I am unable to lock or unlock the driver’s side door of my 2020 Toyota Corolla using the key fob because the door lock actuator is no longer functioning properly. I must manually use the physical key to lock and unlock the driver’s door. I consider this a significant safety concern because the power locking system is no longer functioning as intended, potentially affecting my ability to quickly secure or access the vehicle, particularly in an emergency. I have contacted Toyota directly to report the issue and request assistance with the repair, but Toyota is currently declining to cover the repair. I am proceeding with having the vehicle repaired independently because I need the door lock system restored to proper working condition. I have also learned that other Toyota owners have reported similar premature failures involving the door lock actuator. I am requesting that the federal safety agency document and review this complaint to determine whether this represents a recurring defect or potential safety-related problem that warrants further investigation.
Toyota Corolla door locks problems
112 of the 11,674 owner complaints about the Toyota Corolla describe doors won't lock, open or latch, most of them for the 1991 model year.
- owner complaints
- 112
- worst model year
- 1991
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,400
- typical mileage
- 62,000
By model year
Often reported together
Key fob 6No deployment 5Sudden acceleration 3Headlights 3Stalling 2Seat belt 2Fire or smoke 2Engine failure 2
What owners say
Today I noticed that both of my door front locks passenger and driver side do not even actuate to have the door locked and unlocked by key of by the alarm. They completely stopped working. Even I contacted Toyota Corporate several times about this issue (800) 331-4331 and got ignored. This is a safety issue that needs to be addressed immediately. This is a safety concern for me and family.
2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid Touchscreen/Infotainment Display randomly shut down while driving without warning and no longer functions. This could not be reset by holding the power button or disconnecting the vehicle battery. The backup camera still works, and the radio can be heard when the power button is pressed, but the display remains on a black screen and none of the controls on the steering wheel or headunit work. At night, the lights on the buttons for the multimedia display turn on and off every 10 seconds which is extremely distracting and has the potential to cause an accident. This defective part serves as a safety issue, as this is where critical maintenance and hybrid battery power related errors displayed. In addition there are many critical controls locked behind the screen related to door locks, hybrid battery usage, and other vehicle controls, as well as personal data that may now be at risk and unable to be able to be deleted. Vehicle was inspected by a Lia Toyota of Rockland Dealership Service department and determined to be a faulty display, requiring a compete unit replacement. The quoted cost is $2500, and despite my car having only 35500 miles, this is not covered under any warranty due to being outside the 36 month time window. The multimedia display in this car is a critical component and is just as vital to the car as the engine/transmission. It is a shame that Toyota reliability is a thing of the past.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Corolla. The contact was unable to exit the vehicle after pulling on the driver’s side door handle. The contact made several attempts to exit the vehicle, but the door was jammed. Due to the failure, the contact was forced to exit the vehicle through front passenger’s side door. The contact was able to open the front driver’s side from outside only. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure, and both informed the contact that no assistance would be provided. The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 51,654.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Corolla. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 20V024000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that while driving at 15-20 MPH, the forward collision avoidance feature failed to alert her of vehicles ahead. The contact swerved the vehicle, crashing into the bridge wall. The air bags did not deploy. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact suffered bruising and neck pain, but no medical attention was received. The contact's mother, who was a passenger, suffered body aches and pain. The contact stated that her mother passed away from an unrelated illness a month after the crash. There was no police report filed. The vehicle was able to be driven away from the crash site. Furthermore, the contact stated that the vehicle was equipped with unknown tires, and that the front driver's side tire and spare tire had a blowout four times within a year. The front driver side tire was replaced by a tire retailer, Walmart, and an independent mechanic, but they were unable to determine the cause of the tire failure. The contact stated that after the crash, the front driver's side tire was flat, the rearview camera was inoperable, and the front passenger door handle had fractured and detached. The message "No Rear Visibility" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the front bumper detached while being towed. The dealer informed the contact that the recall was not related to the failures. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and had an engineer inspect the vehicle. The engineer determined that the rearview camera and forward collision avoidance feature had failed. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
This complaint concerns two separate incidents, both involving defective interior door handles. First, in 2023, the driver side driver door handle broke abruptly when the driver attempted to exit the vehicle. As a result, the driver, [XXX] , was trapped in the vehicle and required someone else to let him out from the outside. This was repaired privately at substantial cost to the owner. Then, the exact same thing happened to the passenger side front seat interior door handle in January 2025. The handle mechanism seems to be made of cheap plastic and seems to have broken, preventing the passenger from exiting the vehicle at all and leaving them effectively trapped in the front seat. This has been a major issue recently when transporting family members to the hospital, as time was lost when they tried to get out of the driver side passenger door and found that the door handle mechanism was inoperable. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The driver’s side door would not close because the latch on the body of the car to which the door attaches fell off. The dealer’s body shop stated that they have never seen this happen before and that the cost to repair including parts and labor would be $4894.52. The car was not safe to drive unless the door latch was replaced.
On February 17, 2024 I was involved in a hit and run. I was T-boned on the passenger side and the front passenger door wouldn't open and no airbags deployed. Later on in February I received a Toyota Airbag Contol Unit Settlement. I haven't ever received an recall information on any recalls for my vehicle.
After 2 months of purchasing the car , interior dashboard wrinkled and below the steep compartment . A week or so the door locks is not functioning all the time. Then after 3 weeks the black door strip is drooping . I emailed the branch manager and took it to the service depot. They said chemicals due to detailing the car . No one will detail the car of 2-3 months old Newly bought . Then they when they told me to bring again for the door is no longer functioning and the door strips and why the car is falling apart. There was 2 wreaks of rain so I did not car wash the car as I always do . They noticed moisture of the oil on the window outside .That the rubber does not like oil . I anoint the car with few sprinkles for decades on previous cars , Datsun, Nissan and Toyota . They said that caused it and I have to pay for the repair I told them I got Toyota Corolla for 10 years and I do what I do in the car and Nothing like this happened.Why now ? I bought the car 4-5x for the door locks and the 2 other issues they kept on putting in their work order summary - door locks functioning at this time ???? It never did function correctly and it never functioned at all on the 3rd , 4th and 5th time . Then they just give me the work order 2x instead of 4-5 different days of work orders in different months I am stuck .Car insurance does not pay because Toyota said chemicals and the other insurance said it wa not caused by accident . Someone opened the car mistakenly when I was texting because it has to lock manually and (I forgot )for almost a month now . I will email you the work orders next time . Please help .ASAP. Thanks .
All windows and all door locks stopped working by switches.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the Toyota Corolla door locks
Which Toyota Corolla years have doors won't lock, open or latch problems?
The model years with the most reports are 1991 (12 complaints), 1993 (10 complaints) and 2009 (9 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix doors won't lock, open or latch on the Toyota Corolla?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,400 (median of 8 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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