2016 Toyota COROLLA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2016 Toyota COROLLA has 308 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (21% of all complaints), specifically: i was making a left-hand turn on a two-lane highway. the individual behind me was not paying attention and did not stop. instead of swerving to the right to miss me, she swerved into the oncoming traffic lane just as i was turning left. her gmc 2500 heavy duty pick-up impacted my car at the driver d. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.

2 fire reports 91 crash reports 85 injuries

308

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

65 complaints

21%

• I WAS MAKING A LEFT-HAND TURN ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY. THE INDIVIDUAL BEHIND ME WAS NOT PAYING ATTENTION AND DID NOT STOP. INSTEAD OF SWERVING TO THE RIGHT TO MISS ME, SHE SWERVED INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE JUST AS I WAS TURNING LEFT. HER GMC 2500 HEAVY DUTY PICK-UP IMPACTED MY CAR AT THE DRIVER D
• AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT TIME OF CRASH WHICH THEY SHOULD HAVE.
• THIS IS A REPORT OF BRAKE FAILURE THAT CAUSED A VEHICLE COLLISION WITH INJURIES. ON OCTOBER 29, 2016, I RENTED A 2016 TOYOTA COROLLA FROM A BETTERWAY RENT-ACAR, INC. D/BA BUDGET RENT A CAR OF ATLANTA, AT 6509 ROSWELL RD, ATLANTA, GA 30328. THE TOYOTA HAD 21,619 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE RENTAL.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 45 crashes

“I WAS MAKING A LEFT-HAND TURN ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY. THE INDIVIDUAL BEHIND ME WAS NOT PAYING ATTENTION AND DID NOT STOP. INSTEAD OF SWERVING TO THE RIGHT TO MISS ME, SHE SWERVED INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE JUST AS I WAS TURNING LEFT. HER GMC 2500 HEAVY DUTY PICK-UP IMPACTED MY CAR AT THE DRIVER D”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SEATS/RESTRAINTS

33 complaints

11%

• HEAD RESTRAINT/HEADREST IS SO EXTREMELY PAINFUL THAT IT HAS TO BE REMOVED OR REVERSED TO SAFELY DRIVE THE CAR.
• I AM REPORTING AN ISSUE ON SPORADIC "SQUEAKING" NOISE THAT COMES FROM BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS SINCE PURCHASE OCT 2015. THE EVENT OCCURS WHEN DRIVER ACCELERATES OR DECELERATES OR GOES OVER SPEED BUMPS OR UNEVEN ROADS. THE ISSUE DOES NOT GO AWAY DESPITE MOVING THE SEATS BACK AND FORTH TO ENSURE PROPER E
• I AM REPORTING AN ISSUE ON SPORADIC "SQUEAKING" NOISE THAT COMES FROM BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS SINCE PURCHASE OCT 2015. THE EVENT OCCURS WHEN DRIVER ACCELERATES OR DECELERATES OR GOES OVER SPEED BUMPS OR UNEVEN ROADS. THE ISSUE DOES NOT GO AWAY DESPITE MOVING THE SEATS BACK AND FORTH TO ENSURE PROPER E

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 11 crashes

“HEAD RESTRAINT/HEADREST IS SO EXTREMELY PAINFUL THAT IT HAS TO BE REMOVED OR REVERSED TO SAFELY DRIVE THE CAR.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

29 complaints

• PULLED INTO PARKING LOT AND PREPARED TO PARK. STEPPED ON BRAKES, CAR DIDN'T STOP HIT BUILDING. I PUT IN REVERSE AND THEN DRIVE, SWERVING AWAY FROM BUILDING, BUT CAR KEPT GOING ALL WHILE FOOT WAS ON BRAKE. PULLED KEYS FROM THE IGNITION TO STOP THE CAR.
• ON JUNE 24TH 2016 I PURCHASED A 2016 TOYOTA COROLLA S. I HAD 3 MINOR BRAKE FIALURES WITH GRINDING SOUNDS. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ON THOSE 3 OCCASIONS.THE 4TH BRAKE FAILURE WAS A LOT WORSE AND I ENDED UP APPLYING THE E BRAKE AND SLIDE INTO COUNTY LINE DIVIDING PASCO & HERNANDO COUNTY FLORIDA. ENOUGH
• THIS IS A REPORT OF BRAKE FAILURE THAT CAUSED A VEHICLE COLLISION WITH INJURIES. ON OCTOBER 29, 2016, I RENTED A 2016 TOYOTA COROLLA FROM A BETTERWAY RENT-ACAR, INC. D/BA BUDGET RENT A CAR OF ATLANTA, AT 6509 ROSWELL RD, ATLANTA, GA 30328. THE TOYOTA HAD 21,619 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE RENTAL.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 13 crashes

