2016 Toyota Prius: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings
EPA rates the 2016 Toyota Prius at 52–56 mpg combined across 2 versions. NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls and 155 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.
Safety recalls
5
EPA combined mpg
52–56
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 Prius recalls
NHTSA's recall file lists 5 safety recalls for the 2016 Toyota Prius, newest first.
Electrical system: Wiring
NHTSA 18V579000Reported Sep 5, 2018
Filed by
Toyota Motor Corporation (manufacturer recall no. J0T)
Units affected
192,347 (estimate)
Problem
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.
Risk
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.
Air bags: Frontal: Sensor/control module-inactive and 2 more components
NHTSA 18V085000Reported Jan 31, 2018
Filed by
Toyota Motor Corporation (manufacturer recall no. JLA, J0F)
Components
Air bags: Frontal: Sensor/control module-inactive; Air bags: Frontal; Air bags: Side/window
Units affected
48,672 (estimate)
Problem
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.
Risk
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.
Toyota Motor Corporation (manufacturer recall no. H0U)
Units affected
6 (estimate)
Problem
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.
Risk
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.
Toyota Motor Corporation (manufacturer recall no. G01)
Units affected
91,585 (estimate)
Problem
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.
Risk
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.
Air bags: Frontal: Passenger side: Inflator module
NHTSA 16V672000Reported Sep 16, 2016
Filed by
Toyota Motor Corporation (manufacturer recall no. G0W)
Units affected
7,817 (estimate)
Problem
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.
Risk
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.
Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.
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2016 Toyota Prius 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.
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 Prius 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 Prius NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Rollover risk
Forward collision warning
2016 Toyota Prius 5 HB FWD
5 stars
4 stars
5 stars
4 stars
10.7%
Optional
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.
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2016 Toyota Prius owner complaints
Owners have filed 155 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Toyota Prius, most recently on Oct 6, 2026. 8 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 6 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.
Most-cited components in 2016 Toyota Prius complaints
Component named in complaints
Mentions
Visibility/wiper
40
Unknown or other
30
Service brakes
18
Electrical system
17
Engine
17
Power train
15
Vehicle speed control
13
Structure: Body
10
Air bags
7
Fuel/propulsion system
6
Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.
