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1994 Toyota Corolla problems

The most common problem on the 1994 Toyota Corolla is airbags. It has fewer complaints than a typical Corolla model year.

Typical yearClose to a typical year
Owner complaints
171
Recalls
2
Service bulletins
44
Worst area
Airbags
Fuel economy
24-26mpg

The worst 1994 Toyota Corolla problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

Specific symptoms reported on the 1994 Toyota Corolla

No deployment 37Seat belt 13Door locks 6

Recalls 2

Air bags: frontal: sensor/control module-inactiveReported June 20, 1996 · 627,858 vehicles affected
What is wrong
If liquid is spilled in the console box area, the air bag warning light can illuminate and stay "on" during normal driving conditions.
Risk
This leakage condition could cause the air bag to inadvertently deploy.
Remedy
Dealers will install a protective cover over the air bag sensor to prevent possible malfunction caused by the spilling of liquid substances on the sensor. Air bag sensors damaged by previous liquid spillage will be replaced.

Recall number 96V107000 · Recall details

Electrical system: wiringReported November 8, 1994 · 16,497 vehicles affected
What is wrong
An unused harness connector for power windows, power door locks and sunroof was improperly routed under the floor carpet in the left kick panel. If the vehicle is operated in cold weather conditions where large amounts of road salts are used, the salt water or snow carried into the vehicle by the driver's shoes can penetrate the carpet and drip onto the connector resulting in the formation of a salt bridge between the terminals.
Risk
This causes an electrical short inside the harness, and can result in a vehicle fire.
Remedy
Dealers will remove the unused harness connector.

Recall number 94V220000 · Recall details

See all 2 recalls for the 1994 Toyota Corolla

Defect investigations

Turn signal failuresOpened July 22, 1997, closed September 21, 1998

There is no summary currently available

EA97015

Technical service bulletins for the 1994 Toyota Corolla 44

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 44 bulletins for the 1994 Toyota Corolla

1994 Toyota Corolla fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
1.6L 4‑cylFWD2327-3124-26
1.8L 4‑cylFWD2329-3125-26

What 1994 Toyota Corolla owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Oct 13, 2018 · Seat belts · 114,000 miles · IL

The driver's seat belt will not retract at all. I have owned this car since 1996 and is has less than 114,000 miles on it.

Filed Jun 5, 2015 · Airbags · 170,000 miles · CA · 1 injury

The air bag explote without no reason in front of me. Toyota knows about the problem but they have a month and they don't answer nothing please help with this problem.

Filed Nov 2, 2014 · Body · PA

This car has about 75,000 miles on it and resides in fl. About 4 yrs. Ago the drivers side handle to open the car starting to actually fall apart. I had that one replaced but the others are doing the same thing now. I never knew this to happen on a car, regardless of age. A neighbor of mine down there also said the same thing happened to her car, also the same model and year. I am also concerned about the airbags in this car, as I keep it in florida for use when I go down about four months out of the year.

Filed Jun 18, 2014 · Acceleration · CA · crash

Tl* the contact owns a 1994 toyota corolla. The contact stated that the vehicle erroneously accelerated and crashed into bushes. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. There were no injuries. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Sep 28, 2013 · Fuel system · 155,000 miles · FL

In july 2013, I started smelling gasoline as I was driving to work. Smell got stronger and more noticeable after gassing the car up. Then the smell became more noticeable day by day. Even just sitting in the car or as you walked past it. Car did not have to be on and you would still smell it. There were no noticeable leaks until recently. I thought it was oil at first but then I figured it could be gasoline. Had someone look at it and they noticed a crack in the gas tank that seemed to be blown outwards. I'm going to have it fixed but if this is a common problem then this should be considered a manufacturers defect and toyota should pay for the parts & labor.

Filed Aug 29, 2011 · Fuel system · 307,097 miles · RI

Tl* the contact owns a 1994 toyota corolla. The contact stated the heat shield was removed from the fuel tank and what was found underneath the heat shield was a bubble which was located on the outside of the fuel tank, which was where the gas leak was coming from. It appeared there was a defect in the fuel tank. If the fuel tank was damaged, t hen there would have been an inward dent in the tank, which was not the case. The failure mileage was 307,097. Updated 11/10/11*lj updated 06/13/12

Filed Apr 5, 2010 · Acceleration · 80,000 miles · CT · crash

I took my 1994 corolla to the car wash in cromwell ct. After I was done I put back the mats and put the car in drive and moved forward to leave the stall. After a few feet and out of the stall , I tried to put the brakes to try to stop the car but the car kept rolling I kept braking but nothing happened and the car was heading toward the road (rte 3), I must've panicked because I tried to shift out of the drive when the car zoomed backwards (I've never knew the corolla had that much power) I didn't have the time to comprehend what happened when the car slammed in such force in the corner wall of the stall. The car was in such a shape no one could understand what happened. The driver's seat was totally damaged, it will no longer stand upright. I really couldn't understand what happened. No serious injuries happened to me and thank the lord I didn't hurt anybody. This happened about a year ago, I donated the car to americ can! Cars for kids on july 13 2009. The car had about 80,000 miles. It belonged to my wife's grand father who rarely used it. After his death, we took the car for a tuneup before we put it back on the road. I believe the car was in the garage for about 2 years prior to the tune up. I am not asking for anything I don't know whether it will help you in your investigation for older cars. Again, I couldn't make sense of what happened but when I read about the mats that's when everyone in my family and friends called to say I needed to let you know.

Filed Mar 24, 2010 · Acceleration · 50,000 miles · CA · crash

Tl* the contact owns a 1994 toyota corolla. The contact stated that while backing out of a driveway at speeds of approximately 2 MPH, the vehicle abnormally accelerated. The contact was unable to stop the unintended acceleration as the vehicle proceeded to spin around and lunge forward onto the lawn. The passenger was ejected from the vehicle and suffered fatal injuries. The police arrived and a police report was filed. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was unknown. Updated 9/29/11

Filed Mar 8, 2010 · Steering · VA

1994 toyota corolla steering problem*cw the consumer stated she has experienced a steering problem for years. She has to take the vehicle to the dealer every few months to have it re-aligned. However, the vehicle continued to drift into other lanes.

Filed Feb 19, 2010 · Steering · 50,000 miles · VA

I have the corolla steering issue on my 1994 corolla every time I drive on the interstate, at speeds above 50 miles per hour. I constantly have to hold down on my steering wheel at an angle, and it still floats near other lanes. I have the alignment worked on every few months, but it doesn't seem to affect it. It goes right back to the problem. I have been having this problem for most of the years I have had the car.

Used buying checklistWhat to check on a 1994 Toyota Corolla before you buy

Compare the 1994 Toyota Corolla

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Other model years

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Questions about the 1994 Toyota Corolla

Is the 1994 Toyota Corolla reliable?

Owners have filed 171 complaints about the 1994 Toyota Corolla, fewer than a typical Corolla model year.

What is the most common problem with the 1994 Toyota Corolla?

Airbags, with 68 complaints. Next is seat belts (25).

How many recalls does the 1994 Toyota Corolla have?

2 recalls, covering air bags and electrical system.

Was there a recall on the 1994 Toyota Corolla airbags?

Yes, 1 recall: 96V107000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.

What year does the Toyota Corolla have bad airbags?

The Toyota Corolla model years with the most airbags complaints are 2009 (552 complaints), 2005 (457 complaints) and 2006 (454 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 1994 Toyota Corolla get?

Official estimates for the 1994 Toyota Corolla range from 24 to 26 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.6L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 23 city and 27-31 highway.

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