Recalls (3)
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2016 Toyota Avalon. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Air Bags/Seat Belt Pretensioners may not Deploy
- Summary
- 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.
Air Bag Fasteners May Loosen Affecting Deployment
- Summary
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Avalon, and 2017 Camry vehicles manufactured August 3, 2016, to September 12, 2016. The front passenger knee air bag module may have been attached to the lower instrument panel with incorrect fasteners.
- Consequence
- If the air bag was installed with incorrect fasteners, the fasteners may become loose over time, affecting the air bag deployment and increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fasteners, and if necessary, replace the instrument panel brace and body bracket and reattach the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 8, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G05.
Occupant Classification System/FMVSS 208
- Summary
- 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."
- Consequence
- 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.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (23)
23 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The unknown or other is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 23 |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown or other | 5 | 21.7% |
| Air bags | 4 | 17.4% |
| Engine | 4 | 17.4% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 13% |
| Structure | 3 | 13% |
| Lane departure | 2 | 8.7% |
| Power train | 2 | 8.7% |
| Service brakes | 2 | 8.7% |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 8.7% |
| Visibility | 2 | 8.7% |
How 2016 compares with other Avalon years
Best and worst Avalon years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 30 | 4 |
| 2013 | 137 | 4 |
| 2014 | 96 | 4 |
| 2015 | 41 | 2 |
| 2016 | 23 | 3 |
| 2017 | 14 | 2 |
| 2018 | 24 | 2 |
| 2019 | 71 | 4 |
| 2020 | 10 | 3 |
| 2021 | 21 | 2 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2016 Toyota Avalon 4 dr fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 24 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $2,800
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 365 g/mi
- EPA class
- Midsize Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 24 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 21 / 30 / 24 | $2,800 | 365 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2016 Avalon for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2016 Toyota Avalon FAQ
How many recalls does the 2016 Toyota Avalon have?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 20V024000 (air bag), 16V906000 (air bag), 16V215000 (air bag). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2016 Toyota Avalon problems?
Owners filed 23 complaints with NHTSA. Unknown or other (5), Air bags (4), Engine (4) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2016 Toyota Avalon get?
EPA rates the 3.5 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic version at 21 city, 30 highway and 24 combined mpg.
What safety rating did the 2016 Toyota Avalon get?
NHTSA rated the 2016 Toyota Avalon 4 dr fwd 5 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (10.7% rollover risk).
How does the 2016 Avalon compare with other years?
Among the 2012–2021 Toyota Avalon model years at least five years old, the 2020 drew the fewest complaints (10) and the 2013 the most (137). The 2016 drew 23. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.