NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Toyota Corolla. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Car shows the below message when A/C is turned on: Engine Maintenance Required Visit Your Dealer
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while at a red light, the vehicle shut off with the check engine and several other unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle restarted after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the failure was duplicated. The mechanic retrieved DTC: P1603; "Engine Stall History" (ECM recording an unexpected engine shutdown or a communication error with the Transmission Control Module (TCM). The mechanic associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V682000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. Several dealers were contacted, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.
Coolant water control valve short circuit. Causes dealer message that won't clear and dealer wants $600 to replace a $30 part. Part is extremely difficult to get to and should not be a wear item.
The clutch slave cylinder failed at 48,000 miles. On the freeway, I had difficulty shifting into gear and I had cars passing me at high speeds, putting my life and others' lives at risk. This part defect is due to the plastic clutch slave cylinder failing. This common issue is well-documented by numerous other owners, with the part failing before the routine clutch maintenance cycle. My car was inspected by an independent mechanic, who said the lack of clutch pressure is due to the clutch slave cylinder failing. The worst part is that there were no warning lamps or messages before this happened. Toyota is claiming there is no recalls for this part, whic his astounding because the clutch is essential for the 6speed transmission.
On the morning of January 7, 2026, while I was on my way to work, I experienced a dangerous incident involving my vehicle. As I arrived at the first stop on the street, I suddenly heard a loud explosion. Immediately afterward, pieces of glass began falling onto my windshield. I pulled over and exited the vehicle to assess the situation. Upon inspection, I discovered that the sunroof of my car had completely shattered. Glass was scattered across the roof, windshield, and interior of the vehicle. Prior to the explosion, there were no visible signs of damage to the sunroof. The incident occurred without warning and posed a serious safety risk. I am submitting this complaint to formally document what happened and to request that the matter be investigated and addressed appropriately.
I am having a problem with my 2020 Toyota Corolla's brakes. I live in [XXX] . In the winter when the car is cold the brakes work normally. When the car has been driven for a while, the car has warmed up, and the brake fluid has thinned, the brakes behave abnormally. When I stop at a red light, after 20 to 40 seconds, the brake pedal slowly drops towards the floor. My understanding is that this could indicate a problem with the master brake cylinder. My fear is that there could be a sudden failure of the cylinder causing an accident. I brought the car to Rudy Luther Toyota in Golden Valley. When I brought the car in, it was warm and the brakes were malfunctioning. Unfortunately, they let the car sit for several hours, the brake fluid cooled, and the mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine coolant bypass valve
Clutch slave cylinder started leaking leading to a sticking clutch pedal, making it difficult to engage the transmission with the engine, and a lower brake/clutch fluid level which could have caused braking issues if the fluid got too low.
Clutch Slave Cylinder at 51,000 miles failed causing vehicle clutch to not return and loss of fluid. Brake fluid and clutch fluid are used in the same reservoir and could cause issues causing vehicle to not be able to stop. Vehicle has been inspected by shop and has been replicated. The part exploded and leaks fluid inside of transmission housing. This also causes the clutch to fail as-well. Vehicle has always been serviced and maintained and this is a common issue with all vehicles that have 6 speed manual transmission with varying mileage. It is not a matter of if, it’s when and due to this being something that happens with generally no warning signs can be dangerous. There needs to be an updated part that can handle the design Toyota chose for this transmission.
FAULTY HYDRAULICS IN THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. FAULTY SLAVE CYLINDER LEAKING FLUID AND POTENTIALLY CAUSING VEHICLE TO BECOME "STUCK" IN GEAR WHILE DRIVING OR UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR WHILE PARKED. NOT AN UNCOMMON ISSUE WITH THESE MODELS.
This is in regards to toyota CSP 24TE04 and the Engine Bypass System. This was also included in a class action lawsuit that got dropped. Engine Bypass System is faulty and shows check engine requiring replacing of Bypass Valve and or wiring. According to 24TE04 it has been affecting over 2 million cars, but not all are being fairly covered. They need to include all models with this system that were produced during this time. Thank you
The wipers are turning on randomly by themselves, even when the control switch is set to the “off” position. This has occurred multiple times and happens without any input or activation from me. The issue appears to be intermittent but persistent, and it raises concerns about a potential electrical or control system malfunction.
When I start the car it informs me that my seat belt is not being worn. Even though it is. Then a message appears on my dash that says "Srs airbag system malfunction visit your dealer" My family's safety is at risk if ever involved in a accident with no airbag deployment.
