What are the common problems with the 2013 Toyota Corolla?

Owners filed 202 complaints with NHTSA. Air bags lead the list, followed by steering and brakes.

Does the 2013 Toyota Corolla have recalls?

Yes. The by-year count shows 5 recalls. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.

How many complaints does the 2013 Toyota Corolla have?

NHTSA lists 202 owner complaints, and 46 of them mention a crash.

What is the gas mileage of the 2013 Toyota Corolla?

See the fuel economy section on this page for the figures.

Is the 2013 Toyota Corolla reliable?

The complaint groups are laid out in the problems section. Compare them with the by-year section and the crash ratings section on this page.

2013 Toyota Corolla Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 202 owner complaints on file for the 2013 Toyota Corolla^[1]. The biggest group names the air bags, with 73 complaints^[2].

202owner complaints^[1]

5recalls^[3]

29MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

4★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups in the NHTSA file, biggest first.

Air Bags. 73 complaints^[2]. Owners describe crashes where the air bags did not deploy, and a warning light that stayed on after a dealer check.
Steering. 39 complaints^[6]. In the stories we read, drivers say the car wanders in its lane or pulls to one side, and one owner describes a rattle near the wheel.
Brakes. 24 complaints^[7]. Owners describe a pedal that needed pumping before the car would stop, and a warning light that came on during braking.
Engine. 19 complaints^[8]. Owners describe slow response when they press the gas, the car shutting off, and a cabin that stayed very hot.
Speed Control. 18 complaints^[9].
Unknown Or Other. 15 complaints^[10].
Seat Belts. 12 complaints^[11].
Electrical System. 11 complaints^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2013 Corolla is necessarily included.

Air Bags › Air Bag/Restraint Control Module (20V024), January 2020. About 2,891,976 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (19V741), October 2019. About 928,220 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury, death.^[14]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (19V005), January 2019. About 1,299,448 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury, death.^[15]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (18V024), January 2018. About 628,018 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury, death.^[16]
Seats (13V014), January 2013. About 3,235 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, an air bag that may not work as intended.^[17]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Corolla, 1.8L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	26 / 33 / 29	$2,300
Corolla, 1.8L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[18]	27 / 33 / 29	$2,300

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD^[5]	4	4	5	4	12.1%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2013 Toyota Corolla with 1.8L 4-cylinder^[19]	132 hp
2013 Toyota Corolla with electric motor^[20]	158 hp
2013 Toyota Corolla with 2.4L 4-cylinder^[21]	158 hp

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
COROLLA 4DR SEDAN FWD CE/LE/S^[22]	179 in	69 in	58 in	102 in	2,778 lb

How 2013 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Corolla model year. The 2013 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
1995	176	2
1996	129	0
1997	135	1
1998	225	0
1999	155	0
2000	145	0
2001	133	0
2002	117	0
2003	756	10
2004	506	10
2005	943	7
2006	904	8
2007	884	7
2008	345	7
2009	1,533	13
2010	1,264	17
2011	590	9
2012	446	5
2013	202	5
2014	269	2
2015	220	1
2016	215	1
2017	190	3
2018	143	3
2019	205	6
2020	314	6
2021	187	1
2022	105	0
2023	85	6
2024	73	4
2025	42	2
2026	18	1

NHTSA's counts for the Corolla show 202 complaints and 5 recalls for 2013^[3]. Among the 33 model years listed, 16 have fewer complaints than 2013 and 16 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2027 (0) and the most are for 2009 (1,533)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2013 Corolla?

These are unverified owner reports, so they show what people chose to file and not how often a fault happens^[1]. The air bag and steering groups are the largest in the file^[2]^[6]. Recalls exist for this year, and the Recalls section lists them^[3]. Read the complaint groups above next to the by-year section before you decide. A pre-purchase inspection is a sensible step for any used car.

Frequently asked questions

What are the common problems with the 2013 Toyota Corolla?: Owners filed 202 complaints with NHTSA^[1]. Air bags lead the list, followed by steering and brakes^[2]^[6]^[7].
Does the 2013 Toyota Corolla have recalls?: Yes. The by-year count shows 5 recalls^[3]. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.
How many complaints does the 2013 Toyota Corolla have?: NHTSA lists 202 owner complaints, and 46 of them mention a crash^[1].
What is the gas mileage of the 2013 Toyota Corolla?: See the fuel economy section on this page for the figures.
Is the 2013 Toyota Corolla reliable?: The complaint groups are laid out in the problems section^[1]. Compare them with the by-year section and the crash ratings section on this page.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Toyota Corolla

2013 this page
2014 269 complaints, 2 recalls
2016 215 complaints, 1 recall
2017 190 complaints, 3 recalls
2025 42 complaints, 2 recalls

Compare all model years of the Toyota Corolla

Other Toyota models from 2013

2013 Toyota Avalon 160 complaints, 4 recalls
2013 Toyota Highlander 212 complaints, 3 recalls
2013 Toyota Land Cruiser 6 complaints, 2 recalls
2013 Toyota Prius 426 complaints, 4 recalls
2013 Toyota Sienna 183 complaints, 6 recalls

All Toyota models

Similar cars from 2013: compact cars

2013 Honda Civic 329 complaints, 0 recalls
2013 Honda Insight 45 complaints, 6 recalls
2013 Hyundai Accent 141 complaints, 1 recall
2013 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 565 complaints, 7 recalls
2013 Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport 251 complaints, 4 recalls
2013 Volkswagen Beetle 101 complaints, 6 recalls

All compact cars we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 202 owner complaints on file for the 2013 Toyota Corolla (46 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 51 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
73 complaints name the air bags component group (31 crashes, 1 fires, 36 injuries, median mileage at failure 39,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Toyota Corolla model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Corolla, 1.8L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 26 city / 33 highway / 29 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,300. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 12.1%. NHTSA vehicle records
39 complaints name the steering component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 3,250). NHTSA vehicle records
24 complaints name the brakes component group (5 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 36,603). NHTSA vehicle records
19 complaints name the engine component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 7 injuries, median mileage at failure 21,500). NHTSA vehicle records
18 complaints name the speed control component group (8 crashes, 0 fires, 8 injuries, median mileage at failure 20,000). NHTSA vehicle records
15 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 45,000). NHTSA vehicle records
12 complaints name the seat belts component group (3 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, median mileage at failure 20,419). NHTSA vehicle records
11 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 5 injuries, median mileage at failure 61,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 20V024, filed January 17, 2020: Air Bags › Air Bag / Restraint Control Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 19V741, filed October 17, 2019: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 19V005, filed January 9, 2019: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 18V024, filed January 9, 2018: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 13V014, filed January 16, 2013: Seats. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Corolla, 1.8L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 27 city / 33 highway / 29 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,300. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2013 Toyota Corolla with 1.8L 4-cylinder: rated 132 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2013 Toyota Corolla with electric motor: rated 158 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2013 Toyota Corolla with 2.4L 4-cylinder: rated 158 hp. www.epa.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, COROLLA 4DR SEDAN FWD CE/LE/S: length 179 in, width 69 in, height 58 in, wheelbase 102 in, curb weight 2,778 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2013 Toyota Corolla: problems, recalls and fuel economy