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Toyota CorollaModel year report

2016 Toyota Corolla Problems

Compared with other Toyota Corolla years

Typical for this model

40/100 0.8× a typical year · 50 = typical

Open NHTSA investigationDesiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
215filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
25,000miles, 139 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
5 / 5stars overall
EPA fuel economy
32 mpgcombined, 1.8L 4-cyl FWD · 29 city / 37 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2016 Toyota Corolla (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Complaints from owners of this model year center on air bags not deploying in crashes and on the related 20V024 air bag control unit recall, which many describe as hard to complete. A second cluster covers brakes (grinding, vibration, and occasional long stopping distances) and a third covers jerky or clunking automatic transmission behavior. Most sampled complaints were filed under roughly 60,000 miles, with brake reports tending to come earlier than transmission reports.

  1. Air bags

    Air bags not deploying in a crash

    • 61 complaints (28%)
    • median 34,900 mi at 3.9 yrs old (44 state mileage)
    • 46 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2016–2025

    Owners describe frontal and side impacts, including rollovers and being rear-ended, in which no air bags deployed. Several say the vehicle was totaled and that occupants were injured and sought medical care. Some mention the 20V024 air bag control unit recall and report being told parts were unavailable or that their vehicle was not covered. Reported from a few thousand miles up to about 180,000 miles, mostly in crashes at city and highway speeds.

    Recall 20V0240002 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the 20V024 air bag control unit recall was completed and keep the paperwork. Note that this recall addresses control unit malfunction, not every non-deployment report.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was involved in a car accident on 2/20/2020 my vehicle was in motion. I felt my 2016 Toyota Corolla lose traction on the road and start to slip. My traction control light never came on and I never felt it engage. I hydroplaned, my car hit a guardrail head on, my seat belt did not tighten which caused me to hit my head and chest on the steering wheel and dash as well as injuries to my neck from being slung forward. My vehicle continued to impact the guardrail. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11311424, filed 2020-02, 87,209 miles

    “On 08/11/2017 my daughter was driving through a intersection when another vehicle failed to yield in front of her. She was involved in a head on collision and the airbags did not deploy on her 2016 Toyota Corolla. The body shop said the car should have been totaled but due to the airbags not deploying, the insurance company did not total the vehicle. I feel we were treated unfairly due to this. My daughter also suffered injuries from the incident. Two years later we see there is a recall for the airbags.”

    NHTSA complaint #11319215, filed 2020-03, 14,000 miles
  2. Brakes

    Brake grinding, vibration, and long stopping distance

    • 27 complaints (13%)
    • median 20,809 mi at 2.5 yrs old (24 state mileage)
    • 12 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2016–2026

    Owners describe grinding noises and vibration through the pedal, sometimes when braking over bumps, and in some cases the pedal going to the floor with the car not stopping as expected. Several say the dealer found nothing wrong or that brakes checked out. Others report caliper leaks, pad and rotor work, or vibration shortly after purchase. Reported from under 2,000 miles up to about 45,000 miles, often at low speed or in stop-and-go traffic.

    5 related service bulletins

    What to check: Test braking from low and moderate speeds on a rough surface and listen for grinding. Ask for service records on pads, rotors, and calipers, and whether the brake vibration bulletin was applied.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Tamara inflator recall. I parked my car overnight, it was just fine, no problems. When I started it the next morning ebs and brake warning light came on.I didn't even move the car. Now I'm told the sensors mat be out. Had my brakes checked they are good. I just don't understand why this happened to a car that wasn't even moving. The car was parked in my driveway and locked”

    NHTSA complaint #11083360, filed 2018-04, 50,000 miles

    “Continuing problem when foot is on brake pedal and hit a bump in road, grinding noise and vibration sensation in pedal. Toyota dealer says brakes are ok. Today this happened but this time the grinding noise was pronounced and the car would not brake - fortunately I was not driving at a high rate of speed and barely stopped in time before almost rear ending car in front of me. I have found several complaints on line of the same problem.”

    NHTSA complaint #11300452, filed 2020-01, 45,000 miles
  3. Seat belts

    Seat belt buckle and pretensioner concerns

    • 23 complaints (11%)
    • median 34,800 mi at 2.6 yrs old (13 state mileage)
    • 11 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2016–2025

    Owners report seat belts that will not latch or are hard to release, and belts that did not tighten in a collision. Some describe the seat belt warning or air bag light staying on, and one says a sensor fault returned after the recall repair. Dealers are described as quoting diagnostic fees or declining further work. Mostly reported between about 7,000 and 90,000 miles, in everyday use and in crashes.

