Was hit at 55mph by an elk, side curtain did not deploy.
2016 Toyota Camry airbags problems
severe 26 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
26
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
20crashes
19injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 26 airbags complaints filed for the 2016 Toyota Camry, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 26 airbags complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 5 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: A used 2016 Camry airbag system is a legitimate safety concern: owners report widespread non-deployment in crashes ranging from 40–70 mph impacts, sensor failures leaving occupancy detection unreliable, and one case of excessive knee-airbag injury. Verify that all airbag recalls have been completed by an authorized Toyota dealer and request printout of recall status; do not rely on verbal confirmation alone.
Owners of 2016 Camrys describe a pattern of airbag failures during collision events. The most common complaint is front airbags failing to deploy in crashes—rear-end collisions at high speed, head-on impacts at 40–70 mph, T-bone accidents, and guardrail strikes. Several owners sustained head, chest, back, and neck injuries requiring medical attention when airbags did not cushion the impact. Dashboard error lights sometimes falsely indicated deployment had occurred when it had not.
Side and curtain airbags also failed to deploy in side-impact crashes, including T-bone scenarios and multi-vehicle collisions. One owner reported all airbags deployed except the driver-side during a rollover; another noted airbags deployed everywhere except the passenger front during a highway impact.
A separate issue affects the passenger-side occupancy sensor: owners report the airbag indicator showing "off" even when a passenger is seated, or remaining "on" when the seat is empty—sometimes switching while driving. This suggests the sensor cannot reliably detect occupancy, creating a gap where the airbag may not deploy when needed.
One owner reported a knee airbag caused severe bruising and soft tissue trauma to both calves during a deer strike, with visible damage persisting five months later. An owner also cited confirmed Toyota reports documenting airbag sensors prone to failure at the chip edge due to internal tensile stress and delamination defects. Multiple owners referenced Takata recalls, though some encountered conflicting dealer information about completion status.
Same Toyota Camry airbags reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2015 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Front airbags fail to deploy in crash events
Multiple owners report front airbags completely failing to inflate during frontal collision impacts, ranging from rear-end and head-on crashes to T-bone accidents at speeds from 40–70 mph. In several cases, owners sustained head, chest, back, and neck injuries that required medical attention because the airbags did not cushion impact. Dashboard error lights sometimes displayed after crashes falsely indicating airbags had deployed when they had not.
When: During collision events; mileage at failure ranged from 15,000 to 88,000 miles; failures occurred at various points in vehicle life
Symptoms owners cite: No inflation during frontal crash impact; Dashboard displays red/error warning lights indicating false deployment status; Seatbelts also failed to lock in some incidents; Vehicle air bag diagnostic lights indicated deployment occurred when none actually happened
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles deemed total losses by insurance; some owners reported collision centers performed inspections but results unknown; no repairs completed in narratives
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Takata recall mentioned in multiple narratives; some owners unable to confirm recall completion status due to conflicting dealer information; Toyota customer service reportedly declined to address issues on out-of-warranty vehicles
Side/curtain airbags fail to deploy in side-impact crashes
Owners report side airbags and curtain airbags failing to deploy during side-impact collisions, including T-bone accidents and side impacts from multiple angles. One owner noted all airbags deployed except driver side during a rollover; another reported airbags deployed from all areas except passenger front during a highway impact.
When: During side-impact collision events; specific mileages not uniformly reported
Symptoms owners cite: No inflation during side-impact crashes; Occurs in T-bone scenarios and multi-directional impacts; Door impacts do not trigger curtain or side airbag deployment
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles totaled; no repairs documented in narratives
Passenger airbag on/off sensor malfunctions or fails intermittently
Owners report passenger airbag occupancy sensor malfunction where the airbag indicator light shows 'off' even when a passenger is seated, or conversely illuminates when the seat is empty. One owner notes the condition occurs while driving, indicating active sensor failure. Another reports the yellow light permanently displays 'airbag off' regardless of occupancy, creating a safety gap where the airbag would not deploy in a crash.
When: Reported at 7 months out of warranty for one owner; on-going intermittent condition while vehicle is in use
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger airbag 'off' indicator remains illuminated when passenger is present; Passenger airbag 'on' indicator shows even when seat is unoccupied; Condition switches while driving; Yellow warning light remains on despite seat occupancy
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs completed; Toyota customer service reportedly declined to address after warranty expiration
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota INCIDENT# 190515-000353 referenced; customer service reportedly stated out-of-warranty vehicles are not their responsibility; no written acknowledgment or fix offered
Driver-side airbag selective deployment or failure
One owner reported a rollover accident where all airbags deployed except the driver-side airbag. Another reported a side-impact on the driver door where the side airbag did not deploy. These selective failures during appropriate deployment scenarios suggest possible sensor or firing circuit issues specific to the driver-side modules.
When: During crash events requiring driver-side protection
Symptoms owners cite: Driver-side airbag remains inflated while other airbags deploy in same event; Side airbag on driver door does not deploy during side impact
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles totaled or extensively damaged; no repairs documented
Knee airbag causes excessive injury in minor impacts
One owner reported that a knee airbag (beneath steering wheel) deployed during a low-severity deer strike at highway speed and caused severe bruising and soft tissue damage to both calves, incapacitating the owner for nearly a week. Medical evaluation confirmed damage and ruled out blood clots. Five months post-incident, visible damage remained. Owner suspects the airbag's force was disproportionate to the collision severity or design is overly aggressive.
When: Upon impact with deer at highway speed; at-fault collision, not primary owner-caused accident
Symptoms owners cite: Excessive bruising on both calves; Soft tissue trauma; Temporary mobility loss lasting approximately one week; Persistent visible damage five months after incident
Repairs/costs cited: Medical evaluation performed; no vehicle repair documented; owner concern is design or force calibration, not failure to deploy
Airbag sensor defects due to internal delamination or chip-edge failure
One owner cited confirmed Toyota reports documenting that airbag sensors are prone to failure at the chip edge due to large internal tensile stress in conjunction with sensor delamination defects. This represents a manufacturing defect in the sensing circuit that can prevent proper signal transmission during crashes, resulting in non-deployment.
When: Latent defect; failure occurred at 27,000 miles in documented case
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment despite crash impact; Dashboard error lights display false deployment status; Sensor chip-edge internal tensile stress causes delamination
Repairs/costs cited: No repair completed in documented narrative
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota has issued confirmed reports identifying this defect mechanism; Takata recall mentioned
Synthesized from 26 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
2016 Toyota camry. Consumer stated that 1st row left seatback airbag did not deploy during auto accident.
I was hit by a car that ran a red light going around 45mph. The front passenger side was hit, we were hit hard. No airbags deployed. Other cars airbags did deploy.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Toyota camry. While driving 65 MPH, the contact crashed into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained back and neck injuries, but did not require medical attention. A police report was filed. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to an independent mechanic for an estimate of the damage. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.…
Had airbags trouble with your 2016 Toyota Camry?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2016 Toyota Camry?
It's a meaningful issue. 26 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 28,000 and 73,000 miles, with the median around 51,669. A quarter of owners report trouble before 28,000; a quarter make it past 73,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2016/Toyota/Camry.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.