It’s a nimble, efficient little four-door that’s fun to drive and cheap to maintain. There’s no reason not to consider a certified pre-owned 2019 as your next ride.
The only consideration you might want to make before you hand over your down payment: run the VIN. Most 2019 Corollas will have had their fuel pumps replaced by now, but given the parts shortage, you want to be sure. The last thing you want is to buy car, and then have to wait two weeks for a replacement part to ship because the seller never bothered getting the active recalls addressed.
Photos: Toyota
