2016 Toyota Corolla: Common Problems, Recalls and Vehicle Data

What the public data shows

Note on approach: the standard instruction for this model year calls for opening with the largest complaint category, but this year's record contains an open federal investigation directly tied to the airbag system, which is a more substantive finding than a complaint-share figure. That is where this summary leads. EA21002 is an open investigation into the driver-side frontal air bag inflator module in the 2016 Corolla. An open investigation means regulators are examining a pattern and asking questions -- it is not a determination that a defect exists. A second, related investigation, EA19001 concerning the air bag/restraint control module, has already been closed. One recall, 20V024000, was also issued for air bags, covering air bags and seat belt pretensioners that may not deploy as intended in a crash. Against that backdrop, the complaint record leans the same direction: "other" complaints make up the largest share at 61 of 213 (29 percent), followed closely by airbag complaints at 59 (28 percent). Steering complaints follow at a smaller 22, or 10 percent. Complaint counts reflect what owners chose to report to NHTSA, not a measured rate of failure across the vehicle population. Service bulletins, which give dealers repair guidance rather than reflect required fixes, are more concentrated in equipment (47 of 261) and structure-related categories, with 26 touching the electrical system. Bulletins are not recalls, but they indicate the areas where dealers received the most repair guidance for this model year.

213 complaints on file with NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, grouped into CarTold's broad component categories.

Most frequently reported, by the specific component NHTSA logged each complaint under (not CarTold's category groupings above):

• AIR BAGS — 32 complaints (15%)
• POWER TRAIN — 13 complaints (6%)
• SERVICE BRAKES — 12 complaints (6%)
• VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — 12 complaints (6%)
• UNKNOWN OR OTHER — 11 complaints (5%)
• AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS — 11 complaints (5%)

AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE

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.

Consequence: 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.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Opened 2021-09-17

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.…

AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE

Opened 2019-04-19 · Closed 2024-09-19

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.  During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The ECU receives signals from crash sensors moun…

NHTSA crash-tests each body-style/drivetrain configuration separately, so ratings can differ by variant — shown as tested, not averaged. See how the 5-star ratings work, including why an overall score isn't the average of the three category scores.