“PULLED INTO PARKING LOT AND PREPARED TO PARK. STEPPED ON BRAKES, CAR DIDN'T STOP HIT BUILDING. I PUT IN REVERSE AND THEN DRIVE, SWERVING AWAY FROM BUILDING, BUT CAR KEPT GOING ALL WHILE FOOT WAS ON BRAKE. PULLED KEYS FROM THE IGNITION TO STOP THE CAR.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

22 complaints

• HEAD RESTRAINT/HEADREST IS SO EXTREMELY PAINFUL THAT IT HAS TO BE REMOVED OR REVERSED TO SAFELY DRIVE THE CAR.
• SUNROOF GLASS EXPLODED WITH A LOUD NOISE LIKE A GUNSHOT WHILE DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE AT 75MPH. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THERE IS A FLAW IN THE GLASS AND THAT THIS DID NOT RESULT FROM TRAFFIC DEBRIS (NO OVERPASS NEAR)
• THE NAVIGATION/ BACK UP SCREEN IS NOT VISIBLE WITH POLARIZED SUNGLASSES EXCEPT BY TILTING ONES HEAD AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE. MANUFACTURERS RESPONSE IS " HAVE SUBMITTED THE INFORMATION TO TOYOTA AND HAVE HEARD BACK THAT THIS CONDITION IS A KNOWN CONCERN WITH POLARIZED SUNGLASSES AS IT HAS BEEN SEEN BY O

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“HEAD RESTRAINT/HEADREST IS SO EXTREMELY PAINFUL THAT IT HAS TO BE REMOVED OR REVERSED TO SAFELY DRIVE THE CAR.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

22 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE'S SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO INDICATE THE ACCURATE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINE
• NEW 2016 TOYOTA COROLLA - AROUND THE 3,000 MILE POINT THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO SHOW ANY SPEED ON 25-50 MPH NEIGHBORHOOD AND ADJOINING ROUTE, ALTHOUGH THE CAR DROVE AT SOME NON-INDICATED SPEED FOR 5 MILES. SPEEDOMETER STARTED WORKING BUT WHEN LEFT AT DEALER TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM, HAPPENED AGAIN. DEALE
• TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2016 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE REVERSING IN A PARKING LOT, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN THE DRIVE GEAR, IT BECAME INOPERABLE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AGAIN. THE CONTACT STRUCK SEVERAL OTHER VE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 9 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE'S SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO INDICATE THE ACCURATE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

SEATS/RESTRAINTS(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 308 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: I WAS MAKING A LEFT-HAND TURN ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY. THE INDIVIDUAL BEHIND ME WAS NOT PAYING ATTENTION AND DID NOT STOP. INSTEAD OF SWERVING TO THE RIGHT TO MISS ME, SHE SWERVED INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE JUST AS I WAS TURNING LEFT. HER GMC 2500 HEAVY DUTY PICK-UP IMPACTED MY CAR AT THE DRIVER D
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SEATS/RESTRAINTS: HEAD RESTRAINT/HEADREST IS SO EXTREMELY PAINFUL THAT IT HAS TO BE REMOVED OR REVERSED TO SAFELY DRIVE THE CAR.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: PULLED INTO PARKING LOT AND PREPARED TO PARK. STEPPED ON BRAKES, CAR DIDN'T STOP HIT BUILDING. I PUT IN REVERSE AND THEN DRIVE, SWERVING AWAY FROM BUILDING, BUT CAR KEPT GOING ALL WHILE FOOT WAS ON BRAKE. PULLED KEYS FROM THE IGNITION TO STOP THE CAR.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: HEAD RESTRAINT/HEADREST IS SO EXTREMELY PAINFUL THAT IT HAS TO BE REMOVED OR REVERSED TO SAFELY DRIVE THE CAR.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)