Failed Component: CVT transmission Safety was put at risk: Vehicle has a humming sound that varies pitch with speed, issue was first noticed on the freeway requiring us to stop on the side of the road with vehicles passing next to us at 70mph. Has the problem been reproduced and confirmed by dealer: Yes, vehicle was taken to Arlington Toyota in Jacksonville Florida and they confirmed CVT transmission needs replaced. The cost to replace the transmission was quoted at $11,124.97. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others?... Vehicle has only been checked by Arlington Toyota in Jacksonville Florida which is an authorized Toyota service center. Where there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem: No warning lamps or messages, only humming sound from drive train was noticed.
Toyota Corolla transmission failure problems
80 of the 11,674 owner complaints about the Toyota Corolla describe complete transmission failure, most of them for the 2003 model year.
- owner complaints
- 80
- worst model year
- 2003
- typical repair cost reported
- $4,000
- typical mileage
- 86,000
By model year
Often reported together
Check engine light 14CVT failure 8Grinding brakes 8Stalling 6Harsh shifting 6Jerking 5Loss of power 4Hesitation 4
Trouble codes mentioned
P2757 2P0741 2
What owners say
Toyota South Atlanta in Morrow, Georgia, released my vehicle after a factory warranty repair for transmission failure. However, they failed to properly complete or verify the repair. The dashboard is now throwing critical error codes stating 'A malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle, or automatic transmission has been detected' and 'A malfunction in the VSC, TRAC, or hill-start assist control system has been detected.' Additionally, their own technician documented that my front brakes FAILED. They forced me to drive away without a safety waiver, and a front brake pad has since completely fallen out in front of my home . The vehicle suffers from total mechanical transmission and brake failure.
2019 Toyota Corolla hatchback. Complete transmission failure.
My 2016 Toyota Corolla suddenly showed a Check Engine light, and the dealer diagnosed a CVT transmission failure with code P2757. This code is linked directly to Toyota’s own TSB T-SB-0150-16 for torque converter clutch/valve-body failure. The dealer confirmed the issue and quoted me $11K to fix it. This is frightening because a failing transmission can slip, hesitate, or lose power at any moment, which puts me and others at risk. There were no early warning signs, just the sudden light. I brought it in immediately, and the problem was fully reproduced and documented by Toyota. My car is available for inspection whenever needed. Toyota corporate reviewed my case but offered very little help since my vehicle is just outside the 7-year timeframe for CA. I bought the extended warranty when the car was brand new. I have done every single service at Toyota, always on time, and my car has never been in an accident. I’ve taken care of it exactly the way Toyota told me to. This is not normal wear. This is a documented defect that puts drivers at risk and places an enormous financial burden on owners who did everything right. I’m filing this complaint because people deserve protection, accountability, and fairness, especially when a safety-related failure happens in a well-maintained vehicle. I’m only [XXX] , and I expected to own many more Toyotas throughout my life. My whole family drives Toyotas. I grew up believing this brand meant safety, reliability, and loyalty in both directions. I honestly wanted to be a Toyota driver for life. But facing an $11K repair for a known issue that Toyota already acknowledged in a TSB—without meaningful support—has broken my trust in a way I never expected. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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.
While driving my 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE, I lost almost all power to my accelerator and a check engine light appeared on my dash. I came to a stop and stalled the vehicle, once it stalled I turned the engine back on and shifted into reverse a felt and heard a loud clunk noise coming from right under my car and its not only shifting into reverse is the loud noise active but its also shifting into drive from reverse. I scanned my vehicle with a aftermarket scan tool and got 2 exact same codes for "Torque Converter Clutch Pressure Control Solenoid Control Circuit Performance/Stuck Off" and then two more codes for "Torque Converter Clutch Pressure Control Solenoid Control Actuator Stuck On". My torque converter in my CTV transmission failed. I was not at a risk of putting other people or myself in danger but if would have if i was moving faster at the time this happened. I have done my research on the recalls that are active on this vehicle and on the Toyota OEM TIS website there is only 1 recall that was taken care of in 2021 for the fuel pump and then there is a Warranty Enhancement Program for the Flow Shut-off Valve Coolant Leak. I did not find anything on that Toyota TIS website about the CVT recall but when i search my year, make and model on the web, I see that there is a recall for about 3,400 vehicles in the USA and nearly 1,000 in Canada that have a active recall for the CTV. I also saw the recall consequence and it matches up with what happened with my Corolla. I have attempted to contact 5 difference Toyota dealerships in my state to have them help me figure out the issue I am having with my vehicle not being listed in the recall but my CTV just failed. No one has reached back out in the past two days and I am continuing to call almost 3 times a day. I would like some clarity on how I should go about handling this issue.
