2004 Toyota Corolla: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2004 Toyota Corolla
On the 2004 Toyota Corolla, the failure owners report most often is other speed control problem, and the reports cluster around 42,500 miles. The earliest to appear is other engine problem, reported by a median of 10,000 miles. Overall it scores 69 out of 100, high risk for a 2004.
High risk for a 2004 — 125th riskiest of the 329 2004 vehicles we can rate. 560 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
The failures owners actually file about
Owners have reported 49 named failure modes on the 2004 Toyota Corolla, and the three most-reported carry 20% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other speed control problem leads with 47 reports, about 0.3 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 22k to 70,000 miles.
Other engine problem follows with 39 reports, usually reported between 250 to 65,000 miles.
Airbag inflator rupture follows with 28 reports, usually reported between 6k to 190,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into airbag (68), adas (58) and engine (54).
At what mileage it happens
289 of the reports on the 2004 Toyota Corolla came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 58,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 46% by 50,000 miles, 74% by 100,000 miles and 87% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 12 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 17% of the dated reports.
37% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
In the order they tend to show up: other engine problem around 8k, other fuel system problem around 20k, seat belt or retractor failure around 25k and airbag failed to deploy in a crash around 43k.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 49. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 12 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 63 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 32 an injury and 3 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 5.03, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other speed control problem at $250–$2,000, other engine problem at $300–$4,000, airbag inflator rupture at $0–$0 and other visibility problem at $150–$1,400. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
13% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other speed control problem | adas | 47 | 37 | 22k | 43k | 70k | 0.3 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Other engine problem | engine | 39 | 21 | 250 | 8k | 66k | 0.3 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 28 | 9 | 6k | 78k | 191k | 0.2 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 26 | 22 | 33k | 49k | 75k | 0.2 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 19 | 19 | 26k | 43k | 99k | 0.1 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 18 | 11 | 5k | 60k | 78k | 0.1 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 14 | 8 | 24k | 25k | 94k | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 12 | 12 | 75k | 93k | 109k | 0.1 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 12 | 7 | — | 80k | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 12 | 10 | 5k | 20k | 64k | 0.1 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 11 | 7 | — | 37k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 10 | 9 | 56k | 102k | 123k | 0.1 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 8 | 5 | — | 77k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Other steering problem | steering | 8 | 5 | — | 80k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 7 | 5 | — | 165k | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 6 | 1 | — | 23k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 5 | 5 | — | 86k | — | 0.0 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 5 | 5 | — | 30k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 5 | 4 | — | 34k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 5 | 4 | — | 42k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Catalytic converter failure | emissions | 5 | 4 | — | 1k | — | 0.0 | $900–$3,500 | Moderate |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 5 | 3 | — | 24k | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 5 | 3 | — | 25k | — | 0.0 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure | engine | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $1,200–$4,500 | Critical |
| Fuel leak or fuel odor | fuel | 3 | 3 | — | 150k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 3 | 3 | — | 102k | — | 0.0 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Air conditioning failure | hvac | 3 | 1 | — | 4k | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 3 | 3 | — | 35k | — | 0.0 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Intake carbon buildup | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 33k | — | 0.0 | $400–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Steering column or shaft failure | steering | 2 | 1 | — | 105k | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,500 | Critical |
| Alignment fault and uneven tire wear | suspension | 2 | 2 | — | 133k | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Window regulator or power window failure | body | 2 | 2 | — | 49k | — | 0.0 | $250–$900 | Moderate |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 2 | 1 | — | 200k | — | 0.0 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin | emissions | 2 | 2 | — | 9k | — | 0.0 | $250–$2,000 | High |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 2 | 2 | — | 64k | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 1 | 1 | — | 75k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| Transmission will not engage a gear | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 44k | — | 0.0 | $1,500–$6,000 | Critical |
| Shifter, linkage or stuck-in-park failure | transmission | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,400 | High |
| Wheel bearing or hub failure | drivetrain | 1 | 1 | — | 40k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 1 | 1 | — | 300k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Premature brake pad or rotor wear | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 13k | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 1 | 1 | — | 120k | — | 0.0 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Strut, shock or spring failure | suspension | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $500–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 2k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Door latch or handle failure | body | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,200 | High |
