2012 Toyota Yaris Problems

Below Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2012 Toyota Yaris.

20112013
Complaints
47
Crashes
15
Fires
1
Injuries
14
Fatalities
1
Recalls
5

Worst 2012 Toyota Yaris Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#117 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:84,200 mi
Crash-related:9
#24 complaints

Electrical Faults

Fires:1
#34 complaints

Body Structure

Crash-related:2
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2012 Toyota Yaris.

Airbags
17
complaints
Crashes
9
Fires
Avg Miles
84,200
Electrical Faults
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Body Structure
4
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Unintended Acceleration
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Wheel Issues
4
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Brakes
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Wipers & Visibility
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Clockspring/Spiral Cassette
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:Horn
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine Problems
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belt Issues
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat-Related Issues
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Suspension Failures
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2012 Toyota Yaris. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2012 Toyota Yaris

5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~1,638,877 vehicles.

19V741000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~928,220 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

18V025000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~116,126 affected

On January 9, 2018, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified NHTSA that they are recalling 14,585 model year 2010-2012 Yaris vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. As of January 30, 2018, Toyota is additionally recalling 3,347 model year 2010 Pontiac Vibe vehicles located in states listed above. Also included in this recall filing is 98,194 model year 2003-2008 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles, located throughout the U.S., that previously received a “like-for-like” interim air bag inflator replacement. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

17V006000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~577,875 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, Yaris, Scion xB, Lexus ES350, GX460, IS-F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, and Lexus LFA vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Toyota is recalling certain 2009 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Yaris, Yaris HB, Scion xB, Pontiac Vibe, Lexus, ES350, IS250, IS350, and IS-F vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Toyota is recalling certain 2006-2008 Lexus IS250 and IS350, 2007-2008 Lexus ES350, Toyota Yaris, Yaris HB, and 2008 Lexus IS-F and Scion xB vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

15V134000Structure
~16,582 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 Yaris vehicles manufactured August 31, 2011, to February 9, 2015, and sold or registered in Puerto Rico. The affected vehicles may have been manufactured with a roof headliner that does not provide the proper occupant protection in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 201, " Occupant Protection in Interior Impact."

13V292000Steering:electric Power Assist System
~74 affected

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012 Yaris vehicles manufactured August 21, 2011, through August 31, 2011. A relay in the Power Steering Control Module of the electronic power steering system could experience a short circuit due to insufficient distance between terminals in the relay and moisture contamination of relay coil windings. A short circuit in the relay could disable power steering assistance.

Other Toyota Yaris Years

2012 Toyota Yaris — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2012 Toyota Yaris reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 2012 Toyota Yaris has 47 NHTSA complaints, 15 crash-related, and 5 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Airbags with 17 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2012 Toyota Yaris?
Top reported problems: Airbags (17 complaints, avg 84,200 mi); Electrical Faults (4 complaints); Body Structure (4 complaints). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2012 Toyota Yaris?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 84,200 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2012 Toyota Yaris?
NHTSA complaints for the 2012 Toyota Yaris include 15 crash-related reports, 1 fire reports, 14 injuries, and 1 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2012 Toyota Yaris have any recalls?
Yes — 5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,638,877 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2012 Toyota Yaris?
Fewer complaints than typical for this model. That's a good sign, but every individual car is different — the VIN still tells you what happened to this specific one.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Toyota Yaris reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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