2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: October 25, 2026 · Filed: October 25, 2026

While driving my 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross LE, the engine unexpectedly shut off while I was stopped at a red light during heavy rain with the windshield wipers operating. A warning message appeared on the dashboard indicating that the engine had shut off and instructing me to press the brake firmly. The check engine warning light also illuminated. I shifted the vehicle into Park and pressed the engine Stop button. The vehicle took approximately 20 seconds before the dashboard indicated that the ignition was on but the vehicle was not ready to drive until I pressed the brake and pressed the Start button. After restarting the vehicle, the warnings disappeared and the vehicle appeared to return to normal operation. I am concerned that an unexpected engine shutdown could create a serious safety hazard, particularly in traffic or at an intersection, where the vehicle could lose power unexpectedly and potentially leave me unable to accelerate when needed. I am also concerned about whether the issue could recur while the vehicle is moving or in an unsafe location. The vehicle has approximately 73,000 miles. This is the first time I have personally experienced this issue. I purchased the vehicle in [XXX] and subsequently drove it to [XXX]. This was one of the first times I had used the windshield wipers extensively since purchasing the vehicle, due to the heavy rain. The vehicle is equipped with an automatic Stop & Start system. The problem has not yet been reproduced or checked by a dealership or independent repair facility. To my knowledge, the vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, a dealership, police, or insurance representatives in connection with this incident. The vehicle appeared to operate normally after restarting, but the cause of the shutdown has not been determined. The first symptoms occurred at the time of the incident. I am concerned about the safety implications of an unexpected engine shutdown. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident: September 15, 2026 · Filed: October 15, 2026

Vehicle: 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Mileage: Approximately 45,000 miles Relevant Toyota Bulletin: T-SB-0020-23 Rev1 Description of Safety Concern: My 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross experienced a serious safety-related malfunction involving the automatic engine Stop and Start system. While stopped in traffic with the windshield wipers operating, the engine failed to restart automatically when I attempted to proceed. This left the vehicle temporarily unable to move as expected and required me to manually restart the engine. It can sometimes takes a couple of tries. THIS IS INTERMITTENT, there are no warning lights or codes. It is almost impossible to understand what is happening as a consumer. It took me hours of research to connect it to wipers. This condition presents a significant safety concern because it can leave a vehicle unexpectedly immobilized at an intersection or in active traffic, increasing the risk of a rear-end collision or other accident. Toyota had already identified the exact condition in Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0020-23, originally issued April 27, 2023, and subsequently revised. The bulletin specifically addresses an intermittent failure of the engine to restart during windshield-wiper operation in 2022–2023 Corolla Cross vehicles. They charged me $385 to fix it. Toyota developed a software correction for the engine control system, demonstrating that this was a known manufacturer-identified condition rather than normal vehicle wear or maintenance. My primary concern is that Toyota has identified a defect that can prevent a vehicle from restarting in traffic, yet affected owners may not receive the correction unless they experience the malfunction and pay for the repair themselves. I am requesting that NHTSA evaluate whether this condition represents an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety and whether a safety recall or broader manufacturer corrective action is warranted, given that the failure can occur unexpectedly.

Incident: October 6, 2026 · Filed: October 14, 2026

back external door handles break within a week of each other, car is quite new and has not been in a collision nor had anything fallen on the handles. Access of the back seat is difficult for this 4 door car, child too young to sit in front, so he has to sit in the back. If child needs immediate assistance, direct entry through the back doors is challenging without handles

Incident: August 3, 2026 · Filed: August 3, 2026

Rainy day, during daylight hours, wipers and lights on. Engine stalled from 35mph. Display read low steering power. Hard start by pushing brake and ignition button. Could have been terrible accident. No prior notification of battery or electrical issues

Incident: June 17, 2026 · Filed: July 2, 2026

While stopped at a red light, the auto stop/start system shut the engine off and it failed to restart automatically. The dashboard showed "Low Power Steering" and "Engine Stopped - Press Brake Firmly to Restart." Pressing the brake did not work. I had to shift to Park and manually restart the vehicle. This has happened twice.

Incident: June 1, 2026 · Filed: June 10, 2026

Gauge Cluster Glare during the day. Reflection from the steering columns makes the gauge cluster completely obstructed. Known issue, many complaints across all the Corolla Cross groups. This is effecting Vehicles from 2023 models to current.

Incident: March 28, 2026 · Filed: May 12, 2026

I am reporting Certification Fraud and severe safety violations by Central Florida Toyota. This vehicle was sold as "Toyota Gold Certified" on March 28, 2026, while having an active safety recall (NHTSA 26V203) with no available remedy. Furthermore, a professional inspection revealed a high-voltage hybrid system leak and structural damage (bondo/rust) on engine mounts, indicating a hidden prior collision. The 160-point inspection was falsified to mask these defects. Although the contract was eventually unwound, this vehicle was sold in a lethal condition, violating federal safety standards.

Incident: May 3, 2026 · Filed: May 4, 2026

There was no warning lamp, my tire got bursted in the middle of highway

Incident: February 13, 2026 · Filed: April 17, 2026

I was driving on a cold day. When I stopped at a stoplight seeking to make a left turn, the car would not accelerate when I pressed the gas pedal. I looked down and saw the following warning sign "Engine Stopped, Steering Power Low" appear on the dashboard. However, since the car was not in park, it had rolled forward and was close to the being in the nearest lane of oncoming traffic. It was also difficult to steer to avoid creeping closer to oncoming traffic. Although it did not cause an accident, it easily could have. I took the car to several mechanics, because the car is under a CarMax warranty. However, none of the diagnostics revealed anything of concern (no weak battery, lack of power steering fluid, etc.). The mechanics said they had heard about this happening, but were unable to pinpoint any reason for it occuring. This seems like a serious flaw.

Incident: July 17, 2023 · Filed: March 31, 2026

The vehicle stalls or shutdown while my foot is on brake or waiting at a red light.Unexpectedly and randomly. On rainy weather days it is more extreme.Sometimes your foot doesn’t have to be on the brake for it to happen.But when if you’re slowing down,before you brake, it will stall. A message will come on the dashboard about a system not being available. Vehicles will nearly rear end me sometimes because the vehicle is stuck. I would have to shut the vehicle off and restart it. Sometimes it is not fast enough to start. I address this issue to the dealership in the past and brought it in for a repair. They said they found No problem with the vehicle. I was never given paperwork for that repair like I usually receive when I check the vehicle for other issues. Most of my complaints were verbally on the phone. I gave up pressing the issue due to multiple reasons which included financial issues. This year I informed NJ Consumer Affairs and the dealership to help me with the ongoing issue.