Skip to main content

It is exceedingly rare for a car to burst into flames–especially a new one. I saw one burning car in all my travels: an older Peugeot outside a tunnel on California’s Pacific Coast Highway. I expect it suffered from an untreated oil leak and had spent decades coating its own engine block in a dirty, flammable gel. Even then, it might not have ignited until a long road trip on a hot day. So it’s all the more shocking that an unmodified Toyota GR Corolla spontaneously combusted in North Carolina .

Toyota’s Gazoo Racing has made a turned-up version of the Corolla hatchback since the 2023 model year. This version of the FWD/AWD car comes with AWD standard, an automatic or manual six-speed transmission, and a 1.6-liter I3 engine turbocharged to an impressive 300 horsepower. Winding a little engine up that much had some folks worried. But honestly, the Toyota GR Corolla has not had many problems. That is, until now.

This hot hatch owner was out for a spirited highway drive. He admits he was really putting the pedal down, and accelerating. But he wasn’t continuing past 80 mph. Then his engine failed completely, and began to smoke.

At that point, he made a choice I wouldn’t recommend. He decided to continue coasting in his smoking car, to get as close to the exit as possible. If your car catches on fire, you want out as soon as possible. When this driver did finally come to a stop, he popped his hood. He was greeted by flames. Luckily, he got to a safe distance. But he was forced to watch while his car burned to the ground.

Blue Toyota GR Corolla hatchback driving on the interstate.
Toyota GR Corolla | Artistic Operations via iStockPhoto

What in the world happened here? The car was almost completely stock, just on some lowered suspension springs. So no engine modification caused this fire under the hood. In a dashcam video he posted to YouTube, the driver said the local Toyota dealership had a theory:

“So far the dealer’s suspicion is that excess fuel from a potential fault was bypassing the cylinder and combusting in the turbo. That’s pure speculation right now but it makes the most sense and would mean it’s highly likely this is a one of one issue.”

This is the second GR Corolla to light up so spectacularly. That said, the first didn’t go up in flames until it was rear-ended by a semi truck in Australia so hard that the driver was knocked unconscious. That fire also started in the engine bay and, eventually, engulfed the final car. Luckily, bystanders pulled the driver to safety.

Two accidents isn’t nearly enough to launch a recall. But I’m sure Toyota is investigating the issue. We’ll just have to wait and see what the automaker says next.

Next, read about the 13,000 Toyotas recalled for risk of hitting a pedestrian, or watch the dashcam footage embedded below:

Best in News
Avatar photo
Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.