2016 Toyota Corolla

Family: Corolla · filed with NHTSA as COROLLA

Summary

In its first three years the 2016 Corolla drew 88 complaints — 1.0× the median of its generation (2014–2019). 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 32% of the 204 that name a component.
1 recall filed for this model year.
2 federal defect investigations cover this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints: 215
Recalls: 1
Investigations: 2
NCAP overall: 5 of 5 stars
Combined MPG: 30–34
Annual fuel cost: $1,850–$2,100
Median mileage at complaint: 25,000 mi (n = 139)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths: 66 / 2 / 57 / 0

What owners report

Airbags

65 complaints · 32% of complaints that name a component · median 35,000 mi (n = 44)

Owner report In 2024, my 2016 Toyota Corolla was involved in a collision. The airbags did not deploy. I went to the emergency room following the crash and later required additional medical treatment, including rehabilitation.

Owner report The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was rear-ended. The contact stated that the air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that the other driver was driving at about 45 MPH when the contact's vehicle was rear-ended. A police report was f…

Brakes

30 complaints · 15% of complaints that name a component · median 21,619 mi (n = 26)

Owner report While operating a vehicle through the peer-to-peer car-sharing platform Turo in Alaska (Reservation: 61060048), the vehicle experienced a sudden, catastrophic brake failure of the braking system while driving. The brakes completely failed to respond, creating an immediate loss of vehicle control. Immediately followin…

Owner report DOLAN TOYOTA SCION INFORMED ME THAT MY BRAKE CALIPER WAS LEAKING--I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ASSEMBLY CYLINDER-- IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. I NEEDED NEW PADS AND THE ROTORS TO BE RESURFACED. THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE I HAD TO HAVE THEM REPAIR IT. TOTAL BILL: $794.01. THE ISSUE IS WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? SEVERAL MEC…

Seat Belts

26 complaints · 13% of complaints that name a component · median 36,267 mi (n = 14)

Owner report My seat belt has to be messed around with a lot in order to release my seat belt. I have to press at least 3 to 4 times super hard before my seat belt releases.

Owner report EVERY TIME I GO TO UNBUCKLE MY SEAT BELT IT DOESN'T COME UNDONE WHEN YOU PUSH THE BUTTON. I HAVE TO PUSH THE SEAT BELT FURTHER INTO THE BUCKLE BEFORE IT WILL BECOME UNBUCKLED.

5% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2014–2019)

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: 87.

Model year	All complaints	First three years
2014	269	91
2015	220	88
2016	215	88
2017	190	86
2018	143	86
2019	205	78

Recalls

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

20V024000 · AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE

Filed 2020-01-17 · 2,891,976 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Risk: 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.

Federal investigations

Action	Component	Opened	Closed	Recall
EA21002	AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE	2021-09-17	open
EA19001	AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE	2019-04-19	2024-09-19	20V024

EA21002: Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

EA19001: Electrical overstress

Engines and fuel economy

Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Fuel cost / yr
Corolla	1.8L 4cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	27	35	30	$2100
Corolla	1.8L 4cyl	Automatic (AV-S7)	Front-Wheel Drive	28	36	31	$2000
Corolla	1.8L 4cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-Wheel Drive	29	37	32	$1950
Corolla	1.8L 4cyl	Manual 6-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	28	36	31	$2000
Corolla LE Eco	1.8L 4cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-Wheel Drive	30	40	34	$1850
Corolla LE Eco	1.8L 4cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-Wheel Drive	30	38	33	$1900

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

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

Variant	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover
2016 Toyota Corolla 4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆

Service bulletins

Toyota issued 268 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.

Date	Component	Summary
2026-01-07	UNKNOWN OR OTHER	Some 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…
2025-06-13	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	The 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…
2024-12-06	STRUCTURE:BODY	Acid 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…
2024-12-06	STRUCTURE:BODY	To 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…
2024-12-06	STRUCTURE:BODY	The 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…
2024-12-05	STRUCTURE:BODY	Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the Removal Procedure …
2024-12-03	STRUCTURE:BODY	Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can be identified by the …
2024-07-29	STRUCTURE:BODY	Some 2005 – 2024 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…
2024-07-29	STRUCTURE:BODY	Some 2005 – 2024 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…
2024-07-12	STRUCTURE:BODY	Acid 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 Corolla, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Toyota Corolla 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.