Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Toyota Camry owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving the vehicle, the vehicle was involved in a front-end crash while making a left turn at an intersection. The air bags failed to deploy upon impact. The contact's daughter suffered bruising to the chest and stomach but had not yet sought medical attention. A Police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to a storage facility and was waiting to be towed to another independent mechanic to be inspected. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
On 01/14/2022, I was in a car accident. I hit a Mitsubishi Outlander Sport head on at 45 mph and my airbags didn't deploy nor did my seatbelts lock. My car is available for inspection at Classic Collision of Augusta body repair shop. Since my airbags did not deploy and my seatbelt did not lock, I made contact with my steering wheel and my right hand made contact with the dash. My passenger's airbags did not deploy nor did their seatbelt lock. They made contact with the window, door, and dash of my car. We sustained injuries from the accident. Unknown if problem has been reproduced or confirmed by dealer or service center. Vehicle has been inspected by my auto insurance and the body repair shop, but unknown results. Unknown if any other entities have inspected the vehicle. Yes, a maintenance required message was present for a oil change required. …
I hit a deer that caused all of the airbags to go off. A specific airbag under the steering wheel, a knee bag, caused severe bruising and soft tissue to my calf's, crippling me for nearly a week. At one point I visited my doctor who confirmed the damage, did a test for roving blood clots, and sent me home to continue to recover. It's been just over 5 months and I still have visible damage. I would have suffered no injuries if that 'knee-curtain' hadn't been there or if it had not acted like a brick slamming into my legs. I'm concerned for others who may suffer similar unnecessary injuries because of this device.
Vehicle- 2016 Toyota Camry As I was making a slight turn on the highway, my steering wheel began to sparatically veering left and right, which resulted in me hitting a curb, not once but twice. Due to the heavy impact and harsh involuntary, out of control steering the airbag should have deployed. However, it failed to do so. Instead, only the "airbag light" came on my dashboard along with warning lights that had not been there prior to accident.
Airbags did not deploy after an accident that resulted in the hood crumpling. Car was at a complete stop when hit from behind at approximately 45mph, resulting in the car being pushed forward into the back of another vehicle.
Hit a dog on the highway at 66 mph on the passenger front and all of the airbags deployed except the one on the passenger side front. Driver is fine, the poor dog did not make it. Now the car is a total loss.
Takata recall and dras ii failure for as yet to be determined additional vins my friend and I were in the front driver side and front passenger side seats, buckled up, sitting in traffic stopped on the 5 freeway headed north. We were rear ended at a high rate of speed, at a slight angle to our bumpter, by a driver which resulted in the total decimation of their vehicle and substantial damage to our vehicle which manifested itself as rear bumper and rear under body damage, as well as crumpling of the rear driver and passenger side frame and quarterpanels, to our 2016 Toyota Camry. Both the driver and I were thrown forward, and despite wearing our seatbelts I hit my head and knee on the passenger side dashboard area during the impact. No airbags inflated in the vehicle. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving about 40 MPH, the vehicle rear-ended the vehicle in front which stopped abruptly. The air bags did not deploy and the seat belts did not lock in place, causing the contact to hit her chest on the steering while the two children in the back seats hit the back of the seats in front of them. There were no warning lights. The contact sustained injuries that required medical attention. The two children in the back seats were frightened and sustained minor bruises that did not required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was damaged and was towed to a collision center, waiting for the insurance company's decision. The dealer and the manufacturer were not called. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
Bought car new 03/16. Involved in mva 06/01/16 where we were t-boned by a f150 truck at 30 MPH. The truck peeled the body of car off the frame from where the passenger door hinge all the way down to the rear passenger door. Damaging sensors that would have deployed side airbags. The door handle fell off, hinges had to be replaced, tail lights and head lights replaced, both passenger doors and tires replaced. Why did the side airbags not deploy? Toyota told me that since I had the occupant classification system fixed, they are not to be blamed. My child was in the front seat. Even after all repairs to the car, while driving over 30 MPH, there is a loud wind tunnel noise going through the car.
Tl* the contact owned a 2016 Toyota Camry. While driving 40 MPH, the contact rear ended another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. As a result, the contact sustained chest and back injuries that required medical attention. The other driver was not injured. The contact was uncertain if a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot and deemed a total loss. The contact purchased the vehicle from the dealer (stone mountain Toyota, 4400 stone mountain hwy, lilburn, ga 30047), but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact reached out to the dealer regarding a warranty refund. The manufacturer had not been contacted. The failure mileage was 45,000.
Related recalls
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Avalon and Camry vehicles manufactured November 30, 2015 to March 4, 2016. The occupant classification system (OCS) that activates or deactivates the front passenger seat air bag system may have been improperly calibrated.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will recalibrate the OCS, free of charge. The recall began by May 13, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G0J.
Airbag complaints in other Camry years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2016 Toyota Camry?
NHTSA has 31 complaints about the air bags of the 2016 Toyota Camry, 17% of the model year's 184 complaints. The component named most often is side/window (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 Toyota Camry airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 16V-215 (occupant classification, Apr 14, 2016). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2016 Toyota Camry airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 31% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 24 crashes, 0 fires and 26 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.