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2016 Toyota Prius airbags problems
severe
Owners of the 2016 Toyota Prius have filed 11 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.See airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
11
Recalls
2
Avg fix
$1,100
airbags complaints on the Toyota Prius, by model year
Of the 11 airbags complaints filed for the 2016 Toyota Prius,
here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
0 (0%)
25-50k
1 (100%)
50-75k
0 (0%)
75-100k
0 (0%)
100-125k
0 (0%)
125-150k
0 (0%)
150k+
0 (0%)
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
All 2 active airbags recalls on this vehicle land at critical or severe — none classified moderate.
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.
Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Prius vehicles manufactured November 30, 2015, to June 14, 2016
A front passenger air bag that unintentionally inflates can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: 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.
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
If the air bags fail to deploy in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
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.
Service BulletinTSB003220Aug 2023
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.
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
TSB: Some 2016 ? 2018 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with Entune? Audio (version 01013E), Entune? Audio Plus (version 010156 or 01015C), or Entune? Premium Audio (versions 010171, 010170, or 01017D) may exhibit one or more of the following conditions: ?Head unit reboots at a specific location. ?Abnormal Destination Search app operation. ?Rebooting caused by no songs on the USB-connected iPhone. ?A one-time reboot after ignition is cycled to ACC-ON. ?Audio stays muted after the key is cycled. Some 2016 ? 2018 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with Entune? Audio (version 010144), Entune? Audio Plus (version 01015E), Entune? Premium Audio (version 010182), or earlier may exhibit one or m
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Eleven 2016 Prius owners have filed complaints centered on airbag deployment failures and recall delays. The most serious allegations involve frontal airbags that failed to deploy during crashes meeting typical deployment thresholds: a 70 mph highway multi-vehicle incident with significant injuries, a 20–30 mph frontal collision that nearly totaled the car, a 40 mph front-end crash resulting in occupant injury requiring medical attention, a 50–60 mph guardrail impact that totaled the vehicle, and a 70 mph animal strike with vehicle crumpling. Occupants in these events suffered injuries ranging from ligament damage and compression fractures to subarachnoid hemorrhage—injuries that airbag cushioning would typically mitigate. One owner reports the airbag warning light remaining continuously illuminated due to a faulty steering wheel clock spring (contact reel), a defect Toyota has recalled on other model years but allegedly excluded the 2016 Prius. Three separate complaints cite unresolved Takata recall campaigns (16V672000, 18V085000, 16V741) where parts remained unavailable at authorized dealers for extended periods, leaving customers unable to complete safety repairs. Manufacturer responses documented include black-box data extraction and analysis, though findings were not shared transparently with owners.
Same Toyota Prius airbags reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014
Failure modes owners describe
Frontal airbags failed to deploy in crashes meeting deployment criteria
Multiple complaints allege frontal airbags did not deploy during moderate-to-severe frontal impacts where they should have activated, including a highway multi-vehicle crash, 20-30 mph collision, 40 mph frontal crash, high-speed guardrail impact, and 70 mph animal strike. Some vehicles sustained total loss damage; occupants suffered serious injuries.
When: Various mileages (37,000–45,000 mi reported); incident dates span 2015–2017 approximately
Symptoms owners cite: Frontal airbags absent during crashes; Vehicle sustains significant or total loss damage; Occupants suffer injuries (neck, back, head trauma, subarachnoid hemorrhage, compression fractures, ligament damage) without airbag cushioning
Repairs/costs cited: Some vehicle data recorders (black boxes) were extracted and tested by engineers at manufacturer request; manufacturer provided no publicly detailed findings to owners.
Airbag warning light illumination due to steering wheel contact (clock spring) issue
Owner reports airbag warning light remains lit persistently; dealership diagnosed faulty clock spring (contact reel) in steering wheel. Owner notes multiple Toyota model years have been recalled for the same defect, but 2016 Prius is not covered. Owner believes airbag system is non-functional while light is active.
Repairs/costs cited: Steering wheel clock spring (contact reel) replacement needed per dealership; parts availability and repair cost not disclosed.
Takata recall parts unavailability (NHTSA campaigns 16V672000, 18V085000, 16V741)
Multiple owners received recall notifications (NHTSA campaigns 16V672000 and 18V085000 for airbags, and 16V741) but dealers were unable to obtain parts to perform the work. Owners reported waiting extended periods without remedy completion or manufacturer follow-up.
When: Recall notifications received 2016–2017; some complaints filed while repairs remained incomplete
Symptoms owners cite: Recall parts on back-order or unavailable at dealership
Codes mentioned:16V672000, 18V085000, 16V741
Repairs/costs cited: Roberts Toyota (Columbia, TN), Avondale Toyota (AZ), and Stevens Creek Toyota (San Jose, CA) all reported parts unavailable for recall remedy.
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting
1 most recent
airbags · 45,000 mi
· filed 12/28/2020
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Toyota prius. The contact stated that while driving at a very low speed a second vehicle suddenly crashed into the rear of the vehicle pushing it into the rear end of a third vehicle positioned ahead. During the incident the vehicle sustained significant damage to the front end and was destroyed but the air bags did not deploy. The front passenger sustained neck and…
Had airbags trouble with your 2016 Toyota Prius?
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 Prius?
It's a meaningful issue. 11 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?
Based on the 11 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 23,625 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
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?
Yes — 2 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.
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/Prius.
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.