| DPF, EGR or DEF system failure | emissions | 1 | 1 | — | 45k | — | 0.0 | $800–$5,000 | High |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 204 | 43 | 63k | 115k | 153k | 1.4 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2004 Toyota Corolla draws about 3.8 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 77th percentile of complaint rates among 2004 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 147,951 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2004 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other speed control problem
I bought a brand new 2004 toyota corolla in may this year. A few days later I was driving on the free way and the new car accelerated by itself. I tried to step on the brake to slow down, it became uncontrollable. I was driving at 60 miles per hour. Finally I have to exit the free way and the car hit the divider and got totally crashed.*ak
While idling at a stop light vehicle surged. *ak vehicle has had 600 RPM surges while in park and while at idle for no reason. The manufacturer appeared to be aware of the problem with the camry models but has received no reports of problems with the corolla. *nm
Other engine problem
2004 corolla bought 32 days ago with 92 miles. Noticed sulfur smell when exiting vehicle only after first refill -- not noticed with fuel that came with it. Dealer said to try different gas and to make sure that my entire tank is empty before filling. Basically recommending that I wait. (they did say to fill the tank -- not just put in a couple gallons) after the second refill (and about 16 days since purchase) I noticed that the smell wasn't as bad, but a friend reminded me that it was particularly windy. I later noticed the smell when the wind calmed down. No luck with the third refill either. All of these are at different stations. Called the dealer again and they recommended that I now try the higher-octane fuel. Needless to say, the days are slowly passing. After talking with sales dept and the service dept about what can be done, they agreed to take it for a drive as soon as they learned that I smelled this from inside the car when driving. I sense that it is a more-serious matter if it gets inside your car. They gave me a loaner for the day -- another corolla le, which also smelled of sulfur. The service manager at the…
Unexpected and without warning while car is in drive and stopped in traffic or at red light, engine idle speed increases when compressor from heating/air conditioner unit engages (when heater/defroster or air conditioner are in use) resulting car to lunge forward. If hard and constant pressure is not applied at all times on brake pedal while stopped, car could lunge forward resulting in; rear-end collision with another car; auto/pedestrian mishap while stopped at a crosswalk or hitting another vehicle board side if at a four-way stop. This design defect needs immediate investigation by NHTSA and if found valid, require toyota to recall and repair all 2004 toyota corolla les at no cost to car owner. *la
Airbag inflator rupture
Got the takata recall. Last spring, we received a letter from motorcars toyota, cleveland heights that they had the parts so we made an appointment. When we arrived at the appointment we were told they did not have the parts and we would be informed when they were in. Never received a letter. This month received another notice of recall. Contacted motorcars toyota again. They said that they did not have the parts and would not for 2 months. We contacted another dealership in cleveland, metro toyota, and they made an appointment the following friday, then did the repair. Clearly motorcars toyota is not pursuing this recall like other dealerships. If someone in the cleveland hts area is hurt as a result, we would be happy to testify against motorcars toyota.
Takata recall: I was told that the recall takes 3 hours. I can not be without a car for 3 hours. I tried to call the nearest toyota dealership and they couldn't even schedule this appointment over the phone. They said they were busy and would have to have an "adviser" call me back. I will need a rental car paid for in order to get this service done. I would think that this would the utmost of importance and systems/personnel would be in place to handle this more efficiently and more timely. Since this is the manufacturers' negligence, I expect toyota to deliver on it's legal commitment to pay for all costs associated with this burden. If it takes 3 hours, I need a rental car for 3 hours.
Recalls on the 2004 model year
NHTSA has issued 13 recall campaigns covering the 2004 Toyota Corolla, affecting an estimated 520,463 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module, air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module and air bags. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
928,220 vehicles 2019-10-17- Defect
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may…
- Consequence
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0A, J0B, and J0C. Lexus' numbers for this recall are JLI, JLJ, and JLK.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
229,460 vehicles 2019-08-28- Defect
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Corolla, 2005-2008 Corolla Matrix, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles equipped with a front passenger air bag assembly replaced under a prior recall. The air bag may not unfold as designed during inflation under high temperature conditions, possibly resulting in the air bag not inflating properly.
- Consequence
- An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assembly or sub-assembly, free of charge. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are K1Q and K0Q. Pontiac owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is N192273760.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
168,993 vehicles 2018-12-12- Defect
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2002-2005 Lexus SC and Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2005 Toyota Corolla and Tundra, and 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation.
