Motor Almanac

Toyota / Camry / 2016

2016 Toyota Camry

Family: Camry · filed with NHTSA as CAMRY, CAMRY HYBRID

Summary

  • In its first three years the 2016 Camry drew 81 complaints — 0.8× the median of its generation (2012–2017). It does not stand out from the other years of this generation.
  • These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
  • Complaints are spread across systems: the largest, Airbags, holds 18% of the 169 that name a component.
  • 3 recalls filed for this model year.
  • 1 federal defect investigation covers this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints
189
Recalls
3
Investigations
1
NCAP overall
5 of 5 stars
Combined MPG
25–40
Annual fuel cost
$1,550–$2,500
Median mileage at complaint
29,000 mi (n = 120)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths
41 / 2 / 35 / 0

What owners report

Airbags

31 complaints · 18% of complaints that name a component · median 50,197 mi (n = 16)

Owner report The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving the vehicle, the vehicle was involved in a front-end crash while making a left turn at an intersection. The air bags failed to deploy upon impact. The contact's daughter suffered bruising to the chest and stomach but had not ye…
Owner report My daughter accidentally rear ended someone in her Toyota Camry. The damage to the front end was severe enough that the car has been totaled but the air bags did not deploy.

Steering

25 complaints · 15% of complaints that name a component · median 61,000 mi (n = 16)

Owner report Erratic steering issue related to weak car battery. I have a 2016 Toyota Camry XLE. The car began pulling to the left then to the right while driving down a straight and even road. The car would then resume normal steering for a minute or two, then the erratic steering behavior would resume for several minutes. In addi…
Owner report AFTER SITTING ALMOST ALL WINTER, I WENT TO DRIVE THE CAR THREE BLOCKS AWAY. I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL HAD TOO MUCH PLAY IN IT. WE CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IS A TYPICAL PROBLEM ON THE CAMRY, SO WHY ISNT THERE A RECALL ON IT. MY CAR ONLY HAS 25,543 MILES ON IT, ITS HARDLY CONSIDERED OLD. ON A PAVED ROAD.

Accelerator & Cruise Control

22 complaints · 13% of complaints that name a component · median 10,567 mi (n = 15)

Owner report WAS GLIDING INTO MY GARAGE FOOT WAS ON BRAKE, (SO NO SPEED AT ALL) WHEN I HEARD A SUDDEN ENGINE ROAR AND CAR PICKED UP SPEED AND WAS PROPELLING ME TOWARD THE BACK WALL OF THE GARAGE. I IMMEDIATELY JAMMED ON MY BRAKE BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP BEFORE HITTING RACKS AND WALL AT THE BACK OF MY GARAGE. THIS ACCELERATION OF …
Owner report I was on the highway during traffic hour going approximately 40 mph at 2 rpm and when I tried to accelerate to keep up with the flow of traffic, the car did not accelerate and actually slowed down and suddenly shifted down below 1 rpm which caused the oncoming cars behind me to hit their brakes hard. After it slowed do…

11% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2012–2017)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 104.

Model yearAll complaintsFirst three yearsNote
2012645216most complaints
2013301124
2014480161most complaints
201528684
201618981
201715369fewest complaints

Recalls

Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

17V462000 · POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

Filed 2017-07-20 · 671 vehicles

Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Camry Hybrid and Avalon Hybrid vehicles. The front drive shaft may separate.

Risk: A front driveshaft separation would result in a loss of propulsion while driving, and if the driver exits the vehicle without applying the parking brake, the vehicle may roll. Both scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will check the serial number of the vehicle's drive shaft, replacing any that are affected, free of charge. The recall began on August 11, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0M.

16V420000 · EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Filed 2016-06-09 · 4,253 vehicles

Defect: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Camry and Highlander, 2015-2016 Toyota Tundra, Scion FR-S, and tC vehicles. 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 lead an owner to overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: SET will notify owners, and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.

16V215000 · AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

Filed 2016-04-14 · 58,515 vehicles

Defect: 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."

Risk: 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.

Federal investigations

ActionComponentOpenedClosedRecall
DP22005ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM2023-01-272023-08-0722V063000

DP22005: Pedestrian alert sounds

Engines and fuel economy

VersionEngineTransmissionDriveCityHwyCombinedFuel cost / yr
Camry2.5L 4cylAutomatic (S6)Front-Wheel Drive253428$2250
Camry3.5L 6cylAutomatic (S6)Front-Wheel Drive213025$2500
Camry Hybrid LE2.5L 4cyl HybridAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Front-Wheel Drive423840$1550
Camry Hybrid XLE/SE2.5L 4cyl HybridAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Front-Wheel Drive403739$1600

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

VariantOverallFrontalSideRollover
2016 Toyota Camry 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
2016 Toyota Camry HV 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆

Service bulletins

Toyota issued 455 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about equipment.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

DateComponentSummary
2026-02-13ENGINEOBSOLETE NOTICE February 13, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0009-26.
2026-02-13ENGINEThis bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge on Ni-MH high voltage (HV) batteries. This bulletin should be used in conjunction with the applicable model and model year Repair Manual while performing a rescue charge…
2026-01-07UNKNOWN OR OTHERSome 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Serv…
2026-01-07UNKNOWN OR OTHERSome 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Serv…
2025-06-13ELECTRICAL SYSTEMThe air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant…
2025-06-13ELECTRICAL SYSTEMThe air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYAcid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYTo prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and in…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYThe condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicl…
2024-12-06STRUCTURE:BODYAcid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood…

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this Camry, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Toyota Camry model page.

Sources

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.