Model year 2016 · Midsize Cars

2016 Toyota Corolla: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2016 Toyota Corolla at 30–34 mpg combined across 6 versions. NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 215 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

1

EPA combined mpg

30–34

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Toyota dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2016 Toyota Corolla recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 1 safety recall for the 2016 Toyota Corolla, newest first.

Air bags: Air bag/restraint control module

NHTSA 20V024000 Reported Jan 17, 2020
Filed by
Toyota Motor Corporation (manufacturer recall no. 20TB03 / 20TA03)
Units affected
2,891,976 (estimate)
Problem
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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2016 Toyota Corolla fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2016 Toyota Corolla EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
Corolla1.8L 4-cylAutomatic 4-spdFront-Wheel DriveRegular27/35/30 mpg$2,250291
Corolla1.8L 4-cylCVT (7 modes)Front-Wheel DriveRegular28/36/31 mpg$2,150282
Corolla1.8L 4-cylAutomaticFront-Wheel DriveRegular29/37/32 mpg$2,100281
Corolla1.8L 4-cylManual 6-spdFront-Wheel DriveRegular28/36/31 mpg$2,150284
Corolla LE Eco1.8L 4-cylAutomaticFront-Wheel DriveRegular30/40/34 mpg$1,950263
Corolla LE Eco1.8L 4-cylAutomaticFront-Wheel DriveRegular30/38/33 mpg$2,050266

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2016 Toyota Corolla crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2016 Toyota Corolla NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicleOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover riskForward collision warning
2016 Toyota Corolla 4 DR FWD5 stars5 stars5 stars4 stars11.8%No

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2016 Toyota Corolla owner complaints

Owners have filed 215 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Toyota Corolla, most recently on Oct 13, 2026. 66 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 57 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2016 Toyota Corolla complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Air bags65
Service brakes30
Seat belts26
Unknown or other24
Power train22
Steering22
Vehicle speed control21
Structure: Body15
Electrical system13
Engine13

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Toyota Corolla model years

Toyota Corolla by model year
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2027 Corolla33–50 mpg——5/5
2026 Corolla22–50 mpg1185/5
2025 Corolla22–50 mpg1335/5
2024 Corolla24–50 mpg3685/5
2023 Corolla24–50 mpg4745/5
2022 Corolla31–52 mpg01055/5
2021 Corolla31–52 mpg11885/5
2020 Corolla31–52 mpg63145/5
2019 Corolla30–36 mpg62055/5
2018 Corolla30–34 mpg31435/5
2017 Corolla30–34 mpg31905/5
2015 Corolla30–34 mpg12205/5

All Toyota Corolla years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2016 Toyota models

2016 Toyota 4Runner2016 Toyota Avalon2016 Toyota Camry2016 Toyota Highlander2016 Toyota Land Cruiser2016 Toyota Mirai2016 Toyota Prius2016 Toyota Prius c2016 Toyota Prius v2016 Toyota RAV42016 Toyota Sequoia2016 Toyota Sienna2016 Toyota Tacoma2016 Toyota Tundra2016 Toyota Yaris

Sources

  • Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
  • Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
  • Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
  • Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
  • NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Toyota.