2019 Toyota Corolla transmission & drivetrain problems

Related recalls

• Recall 18V901000Dec 19, 20183,424 vehicles
  POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER

  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.

What owners say

1. Filed Sep 24, 2026104,000 miCATransmission & Drivetrain

   The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the clutch was depressed; however, the clutch system failed to operate as intended. The contact stated that the clutch was stuck to the floorboard. The contact stated that due to the failure, there was an excessive amount of clutch fluid leaking onto the ground. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure. The manufacturer…

   NHTSA complaint #11766729 · source
2. Filed Sep 16, 2026ARTransmission & Drivetrain

   Component that failed was the CSC Concentric Slave Cylinder. I went to press the clutch and it stuck to the floor. I checked for leaks in the cabin beneath the clutch and it was dry. I then proceeded to check the reservoir and saw that it needed fluid. I managed to get it to a nearby convenience center to purchase and fill the reservoir when that did not work I called a tow truck to move it to an auto repair shop. This put others at risk, should the clutch have remained in…

   NHTSA complaint #11764719 · source
3. Filed Sep 10, 2026WATransmission & Drivetrain

   Slave cylinder on clutch failed and leaked fluid in to clutch and flywheel. Clutch pedal would not rebound after being pressed in to shift gear, stuck in middle of road trying to get vehicle in first gear. Had vehicle towed to dealership, estimate of $5800 to repair. Apparently this is a known problem with this manual transmission, many others have experienced similar failure at around 60,000 miles.

   NHTSA complaint #11763432 · source
4. Filed Apr 11, 2026MOTransmission & Drivetrain

   Premature slave cylinder failure at ~70k miles. Suddenly started leaking brake fluid profusely. Inspected and confirmed by Toyota dealership. No symptoms prior to failure. Clutch stopped functioning, unable to shift while driving. Pulled over to inspect and all of the brake fluid had leaked out. Refilled brake fluid and bled system, reservoir leaked to minimum fill line within 24 hours.

   NHTSA complaint #11730580 · source
5. Filed Apr 7, 2026PATransmission & Drivetrain

   DESCRIPTION OF SAFETY ISSUE: The Concentric Slave Cylinder (CSC) on my 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback 6-speed manual failed during normal driving at around 60mph, creating an immediate and uncontrolled safety hazard. The clutch pedal depressed fully to the floor while I was shifting from 5th gear to 6th gear and the vehicle became unable to be shifted out of gear, leaving me unable to properly control vehicle speed or movement. The only way to release the transmission was to…

   NHTSA complaint #11729790 · source
6. Filed Apr 2, 2026NJTransmission & Drivetrain

   6 speed manual transmission. 79K miles. Vehicle was checked at a dealer due to a sluggish clutch. Dealer found low brake fluid, but no problems with the clutch. The next day the clutch failed completely and car had to be towed off the highway. Slave cylinder for the clutch is a design flaw on these vehicles.

   NHTSA complaint #11728777 · source
7. Filed Mar 28, 2026PATransmission & Drivetrain

   Clutch release bearing/slave cylinder failed at 29,900 miles. Without warning or unusual symptoms, clutch pedal stuck to floor and was unable to shift gears without manually pulling clutch pedal up.

   NHTSA complaint #11727668 · source
8. Filed Mar 27, 2026WATransmission & Drivetrain

   The clutch slave cylinder in my 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback failed, causing brake fluid to leak out. The leaking fluid contaminated the clutch assembly, resulting in both the slave cylinder and clutch needing replacement. The failed components should be available for inspection from the repair facility upon request. The failure led to a loss of proper clutch operation, which made it difficult to shift gears and control the vehicle. This created a risk of stalling in…

   NHTSA complaint #11727599 · source
9. Filed Nov 20, 2025OHTransmission & Drivetrain

   rattle in transmission. Car hesitates to accelerate randomly leading to unpredictable acceleration sometimes. Transmission is failing.

   NHTSA complaint #11700673 · source
10. Filed Nov 10, 2025ILTransmission & Drivetrain

    All 2019-2022 Toyota Corolla 6 Speed Manual Transmission cars are affected. The slave cylinder is a defective part that fails prematurely anywhere between the 20,000-70,000 mile range. The slave cylinder on this car is made out of plastic and is located inside of the transmission, when the slave cylinder fails, it leaks brake fluid all over causing the car to lock into gear and not be able to shift which is a major safety risk when there is no signs of failure. My car locked…

    NHTSA complaint #11698600 · source
11. Filed Nov 8, 2025WITransmission & Drivetrain

    Manual transmission intermittent failure to/rough to engage first gear and reverse. Clutch slave cylinder high rate of failure/total failure of manual transmission. Transmission incidents happen at least once per day.

    NHTSA complaint #11698384 · source
12. Filed Sep 25, 2025COOther / UnknownTransmission & Drivetrain

    My clutch slave cylinder broke. This is a known problem for 6mt toyota corolla hatchbacks yet there hasn't been a recall. Some go bad as soon as 40,000 miles which is very premature.

    NHTSA complaint #11689699 · source

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology