2016 Toyota Corolla
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 214 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 14th highest complaint count among 26 Corolla model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 66 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 56 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, air bag/restraint control moduleJan 17, 2020
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 20V024000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
214 reports, newest first.
Power train, Sep 16, 2019
"TAKATA RECALL" MY CAR SHUDDERS AT LOW ACCELERATION AND AT HIGH SPEEDS
Steering, Sep 6, 2019
A NUMBER OF TIMES THE PAST FEW MONTHS AND MOST RECENT AS OF TODAY WHEN I FIRST CRANK MY CAR AND START TO DRIVE THE STEERING WHEEL IS STIFF AND TAKES TIME BEFORE I CAN TURN. TODAY A STEERING WHEEL LIGHT WITH ! POINT WAS ON AND WHEEL WAS STIFF WHEN FIRST TRYING TO LEAVE. ITS STATIONARY WHEN HAPPENING BUT FEARFUL WILL HAPPEN WHEN DRIVING BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY.
Seat belts, Aug 13, 2019
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.
Vehicle speed control, Jul 29, 2019
MY WIFE WAS PULLING AROUND OUR CUL-DU-SAC TO GO TO THE STORE, WHEN HER 2016 TOYOTA COROLLA SPORT ACCELERATED OUT-OF-CONTROL. SHE WAS ABLE TO GET IT BACK TO OUR DRIVEWAY AND INTO THE GARAGE BY PUTTING HEAVY PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE. THE ENGINE WAS CONTINUING TO REV AT A VERY HIGH SPEED. HAVE CALL INTO TOYOTA DEALER, BUT DO WANT TO DRIVE IT FOR SAFETY REASONS. I JUS STARTED IT IN PARK, AND IT IMMEDIATELY REVVED TO OVER 4000 RPM.
Structure, Jul 19, 2019, crash
I CAN DRIVE IS NO PROBLEM AT ALL
Steering, Jul 1, 2019
LIGHT ON LONGER THAN NORMAL WHEN START CAR. SOMETIMES STIFF WHEN TURNING WHEEL WHILE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY.
Exterior lighting, Structure, Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 27, 2019
CARPLAY APP INSTALLED WITHOUT MY CONSENT
Service brakes, Jun 7, 2019, crash
I WAS DRIVING MY NORMAL COMMUTE TO WORK YESTERDAY (JUNE 6, 2019), HEADING WEST ON BROWARD BLVD AT ABOUT 45 MPH. I WAS APPROACHING A RED LIGHT, SO I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AS USUAL...EXCEPT NOTHING HAPPENED!! I'M NOT SURE IF IT EVEN SLOWED AT ALL BECAUSE I WAS PANICKING SINCE THERE WAS NOWHERE TO GO. I PRESSED DOWN HARDER, AND STILL NOTHING! SO, I KNEW I WAS GOING TO IMPACT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, AND I DID. I WAS SO CONFUSED. IT WAS THE SCARIEST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE! NOT ONLY THAT. NOW, MY RIGHT LEG IS SORE FROM BRAKING SO HARD, AND MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. SO, MY INSURANCE COMPANY MAY DECLARE MY CAR A TOTAL LOSS. I'M SO FRUSTRATED AND UPSET. I'M JUST HAPPY THAT THE PERSON I HIT WAS OKAY WITH NO INJURIES. I'M ALSO HAPPY TO BE ALIVE, BUT THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY SPENT SO MUCH ON THAT CAR AND CAN'T IMAGINE INCURRING ANOTHER FINANCIAL BURDEN TO PURCHASE A NEW ONE.
Steering, Jun 5, 2019
STEERING GOES STIFF WITH CAR RUNNING/STATIONARY AND STEERING WARNING LIGHT ON LONGER THAN NORMAL. FEARFUL PROBLEM WILL OCCUR WHILE MOVING
Steering, Service brakes, Apr 28, 2019
BRAKES MAKE A GRINDING NOISE AS SOON AS BOUGHT CAR, TOOK FOR 1ST OIL CHANGE AND TOLD THEM, ALSO DRIVES LIKE FLOATING OR WEAVING DOWN HIGHWAY ALSO TOLD ABOUT AT DEALERSHIP. NOW THE HEATER AND AIR IS NOT RIGHT ALL THE TIME.
