Car check · problems, recalls, fuel cost, price

Toyota Yaris 2011 in Ghana

What US owners report going wrong with the Toyota Yaris 2011, its safety recalls and crash stars, what fuel costs you a month in cedis, whether it can still be imported, and what it sells for in Ghana.

Alex Neman, CC BY-SA 4.0
OSX, Public domain
IFCAR, Public domain
Alex Neman, CC BY-SA 4.0
Wilzz99, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photos of the same model and year, not of the car you are buying. Ask the seller for photos of that car, with the VIN and the odometer in shot.

At a glance

US safety recalls 3 includes air bags
Owner complaints 25 3 crashes, 1 fires reported
Crash rating Not tested
Fuel a month GH₵1,500 40 km a day
Import into Ghana Not allowed about 15 years old

Can it come into Ghana?

A 2011 car is about 15 years old. Since 1 October 2026 the Ghana Standards Authority does not allow used vehicles 15 years and older to be imported. If someone abroad is offering to ship one to you, it should not clear at the port.

Every used vehicle needs a pre-shipment inspection and a Certificate of Conformity from a GSA-approved body in the country it ships from.
Not allowed at all: flood- or fire-damaged cars, cars with chassis damage, and cars assembled from parts, according to published guides to the rules.
Import duty: 10% of the customs value for a petrol, 1,001 to 3,000 cc car (GRA's vehicle duty table). VAT, NHIL, GETFund and the ECOWAS, AU, EXIM and special import levies come on top, plus an age penalty on older cars.
The customs value is GRA's own figure (the car's price when new, minus up to 50% for age, plus freight and insurance), not what you paid. Only the ICUMS assessment gives the final amount, so never pay a "clearing agent" a figure you cannot see on the official assessment.
Buying a car already in Ghana? Ask the DVLA to confirm through ICUMS that duty was paid before you pay.

Age is worked out from the model year; the rule uses the date of manufacture, which can be a few months earlier. Source: GSA public notice of 14 August 2026, as reported by Citi Newsroom.

Safety recalls

Faults the maker agreed to fix for free in the US. A car shipped to Ghana usually never got the repair, so these are worth asking about.

Air bags 19V741000 · 17/10/2019

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 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. 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.

The risk: 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. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0A, J0B, and J0C. Lexus' numbers for this recall are JLI, JLJ, and JLK.
Air bags 18V025000 · 09/01/2018

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, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. 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 like-for-like interim air bag inflator replacement. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

The risk: 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. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are G0R (Zone B), and H0A (Zone C), J0A (Matrix Zone A), J0A (Matrix Zone A), J0A (Matrix Zone A).
Air bags 16V340000 · 23/05/2016

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Scion xB and Lexus IS F, 2009-2011 Toyota Corolla and Corolla Matrix, 2006-2011 Toyota Yaris, Lexus IS250 and Lexus IS350, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, Lexus IS250C, Lexus IS350C and Lexus GX460, 2011 Sienna, 2007-2011 Lexus ES350, and 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 Scion xB and Lexus IS F, 2007-2008 Toyota Yaris, 2006-2008 Lexus IS250 and Lexus IS350 and 2007-2008 Lexus ES350 vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Vehicles of these model years and models that were not originally sold or ever registered in either Zones A or B are not subject to this safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

The risk: 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 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 December 6, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for interim notification for this campaign are G1P (Toyota Zone A), G1R (Toyota Zone B), G2G (Lexus Zone A), and G2H (Lexus Zone B). Toyota's numbers for final remedy for this campaign are G0P (Toyota Zone A), G0R (Toyota Zone B), GLG (Lexus Zone A), and GLH (Lexus Zone B).

Recalls for this model and year. Not every car of the model is affected: check the exact car with its VIN.

What owners say goes wrong

Problems real owners reported to the US government (NHTSA). A high count on a popular car is normal; look at which part comes up most.

Air bags21
Suspension2
Electrical system1
Wheels1
Engine1
Engine and engine cooling1

25 complaints · 3 crashes · 1 fires · 8 injuries · 0 deaths reported

In owners' own words

"The car malfunction issue that is being reported is for the 2011 Toyota Yaris Gearshift and yes it is available upon request. The safety of small children were at risk when the vehicle was turned off no key in the ignition and no pressure on the break but the gear was pulled it shifted into neutral and completed an accelerated roll away with a small child inside. Not as of yet, has this vehicle been inspected by an …"
Unknown or other · filed 03/12/2023

"I FILED A CLAIM FOR THE AUTO AIRBAG SETTLEMENT IN 2017. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE AND WHEN I CONTACTED TOYOTA THEY STATED BOB BAKER DOES NOT EXIST ANYMORE. NO ONE HAS AN ANSWER. THANK YOU, AMPARO PEREZ-FLYNN"
Air bags · filed 03/02/2021

"IT WAS NEW YEAR'S EVE 12/31/2018 IT WAS RAINING AND I WAS GOING HOME AFTER PICK UP DINNER FOR MY FAMILY AND I WAS COMING TO A STOP SIGN AND I PRESSED ON MY BRAKES AND IT DIDN'T CATCH ON AND I LET OFF OF IT AND PRESSED ON IT AGAIN. I STILL FELT LIKE I WAS SLIDING AND THAT WHEN I PRESSED ON IT EVEN HARDER AND I KEPT SLIDING. I TURNED MY WHEEL SO I WOULDN'T HIT STRAIGHT TO THE TREES AND THE DITCH BUT ONCE I TURNED THE …"
Air bags · filed 01/04/2019

What it costs to run in Ghana

US EPA fuel figures for the Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L, at this window's Ghana pump price.

Fuel at 40 km a day

GH₵1,500 a month

Town driving8.1 L/100 km
Mixed driving7.6 L/100 km
Litres a month97
Petrol price (1 Nov 2026)GH₵15.39/L

Uses the NPA price floor; pump prices are at or a little above it. Accra traffic and air conditioning use more than the US test, so treat this as the least you will spend.

What a Toyota Yaris 2011 sells for in Ghana

Live listings on Jiji right now.

Asking Jiji…

Found a Toyota Yaris 2011 to buy?

Check that exact car: the VIN shows whether the ad tells the truth, and which recalls apply to it.

Questions people ask

Does the Toyota Yaris 2011 have recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 US safety recalls for the Toyota Yaris 2011, including an air bag recall. Cars imported to Ghana rarely had the free US repair done, so ask for proof or have a dealer check.

What are the common problems with the Toyota Yaris 2011?

Owners in the US most often report problems with: air bags, suspension, electrical system, wheels (NHTSA owner complaints).

How much fuel does a Toyota Yaris 2011 use in Ghana?

About 8.1 litres per 100 km in town (US EPA figure). At 40 km a day that is about 97 litres a month, roughly GH₵1,500 at the 1 Nov 2026 petrol price.

Can a Toyota Yaris 2011 still be imported into Ghana?

No. Since 1 October 2026 Ghana does not allow used vehicles 15 years and older to be imported, and a 2011 car is about 15 years old.

Sources: US NHTSA and EPA public data, Ghana NPA fuel prices, Ghana Standards Authority import notice (14 August 2026). Figures are for US-market versions of this model.