NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 67 complaints against the 2023 Toyota Corolla. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2023 Toyota Corolla complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2023 Toyota Corolla has generated 401 NHTSA complaints and has 3 active recalls. If your 2023 Toyota Corolla has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Toyota pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2023 Toyota Corolla have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 43 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “I got a message that the engine needs maintenance and I should go to the dealership and have the coolant bypass valve repaired. I see there’s a lawsuit against Toyota for a manufacturing defect in that component on 2019-2023 Corollas. I’d like to know if I’ll get a refund.” (NHTSA Complaint #11695545)
The 2023 Toyota Corolla has generated 36 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “When driving at night, there is a shadow in the headlight, that shines onto the road and makes driving at night difficult. This shadow looks like it comes from a tall screw or bolt in both headlights. The lights work correctly, but the shadow causes the driver to have a dark “spot” in the beam of light, which then makes it hard to see clearly while driving in dusk, or darkening circumstances. I took the vehicle in to the Toyota Dealer where I bought it and had them investigate this. They said they couldn’t repair it, as it was part of the construction of the headlight itself. The Toyota repair people did see the shadow when the lights were turned on to face a wall in a darkened garage bay.” (NHTSA Complaint #11633441)
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2023 Toyota Corolla have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 26 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “Two weeks and three days after picking up my 2023 Corolla Cross from the dealership, I was in stop and go traffic on a busy road. I came to a stop at a red light and my car started making a continuous beeping noise. The display alternated between “Engine Stopped Steering Power Low” and “Engine Stopped Press Brake Firmly to Restart.” I pressed the brake VERY firmly multiple times, with no effect. When the light turned green, I tried to move my car to the side of the road, but it did not move. The cars behind me — including the semi truck directly behind me — started cutting into traffic in an attempt to get around. I finally put it in park and tried to turn it off, which finally turned the engine back on. (I only had to press the start/stop button once.) Once the engine came on, the car worked normally. The dealership has not been able to reproduce the problem, but an internet search shows that this is not an isolated incident.” (NHTSA Complaint #11509243)
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2023 Toyota Corolla have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 24 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “I was at a red light with my windshield wipers on. I then heard several warning beeps with messages stating "steering power low", battery low, and the…”
The 2023 Toyota Corolla has generated 22 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “7 months ago when my car had 56k miles my transmission was bad and they replaced but now is giving problems again i took it to lia toyota of rockland and they didn’t do anything about it, that the transmission is ok, but bad smell is coming out of the transmission and is hard to shift and it gives like hard pull when it changes into gear and u can hear the clunky sound of the transmission and it has only run for 19k miles and it has been only 7 months since they replaced” (NHTSA Complaint #11694203)
The following 3 recalls have been issued for the 2023 Toyota Corolla by the NHTSA or Toyota. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: STEERING:COLUMN
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A deactivated driver’s air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2023. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota’s number for this recall is 23TA08. Lexus’ number for this recall is 23LA02.
Component: STEERING
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A steering shaft that detaches can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the intermediate steering shaft, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 17, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota’s number for this recall is 24TB13/24TA13.
Component: STEERING:COLUMN
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A deactivated driver’s air bag will not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota’s number for this recall is 25TA02. Lexus’ number for this recall is 25LA02.
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2023 Toyota Corolla:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Toyota to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Toyota must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2023 Toyota Corolla qualifies as a lemon under California law, Toyota may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Toyota a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Toyota dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Toyota pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Toyota a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Toyota is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2023 Toyota Corolla has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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