2012 Toyota Yaris: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
35 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 35 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 2.5
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owned a 2012 Toyota Yaris The contact stated that while slowing down and coming to a stoplight, a second vehicle traveling 54 mph crashed into the rear of the vehicle. During the crash, both the driver-side and passenger-side seat belts malfunctioned and did not secure the occupants. The driver sustained head and torso injuries and the front passenger who was the driver's wife sustained broken ribs, and h…
I was driving a 2012 yaris when I was in an accident that totaled the vehicles. I was hospitalized for 3 weeks which I believe the airbags had played a major role in the seriousness of the injuries I sustained but not sure how to prove that they failed to protect me and possible they made things worse with the scar across my forehead from being sliced open needing numerous staples as well as shattered pelvis. Is ther…
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 …
Recalls: 5 campaigns (4 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 13V292000 | Steering:Electric Power Assist System | 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. |
| 17V006000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | 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,… |
| 18V025000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | 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,… |
| 15V134000 | Structure | 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. |
| 19V741000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | 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… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a city car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 31 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,000
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Air Bags18 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Structure5 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Electrical System4 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Wheels4 complaints · typical job: Wheel bearing or hub replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$460–$920
- Vehicle Speed Control4 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
- Service Brakes2 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Toyota Yaris years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Toyota Yaris?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (18 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2012 Toyota Yaris a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 66/100, computed from 35 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2012 Toyota Yaris's most common problem?
18 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2012 Toyota Yaris sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,700 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2012 Toyota Yaris cost to run per year?
About $4,467 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $22,338 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2012 Toyota Yaris have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2012 Toyota Yaris, 4 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 03/07/2013. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other economys of about the same age.
What will a 2012 Toyota Yaris really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 35 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 35 NHTSA complaints on record (2.5/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (1.4/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 4 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality