Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Toyota Corolla owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I have had failure to disclose issues with this car. I have had an accident in which the airbag did not deploy and brake had difficulty. I had a bad accident and have reached out to Toyota to wither repair my car or setup rental or make a payment for rental. I do not want to drive this car until repaired, therefore renting for the past 3 months
Problems with the brakes were reported to the Toyota dealer in 12/08. They dismissed the complaint. In feb. 2009, the car brakes did not work and the car crashed into another vehicle. The police report clearly states that the brakes did not work. Vehicle was towed and taken to the Toyota dealer, again, the dealer dismissed the complaint saying everything was OK. The dealer and the sales and technical specialist. Said that everything was OK and alluded to the age of the driver as a possible cause of the accident. I am concerned that the problem May be with stuck gas pedal but they never checked or mentioned this as a possible cause. As a consumer, this would not even occur to me. I can simply state that the car crashed because the brakes did not work. Toyota refuses to check to see if the 2008 Corolla also has problems with sticky gas pedals with this vehicle. …
Tl contact owns a 2008 Toyota Corolla. While driving approximately 50 MPH with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle decelerated to 40 MPH. The contact released the brake pedal and when she attempted to reapply the brakes, the pedal would not move. After 30 seconds, the pedal moved slightly, but the vehicle would not stop and crashed into the rear end of another vehicle. The road conditions were wet. A police report was filed. The vehicle was driven to the dealer. While at the dealer, the gear would not shift from park into drive. The vehicle remains at the dealer and has not been repaired. The front license plate was dented. The current and failure mileages were 1,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Toyota Corolla. The contact was driving approximately 25 MPH in rainy weather when the vehicle began to skid abnormally. The contact attempted to apply the brakes and the vehicle then turned 180 degrees before crashing into a pole. The vehicle sustained substantial body damage. The vehicle was then towed to an authorized dealer where the contact was advised that there were no failure found within the vehicle. The dealer stated that the vehicle would be further inspected. The failure and current mileage was 31,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the rpms increased and the vehicle lurched forward without warning. The contact depressed the brake pedal with force and the brakes responded. The failure recurred on several occasions while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Toyota corrola. After the vehicle was repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 16V127000 (air bags), the ABS warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 91,110.
In 2010 , engine light started to come on and off, I went to Toyota, was told the light had to be on at the time for proper diagnosis at a fee. I have also gone to other service locations for a second opinion and was told, after a complimentary diagnosis, that it was caused by the throttle. Recently, I received a notice of a civil lawsuit from other Toyota owners with my VIN number ( last 4 digits) due to a defective throttle that has caused car crashes due involuntary acceleration. I have called a local Toyota dealer in hollywood, fl on taft street and 441, spoke with an employee who confirmed there was a recall for the defective throttle and scheduled an appointment to bring the car in for adjustment at no cost. I took the car in on Saturday, April 5, spoke with another employee who advised there was no recall for my car, will have it checked anyway. …
I was driving in the country with my daughter. I was driving slow because I had never driven that road before and there was a speed limit 30 and the 45 MPH. There was a stop sign where I needed to turn right. I started slowing down but the car would complete the stop. So, I turned right and the car suddenly accelerated and got out of control. It was accelerating and moving left and right like crazy. I tried to hold the steering wheel tight but I wasn't able to do that because it was out of control. The brakes didn't work either. There were small hills on the both sides of the road that's why the car kept driving from side to side. Probably 3000-4000 feet from the stop sign there was a big iron gate leading to the pasture. My car knocked down the whole gate and kept moving into the pasture. Finally the car hit another pole and a fence and stopped. The car is totaled. …
Yesterday morning I was driving slowly up to a stop sign. I downshifted and applied the brakes, but the car would not come to a stop. I had to roll through the intersection. This is not the first time that this has occurred since I purchased the vehicle. I continued on. I was driving 30 MPH in a 40 MPH zone. I again slowed down and downshifted to turn into a driveway. The brakes again failed. It felt as though I could not press down hard enough on the brakes to stop. I could not turn out of the way of a garbage can and pile of rocks, just missing a mailbox. There is now minor, cosmetic damage to the front of my vehicle. This problem has inconsistently occurred over the last year. Shortly after I bought the vehicle, I brought it back due to the brakes not feeling right, and a metal on metal sound that occurred when I pressed on the brakes. …
My wife was driving her new (one month old) 2008 Toyota Corolla (basic 4-door sedan) on a local expressway when the car in front braked abruptly. My wife applied the brakes but could not bring the car to a complete halt even though there was considerable distance between the two vehicles. She complained that the brakes were "loose". We took the car to the dealer immediately, but they told us there was no problem with the brakes. We left thinking maybe it was our driving- though we are very safe drivers. Since then, whenever I drove the vehicle, a number of times I found that the car does not stop when I brake, and I usually have to swerve to the side to avoid the car in the front. We have found this problem when we are driving usually between 35-45mph speed. …
Brake complaints in other Corolla years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2008 Toyota Corolla?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the brakes of the 2008 Toyota Corolla, 8% of the model year's 314 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › master cylinder (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Toyota Corolla brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2008 Toyota Corolla, though it has 6 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 2008 Toyota Corolla brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 31,000 miles, and 33% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 7 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.