2016 Toyota Corolla Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 22about this part
- Share
- 10%of 215 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 54,500miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 22 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2016 Toyota Corolla, 10% of the 215 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 54,500 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“2016 Toyota Corolla, 80,000 miles. I'm driving up a hill towards the freeway and my car slows and comes to a stop. I try to turn the car on and it won't turn on. Get it towed to a mechanic and they say the transmission failed and it'll be $8,000 to repair. This transmission failure came out of the blue and my car isn't even covered for it because my warranty expired at 75,000 miles. …”
NHTSA complaint #11279914, filed 2019-11, 80,000 miles“Transmission problem: my RPM is low and vibrates the car and loss of performance, while shifts gear improperly. I have 6 oem enhanced DTC, I can provide pictures, the important code is ECM/PCM code. Abs: every time I hit a pothole, ABS makes grinding noise. Power steering problem: I did alignment, even after that my steering my car swerved to the left and right on highway, it's like I have to battle my car to be in the lane. …”
NHTSA complaint #11182474, filed 2019-02, 25,000 miles“I drove to Toyota arlington for tire rotation on 2/4/21 and the car was running fine. Odometer was 44091 miles. After leaving the dealership, I drove about a mile then the engine lost power. The car could only go about 5 MPH. The car jerk up and down as if I drove on the rail road tracks. The check engine light, trac off and red steering wheel symbol lit up but not flashing. I went back to the dealer right away. I turned the car off, the attendant turned it back on. The check engine, track off and steering symbols were off. …”
NHTSA complaint #11395950, filed 2021-02, 44,092 miles“Transmission is clunking and it seems like an extremely rough downshifting mostly at freeway speeds and it actually sounds and feels as though you've hit something on the road even though road was clear. I called the dealer and was told if it could not be duplicated that they wouldn't be able to figure out the problem. When I last brought it to dealer for oil change they put on the vehicle report that the transmission fluid was black and when I asked what should be done the service adviser didn't text back. …”
NHTSA complaint #11361192, filed 2020-09, 60,000 miles“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. I have taken this vehicle to the dealership I purchased it from several times and they were unable to duplicate. …”
NHTSA complaint #11181954, filed 2019-02, 25,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10165987Sep 3, 2019TSB: REVISION NOTICE September 03, 2019 Rev1: ? Applicability has been updated to include 2018 ? 2019 model year Corolla vehicles. Any previous printed versions of this bulletin…
- 10164330Jul 1, 2019TSB: REVISION NOTICE July 01, 2019 Rev2: ? Applicability has been updated to 2019 ? 2020 model year Toyota vehicles. ? The Techstream Preparation and Process Overview sections…
- 10153252Jan 25, 2019TSB: Some 2014 ? 2018 model year Corolla and 2017 ? 2018 model year iM vehicles equipped with the K313 Continuously Variable Transaxle (CVT) may exhibit a high-pitched hiss or…
- 10197440Aug 28, 2018An electric control unit has improper programming.
- 10145741Aug 28, 2018Region Letter: August 28,2018 The instructions for Option #1 have been corrected. An Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in the subject vehicles has improper programming that could…
- 10149998Aug 20, 2018Technical Instructions: TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN JSD CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSAXLE SOFTWARE UPDATE CERTAIN 2014-2017 TOYOTA Corolla CERTAIN 2017…
- 10149199Aug 20, 2018Technical Instructions: TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN JSD CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSAXLE SOFTWARE UPDATE CERTAIN 2014-2017 TOYOTA Corolla CERTAIN 2017…
- 10149984Aug 13, 2018Dealer Letter: August 13, 2018. ? A section has been added which clarifies the process for obtaining DSPM approval for out-of-warranty CVT assembly replacement. ? Clarification…
- 10145734Aug 2, 2018Region Letter: August 2, 2018 The descriptions for OpCodes JSD005, JSD006 JSD007, and JSD008 have been updated. An Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in the subject vehicles has…
- 10145733Aug 2, 2018Region Email: Attached Region Letter has been updated. ? The descriptions for OpCodes JSD005, JSD006 JSD007, and JSD008 have been updated. Toyota previously announced Special…
Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 6% |
| 2025 | 2 | 6% |
| 2024 | 8 | 12% |
| 2023 | 6 | 8% |
| 2022 | 17 | 17% |
| 2021 | 19 | 10% |
| 2020 | 40 | 13% |
| 2019 | 55 | 27% |
| 2018 | 12 | 9% |
| 2017 | 15 | 8% |
| 2016 | 22 | 10% |
| 2015 | 30 | 14% |
| 2014 | 27 | 10% |
| 2013 | 9 | 4% |
| 2012 | 8 | 2% |
| 2011 | 18 | 3% |
| 2010 | 49 | 4% |
| 2009 | 45 | 3% |
| 2008 | 13 | 4% |
| 2007 | 26 | 3% |
| 2006 | 43 | 5% |
| 2005 | 37 | 4% |
| 2004 | 16 | 3% |
| 2003 | 61 | 8% |
| 2002 | 5 | 4% |
| 2001 | 9 | 7% |
| 2000 | 7 | 5% |
| 1999 | 6 | 4% |
| 1998 | 9 | 4% |
| 1997 | 6 | 4% |
| 1996 | 4 | 3% |
| 1995 | 13 | 7% |
| 1994 | 6 | 3% |
| 1993 | 3 | 2% |
| 1992 | 8 | 13% |
| 1991 | 8 | 11% |
| 1990 | 5 | 19% |
| 1989 | 4 | 17% |
| 1988 | 2 | 8% |
| 1987 | 1 | 7% |
| 1984 | 1 | 17% |
Other parts of the 2016 Toyota Corolla
65 complaintsBrakes
30 complaintsSeat belts
26 complaintsOther or unknown
24 complaintsSteering
22 complaintsVehicle speed control
22 complaintsBody and structure
15 complaintsElectrical system
14 complaintsEngine
13 complaintsSuspension
11 complaintsExterior lighting
10 complaintsFuel system
8 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2016 Toyota Corolla
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology