How many recalls does the 2003 Toyota Corolla have?

The 2003 Toyota Corolla has 9 NHTSA safety recall campaigns on record.

How do I check if my 2003 Toyota Corolla has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's official recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see open, unrepaired recalls for your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are free.

What do owners complain about most on the 2003 Toyota Corolla?

Of 860 NHTSA complaints on file, the most-reported component is air bags.

2003 Toyota Corolla Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2003 Toyota Corolla has 9 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 6,934,415 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 860 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

AIR BAGS 19V741000 2019-10-17 928,220 affected

Defect

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010…

Consequence

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy

Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371…

AIR BAGS 19V627000 2019-08-28 229,460 affected

Defect

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Corolla, 2005-2008 Corolla Matrix, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles equipped with a front passenger air bag assembly replaced under a prior recall. The air bag may not unfold as designed during inflation under high temperature conditions,…

Consequence

An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy

Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assembly or sub-assembly, free of charge. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are K1Q and K0Q. Pontiac owners may contact…

AIR BAGS 18V883000 2018-12-12 168,993 affected

Defect

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2002-2005 Lexus SC and Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2005 Toyota Corolla and Tundra, and 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as…

Consequence

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy

Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General Motors will notify the Pontiac Vibe owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, or replace the air bag assembly that includes an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall…

AIR BAGS 15V285000 2015-05-13 1,973,468 affected

Defect

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015 that they are recalling certain model year 2004 Sequoia vehicles manufactured August 18, 2003, to August 19, 2004, and 2003-2004 Tundra vehicles manufactured March 18, 2003, to August 25, 2004. On June 16, 2015, Toyota expanded the…

Consequence

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy

2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-285 are under a Do Not Drive advisory. Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM.…

AIR BAGS 15V286000 2015-05-13 1,069,055 affected

Defect

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015, that they are recalling 2005-2007 Lexus SC, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, and Pontiac Vibe, and 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra vehicles that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Puerto…

Consequence

Remedy

2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-286 are under a Do Not Drive advisory. Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM.…

AIR BAGS 15V043000 2015-01-28 1,006,849 affected

Defect

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured December 28, 2001, to May 2, 2004, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2002, to April 29, 2004, 2003-2004 Avalon vehicles manufactured June 5, 2002, to December…

Consequence

Inadvertent deployment of the air bags or the seat belt pretensioners increases the risk of an injury or crash.

Remedy

Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the air bag control module, free of charge. The recall began on August 24, 2015. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. GM issued an interim notification to owners on March 27, 2015. …

AIR BAGS 13V029000 2013-01-30 887,709 affected

Defect

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The supplemental restraint system (SRS) circuits are susceptible to internal shorting. The electrical short may create an abnormal current flow and increased heat which can damage the circuits. …

Consequence

Inadvertent deployment of the airbags or the seat belt pretensioners may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.

Remedy

Toyota will re-notify their owners who have already had their vehicles repaired with a noise filter, but did not receive a new airbag control module, and General Motors will re-notify theirs. Dealers previously installed a supplemental harness containing an electrical filter between the airbag control module and its…

VISIBILITY 08V162000 2008-04-10 662,178 affected

Defect

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,…

Consequence

THE DOOR GLASS MAY SEPARATE FROM THE WINDOW REGULATOR, BIND AND SHATTER DURING OPERATION OF THE POWER WINDOWS, CAUSING DRIVER DISTRACTION AND/OR INJURY.

Remedy

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.

POWER TRAIN 02V074001 2002-03-11 8,483 affected

Defect

ON PASSENGER VEHICLES WITH VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS (VIN) STARTING WITH 1NX ONLY AND BUILT FROM JANUARY 8 THROUGH FEBRUARY 13, 2002, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE BOLTS THAT JOIN THE REAR BRAKE AND HUB ASSEMBLY TO THE REAR AXLE CARRIER TO BE LOOSE DUE TO INSUFFICIENT TIGHTENING DURING THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS.

Consequence

IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN THIS CONDITION, ONE OR MORE OF THE FOUR BOLTS COULD COME LOOSE, CAUSING AN ABNORMAL NOISE FROM THE REAR AXLE AREA. IN THE EVENT THAT ALL FOUR BOLTS LOOSEN COMPLETELY, SEPARATION OF THE REAR BRAKE AND HUB ASSEMBLY FROM THE REAR AXLE CARRIER COULD OCCUR, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF…

Remedy

DEALERS WILL PROPERLY TIGHTEN THE BOLTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 21, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Complaints by component

AIR BAGS

314

45146

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

25118

SEAT BELTS

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

POWER TRAIN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

1313

ENGINE

323

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Total complaints860

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“Airbags did not deploy in at crash where we were hit head on and car is totaled. I do not know the rate of speed the gentleman was driving, but the speed limit in the area was 45 mph and the gentleman ran the red light and hit us as we were waiting to make a left turn. Every responder, police,…”

UNKNOWN OR OTHER · reported 2026-05-12

“The contact owns a 2003 toyota corolla. The contact lowered the front passengerâ€™s 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…”

VISIBILITY · reported 2026-02-19

“The contact owns a 2003 toyota corolla. The contact stated that while her husband and son were driving at approximately 25 mph, her husband smelled an abnormal burning odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated her husband then heard several abnormal sounds like a soda can being…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2025-08-19

“Greeting, on june 7,2025 my toyota corolla was repaired at interstate toyota for the replacement on the airbag. I have attached documents that share the job was completed successfully. Please review and forward and email that it is verified in your system to my email address. [xxx] warmly, [xxx]…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2025-06-07

“My mother got in the car and as soon as the car was put on drive, the car accelerated to its max potential, but when she attempted to hit the brakes they did not respond. So max acceleration, on its own, and brakes did not work. She ended up in the hospital for 9 days suffering a broken rib, front…”

SERVICE BRAKES · reported 2025-03-03

“My mother got in the car and as soon as the car was put on drive, the car accelerated to its max potential, but when she attempted to hit the brakes they did not respond. So max acceleration, on its own, and brakes did not work. She ended up in the hospital for 9 days suffering a broken rib, front…”

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · reported 2025-03-03

“My driver side seat belt sometimes becomes unbuckled, disconnected while driving, specially when I make turns, or when I slow down my driving speed. This is very dangerous because it is putting my life at risk in case of an accident.”

SEAT BELTS · reported 2024-11-09

“Seat belt use to automatically unlocks in mid drive, sometimes over a speed bump, sometimes during a turn, sometimes for no reason at all. Now seat belt won't lock at all.”

SEAT BELTS · reported 2024-06-17

Defect investigations

Investigation EA08004 Opened 2008-02-05 · closed 2008-05-01

SIDE FRONT POWER WINDOW SHATTERS

FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE RETENTION FORCE OF THE REGULATOR BOLTS WHICH ATTACH THE FRONT SIDE WINDOW GLASS TO THE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT DUE TO AN INTERFERENCE OF THE RETENTION NUT AND THE BOLT SHOULDER RADIUS.IN THIS CONDITION THE BOLT MAY BECOME LOOSE, CAUSING A…

Investigation EA08004 Opened 2008-02-05 · closed 2008-05-01