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What 35 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Yaris Hatchback

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (35)Crash / fire / injury (13)Airbags (18)Body & structure (5)Electrical system (4)Speed control (4)Wheels (4)Brakes (2)Visibility & wipers (2)Engine (1)Seat belts (1)Seats (1)

4 of 35 complaints match · Electrical system · clear filters

Dec 15, 2020Electrical systemBrakes

WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 70 MPH AND HAD TO BRAKE FOR SLOWER TRAFFIC AHEAD. WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ABS SYSTEM ENGAGED, BRAKING THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR, THEN THE RIGHT ALMOST SENDING ME OFF THE ROAD. AFTER THIS HAD HAPPENED, THE SPEEDOMETER HAD STARTED JUMPING TO DIFFERENT SPEEDS VERY RAPIDLY AND I WAS UNABLE TO TELL MY CORRECT SPEED. THE ANTILOCK BRAKES HAVE CONTINUED TO ENGAGE RANDOMLY WHEN THEY ARE NOT NEEDED, CAUSE LOSS OF BRAKING CONTROL AND THE OVERALL ABILITY TO COME TO A STOP. THE SPEEDOMETER ALSO JUMPS AROUND EVERY NOW AND THEN. THE ABS LIGHT WAS ONLY TRIGGERED ONCE, AND THEN TURNED OFF.

NHTSA ODI 11383549

Feb 22, 2019SuspensionElectrical systemBody & structureSpeed control

2012 TOYOTA YARIS. CONSUMER WRITES TO RECOMMEND RECALLING VEHICLE MODEL BECAUSE OF ITS MANY MANUFACTURING DEFECTS. *AS *TR

NHTSA ODI 11175472

Jul 10, 2017Electrical systemAirbags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA YARIS. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE HORN FAILED TO SOUND. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOYOTA OF SANTA BARBARA (5611 HOLLISTER AVE, GOLETA, CA 93117) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SPIRAL CABLE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11004071

Dec 6, 2013Electrical systemFire

I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH MAKING A LEFT TURN WHEN THE CAR ABRUPTLY POWERED DOWN THE INSIDE LIGHTS, OUTSIDE LIGHTS, HEAT, ETC TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MAKE LOUD NOISES AS IF I WAS TRYING TO START THE CAR, BUT I HAD TAKEN THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. I THEN NOTICED THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT WAS ON AND THEN I SMELLED SMOKE. I WAS STUCK IN THE INTERSECTION WITH THE CAR STUCK IN PARK I KEPT PRESSING THE BRAKE, TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL BUT THE CAR WOULDN'T CHANGE GEARS OR EVEN TURN ON AT THIS POINT. I CONTINUED TO SMOKE AND I SMELLED FIRE SO I GRABBED ALL OF MY THINGS AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. IT WAS RAINING AND A GOOD SAMARITAN POPPED THE HOOD AND THE HARD COLD RAIN PUT OUT THE FIRE. I WAITED UNTIL A TOW TRUCK TOLD THE CAR TO THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD THAT THE BATTERY AND STARTER CAUGHT ON FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10555063

Working with the data? Download all 35 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Toyota Yaris Hatchback verdict →