Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Toyota Corolla owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The car speed variable when I try speed up became slow or sometimes it speed up one time it stops in the middle of rail crossing and completely stop then I moved out and the car pushed up other side and the car accelerated not working properly nod the fuel system also I have big doubt about this car!
Purchased a 2009 Toyota Corolla on jan. 31, 2009. Immediately noticed "unwanted acceleration", the car wanted to go when stopped unless the brake was applied hard and did not slow down immediately when foot was taken off the gas pedal. Gas pedal did not always come all the way up when foot taken off, but would pop up if brakes applied hard. Cruise control did not work properly. Mentioned concern several times to Toyota service dept. They told me that what I was describing was normal for those cars. The car was in an accident on 12/22/09. Hit another car from behind. I think that the "not slowing down immediately when foot taken off gas pedal" was a contributing factor to the accident. There were no injuries but the car was badly damaged. Toyota sent recall notice but said VIN#'s beginning in j not affected. Our car begins with j. Recently send letters to Toyota and waiting for reply.
I was driving my 2009 Toyota Corolla. Once, prior to the event in question I had briefly noticed a lack of acceleration. I pressed on the accelerator and nothing happened. The car just quit moving forward. No noise or anything. But, in a few seconds, I tried again and it seemed normal so, I decided it was just my imagination. Then, in jan /feb I was coming home from the gym (thankfully not on the freeway) about 9 pm on a city street traveling about 30 MPH. I tried to accelerate slightly to the speed limit of 35mph and discovered (again, with no warning) that my car would not move forward. None of the systems worked steering etc. But at that speed I did manage to stop. I called 911 and the police stopped 3 lanes of traffic and pushed me to the side. I waited an hour for aaa and had the car towed to the Toyota dealer. …
After filling the gas tank and driving up a hill the check engine light (CEL) came on and the engine ran rough. I nursed the car up the hill and drove home. I found the gas cap was not tight even though it had been clicked one time when the tank was filled just a few minutes earlier. A search for this on the internet revealed that others have had this same problem. I tightened it to one click, of course. A few days later I bought a Toyota gas cap at a local Toyota dealership. This sequence repeated multiple times; CEL turned on, engine runs rough, lose of engine power. In one instance I was passing a car on a four lane highway when the engine hesitated and the CEL turned on. In another instance I was turning left to go slowly up a steep hill when it happened again. In every instance the gas cap was loose. It happened once when I started the engine in a parking lot. …
Very often, my 2009 Corolla will have a very low idle, the car acts as it is going to stall. It shudders, the tach drops low, but then will come back up. It happens several times per week when I am either backing up or going from a stop into first gear. I have driven only manual transmissions for over 26 years, and this is the first vehicle I have owned that this has happened with. I fear I will be hit from behind, or t-boned when the car acts as if it wants to stall. It never has stalled, but it frightens us. As I mentioned, the car shudders, shakes when this happens to us. We feel it May have something to do with a low idle problem, either with the electronics or software. We have taken it back to the dealer a few times, but it's the famous "can not duplicate" answer. We only drive this vehicle usually from April to late October. …
While traveling nw on hwy 99 through merced ca at 08:30 am nov. 9, 2014, I experienced a sudden acceleration of my car while in cruise mode going up the ramp just at the nw edge of merced. It continued to accelerate till the RPM gauge was into the red. At the same time, I was very tense, maneuvering in traffic while applying the brakes in an effort to slow down or stop, which heated up until they were barely working. I shut the motor off while in drive and turned it back on a few times and each time the engine went right into high rev mode again. I finally put the transmission into n and shut the engine off and coasted to the side of the road about a mile or so from where the problem started, regained my composure and allowed the car to sit a few minutes. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Toyota Corolla. While attempting to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle was extremely slow in accelerating and would not pick up speed. The check engine light illuminated on the dashboard and the vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure and advised there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. On a separate occasion, the fuel level indicator failed and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The dealer advised there was water in the fuel tank and would need to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired accordingly and the failure did not recur. In addition, the vehicle would also exhibit a sporadic 'bump' while driving. The dealer advised the transmission was misfiring. The vehicle was not further repaired. The failure mileage was 2,457 and the current mileage was 5,700.
01/02/2014 at 7:15 am: vehicle idled normally for approx 15 minutes while I cleared snow from driveway. I entered vehicle, put my foot on the brake and shifted into reverse. Accelerator suddenly went to full throttle. I managed to shift back into park and the engine RPM increased to red-line level. I shut off the ignition and the engine stopped. I re-started the vehicle a minute later and everything seemed to be fine. I checked the floor mat which was not close to the accelerator pedal. At least 4" away. My foot never depressed the pedal. I am a mechanical designer and I am convinced that this was not a mechanical issue. I never experienced any accelerator issues previous to this event. I am scheduling an appointment with my local dealer to look into this.
Vehicles with delco ECM have a common issue where the fuel injectors leak into the cylinder causing engine to loose compression. The lowered compression causes hard start (if able to start at all) and if and when it starts the vehicle emits a cloud of white smoke for several minutes. When vehicle is in drive the engine idles hunts constantly. Engine stalls while driving making braking and steering very difficult and dangerous. ECM has been replaced but unfortunately the damage is done to the engine and needs a rebuild. Multiple vehicles have reported this issue from 2009 - 2013 Toyota Corolla ranging from 100 miles - 179,000 miles. It doesn't seem to have any different effect with mileage or maintenance.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Toyota Corolla. The conact e stated that while driving at unknown speeds, she heard an unusual noise coming from the vehicle. The contact shut off the engine and restarted it, and the noise stopped. She also noticed that when attempting to brake in rainy weather or wet road conditions, there was an abnormal hesitation, an increase in stopping distance and the check engine warning light would illuminate. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the dealer advised the fuel sensor was causing the check engine light to illuminate. The vehicle was not repaired or diagnosed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and current mileages were 18,393. Updated 10/27/10.
Fuel System complaints in other Corolla years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2009 Toyota Corolla?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2009 Toyota Corolla, 2% of the model year's 1,459 complaints. The component named most often is storage › tank assembly (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Toyota Corolla fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2009 Toyota Corolla, though it has 13 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 2009 Toyota Corolla fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 22,000 miles, and 52% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to fuel & propulsion system 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.