    Recall 20V024000

    What to check: Buckle and release each belt and check that the air bag and seat belt warning lights behave normally with the ignition on.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was in car accident and rear ended my airbags failed deploy and seat belt seat belt pretensioners to stop force my body felt ragged dogged as being hit my neck felt it was going snapped I was scared for life.I was on city city street stopped at red light when rear ended by large SUV. I got letter from Toyota saying I need have airbag replace, and when went dealer on friday 9:00 am the rech john keller refuse to service for recall, and told me he looked up VIN and my car didn't needed it Toyota of hb reuse to repair it.”

    NHTSA complaint #11319675, filed 2020-03, 145,000 miles

    “Involved in collision on october 14, 2019. Vehicle liable for collision hit the front of left side of my vehicle. Air bag did not deploy, safety restraint did not operate correctly. Suffered injuries to lefts side of body, head, neck, leg, front and back. Body propelled forward towards wheel and dash arm, shoulder and one contacted vehicle and head hit steering wheel. Went to er. Seeking treatment for injuries for 6 months now and ongoing.”

    NHTSA complaint #11321186, filed 2020-04, 60,000 miles
  4. Transmission and drivetrain

    Hard or jerky automatic transmission shifting

    • 23 complaints (11%)
    • median 43,546 mi at 3.4 yrs old (14 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $7,000 (median of 6 quotes)
    • filed 2016–2026

    Owners describe clunking, hard downshifts, jerking when accelerating from a slowdown or uphill, slipping, and whining or rattling noises. Some report the transmission warning light and that a prior software update did not resolve it. Dealers are described as unable to duplicate the concern or as declining follow-up. Mostly reported between about 25,000 and 100,000 miles, often on the highway or when accelerating from low speed.

    What to check: Drive at highway speed and accelerate from a rolling slowdown to feel for harsh downshifts. Ask whether transmission fluid was changed and whether any software update was applied.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “While travelling on the highway in my 2016 Toyota Corolla, I am noticing frequent issues where if I slow down on the highway for any reason (such as traffic) and go to speed up or while accelerating uphill, the vehicle jerks while shifting into a lower gear, which startles me every time, and even hard enough to wake my 3 sleeping children in the backseat. This has been going on since august 2018 , and has been happening more often as time has passed. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11181954, filed 2019-02, 25,000 miles

    “About a year after having my new car. It starting shifting hard out of gear when I took it to get maintance they said nothing was wrong with it. When the maintance light came on again. Took it to a local mechanic shop. And they said it might be a computer related. They told me they could doba transmission fluid change so I took it to Toyota to have the fluid change to see if that would fix the problem but it didnt here recently like 5 months ago it started to shift really bad. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11311679, filed 2020-02, 115,000 miles
  5. Steering

    Steering lock or loss of power assist

    • 17 complaints (8%)
    • median 25,473 mi at 4.0 yrs old (11 state mileage)
    • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2016–2025

    Owners report the steering becoming very heavy, a warning light coming on, or the wheel refusing to turn until the car warms up. Some describe clicking noises when turning at full lock, and one says the wheel seized while driving and a shop diagnosed a failed steering module. Reported from near-new mileage to about 43,000 miles, in some cases in cold weather or on first start.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Start the car cold and turn the wheel lock to lock, listening for clicking, and confirm the power steering warning light goes out after start.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The power steering light came on and when I tried to drive it it was like driving a manual steering. When on the highway it was like driving a tractor. Then when I got to where I was going it made a clicking noise when I tried to start it again. Then everything went dead. This is my only car and I am a retired teacher who spent her retirement money on this vehicle because I was told that it would be reliable.”

    NHTSA complaint #11316889, filed 2020-03, 20 miles

    “When it's a little cold out and I start up my car,my steering wheel will not turn, it's like it is locked. Until it warms up a bit I can't and will not move it until it becomes normal again. This has been an ongoing issue since the beginning of oct. 2019.I understand it has everything to do with the electronic steering component. I am very concerned it may lock up on me while I'm driving and cause an accident??”

    NHTSA complaint #11309521, filed 2020-02, 31,000 miles

Buying note. Check that the 20V024 air bag control unit recall was completed and ask for the paperwork, since many complaints concern air bag and seat belt performance in crashes. A test drive that includes braking over bumps and highway downshifts helps surface the brake and transmission behavior owners describe.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 215 consumer complaints for the 2016 Toyota Corolla. 139 of the complaints include a mileage, and 75% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 25,000 miles. Of all complaints, 66 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 57 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 268 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 15 Toyota Corolla model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 40 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Suspension (11), Exterior lighting (10), Fuel system (8), Tires (8), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (8), Seats (7), Wheels (5), Electronic stability control (4).

