Toyota Corolla 2016 recalls, problems, complaints and safety
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall issued for the Toyota Corolla 2016 and 214 complaints filed by owners. It has 42% more complaints than the average Toyota Corolla from 2016–2025 (151 per year).
These are recalls issued for this model and year, not for your specific car. A car may already be repaired or may not be included. Confirm with your VIN on NHTSA.
Own or buying a Toyota Corolla 2016? Enter its VIN to see its exact trim and engine, and confirm on NHTSA whether its recalls were repaired.
Recalls issued for the Toyota Corolla 2016
Air bags
NHTSA campaign 20V024000 · 2020-01-17
What happens
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.
Consequence
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.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Complaints from other owners
214 complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of this model.
66 with a crash · 1 with a fire · 56 injuries
Most reported problems on the Toyota Corolla 2016
- Air bags: 56 (26% of complaints)
- Brakes: 29 (14% of complaints)
- Seat belts: 26 (12% of complaints)
- Powertrain and transmission: 22 (10% of complaints)
- Throttle and cruise control: 22 (10% of complaints)
Complaints are written by owners and NHTSA doesn't verify each one. They're useful to spot trends.
What to check before buying a Toyota Corolla 2016
- Confirm by VIN on NHTSA that the recalls on this list were repaired.
- The air bag light should come on for a second at start-up and go off. Confirm by VIN that air bag recalls were done.
- Brake hard somewhere safe: the car shouldn't pull to one side and the pedal shouldn't sink; check rotors and pads.
- Check that every belt latches, retracts properly and is not frayed.
- Get an inspection from an independent mechanic before paying.
Safety rating (NCAP)
| Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Toyota Corolla 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Toyota Corolla recalls by year
- 2016 : 1 recalls · 214 complaints
- 2017 : 3 recalls · 189 complaints
- 2018 : 3 recalls · 134 complaints
- 2019 : 5 recalls · 205 complaints
- 2020 : 3 recalls · 311 complaints
- 2021 : 1 recalls · 186 complaints
- 2022 : 0 recalls · 101 complaints
- 2023 : 3 recalls · 73 complaints
- 2024 : 2 recalls · 64 complaints
- 2025 : 0 recalls · 31 complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Toyota Corolla 2016 have?
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall issued for the Toyota Corolla 2016. That doesn't mean every car has them open: confirm with the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The repair is free at the dealer.
What is the most common problem with the Toyota Corolla 2016?
In complaints filed with NHTSA, the most mentioned component is: air bags (56 of 214 complaints). Complaints aren't verified one by one, but they show trends.
Model-level information from official NHTSA sources. Confirm by VIN on NHTSA. Not a substitute for a mechanical inspection.
Last updated: October 12, 2026. Sources: NHTSA vPIC (decoding), NHTSA Recalls, NHTSA Complaints and NHTSA NCAP (5-Star Safety Ratings).