Toyota · Prius · 2016
2016 Toyota Prius
5
Recalls
177
Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
The 2016 Toyota Prius has 5 recalls and 177 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: visibility/wiper (33 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 29, 2026
Research Context
The 2016 Toyota Prius page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is a newer-era vehicle page, it usually helps to compare this year against nearby model years before deciding whether a complaint pattern looks isolated or persistent. On this page, the most prominent complaint area is visibility/wiper with 33 reported complaints.
Best Research Moves
- Use the complaint log to understand what owners were actually reporting instead of relying only on the raw complaint total.
- Compare the recall list with the complaint mix to see whether the most reported issues overlap with formal NHTSA safety campaigns.
- Check the linked investigations for extra ODI context if you want to see whether owner complaints escalated into formal defect review.
Key Takeaways
- The 2016 Toyota Prius currently shows 5 NHTSA recalls listed on this page and 177 owner-reported complaints.
- This page currently shows 1 NHTSA investigation linked to this page.
- This page reflects complaint volume, recall history, and NHTSA test data, but it does not diagnose causes or rank reliability by itself.
- Safety data currently shows 5/5 overall NHTSA safety rating.
- The most frequently reported complaint categories on this page are visibility/wiper (33), unknown or other (22), service brakes (10).
- Vehicle
- 2016 Toyota Prius
- Recalls
- 5
- Complaints
- 177
- Safety Rating
- 5/5
How to Interpret This Page
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
NHTSA Crash Test Performance
Frontal Crash Test
Side Crash Test
Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
10.7% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
ESC: StandardForward Collision Warning: OptionalLane Departure Warning: No
Recall Notices
NHTSANHTSA ID: 18V579000September 05, 2018
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
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.
Remedy Status
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.
NHTSA ID: 18V085000January 31, 2018
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
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.
Remedy Status
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.
NHTSA ID: 17V658000October 18, 2017
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER
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.
Remedy Status
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.
NHTSA ID: 16V741000October 14, 2016
PARKING BRAKE
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.
Remedy Status
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.
NHTSA ID: 16V672000September 16, 2016
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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.
Remedy Status
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.
Investigations
1 totalDPClosed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEMOpened: Jan 27, 2023Closed: Aug 7, 2023Related recall: 22V063000
Owner Complaints
177 totalUNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Aug 4, 2025
Found coolant leak from heat exchanger into exhaust pipe. Looks like, T-SB-0135-19.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES
Apr 28, 2025
Car was driving fine one day and then while driving down the interstate I had the Pre collision system malfunction error, Brake light came on, Cruise will not operate, ABS light is on. After much research it seems Prius V has a common issue with brake booster faulting.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Apr 11, 2025
The headlights are either too bright or aimed poorly that it blinds oncoming traffic, who frequently flash their high beams at me. This occurs without any load in back and without me using the high beams. Can Toyota either adjust the bulbs or place a film on the headlights to pre...
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ENGINE
Mar 8, 2025
Water pump failed without warning and caused irreparable damage to the engine ("blown" engine requiring replacement). Vehicle began to stall and not respond to attempted acceleration while traveling on 4 lane divided highway, 55 mph speed limit. One "Maintenance Required" messa...
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ENGINE
Jan 25, 2025
Refer to TSB 0135-19 dealer denied repairing under the California emissions defect and performance warranty.
STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE
Jan 16, 2025
My car suddenly stopped in the middle of the road with message "Hybrid system stopped steering power low". Safety concern to this happen on the middle of road during rain or cold.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Oct 5, 2024
Driving on the freeway the car stalled and was unable to accelerate. The issue seems identical to the 2020 recall. 2020-06-23 Recall no. 20V369000 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Prius and 2014-2017 Prius V vehicles not included in...
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TIRES
Aug 6, 2024
Prinx HiCITY HH2 175/65R15 84H Bought this tire in November 2022. About 15000 miles into it, on Aug 6, 2024, the passenger front tire just busted. After swapping with the spare tire, and upon inspection, there was no nail nor it hit the curb, but the side wall is busted. This...
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SERVICE BRAKES
Jun 5, 2024
We were driving in San Diego and had driven oven a bit pothole. About 50 miles after driving over the pothole, the brakes stopped working. We were pressing down hard on the brake, but the brake was soft and did not do its job. We almost rear ended the car in front of us. We broug...
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STRUCTURE
May 24, 2024
While traveling on NHS CA 99 about 80 miles before taking exit 97, there were pieces of tire debri on the center lane. It couldn’t be spotted and my vehicle drove over it making a big thud sound. It shaked my vehicle and left my family scared. It could have been really dangerous ...
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Showing 10 recent complaints from 177 total
View Full Complaint LogCompare Related Vehicles
Why Compare These Pages
The strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2016 Toyota models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
More Toyota Prius Years
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many recalls does the 2016 Toyota Prius have?
The 2016 Toyota Prius has 5 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
How many complaints have been filed for the 2016 Toyota Prius?
NHTSA has received 177 owner-reported complaints for the 2016 Toyota Prius.
What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2016 Toyota Prius?
The 2016 Toyota Prius received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Toyota Prius?
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2016 Toyota Prius are visibility/wiper (33 reports), unknown or other (22 reports), service brakes (10 reports).
Does the 2016 Toyota Prius have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA has 5 recalls on record for the 2016 Toyota Prius. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.