MotorDeets

2012 Toyota Yaris: Recalls, Problems & MPG

Here are the deets on the 2012 Toyota Yaris: 5 recalls, 35 owner complaints and up to 33 mpg combined.

5vehicle recalls
35owner complaints
12mention a crash
33best combined mpg
2012 Toyota Yaris
Photo: DestinationFearFan · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons. Representative photo of this generation; trim may differ.

Recalls

5 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.

Steering Vehicle recall #13V292000 · 2013 · 74 vehicles

What's wrong: 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.

Why it matters: If the power steering assistance shuts off, the driver May have difficulty steering the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering control module. The recall began on July 31, 2013.

Body & structure Vehicle recall #15V134000 · 2015 · 16,582 vehicles

What's wrong: 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."

Why it matters: If the vehicles are equipped with a headliner that does not meet the impact requirements, there is an increased risk of occupantl injury in the event of a crash.

The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headliner, free of charge. The recall began on June 22, 2015.

Airbags Vehicle recall #17V006000 · 2017 · 577,875 vehicles

What's wrong: 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…

Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

The fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 1, 2017.

Airbags Vehicle recall #18V025000 · 2018 · 116,126 vehicles

What's wrong: 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 â“like-for-like┠interim air bag inflator replacement. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as…

Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag assemblies with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on January 29, 2018.

Airbags, Airbags Vehicle recall #19V741000 · 2019 · 928,220 vehicles

What's wrong: 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.

Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

The fix: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019.

Most-reported problems

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 1 mention a fire, 11 injuries and 1 deaths were reported.

Airbags18
Body & structure5
Wheels4
Electrical4
Speed control / throttle4
Visibility/Wiper2
Other / unknown2
Brakes2

What owners describe

The 2012 Toyota Yaris has 35 owner complaints, ranking #5 of 15 Yaris model years for complaints (about average; the typical year has 54). Complaints peaked in 2017 (14 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 5 years old, at a median of 66,500 miles. Neighboring years: 2011 (25 complaints, 3 recalls), 2013 (9 complaints, 1 recalls).

Engines & fuel economy (EPA)

EngineTransmissionDriveCityHwyComb.Fuel
1.5 L 4-cylManual 5-spdFront-Wheel Drive303633Regular
1.5 L 4-cylAutomatic 4-spdFront-Wheel Drive293431Regular

Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.

Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2012 Toyota Yaris.

eManualOnline Download (PDF), keep forever

Closest thing to the factory manual for most years. Pay once, keep it.

Most $25–$78, one-time
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Mitchell 1 DIY Online access, factory-level data

Pro-shop repair procedures, wiring diagrams and TSBs for your exact car.

From $19.99/mo · $39.99/yr
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ALLDATAdiy Online access, factory OEM info

OEM procedures, specs and recall/TSB info, the same source many shops use.

From $19.99/mo · $59.99/yr
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Haynes Print book or AllAccess online

Step-by-step photos written from a real teardown. Great for first-timers.

Books ~$30–$40 · AllAccess $34.99/mo
Check 2012 Toyota Yaris manual

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FAQ

Does the 2012 Toyota Yaris have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 5 vehicle recalls for the 2012 Toyota Yaris. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common 2012 Toyota Yaris problems?

Owners have filed 35 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are airbags (18), body & structure (5), wheels (4).

What gas mileage does the 2012 Toyota Yaris get?

EPA ratings run up to 33 mpg combined (1.5 L, Manual 5-spd), across 2 engine and transmission combos.

Where can I get a 2012 Toyota Yaris repair manual?

eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.

Other Yaris years

200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020