the check engine light came so i took it to toyota dealership. i paid 300$ to get a diagnostic and they said it was my coolant bypass valve and it was 900$ to fix. warranty doesn’t cover this even tho my car qualifies for the coverages. it’s super frustrating since i bought this car brand new and im having multiple expensive problems. i need to replace the transmission, BRAKE ACTUATOR, oil replacement pan and i had to replace a brand new battery because it exploded after only using for less than a year.
We own a 2016 Toyota Corolla Sport model. 4 door sedan. We first started to notice a loud sound that was seemingly coming from the front of the car. It was a whining, rattling sound. The car's mileage is 87k. We took it into the shop, we were first told that it sounded like a bearing going out in the wheel. Then we took it to a licensed Toyota dealership. The dealership then tells us that it is actually due to the transmission chain, and our transmission will need to be replaced for $8900!! So I begin to dig online, and find that our model is the same years of other Toyota models that Toyota has a KNOWN problem with. This is a major issue, and puts our safety at risk if the transmission just suddenly goes out. The Toyota dealership has confirmed that we have an issue, and are saying that the transmission MUST be replaced, effectively decommissioning our work commuter vehicle until we can get this sorted. It was diagnosed by a licensed Toyota technician, but it can be inspected by a insurance rep/mechanic upon request. There were no warnings, no lamps, no codes. We just heard the noise, which is seemingly getting worse and louder. Which appeared about 7/15/24. The car has had it's routine maintenance done per the manufacturers specifications. The fluids are routinely checked, and it is taken in to a Toyota dealership for it's servicing, with certified maintenance records. It was never noted on oil changes that this was an issue, or that the transmission fluid was ever an issue. We do not drive this car hard, we do not abuse it. It is our commuter. And now we are looking at having to replace the transmission for essentially the same cost as the car itself.
Transmission failed at 106000 miles
Transmission Malfunctioned on multiple occasions (would not go into gear). my safety was put at risk due to me not being able to move my car out of the road. Check engine light engaged at the time of the transmission failure.
Related recalls
Power train: automatic transmission: torque converter
- What is wrong
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019 Toyota Corolla hatchback vehicles equipped with Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVT). The pump impeller blades within the torque converter may detach, especially when driven under high load, potentially causing a vehicle stall.
- Risk
- A vehicle stall, especially when driving a high rate of speed, can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota has notified owners, and dealers will replace the CVT and torque converter, free of charge. The recall began April 22, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1‑888‑270‑9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J17/J07.
Recall number 18V901000 · Recall details
Power train: axle assembly
- What is wrong
- On passenger vehicles with vehicle identification numbers (VIN) starting with 1nx only and built from january 8 through february 13, 2002, it is possible for the bolts that join the rear brake and hub assembly to the rear axle carrier to be loose due to insufficient tightening during the assembly process.
- Risk
- If the vehicle is operated in this condition, one or more of the four bolts could come loose, causing an abnormal noise from the rear axle area. In the event that all four bolts loosen completely, separation of the rear brake and hub assembly from the rear axle carrier could occur, which could lead to a loss of vehicle control.
- Remedy
- Dealers will properly tighten the bolts. Owner notification began march 21, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact toyota at 1‑800‑331‑4331.
Recall number 02V074001 · Recall details
Questions about the Toyota Corolla transmission failure
Which Toyota Corolla years have complete transmission failure problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2003 (17 complaints), 2016 (6 complaints) and 2019 (6 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix complete transmission failure on the Toyota Corolla?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $4,000 (median of 17 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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