- Consequence
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General Motors will notify the Pontiac Vibe owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, or replace the air bag assembly that includes an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371, Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. Toyota's numbers for these recalls are J0A (Zone A Toyota), J0B (Zone B Toyota), J0C (Zone…
AIR BAGS
1,069,055 vehicles 2015-05-13- Defect
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015, that they are recalling 2005-2007 Lexus SC, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, and Pontiac Vibe, and 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra vehicles that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan and American Samoa. On June 16, 2015 Toyota expanded the recall to cover an additional 769,055 vehicles, including certain model year 2002-2004 Lexus SC, Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix, Toyota…
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-286 are under a Do Not Drive advisory. Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the passenger side front air bag, free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota began the recall on July 13, 2015. Pontiac Vibe owners may contact GM at 1-800-762-2737. GM began the recall on June 29…
AIR BAGS
1,973,468 vehicles 2015-05-13- Defect
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015 that they are recalling certain model year 2004 Sequoia vehicles manufactured August 18, 2003, to August 19, 2004, and 2003-2004 Tundra vehicles manufactured March 18, 2003, to August 25, 2004. On June 16, 2015, Toyota expanded the recall to include an additional 1,270,468 vehicles, including model year 2002-2003 and 2005-2007 Sequoia, 2005-2006 Tundra, 2003-2007 Corolla, 2003-2007 Corolla Matrix, 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe and 2002-2007 Lexus SC vehicles. This is to address a safety defect…
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-285 are under a Do Not Drive advisory. Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag. The recall began on July 13, 2015. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Pontiac owners may call 1-800-762-2737. NOTE: This recall supersedes recall 14V-312 in its entirety.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
1,006,849 vehicles 2015-01-28- Defect
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured December 28, 2001, to May 2, 2004, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2002, to April 29, 2004, 2003-2004 Avalon vehicles manufactured June 5, 2002, to December 20, 2004, and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles manufactured January 18, 2002, to April 27, 2004. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy…
- Consequence
- Inadvertent deployment of the air bags or the seat belt pretensioners increases the risk of an injury or crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the air bag control module, free of charge. The recall began on August 24, 2015. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. GM issued an interim notification to owners on March 27, 2015. The recall began on August 24, 2015. Pontiac owners may call 1-800-620-7668. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 13V-029 and 14V-147. Vehicles that had a noise filter installed as the remedy for one of those campaigns need to have the air bag control module replaced…
AIR BAGS
887,709 vehicles 2013-01-30- Defect
- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The supplemental restraint system (SRS) circuits are susceptible to internal shorting. The electrical short may create an abnormal current flow and increased heat which can damage the circuits. This could result in an inadvertent deployment of the front airbags and/or seat belt pretensioners.
- Consequence
- Inadvertent deployment of the airbags or the seat belt pretensioners may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota will re-notify their owners who have already had their vehicles repaired with a noise filter, but did not receive a new airbag control module, and General Motors will re-notify theirs. Dealers previously installed a supplemental harness containing an electrical filter between the airbag control module and its wire harness, free of charge. Dealers will replace the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on March 13, 2013. The manufacturer has not yet provided a schedule for second notices. For more information, Toyota owners may call 1-800-331-4331…
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
42,540 vehicles 2009-05-11- Defect
- Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- Consequence
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on july 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
16,270 vehicles 2009-04-07- Defect
- Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- Consequence
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on may 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
662,178 vehicles 2008-04-10- Defect
- Toyota is recalling 662,178 my 2003-2004 corolla, corolla matrix and pontiac vibe vehicles equipped with power windows. The driver and front passenger door glass bolts may loosen and come off, causing the door glass to separate from the window regulator. Due to the components becoming loose and possibly rattling, an abnormal noise may be heard from the driver and /or front passenger door when operating the power windows.
- Consequence
- The door glass may separate from the window regulator, bind and shatter during operation of the power windows, causing driver distraction and/or injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger door glass bolts with newly designed bolts free of charge. The recall began on april 16, 2008 to toyota owners. The recall began on may 21, 2008, for pontiac owners. Owners may contact toyota at 1-888-270-9371 or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
4,029 vehicles 2006-07-17- Defect
- Certain tradesonic combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- Consequence
- Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Tradesonic will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during july 2006. Owners may contact tradesonic at 626-934-8884.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
292,000 vehicles 2006-03-13- Defect
- Certain anzo combination headlamp assemblies sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps are not equipped with amber side reflectors which fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
- Consequence
- Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Anzo will notify owners and replace the headlamps free of charge. The recall began may 9, 2006. Owners may contact anzo usa at 909-468-3688.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2004 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
How 2004 compares with the other years
High risk for a 2004 — 125th riskiest of the 329 2004 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 31 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 1997 comes out best at 62 and 2010 worst at 82, with 2004 itself at 69.
If the model year is negotiable, 1997 scores lower than 2004 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2003–2008 generation specifically, 2004 is the strongest year at 69 and 2007 the weakest at 72.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2003-2008 generation, 2004 Toyota Corolla scores best at 69 and 2007 Toyota Corolla worst at 72.
What to look at before buying one
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other engine problem from about 250, other body or interior problem from about 5k, other fuel system problem from about 5k and airbag inflator rupture from about 6k.
On a 2004 Toyota Corolla with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other engine problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
None of this is a diagnosis. It is a list of what other owners of the same model year reported, ordered by when they reported it, which is a good place to point an inspection and a poor place to stop.
What this page cannot tell you
560 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 560 reports, 289 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 52% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Toyota Corolla?
The most-reported failures are other speed control problem (47 reports, median 42,500 miles), other engine problem (39 reports, median 10,000 miles) and airbag inflator rupture (28 reports, median 80,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2004 Toyota Corolla problems start?
Other engine problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 10,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 300 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 58,000 miles.
Is the 2004 Toyota Corolla reliable?
It scores 69 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 125th riskiest of the 329 2004 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2004 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Toyota Corolla is best?
Within the 2003–2008 generation, 2004 scores best at 69 out of 100 and 2007 worst at 72. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed