2012 Toyota Yaris Problems: 9 Known Issues

On the 2005-2013 Toyota Yaris, this failure belongs to European-market Yaris fitted with Toyota's MMT (Multimode) automated manual transmission - an electrically operated robotised manual transmission with electric actuators for clutch and gear selection. It does not exist on the US-market four-speed automatic or on any Mazda-built Yaris. The clutch actuator can fail and lose the ability to hold or report clutch position. The gearbox then refuses to select a gear and the N on the gear position display flashes. Most owners hit it stationary, moments after switching on - the car simply will not take drive - but it also happens on the move, where the box drops out of the engaged gear and back into neutral, which is a loss of drive in traffic. UK actuator remanufacturers describe it as a frequent failure on MMT-equipped Yaris and commonly see fault codes such as P0810.

On the 2007-2018 Toyota Yaris, the U340E/U441E 4-speed automatic in the Yaris develops shudder during torque converter lockup and harsh shifts, particularly 1-2 and 2-3 shifts. Worn transmission fluid and torque converter clutch material are the primary causes.

On the 2006-2012 Toyota Yaris, yaris hatchback and sedan built in the Takata era use inflators with a non-desiccated ammonium-nitrate propellant. Long-term exposure to heat, humidity and temperature cycling degrades the propellant, so on deployment the inflator canister can over-pressurize and rupture, spraying sharp metal fragments into the cabin. Cars that spent their life in high-absolute-humidity regions (Gulf Coast, Southwest, Puerto Rico) are the highest risk. In the US this covers the front passenger inflator on the 2006-2011 Yaris hatchback and 2007-2012 Yaris sedan (Toyota-built XP90), not the Mazda-built Yaris iA.

On the 2012-2015 Toyota Yaris 1NZ-FE, uS recall 15V134 concerns 16,582 model-year 2012–2015 Yaris vehicles built August 31, 2011 through February 9, 2015 and sold in Puerto Rico. An affected roof headliner may not meet FMVSS 201 occupant-protection requirements, increasing injury risk in a crash. This is a compliance issue, not a documented wear interval or a symptom-based diagnosis.

On the 2007-2018 Toyota Yaris, the Yaris's electric power steering system can fail, causing sudden loss of power assist and very heavy steering. The EPS motor or its control module malfunctions, typically with a power steering warning light. The failure is sudden and dangerous at low speeds.

On the 2007-2018 Toyota Yaris, the 1NZ-FE/2NZ-FE coil-on-plug packs are a recurring failure point, and cylinder 1 - the one closest to the front of the engine and nearest the cowl drain area - fails disproportionately. Two mechanisms show up on the forums: the coil's internal windings break down with heat and age, and water gets down the plug tube (from a leaking valve cover gasket, a clogged cowl drain, or an engine bay wash) and sits on the coil boot, shorting the spark to ground. Owners describe replacing the plug and coil, getting a clean year, then having it recur if the water path was never fixed. A dying coil that is left alone dumps raw fuel into the catalyst and can eventually kill the converter.

On the 2007-2018 Toyota Yaris 1.5L 1NZ-FE I4, the Yaris front engine mount (also called the dogbone mount or torque strut) fails prematurely, typically between 60,000-100,000 miles. The rubber deteriorates and the mount collapses, allowing excessive engine movement during acceleration and braking. This causes a harsh clunk when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse, vibrations at idle, and can stress the CV axles and transmission mounts.

On the 2007-2018 Toyota Yaris, a very common Yaris electrical fault: the rear wheel speed sensor is integrated into the rear hub/bearing assembly and is not sold separately. The weather seal where the harness plugs into the hub has a gap, so road spray and winter salt wick into the connector, corrode the pins and degrade the signal. The ABS light and the red brake/'!' light come on together, often intermittently at first and worse in wet or winter weather. Dealers routinely quote a complete rear hub assembly (owners report $650-750 CAD per side) when the actual fault is frequently just a dirty, corroded connector.

On the 2006-2014 Toyota Yaris, the interior door handles on the Yaris are made of brittle plastic that cracks and breaks, particularly in cold weather. The driver's side handle fails most often due to higher use frequency. The handle mechanism is a weak point across all Yaris model years.