Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross. The contact stated while driving downhill at a slow speed in rainy weather with the windshield wipers intermittently activated, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the "Engine Stopped Press Brake Firmly to Restart" message was displayed. The contact stated that she depressed the brake pedal firmly and pressed the START/STOP button however, the vehicle failed to restart. The contact stated that she turned off the vehicle, shifted to park(P), depressed the brake pedal to restart the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the failure however, the contact was sent to a voicemail. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross. The contact stated while the vehicle was idling at a traffic light, the vehicle stalled. The messages "Engine Shut Off" and "Steering Power Low" were displayed, and the check engine warning light and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that she turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the messages and warning lights were turned off. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the failure needed to be duplicated to diagnose the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 4,600.
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross. The contact stated while at a stop signal, the vehicle turned off and the power steering and the check engine warning light illuminated. The message to depress the brake pedal to restart the vehicle was displayed. The contact shifted the vehicle into park and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle started to operate normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic test, and the dealer stated that no failure was found. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 1,500.
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The failure became persistent. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure had not been diagnosed. The contact stated that the vehicle had been taken to the dealer twice due to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 100.
I was parked at a red light. After maybe 30 seconds of my foot on the break an error message came up saying "Ignition on: power steering low, press brake firmly to restart." The message was flashing and with all the commotion I didn't get to see what the rest of the message read. There was also a buzzer sound going off for the entire duration. The car engine was off, the steering locked, and pressing the break did nothing. I had to shift to P and then restart the car. [What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?] Yes, my car will be available for inspection. [How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk?] The light turned green and I was in the middle lane. I had no way of pulling over. [Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?] No, I will be taking it to the dealer ASAP. …
What component or system failed or malfunctioned: I was stopped at a red light for about 60 seconds, and the engine's Auto Start-Stop feature was engaged (engine automatically shut off while idling at the traffic light). As the light turned green, I took my foot off the brake, and the engine did not start again. The dash displayed multiple warning signs, such as "Engine Stopped - Press Brake Firmly to Restart" (I did so, and it did not restart), and "Power Steering Low." I ended up having to put the car in park, turn off the vehicle, then turn it on again to continue moving. This happened to my 2023 Corolla Cross XLE in wet weather (rain), while I had the windshield wipers on and QI charging port enabled. …
I was stopped at a red light and the engine cut off as it usually does (the car has stop/start system that is automatically enabled each time you turn the car on). When the light turned green, I pressed the gas pedal. The car froze in place and began beeping. Several indicator lights flashed on the dashboard. The dashboard said, "Ignition OFF. Press brake firmly to engage." I pressed the brake firmly but nothing happened. I turned on my hazard lights and put the car in park, thinking that might help. I attempted to turn the car off by pushing the button, but it did not turn off. The car refused to do anything and was simply frozen in place for about 3 minutes. After approximately 3 minutes of me having to direct traffic to go around me in the rain in a busy intersection during rush hour, the car simply stopped beeping and removed the error message. …
Driving in Bumper-to-Bumper traffice on interstate 10. It was raining and the wipers were on. The problem occurred on December 20th during frequent starts and stops to maintain traffic flow with other vehicles. During one of the stops, the engine turned off as it normally does at a traffic light or when stuck in traffic. Upon lifting my foot off the brake, the car emiited loud sounds and various lights came on the dashboard. Cars behind me started honking their horns and other cars began acclerating passed me on the adjacent lanes. I was very upset and frightened. I tried several times to try and restart the car. I finally was able to get it started and drove directly to the dealer- Toyota of the Desert in Cathedral City. The Service writer said they could not find anything wrong with the car and would not give me a loaner. …
On [redacted], and again on [redacted], vehicle began beeping while driving on the freeway and flashing the following warning messages: 1) 12-Volt Battery Charging - System Malfunction - Stop in a Safe Place - See Owner's Manual 2) AWD System Malfunction - 2WD Mode Engaged - Visit your Dealer 3) Voltage Abnormality - Steering Power Low - Visit Your Dealer Vehicle shut down and lost power steering while driving on the freeway. My safety was put at risk as I could not easily pull my car over to a safe place due to the car losing power, not turning back on, and power steering turning off. This may have resulted in severe injury or death if I had not been able to eventually pull over. …
* What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Likely Start/Stop feature (the feature that turns off the engine when stopped to improve fuel efficiency, then automatically restarts when you need to go). * How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? - Car unpowered while in traffic. * Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? - No * Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? - No * Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, warning indicators only came on as/after the car shut off. When coming to a stop, the engine will turn off (this is expected). …
Engine complaints in other Corolla Cross years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross?
NHTSA has 104 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross, 59% of the model year's 176 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 2,000 miles, and 100% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.