Recalls (5)
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2016 Toyota Prius. 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 ↗Engine Wire Harness May Chafe and Short
- Summary
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Toyota Prius vehicles. A portion of the engine wire harness connected to the hybrid Power Control Unit (PCU), could contact the cover at this connection and wear, causing an electrical short circuit.
- Consequence
- An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine wire harness assembly and replace it if damage is found. A protective sleeve or protective tape will be included to prevent any future damage. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0T.
Sensor Failures May Prevent Air Bag Deployment
- Summary
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Toyota Prius and Lexus RX 350, RX 350 F Sport, RX 450h F Sport and RX 450h vehicles and 2015-2016 Lexus NX 200T, NX Turbo and NX 300h vehicles. The air bag pressure sensors and/or the acceleration sensors may fail causing the side/curtain shield air bags and/or the front air bags to not deploy in the event of a crash.
- Consequence
- If the air bags fail to deploy in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sensors as necessary based on their serial numbers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 12, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are JLA, J0F.
Improperly Bolted Hybrid Capacitor may cause Stall
- Summary
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Prius vehicles. A capacitor within the hybrid system may not have been properly bolted to the inverter housing.
- Consequence
- If the capacitor was not properly secured, vibrations from driving the vehicle may damage the capacitor, shutting down the hybrid system, causing a loss of motive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inverter, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin by early December 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0U.
Parking Brake Cable may Disengage from Lever
- Summary
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Prius vehicles manufactured August 6, 2015, to October 3, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with a foot-operated parking brake system that has a parking brake cable that may disengage.
- Consequence
- If the parking brake cable disengages from the mechanism and the transmission is left in a gear other than 'Park' while the ignition is on and the driver leaves the vehicle, the vehicle may roll unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a clip at the parking brake cable end to prevent the cable from disengaging, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G01.
Unintended Partial Passenger Air Bag Inflation
- Summary
- Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Prius vehicles manufactured November 30, 2015, to June 14, 2016. An air bag inflator manufacturing error may result in the inadvertent partial inflation of the front passenger air bag.
- Consequence
- A front passenger air bag that unintentionally inflates can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0W.
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 (154)
154 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The visibility/wiper is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 154 |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper | 40 | 26% |
| Unknown or other | 30 | 19.5% |
| Electrical system | 20 | 13% |
| Service brakes | 19 | 12.3% |
| Engine | 17 | 11% |
| Power train | 14 | 9.1% |
| Vehicle speed control | 13 | 8.4% |
| Structure | 11 | 7.1% |
| Air bags | 7 | 4.5% |
| Tires | 7 | 4.5% |
How 2016 compares with other Prius years
Best and worst Prius years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 424 | 6 |
| 2013 | 410 | 3 |
| 2014 | 207 | 3 |
| 2015 | 166 | 1 |
| 2016 | 154 | 5 |
| 2017 | 91 | 3 |
| 2018 | 37 | 1 |
| 2019 | 30 | 3 |
| 2020 | 14 | 0 |
| 2021 | 6 | 0 |
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 Prius 5 hb fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 56 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $1,200
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 158 g/mi
- EPA class
- Midsize Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 56 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 | 58 / 53 / 56 | $1,200 | 158 |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl · CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 54 / 50 / 52 | $1,300 | 170 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2016 Prius 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 Prius FAQ
How many recalls does the 2016 Toyota Prius have?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns: 18V579000 (electrical), 18V085000 (air bag), 17V658000 (hybrid propulsion system), 16V741000 (brake), 16V672000 (air bag). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2016 Toyota Prius problems?
Owners filed 154 complaints with NHTSA. Visibility/wiper (40), Unknown or other (30), Electrical system (20) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2016 Toyota Prius get?
EPA rates the 1.8 L 4-cyl · CVT version at 58 city, 53 highway and 56 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2016 Toyota Prius get?
NHTSA rated the 2016 Toyota Prius 5 hb fwd 5 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (10.7% rollover risk).
How does the 2016 Prius compare with other years?
Among the 2012–2021 Toyota Prius model years at least five years old, the 2021 drew the fewest complaints (6) and the 2012 the most (424). The 2016 drew 154. 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.