ToyotaCorolla1982Overview/toyota/corolla/1982/base/

1982 Toyota Corolla

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1982 Corolla.

The 1982 Toyota Corolla registers an exceptionally low five owner complaints, with the sole issue reported centering on vehicle speed control and no recalls recorded for the model year. When positioned against the broader Corolla complaint record spanning 1990 to 2026, the 1982 edition sits near the bottom of the reliability spectrum, far below the peak of 1,533 complaints seen in 2009 and only a few reports shy of the 2026 low of eleven. This contrast underscores the early‑year Corolla’s reputation for durability and suggests that its modest complaint count remains a benchmark for the model’s long‑term dependability.

Model year202620252024202320222021202020191982

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length166.5 in
Overall width63.4 in
Overall height53.1 in
Wheelbase94.5 in
Curb weight2176 lb

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Corolla of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

13.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 13.40 sec — 1982 SR-5 3-door Hatchback Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1982SR-5 3-door Hatchback Coupe 1.8L I-413.40 sec19.00 sec75 hpRWD
1980Deluxe Sport Coupe 1.8L I-412.00 sec19.00 sec75 hpRWD

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The federal record data provided spans 1990–2026, which does not include 1982, so a direct year-over-year comparison is not possible with this dataset. The 1982-specific complaint data shows three top areas—Vehicle Speed Control (3 complaints), Suspension (1), and Seat Belts (1)—along with 1 crash-related complaint and 0 fire complaints, indicating the vehicle was not associated with any fire-related incidents that year. Without data for 1982 or the preceding model years, I cannot characterize where this Corolla falls within a broader recall or complaint trend for this generation. The data simply does not specify whether 1982 experienced elevated or minimal issues relative to later model years, as those records begin eight years after the target year. **Concrete takeaway:** The limited 1982 complaint data shows no fire complaints and only moderate safety-related concerns, but the absence of federal records for 1982 itself—combined with the inability to compare to adjacent years—means a fully informed reliability assessment based solely on this dataset is not possible; prospective buyers should seek additional pre-1990 Toyota service records or model-specific historical reviews.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
15
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
5
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 5 complaints on record, top 3 components.

Vehicle Speed Control3
Suspension1
Seat Belts1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 15 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB0032202023-08-17Air BagsTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
Toyota PRO19-022022-01-12TiresPOL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all…
T-SB-0032-20 Rev2021-02-03EquipmentTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
T-SB-0304-17 Obs2020-04-07EquipmentTSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 07, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see…
T-SB-0032-202020-04-06EquipmentTSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Corolla. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 1982 Corolla have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.