YearToAvoid

2016 Toyota Yaris Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

29/100

#11 most-complained of 15 Yaris years

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

The 2016 Toyota Yaris has a complaint index of 29, ranking 11th out of 15 model years, and earns a "Good" verdict relative to other Yaris years. NHTSA lists 5 complaints, 2 recalls, and 2 crashes tied to this year, mostly involving airbags.

Complaints
5
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
2 / 0
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
32.5
30 city / 35.5 hwy

Top 2016 Toyota Yaris problems

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

  1. Airbags2 (40%)
  2. Brakes2 (40%)
  3. Structure & Body2 (40%)
  4. Electrical System1 (20%)
  5. Engine1 (20%)

What owners report

  • Airbags failed to deploy during a crash at highway speed, resulting in a cracked sternum despite a police report being filed.
  • A separate crash at lower city speed also saw airbags fail to deploy even though the front sensor wiring was torn off, causing serious injury.
  • The rear bumper worked loose during highway driving, flapping visibly and threatening to detach before the trip ended.
  • The accelerator pedal design left drivers' feet catching underneath it, delaying the switch to the brake pedal during near-miss situations.
2016 Toyota Yaris complaints: complaints filed per month3Oct 2016Sep 2018Jun 2019Sep 2021
8 complaints filed with NHTSA from Oct 2016 to Sep 2021; peak Jun 2019 (3).

2016 Toyota Yaris recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V319000Apr 23, 2019Airbags43,221 vehicles

    Air bags:side/window

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Yaris vehicles. The wire harnesses for the side air bag sensors located within the front doors may crack and corrode, possibly causing the non-deployment or improper deployment of the front seat side air bags and the curtain shield air bags.

    Risk: In the event of a crash, front seat side air bags and curtain shield air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wire harness assembly in the front doors, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is K1F/K0F.

  2. NHTSA 16V236000Apr 22, 2016Other94 vehicles

    Equipment:other:labels

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Yaris, Rav4, Land Cruiser and 4Runner vehicles, and Scion FR-S, iM, and TC vehicles manufactured January 28, 2016, to March 14, 2016. 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 result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and provide them a corrected label to be installed over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on June 3, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET16A.

2016 Toyota Yaris fuel economy and fuel cost

City
30 MPG
Highway
35.5 MPG
Combined
32.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,000
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 Yaris years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2014No verdict03132.5
2015Caution7115432.5
2016Good295232.5
2017Good4315333.5
2018No verdict214133.5

All Toyota Yaris years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Toyota Yaris reliable?
Relative to other Yaris model years, the 2016 rates "Good" with a complaint index of 29, ranking 11th out of 15 years tracked. NHTSA recorded 5 complaints and 2 recalls for this year.
What are the main problems with the 2016 Toyota Yaris?
Owners reported issues split evenly among airbags, brakes, and structure/body problems, each accounting for 40% of complaints. The airbag issue involved failure to deploy during crashes, at a median mileage of 40,000.
Does the 2016 Toyota Yaris have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2016 Yaris: one for airbag wire harnesses that can crack and corrode (campaign 19V319000), and one for a labeling correction (campaign 16V236000). Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
How does the 2016 Yaris compare to other years?
The 2016 Yaris performs better than years like 2007-2010, which carry "Avoid" verdicts with complaint indexes between 79 and 100. The 2020 Yaris has the lowest complaint index at 14 and rates "Best."

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.