I was driving normally to work and the vehicle stalled without warning and became difficult to steer. The dashboard displayed “engine stopped, steering power low”. The vehicle was stalled in the middle of the roadway and could not be restarted for 10 minutes. This was a very dangerous way to stop and then not be able to restart. People had to get out of their vehicles and help me push it out of the roadway. After 10 minutes the vehicle started and drove normally without any issues. The battery and alternator tested good. The mechanic can not find anything wrong. I am scared to drive the vehicle now and have an accident due to this incident.
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that after the vehicle was started, the contact started driving, and a voice message was heard coming from the speaker on the driver’s side door, stating that the communication module had failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the Data Communication Module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.
At 97,000 miles, the slave cylinder in my vehicle blew. My clutch pedal had stuck to the floor, and my brakes became harder and harder to press down because the clutch takes from the brake fluid reservoir. Brake fluid began to leak from the transmission, and it had to be towed in. If I hadn't come to a stop, I could have gotten in a horrible accident.
I’m getting ENGINE MAINTENANCE REQUIRED VISIT YOUR DEALER, And it has to do with the A/C It only comes on when I turn on the A/C which has to work the “Coolant Bypass valve” I’ve looked online and many others have had issues it’s the 2020 and onward year Toyota, I’m not the only one Many have mentioned they reach out the dealer & state this is not a recall and need to pay out of pocket to fix, but with some many people having same issue, doesn’t seem right that it wouldn’t be a recall with its MULTIPLES of people having this same issue
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact became aware of an abnormal clunking sound, and that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated the failure had occurred while driving on a busy road. The contact attempted to shift the gear shifter into different driving modes; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that several good Samaritans pushed the vehicle into a nearby driveway. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.
I have experienced a message saying 'Engine Maintenance Required' and after experiencing the same instances as many people have online, it seems the engine coolant bypass valve is faulty and needs to be replaced. No code can be read using a code reader either.
I was driving on the freeway on my way to the house my car start to make some noises and I was loosing power I pulled up on the shoulder and turn off the car because the check engine came on turn off the car again but was struggling to go into first gear
The current recall on this car (passenger front seat weigh sensor issue) has been going on for too long (since 2023). Based on the recall info, i have not been able to drive with anyone sitting on the front passenger seat.
SOS is malfunctioning. Rebooting every thirty seconds. Interferes with handfree phone calls messages pop up asking to call for operator. Google this and it very common. The sos is for emergencies to get you help and it cuts off every thirty seconds.Your phone calls. Were the person you're talking to cannot hear you until it stops.
Coolant Bypass Valve
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH and making a left turn, the Forward Collision Avoidance system activated ad the vehicle stopped independently. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the braking function resumed, and the contact was able to continue driving. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the Forward Collision Avoidance was functioning correctly and there were no failure found with the brakes. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact reported that the vehicle had started to shake abnormally while driving at speeds under 40 MPH. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle back to a dealer or mechanic to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.
Engine Maintenace required light came on. I was told that my coolant bypass valve needed to be replaced. This is happening on all Toyota vehicles from 2018-2024 common issue but the repair to fix something that should be covered under warranty.
Windshield wipers stop mid wipe. This seems to be a common issue with this car. It poses a serious hazard when driving in inclement weather.
when I use blinker windshield wipers turn on and sometimes when I call or somebody calls my cell phone I can hear them, but they cannot hear me. does not happen all the time, but I was concerned since there was a recall on certain toyota corolla that says a short circuit may develop in the OCS sensor, preventing front passenger air bag from deploying and my son who is a mechanic said both of these could be a problem with the wiring in the column and I thought it may be connected to the same recall as the air bags? the wipers coming on is happening more often these days and that is why I mentioned it to my son who is a mechanic. he will not touch it since it is still under my extended protection but he is concerned about it getting worse since the blinker is attached to the column. as far as using not being heard by callers or when I call I am concerned if I need to call in an emergency the ones I call cannot hear me. as far as when this started I do not remember but I know it's been at least 6 months if not longer, it just seems to be doing it more often lately
On June 19, 2025, I was driving and out of nowhere, there was a warning notification that said "A warning light was turned on. Would you like to call an operator?" On the digital cluster, there was a message that said "Engine Maintenance Required - Visit Your Dealer. Mileage noted down was 79,632. I asked around for some insight and people are telling me it's the water/coolant bypass valve that's leaking and the Op code is 24TE04R1. Will this be a covered service?
