YearToAvoid

2016 Toyota Camry Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

32/100

#14 most-complained of 20 Camry years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2016 Toyota Camry ranks 14th out of 20 model years with a complaint index of 32, earning a Good verdict. It has 183 complaints, 2 recalls, and no do-not-drive recalls, with Engine as the top problem area.

Complaints
183
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
41 / 2
Injuries / deaths
35 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
26.5
23 city / 32 hwy

Top 2016 Toyota Camry problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine37 (20%)
  2. Other34 (19%)
  3. Airbags31 (17%)
  4. Steering25 (14%)
  5. Structure & Body25 (14%)
  6. Electrical System23 (13%)
  7. Brakes21 (11%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain18 (10%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires10 (5%)
  10. Seat Belts9 (5%)

What owners report

  • Some owners report the engine burning oil and leaking, with a burning odor noticed soon after startup.
  • Several complaints describe the brake pedal failing to respond or losing effectiveness at low speed, leading to collisions.
  • One owner reported the accelerator pedal sticking and the vehicle accelerating to 80 mph before the brakes failed to stop it.
  • A gear shifter reportedly moved from park into reverse on its own while the engine was running, causing the car to roll and strike a pole.
  • Owners describe side airbags failing to deploy during side-impact crashes.
  • One report describes the engine revving and the car lurching forward or backward unexpectedly at low speed.
2016 Toyota Camry complaints: complaints filed per quarter192015 Q42017 Q22018 Q42020 Q22021 Q42023 Q22024 Q42026 Q2
246 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2015 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2016 Q4 (19).

2016 Toyota Camry recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V420000Jun 9, 2016Other4,253 vehicles

    Equipment:other:labels

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Camry and Highlander, 2015-2016 Toyota Tundra, Scion FR-S, and tC vehicles. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

    Risk: An incorrect label may lead an owner to overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.

  2. NHTSA 16V215000Apr 14, 2016Airbags58,515 vehicles

    Air bags:sensor:occupant classification

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Avalon and Camry vehicles manufactured November 30, 2015 to March 4, 2016. The occupant classification system (OCS) that activates or deactivates the front passenger seat air bag system may have been improperly calibrated. As a result, the front passenger air bag and the front passenger knee air bag may not deploy as intended in certain crash scenarios. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

    Risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended during a crash increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will recalibrate the OCS, free of charge. The recall began by May 13, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G0J.

2016 Toyota Camry fuel economy and fuel cost

City
23 MPG
Highway
32 MPG
Combined
26.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,450
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2016 compared with other Camry years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2014Caution58455326.5
2015Best21271126.5
2016Good32183226.5
2017Best16148325.5
2018Caution68741832

All Toyota Camry years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Toyota Camry reliable?
NHTSA data shows the 2016 Camry has a complaint index of 32 and ranks 14th of 20 Camry model years, earning a Good verdict relative to other years.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Toyota Camry?
Engine issues are the top problem area, accounting for 37 of 183 complaints (20%), followed by airbags at 17% and steering at 14%.
Does the 2016 Toyota Camry have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2016 Camry, one for an inaccurate load carrying capacity label and one for airbag occupant classification system recalibration. Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
How does the 2016 Camry compare to other Camry years?
With a complaint index of 32, the 2016 Camry is far below high-complaint years like 2007 (index 100) and 2005 (index 89), but not as low as 2017 or 2022, which score 16 and 5 respectively.
What mileage do problems typically show up at on the 2016 Camry?
Median mileage at failure across all reported problems was 28,886 miles, though brake-related complaints had a much lower median mileage of 11,255.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.