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severe Owners of the 2016 Toyota Camry have filed 26 NHTSA complaints about the airbags, typically surfacing around 51,669 miles at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 Camry | 72 |
| 2013 Camry | 27 |
| 2015 Camry | 16 |
| 2016 Camry (this page) | 26 |
| 2017 Camry | 20 |
| 2018 Camry | 19 |
| 2019 Camry | 22 |
| 2020 Camry | 45 |
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.
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.
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.
Air bags that do not deploy as intended during a crash increase the risk of injury.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2023 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TSB: Some 2005 ? 2022 model year Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this service bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This service bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare the interior of the vehicle prior to an odor remediation being performed, as well as contact information for an approved vendor who will arrange the remediation, and instructions on how to prepare the interior of the vehicle for reassembly once the remediation has been completed. Refer to all model and
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Toyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TSB: REVISION NOTICE July 20, 2017 Rev1: Applicability has been updated to exclude 2007 ? 2017 model year Avanza vehicles. Some hazardous material treatment and handling regulations at the state and local level define the pre-disposal deployment of airbag and pre-tensioner assemblies as hazardous material treatment. Hazardous material treatment may require special training, certification or licensing in certain areas. TMS recommends that dealership personnel carefully review and follow ALL local and state regulations, and where necessary, contract with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Licensed Hazardous Waste Transportation and Disposal facilities.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗THIS COMMUNICATION IS INFORMING TOYOTA OF A DELAMINATION ISSUE WITHIN AN I.C. PRODUCED BY NXP AND ASSEMBLED INTO AIRBAG SENSOR SUPPLIED BY DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC. THIS DELAMINATION ISSUE MANIFESTS ITSELF AS AN OPEN CIRCUIT WITHIN THE SENSOR, CAUSING A DTC TO BE SET ON THE VEHICLE ALONG WITH A DECLARING AIRBAG LIGHT.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
Was hit at 55mph by an elk, side curtain did not deploy.
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.…
It's a meaningful issue. 26 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
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.
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.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.