Power train, Apr 24, 2019
MY DAUGHTERS 2016 TOYOTA COROLLA WAS TAKEN IN TO HAVE THE CVT CHECKED AND IT FAILED. RICK MCGILL'S TOYOTA SAID IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THAT IT COULD LOCK UP AT 35 MPH AND THEY MADE HER LEAVE THE CAR. THEY REBUILT THE CVT AND IT FAILED AGAIN SO THEY REBUILT IT A 2ND TIME. THEY HAD THE CAR FOR 29 DAYS AND SAID ITS GOOD NOW BUT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A VIBRATION IMMEDIATELY AND WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT UP A HILL THE RFPM'S KEPT FLUTUATING BACK AND FORTH. I RETURNED IT AND THEY SAID IT WAS FINE. I DON'T TRUST THIS CAR NOR TRANSMISSION BUT MY DAUGHTER IS DRIVING IT TO COLLEGE? WHY DIDN'T THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION?
Air bags, Apr 24, 2019, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ANOTHER VEHICLE SCRAPED THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE OTHER VEHICLE THEN CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AND TORE OFF THE BUMPER AND FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE LIGHTS. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED BY THE STATE POLICE AND TOWED FROM THE SCENE. THE CRASH WAS A HIT AND RUN AND THE OTHER VEHICLE FLED THE SCENE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
Steering, Service brakes, Apr 20, 2019
BRAKES ARE NOT ENOUGH STRONGE POWER STEERING LIGHT TURN ON THE STEERING WHEEL IS SO HARD TO MANIPULATE
Power train, Other or unspecified, Apr 11, 2019
THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR AFTER DIAGNOSTICS WERE DONE IS SHOWN TO BE FAILING ALREADY AND IT LOOKS LIKE OTHERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES. THE COMPRESSOR JUST SHUTS ITSELF OFF AND STRAIGHT HOT AIR BEGINS BLOWING, WHICH IS NOT FUN OR SAFE. IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY IN DEAD HEAT AND DOES NOT GIVE ANY WARNING SIGNS BEFORE GOING OUT. *DT CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE SECOND DIAGNOSTIC, THAT INSIDE THE COMPRESSOR LITERALLY CAME APART, WHICH RESULTS IN TRASH IN THE SYSTEM MEANING SPECIFIC HOSES AND CONDENSER ALL MUST BE REPLACED. TOYOTA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT AS A FACTORY FAULT, THOUGH I'VE SEEN WHERE MORE THAN ONE COROLLA HAS HAD THIS OCCUR. VIN IS INVALID.*JB
Service brakes, Apr 2, 2019
BRAKES BEGAN MAKING GRINDING NOISE WHEN APPLIED IN DURING STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS TOLD BRAKES ARE FINE. AS SOON AS I LEFT I BEGAN HEARING NOISE AGAIN WHILE APPLYING BRAKES AND CALLED THEM BACK BUT WAS TOLD NOTHING COULD BE DONE SINCE NO ISSUE.
Power train, Apr 1, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER AN UNKNOWN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER BY OAK LAWN TOYOTA (4320 95TH ST, OAK LAWN, IL 60453, (708) 423-5200), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AFTER THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOW THE CONTACT'S FAULT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.
Air bags, Mar 24, 2019, crash
I HIT A DEER AND MY CAR IS POSSIBLE TOTALED, BUT NONE OF THE AIR BAG CAME OUT LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE. I WAS DOING 55 MILES AN HOUR ON A 2 LANE RD WHEN A DEER JUMP OUT.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Mar 17, 2019
SUDDEN LOST IN SPEED WEATHER IT'S TO SLOW DOWN OR AFTER COMING TO A STOP HAPPENS INFREQUENTLY USUALLY HAVING ME TO PULL OVER TURNING OF CAR AND TURNING BACK ON TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. MAJOR CONCERNS ARE WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY WITH TRAFFIC GOING ANYWARE FROM 45 TO 75 MILES PER HOUR HAVING THE CAR LOOSE SPEED TO LESS THAN 15MPH IS A REAL DANGER
Service brakes, Feb 28, 2019
BREAKS DONT STOP THE CAR AND ALSO MAKE A GRINDING NOISE WHEN TRYING TO BREAK WHILE GOING OVER ANY KIND OF BUMPS.