Example complaints

Air bags: “I have been in two accidents where both times I was ran off the road into a ditch. In neither accident did any of the air bags deploy but I definitely hit hard enough in which they should had. One time my child was in the back seat. I hit a ditch filled with huge rocks the first accident was settled at over $1700 and the 2nd accident is still in the claims portion of the accident, where I was ran off the road. …”

NHTSA complaint #11023892, filed 2017-09, 19,000 miles

Brakes: “Brakes began making grinding noise when applied in during stop and go traffic. Was taken to dealership where I was told brakes are fine. As soon as I left I began hearing noise again while applying brakes and called them back but was told nothing could be done since no issue.”

NHTSA complaint #11193305, filed 2019-04, 59,000 miles

Seat belts: “The airbag light on the passenger side of the car started blinking red when the car is off, when the car is on the light says the airbag is off. I took it to the Toyota dealer like I was recommended to do after checking the recall website. Auto nation Toyota at 12111 gulf freeway in houston texas for them to fix the problem.after in less than an hour the service attendant called me and told me that the car needed the windshield wipers replaced and the AC and engine filters needed to be replaced and it was going to cost 4 or 5 hundred dollars to fix. …”

NHTSA complaint #11394371, filed 2021-02, 94,000 miles

Other or unknown: “We bought a new 2016 Toyota Corolla and have a problem with rodents getting in it. We read up on it and it is caused by the materials used. The person I spoke at Toyota said they use peanut based lubricant. This apparently is know by Toyota yet they continue to use it. What can be done? I am tired of being told nothing can be done.”

NHTSA complaint #10949996, filed 2017-02, 4,900 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

75% of the 139 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 8,330 and 50,000 miles.

27%0–1022%10–2526%25–5014%50–757%75–1003%100–1501%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (139 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 25,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

20162018202048202220242026
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2016 Toyota Corolla. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Corolla · sedan FWD★★★★★5 / 5554 · 11.8% risk

Neighbouring years: 2015: same overall rating; 2017: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2016 Toyota Corolla version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Corolla FWD1.8L 4-cylCVT293732$2,100
Corolla FWD1.8L 4-cylCVT283631$2,150
Corolla FWD1.8L 4-cyl6-speed manual283631$2,150
Corolla FWD1.8L 4-cyl4-speed automatic273530$2,250
Corolla LE Eco FWD1.8L 4-cylCVT304034$1,950
Corolla LE Eco FWD1.8L 4-cylCVT303833$2,050

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2016 Toyota Corolla → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 268 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 268 bulletins →

Other model years of the Toyota Corolla

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2026188241534—Too new
2025318,0000534Too new to compareToo new
20246615,8582535Too new to compareToo new
20237462,500353516 · FewerToo new
202210221,30005334 · FewerRising
202118839,200153316 · FewerRising
202031110,000353366 · MoreRising
201920412,400553257 · TypicalStable
201813517,000353241 · TypicalFalling
201717813,500353246 · TypicalFalling
201621525,000153240 · TypicalFalling
201522030,000153234 · FewerFalling
201426935,000253240 · TypicalFalling
201320125,500542956 · TypicalFalling
201244636,509542953 · TypicalFalling
201158431,000932981 · MoreFalling
20101,2446,00017—29100 · MoreFalling
20091,45923,00013—30100 · MoreFalling
200831439,6946—3168 · MoreStable
200783646,9006—31Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200684056,4147—29Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200585469,8896—29Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200447760,0009—31Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200372086,0009—31Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200211762,0000—30Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200113362,5000—30Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200014569,7500—28Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199915566,9000—28Not compared (before 2008)Rising
199822577,8000—28Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199713599,0001—28Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199612980,0000—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1995176150,0002—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1994172120,0002—26Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1993130101,0002—26Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19926398,0001—25Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199171100,2520—25Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19902775,0000—25Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198923—1—26—Stable
19882665,0000—25Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19871410,0000—26—Not enough data
1984650,0002—27—Not enough data
198251900———Not enough data

All Toyota Corolla model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2016 Toyota Corolla?

Complaints from owners of this model year center on air bags not deploying in crashes and on the related 20V024 air bag control unit recall, which many describe as hard to complete. The issues reported most often: Air bags not deploying in a crash; Brake grinding, vibration, and long stopping distance; Seat belt buckle and pretensioner concerns.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2016 Toyota Corolla have?

NHTSA recorded 215 consumer complaints for the 2016 Toyota Corolla as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2016 Toyota Corolla is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 65 complaints (30% of the total), followed by brakes with 30.

Has the 2016 Toyota Corolla been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2016 Toyota Corolla do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2016 Toyota Corolla 5 out of 5 stars overall. Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2016 Toyota Corolla get?

The EPA rates the 2016 Toyota Corolla (Corolla, 1.8L 4-cyl) at 32 mpg combined, 29 city and 37 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,100 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2016 Toyota Corolla reported?

Among the 139 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 25,000 miles and the middle half falls between 8,330 and 50,000 miles; 75% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.