The engine maintenance required message appeared on the dash. I was travel from work to home (about 40 miles). I pulled over immediately at a store, left my car and walked over a mile to the mechanic shop down the road (in 95° weather with a knee that has been through 3 surgeries in less than 5 years). The gentleman took me back to my car. Followed me as i took my car back to the repair shop since it was close and did not have any lights on the dash and I was not overheating. He plugged a reader in it and the error was a coolant bypass valve issue (i can't remember the exact verbage). I purchased a replacement valve 6-17-25, along with toyota coolant. I am having to wait and save up the money to have the valve replaced at the shop got the message code from. I can not afford the dealerships cost to replace the valve. The valve and coolant was expensive in itself. I have read many forums and blogs. Toyota knew there was an issue and I am requesting my reimbursement for the cost of replacing a part you knew was faulty.
Fuel pump system failure causing vehicle warning lights to come on and not turn off, affecting vehicle performance for going up hill as well as vehicle completely shutting off in middle of road . Major safety hazard
Flow Shut-off Valve Coolant Leak
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "Communication Module Failure" was activated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and the manufacturer were contacted regarding the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 37,000.
The windshield wipers stop in the middle of the windshield at times when set to intermittent. Sometimes they will not shut off when they are turned off. This can be a hazard while you are driving and you never know when it will happen.
While driving with the windshield wipers on during a rain storm , the wipers would stop working suddenly. The Car was taken to dealer and windshield motor was replaced. Without working wipers, it was dangerous to drive.
I have an error that appeared displaying “Engine Maintenance Required” after some investigation snd research, I have noticed that this is a common issue associated with the OEM Engine Coolant Bypass Valve. This occurred as I was driving home from work when I was driving down the freeway, I did not run into any obstacles or have an accident, it appeared out of thin air.
unknown. i know that my car was doing fine and then randomly the coolant was low and my car was overheating on my way to work. i have yet to get it fixed, as i dont know how much it could cost me. but i read that 2020-2021 toyota makes were having issues with their coolant.
ocs sensor recall. the potential of this recall makes me very nervous to drive the car. they haven't tested or inspected the part until the remedy is in. no lights on dash at this time.
The automatic emergency breaking and forward collision warning failed to alert and turn on and I wrecked into an object. My life was put at risk and I wrecked my car. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by the independent service center. The vehicle is currently being inspected by insurance estimator. There was no other alerts or messages to alert prior to collision.
An engine maintenance required warning popped up. The pop up wasn't going away. My engine sounds louder than usual when turning my A/C on.
Engine Coolant Bypass Valve
It’s been almost 2 years with this recall been waiting for a fix. I am feeling in safe in the vehicle, I’m driving.
after shortly pumping gas, I received a alert on my car that I needed to check my fuel cap, after checking fuel cap I proceeded to drive on the highway during this time a multitude of sensors started to go off on my car, and it started to drive weird there were light such as my interlock, being deactivated, parking, brake, deactivated, malfunction of VSC, collision deactivated. Then suddenly while driving at an accelerated speed, and trying to slow down, my engine turned itself off, and I was not able to re-crank my car. There is an active recall with Toyota for the fuel pump, which I was told by Toyota was the issue, but due to my VIN not being associated they would not repair as a recall
Car is currently at 56k miles and the "Engine maintenance required" popped up on my dashboard I'm pretty sure this is the engine coolant bypass valve which I read is a constant problem for new toyotas like mine
Drive start control malfunction occurred when turning the car on. Second time this has happened. First time was a charcoal canister and engine coolant valve. It was replaced under warranty at 50k miles but now at 96k miles the dealer says it is not covered under the extended warranty. Not sure how this problem happened.
Once I parked my car and turned on the A/C a couple mins later I received a warning message on my car screen saying “ Engine Maintenance Required Visit Your Dealer”. After having my car for 4 years I’ve never received this message till now (04/22/25). I thought it was because I needed an oil change but I was wrong because my oil is good. I checked my car and saw that the issue is the “coolant bypass valve”. I don’t even use my car that much for this to happen. I saw this is a common issue with a Toyota Corolla 2020 but the dealership does not want to fix this issue for free.