Steering, Power train, Other or unspecified, Feb 26, 2019
TRANSMISSION PROBLEM: MY RPM IS LOW AND VIBRATES THE CAR AND LOSS OF PERFORMANCE, WHILE SHIFTS GEAR IMPROPERLY. I HAVE 6 OEM ENHANCED DTC, I CAN PROVIDE PICTURES, THE IMPORTANT CODE IS ECM/PCM CODE. ABS: EVERY TIME I HIT A POTHOLE, ABS MAKES GRINDING NOISE. POWER STEERING PROBLEM: I DID ALIGNMENT, EVEN AFTER THAT MY STEERING MY CAR SWERVED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT ON HIGHWAY, IT'S LIKE I HAVE TO BATTLE MY CAR TO BE IN THE LANE. WINDSHIELD WIPERS: THE FASTEST LEVEL IS NOT FAST ENOUGH, ALSO MY WINDSHIELD BECOMES LIKE OILISH, LIKE IT'S HARD TO WIPE MY WINDSHIELD,THERE ARE TIMES IN THE HEAVY RAIN, LOTTERY I COULD LOSE MY WAY OUT, I SLOW DOWN IN CASE I HIT SOMETHING AT LEAST IT WILL BE MINOR DAMAGE.
Air bags, Feb 25, 2019, crash
I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND MY AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THEY SHOULD OF DEPLOYED!
Power train, Feb 22, 2019
WHILE TRAVELLING ON THE HIGHWAY IN MY 2016 TOYOTA COROLLA, I AM NOTICING FREQUENT ISSUES WHERE IF I SLOW DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY FOR ANY REASON (SUCH AS TRAFFIC) AND GO TO SPEED UP OR WHILE ACCELERATING UPHILL, THE VEHICLE JERKS WHILE SHIFTING INTO A LOWER GEAR, WHICH STARTLES ME EVERY TIME, AND EVEN HARD ENOUGH TO WAKE MY 3 SLEEPING CHILDREN IN THE BACKSEAT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE AUGUST 2018 , AND HAS BEEN HAPPENING MORE OFTEN AS TIME HAS PASSED. I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE. TODAY, I TOOK THE MECHANIC ON A RIDE ALONG IN THE VEHICLE, AND WHEN IT HESITATED, I TOLD HIM THAT WAS WHAT IT DID (WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY A CAR CHARACTERISTIC GOING UPHILL) BEFORE JERKING. HE TOLD ME BASED ON MY STATEMENT THAT THE ENTIRE THING "WAS WHAT THE CAR WAS SUPPOSED TO DO." IT'S SUPPOSED TO JERK WHILE SHIFTING INTO A LOWER GEAR? I WAS ESSENTIALLY TOLD THAT IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THE COROLLA DID AND THERE WAS NOTHING THAT I CAN DO. I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN IN ANY VEHICLE AS PART OF MY LIVING IS MADE ON THE ROAD. NO VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED HAS SHIFTED LIKE THIS VEHICLE IS. I HAVEN'T EVEN OWNED THE VEHICLE A FULL YEAR, AND NOW MY CHILDREN DON'T EVEN WANT TO GET IN MY ONLY CAR.
Other or unspecified, Feb 20, 2019
THE AIR CONDITIONER WILL NOT BLOW AT ALL EVEN THOUGH THE AC LIGHT IS ON. IT HAS AN ATC DIAL AND HAS BEEN SPORADICALLY DOING THIS FOR OVER A YEAR NOW. IT WILL JUST SHUT OFF AND NOT WORK. IT HAS COME BACK ON EVENTUALLY IN THE PAST HOWEVER NOW IT HAS BEEN A WEEK AND STILL NOTHING THIS CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD SO I SHOULD BE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS
Air bags, Jan 30, 2019, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED A PARKED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE UPPER BODY. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Structure, Jan 26, 2019, crash
ESTABA ENTRANDO EN LA TERMINAL DEL AEROPUERTO DE FORT LAUDERDALE Y EL CARRO DEL OTRO CONDUCTOR MARCA JEEP DEL 2013 CON LA PLACA IITN27 ME IMPACTO POR EL FRENTE LA LADO DERECHO DANDOME EL FENDER DERECHO, EL FOCO Y ARRANCO EL BOMPER COMPLETO. NOTA. ESTE CHOFER ESCEDIA EL LIMITE DE VELOCIDAD.