2016 Toyota Prius: Recalls and Reported Problems
Every NHTSA safety recall recorded for this model year, what owners report most often, and how to check whether one specific vehicle still has open work.
Two identical Priuss can differ entirely: one may have had every recall repaired, the other none.
NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls for the 2016 Toyota Prius, alongside 179 owner complaints filed with the agency, most often about visibility/wiper. Recall repairs are performed free of charge by a franchised dealer, with no expiry on safety recalls. A recall applies to a production range, so check the specific VIN — a previous owner may already have had the work done.
2016 Toyota Prius at a glance
What owners report most
These are the vehicle systems named most often in complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Toyota Prius. A complaint is an unverified owner report: it does not establish a defect, and a high count can simply reflect a popular model. Use it to decide where an inspection should look hardest.
| Vehicle system | Complaints |
|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper | 42 |
| Unknown Or Other | 37 |
| Electrical System | 26 |
| Service Brakes | 22 |
| Engine | 19 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 17 |
Recall campaigns for the 2016 Toyota Prius
Each campaign below is an official NHTSA record. The remedy is performed free of charge by a franchised dealer, and safety recalls never expire — but a campaign covers a production range, so only a VIN lookup confirms whether a particular vehicle is included and whether the work is still outstanding.
| Campaign | Component | Issue |
|---|---|---|
| 18V579000 | 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. |
| 18V085000 | 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 … |
| 17V658000 | 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. |
| 16V741000 | 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. |
| 16V672000 | 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. |
How to check one specific Prius
- Copy the 17-character VIN from the windshield or driver-door label — not from the listing.
- Run it through NHTSA’s free recall lookup to see open campaigns for that exact vehicle.
- Ask the seller for repair documentation on any campaign that shows as completed.
- Check title, odometer, and total-loss history separately; recalls say nothing about a vehicle’s past.
- Book an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the systems owners report most.
What this data cannot tell you
- Whether a specific vehicle is included in a campaign, or whether its recall work was completed — only a VIN lookup answers that.
- Whether a complaint is accurate. NHTSA publishes owner reports without verifying them.
- How reliable the model is overall: complaint volume tracks how many vehicles were sold as much as how they hold up.
- Anything about title brands, accident history, odometer records, or liens on an individual vehicle.
Primary sources behind this page
Open the underlying public source and verify that its scope matches the question you are asking.
2016 Toyota Prius questions
How many recalls does the 2016 Toyota Prius have?
NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls covering the 2016 Toyota Prius as of 2026-09-11. Whether a specific vehicle is affected — and whether the repair was already done — depends on its VIN.
What are the most common 2016 Toyota Prius problems?
Owners most often report visibility/wiper, unknown or other, electrical system issues to NHTSA. These are unverified owner reports and do not establish a defect, but they show where to focus an inspection.
Are Toyota recall repairs free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are performed at no charge by a franchised dealer, and federal safety recalls do not expire. Bring the VIN and ask the dealer to confirm open campaigns before the appointment.
Can I check recalls on a specific 2016 Toyota Prius VIN?
Yes. NHTSA's free VIN lookup reports open recalls for an individual vehicle, including whether the repair is still outstanding. Model-level lists like this page cannot tell you that.