Recalls (1)
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2016 Toyota Corolla. 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.
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 (214)
214 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The air bags is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 214 |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 65 | 30.4% |
| Service brakes | 29 | 13.6% |
| Seat belts | 26 | 12.1% |
| Unknown or other | 24 | 11.2% |
| Power train | 22 | 10.3% |
| Steering | 22 | 10.3% |
| Vehicle speed control | 22 | 10.3% |
| Structure | 15 | 7% |
| Electrical system | 14 | 6.5% |
| Engine | 13 | 6.1% |
How 2016 compares with other Corolla years
Best and worst Corolla years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 446 | 5 |
| 2013 | 201 | 5 |
| 2014 | 269 | 2 |
| 2015 | 220 | 1 |
| 2016 | 214 | 1 |
| 2017 | 178 | 3 |
| 2018 | 134 | 3 |
| 2019 | 203 | 5 |
| 2020 | 307 | 3 |
| 2021 | 185 | 1 |
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 Corolla 4 dr fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 34 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $1,950
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 263 g/mi
- EPA class
- Midsize Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 34 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 L 4-cyl · CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 30 / 40 / 34 | $1,950 | 263 |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl · CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 30 / 38 / 33 | $2,050 | 266 |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl · CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 29 / 37 / 32 | $2,100 | 281 |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl · AV-S7 CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 28 / 36 / 31 | $2,150 | 282 |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl · 6-speed manual | Front-Wheel Drive | 28 / 36 / 31 | $2,150 | 284 |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl · 4-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 27 / 35 / 30 | $2,250 | 291 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2016 Corolla 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 Corolla FAQ
How many recalls does the 2016 Toyota Corolla have?
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign: 20V024000 (air bag). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2016 Toyota Corolla problems?
Owners filed 214 complaints with NHTSA. Air bags (65), Service brakes (29), Seat belts (26) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2016 Toyota Corolla get?
EPA rates the 1.8 L 4-cyl · CVT version at 30 city, 40 highway and 34 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2016 Toyota Corolla get?
NHTSA rated the 2016 Toyota Corolla 4 dr fwd 5 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (11.8% rollover risk).
How does the 2016 Corolla compare with other years?
Among the 2012–2021 Toyota Corolla model years at least five years old, the 2018 drew the fewest complaints (134) and the 2012 the most (446). The 2016 drew 214. 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.