2009 Toyota Corolla

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

66/100

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AVOIR's read: the reliability record is poor enough to outweigh everything else here.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 1,533 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Toyota Corolla, and it carries 13 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Air bags	538	35%
Steering	303	20%
Vehicle speed control	127	8%
Engine	70	5%
Electrical system	38	2%
Service brakes	36	2%
Power train	25	2%
Engine and engine cooling	22	1%
Structure	19	1%
Steering	19	1%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

Subject: Request to Consider Recall for 2009 Toyota Matrix Excessive Oil Consumption Dear Toyota Motor Corporation/NHTSA, I am writing to bring to your attention a persistent issue with my 2009 Toyota Matrix, which has
NHTSA complaint: Engine

The contact's mother owns a 2009 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that on several occasions while he was driving straight at approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle began to drift to the left and right inadvertently. The veh
NHTSA complaint: Steering

I purchased my car in March 2023. From the first week, it wouldn't start sometimes. Id wait 5 minutes, then it would start fine. I thought it was when it got wet, at first. I also had a certain part replaced air flow com
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

The contact owned a 2009 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at 5 mph and exiting a parking lot when the vehicle accelerated on its own, veered to the left, and crashed into a gate. No warning lights we
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

I have been sent two different recalls on my cars airbags. I had one repaired. I do not know how to tell what repairs were were not done. They’ve all been marked as being done yet. Four years later less than four years l
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

My daughter was hit by a red light runner at 60mph and her airbags did not deploy at all. Her head hit the door and she sustained a broken collarbone, concussion and mild brain bleed.
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

UNKNOWN airbag light is on and never goes off. This worries me because it could affect my safety.
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

Power steering fails to operate causing loss of control while navigating turns.
NHTSA complaint: Steering

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns for the 2009 Toyota Corolla. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module 19V741000

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 GX4

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

Fix: 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-asse

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module 18V024000

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013 Scion xB, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, 4Runner, Lexus IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, IS-F, and GX460 vehicles sold, ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP (Saipan),

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

Fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or r

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module 17V006000

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, Yaris, Scion xB, Lexus ES350, GX460, IS-F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, and Lexus LFA vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia,

Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air

Visibility:power window devices and controls 15V689000

Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, and 2009-2010 Scion xD and Pontiac Vib

Risk: If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the

Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the PWMS circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The

The seven scores

Reliability	44	below average
Longevity est.	67	good
Maintenance	90	excellent
Depreciation	90	excellent
Performance	46	below average
Efficiency	53	average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 1% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 8% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 100% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 88% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 44: from NHTSA recalls and complaints, divided by approximate units sold so it is comparable between models.
Longevity 67: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2009 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 90: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 2009 Toyota Corolla?

Owners have filed 1,533 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 538 of them (35%). There are 13 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 2009 Toyota Corolla reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 44/100 (below average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density, adjusted for how many were sold so a popular model is not penalised for having more owners.

How long will a 2009 Toyota Corolla last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 67/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2009 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2009 Toyota Corolla?

AVOIR's read: skip, because the reliability record is poor enough to outweigh everything else here. Its overall ownership score is 66/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.