2016 Toyota Corolla Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
67/100
#6 most-complained of 16 Corolla years
The 2016 Toyota Corolla ranks 6th worst out of 16 model years, with a Complaint Index of 67 and a Caution verdict. NHTSA logs 214 complaints, 66 crashes, and 1 recall, with airbags being the top problem area at 30% of complaints.
- Complaints
- 214
- Recalls
- 1
- Crashes / fires
- 66 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 56 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 31.5
- 28.5 city / 36.5 hwy
Top 2016 Toyota Corolla problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags65 (30%)
- Engine33 (15%)
- Brakes32 (15%)
- Seat Belts26 (12%)
- Other24 (11%)
- Electrical System23 (11%)
- Steering22 (10%)
- Structure & Body22 (10%)
- Transmission & Powertrain22 (10%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires21 (10%)
What owners report
- Airbags failed to deploy in crashes, including collisions at highway speed and one where a truck struck the vehicle at a 4-way intersection.
- Brakes reportedly delayed or failed to stop the car, in one case leading to a collision after brake screeching.
- The vehicle allegedly lurched or moved on its own while in reverse in a parking lot, then became inoperable or struck other vehicles.
- Owners describe electrical glitches such as windows moving on their own, speaker static, steering wheel locking up, and a battery draining unexpectedly.
- One owner reported the vehicle would not engage in neutral after brake pedal failed to stop it, resulting in a crash into a post.
2016 Toyota Corolla recalls
1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.
- NHTSA 20V024000Jan 17, 2020Airbags2,891,976 vehicles
Air bags: air bag/restraint control module
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.
Risk: In the event of a crash, air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners that do not deploy as intended may increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk beginning March 2, 2020. A second letter notifying owners of the remedy repair will be mailed between March 16, 2020 and June 27, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB03, 20TA03 and 20TA05.
2016 Toyota Corolla fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 28.5 MPG
- Highway
- 36.5 MPG
- Combined
- 31.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,075
- 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 Corolla years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2016 Toyota Corolla reliable?
- NHTSA data gives the 2016 Corolla a Complaint Index of 67 and a Caution verdict, ranking it 6th worst among 16 model years covered. It has 214 complaints and 1 recall on file.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2016 Toyota Corolla?
- Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 30% of complaints (65 of 214), 45 crashes, and 1 fire, with a median failure mileage of 34,900 miles.
- Does the 2016 Toyota Corolla have an airbag recall?
- Yes. Recall 20V024000 covers 2011-2019 Corolla and related models for an airbag electronic control unit issue during certain crashes; Toyota installs a noise filter on the airbag control module as the remedy.
- How does the 2016 Corolla compare to other years?
- Its Complaint Index of 67 is worse than 2017 (40), 2018 (7), and 2019 (20), which are rated Good or Best, but better than 2010 (100) and 2011 (93), which are rated Avoid.