Beginning on April 18, 2025, my 2020 Toyota Corolla LE began experiencing repeated failures involving multiple safety systems while driving. Without warning, several lights illuminate at the same time, including: Brake System Malfunction, Pre-Collision System, Parking Brake System, Vehicle Stability Control, Check Engine, and Secondary Collision Brake System. These warnings appear suddenly during normal driving, then sometimes disappear, then return again unpredictably. These failures disable several integrated safety systems and create a serious safety risk due to changes in braking performance, loss of stability control, and disabled collision-avoidance functions. Diagnostic scans from both the dealership and an independent mechanic repeatedly show: P1578 — Brake System Malfunction P265B — Rocker Arm Actuator Position Sensor Circuit Range/Performance (Bank 1) Both codes reappear even after being cleared. The vehicle was with Loving Toyota Lufkin, TX multiple times over seven months. They received over $7,100 in insurance payments for repairs, $463 towing cost (due to the negligence of Loving Toyota) and almost $1,500 in rental cars (Paid by State Farm) but were unable to diagnose or fix the underlying failure. Loving Toyota also provided a courtesy rental for 7+ weeks while they did no repairs to the car. The safety warnings continue to occur. Toyota Corporate is now involved but the vehicle remains unsafe to drive. The same code P265B is present that was present back in April 2025. This car is not safe! The problem has been reproduced by me, the dealership, and an independent shop. The vehicle is available for inspection. All scans, photos, videos, and documentation are available upon request. Date first occurred: April 18, 2025 Issue continues intermittently to present day
I received a "voluntary Customer Support Program" letter from Toyota saying that a small engine coolant leak can occur that "can allow coolant to drip on other parts of the vehicle. This can cause 'Engine Maintenance Required' to be displayed or cause the A/C not to function normally." Then it concludes that repair with a new "flow shut-off valve" will fix the problem, "under the terms of this Customer Support Program." I thought this was a recall and took my car in only to find that they wanted nearly $700 for the repair, because I did not have an extended warranty. When asked whether this could cause a safety problem if unfixed the reply from the Service Advisor was yes -- the coolant leak could potentially cause the engine to seize up on the highway. I was shocked that a defective part in the car I purchased new for $20,000 plus would not be replaced free of charge. I have put less than 16,000 miles on the car and now I find the resale value is essentially zero. And I now may be driving a potentially risky vehicle that could crash or leave me stranded somewhere. I feel there should be a repair at no charge.
The "Engine Maintenance Required" message on a 2020 Toyota Corolla SE keep coming on after I have reset numerous time. The "Engine Maintenance Required" message on a 2020 Toyota Corolla SE typically indicates a problem with the coolant bypass valve, not the regular maintenance schedule. This message is distinct from the "Maintenance Required" light that usually prompts oil changes. The coolant bypass valve issue often results in a DTC code and may require replacement.
Coolant bypass valve. Code is P2681, part will fail and vehicle will consistently display a Engine Maintenance Required Visit Your Dealer on the MID. Dealerships will try and charge 500+ to repair it when the part is under 100+. Problem started to appear since end of March. It's May 15th as of this report. Upon using an OBD tool this is the following message: "STATUS CONFIRMED / PENDING - ENGINE COOLANT BYPASS VALUVE 'A' CONTROL CIRCUIT/OPEN : CIRCUIT SHORT TO BATTERY OR OPEN". Part has NOT been inspected by Toyota, nearby service centers are scumbags and will charge a fortunate to fix it.
I own a 2020 Toyota Corolla, and without any prior warning, the “Engine Maintenance Required” message appeared on my dashboard at approximately 79,575 miles. There were no unusual symptoms—no overheating, strange noises, or performance issues—before the light turned on. I had my vehicle inspected by Golling Toyota of Warren, where they diagnosed the issue as a faulty Engine Coolant Bypass Valve. I was informed that the valve needed to be replaced and flushed. The total cost of the repair was $932.21, which I had to pay out of pocket. Because the message specifically said “Engine Maintenance Required,” I was concerned that it could be a serious engine issue. Out of caution, I avoided driving the vehicle until it was inspected, as I didn’t know whether it could result in engine damage, performance failure, or a sudden breakdown while on the road. The fear of an unknown engine-related malfunction created a genuine safety concern for me and others —especially since the warning came without any prior symptoms. I later learned that the problem was tied to the Engine Coolant Bypass Valve, which is known to fail prematurely in Toyota vehicles. This failure can affect engine performance and temperature regulation, increasing the risk of engine damage or failure while driving. There is already a class-action lawsuit concerning this issue, yet Toyota has not issued a recall. Owners like myself are being left to pay out of pocket for a known defect that poses real safety risks. I’m submitting this complaint in hopes that Toyota will be held accountable and that the NHTSA will take appropriate action to protect consumers from this recurring and potentially dangerous defect.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026