Acceleration complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 11% | — |
| 2025 | 2 | 6% | 8,000 miles |
| 2024 | 2 | 3% | 10,000 miles |
| 2023 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2022 | 3 | 3% | 5,000 miles |
| 2021 | 7 | 4% | 4,000 miles |
| 2020 | 5 | 2% | 12,000 miles |
| 2019 | 13 | 6% | 5,000 miles |
| 2018 | 11 | 8% | 6,000 miles |
| 2017 | 29 | 16% | 4,000 miles |
| 2016 | 22 | 10% | 13,000 miles |
| 2015 | 18 | 8% | 22,000 miles |
| 2014 | 29 | 11% | 13,000 miles |
| 2013 | 18 | 9% | 20,000 miles |
| 2012 | 16 | 4% | 28,000 miles |
| 2011 | 46 | 8% | 10,000 miles |
| 2010 | 198 | 16% | 6,000 miles |
| 2009 | 197 | 14% | 20,000 miles |
| 2008 | 54 | 17% | 36,000 miles |
| 2007 | 95 | 11% | 33,000 miles |
| 2006 | 75 | 9% | 50,000 miles |
| 2005 | 66 | 8% | 40,000 miles |
| 2004 | 60 | 13% | 43,000 miles |
| 2003 | 77 | 11% | 65,000 miles |
| 2002 | 11 | 9% | 88,000 miles |
| 2001 | 14 | 11% | 60,000 miles |
| 2000 | 7 | 5% | 132,000 miles |
| 1999 | 13 | 8% | 65,000 miles |
| 1998 | 18 | 8% | 65,000 miles |
| 1997 | 9 | 7% | 100,000 miles |
| 1996 | 7 | 5% | 73,000 miles |
| 1995 | 3 | 2% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact rented a 2022 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning. The contact attempted to cancel the cruise control but was unable to. The contact was forced to depress the brake pedal to slow the vehicle and disengage the cruise control. The contact attempted to engage the cruise control for a second time however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was returned to the rental facility and the contact alerted the agent of the failure. The contact stated that the agent offered no assistance. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 5,474. The VIN was not available.
Vehicle's cruise control got stuck and would not turn off by the brake, the cruise control off button. The only way it would shut off is by swtitching the car into "B-(Low Gear/Engine Braking). Was cruising at 70 mph, and then the cruise control kept speeding the vehicle up to 100 mph, until I switched it into the "B"-(Low Gear/Engine Braking). Now if I wasn't familiar with this type of car this could have been a tragedy that could have taken place on August 01, 2022.
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while attempting to park the vehicle when depressing on the brake pedal and the vehicle accelerated independently and crashed into a building. The contact stated the "vehicle was needing to be serviced" warning light was illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. The contact did not sustain any injuries or seek medical attention. A police report was filed. The contact towed the vehicle to an unknown location. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 4,000.
The problem seems to occur when activating the Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) feature, as detailed next. During a recent trip, the car behaved in a potentially dangerous, life-threatening manner when the DRCC function was activated. Specifically, the car seems to increase the RPM of the engine to dangerous levels when going down a slope even if there is a speed limit set using the cruise control. In other words, the car does not change gear properly to keep the RPM in normal ranges. The engine's RPM getting close, entering the red zone indicated by the RPM tachometer, and staying there even for seconds may cause an engine explosion which at highway speeds can be extremely dangerous for the passengers and other nearby vehicles on the road.
I was going to work on 12/15/2022. There was a stop sign and I needed to take a right turn in order to join the freeway-10 east highway to head on to work. it was about 6: 40 am approximate time. There were too many cars ahead of me at the stop sign. My brakes failed to hold on while I waited for my turn. There were at least 3-4 cars ahead of me. Therefore I did not want to hurt anyone or any other car ahead of me. Therefore I veered off to my right-hand side where there was some space and tried to stop the car but it did not do so. Therefore, My car had to hit the high-way pole to come to a stop. The airbags deployed and hit me more to my right side. The car got totaled as per California casualty insurance information. I am glad to be alive. I went later to the hospital as there were no direct visible injuries.
When using cruise control, all warning lights come on while driving - check engine, parking, abs, everything. It stays like this for about a week and then stops until the next time you use cruise control. I have taken to the dealer and they acted like it wasn't a problem and turned off the lights but it still keeps happening.
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a report was filed. The approximate failure mileage was 18,200
As I was driving my check engine light turned and also another message saying "Drive-Start control malfunction". A few second after another light came one showing "Engine coolant Temp high. On 11/24/24 I experienced this mechanical failure as I was driving. I was driving behind another car, where my car suddenly lost power and randomly accelerated almost causing me to crash behind the car in front of me. Thankfully I had time to press on the brakes to prevent me from crashing. I also did some research to see if other drivers also experienced this fault and seems that a lot of people with these Toyota Corolla and RAV4 models. I also found that an active lawsuit is ongoing against Toyota regarding this same issue. This definitely should be something that needs to be recalled as it puts our lives at risks to either crash or even catch on fire due to overheating. …
Related recalls (2)
Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 highlander, model year 2009-2010 corolla, venza and matrix passenger vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat.
Remedy: Toyota will modify or replace the accelerator pedals on the subject vehicles. Floor surface modifications are also being considered and will be included for any model for which it is deemed appropriate.
Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 avalon, model year 2007-2010 camry, model year 2009-2010 corolla, corolla matrix, rav4, model year 2010 highlander, model year 2008-2010 sequoia, and model year 2007-2010 tundra vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will install a reinforcement bar in the accelerator pedal which will allow the pedal to operate smoothly. GM will notify owners for the Pontiac vibe please see 10v-018.
NHTSA investigations
Low-speed surging
The Agency received a petition on September 11, 2014 requesting an investigation into, low-speed surging in the 2006-2010 Toyota Corolla [vehicles] with ETCS-i, in which the brakes fail to stop the vehicle in time to prevent a crash.NHTSA conducted a technical review of the material cited and provided by the petitioner, material Toyota submitted in response to a NHTSA formal request, interviews with complainants and…
Frequently asked questions
Which Toyota Corolla years have acceleration problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2010 (198), 2009 (197), 2007 (95), 2003 (77) and 2006 (75) model years. Acceleration complaints make up 16% of all complaints for the 2010.
Is there a recall for Toyota Corolla acceleration problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 10V-023 (accelerator pedal, Jan 27, 2010); 10V-017 (accelerator pedal, Jan 21, 2010). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Toyota Corolla acceleration problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 28,000 miles; 71% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the accelerator pedal (82 mentions), followed by the cruise control (13).
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.