2016 Toyota Sequoia Safety Report
2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA Safety Report
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2016 Toyota Sequoia
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2016 Toyota Sequoia. It connects recall campaigns, owner complaint patterns, service bulletins, sibling model years, component issue hubs, and the model buying guide so a shopper or owner can move from a single report into the wider safety graph.
| Signal | Value | What to inspect next |
|---|---|---|
| Recall burden | High (3) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | Low (10) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 0 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Service Brakes | Compare service brakes issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2020 | Compare against the 2020 Toyota Sequoia with 4 complaints and 2 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2018 | Check the 2018 Toyota Sequoia before buying across this generation. |
Toyota Sequoia Year-by-Year Comparison
The safest purchase decision usually comes from comparing neighboring model years, not reading a single page in isolation. The table below uses only validated Toyota Sequoia years already present in the cleaned NHTSA dataset, so each comparison links to a real vehicle safety report rather than a generated combination.
| Model Year | Complaints | Recalls | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Toyota Sequoia | 7 | 3 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2015 Toyota Sequoia | 8 | 3 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2018 Toyota Sequoia | 19 | 5 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2019 Toyota Sequoia | 6 | 6 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2020 Toyota Sequoia | 4 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2021 Toyota Sequoia | 4 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
2016 Toyota Sequoia Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2016 Toyota Sequoia, these are the component areas with the clearest NHTSA complaint signals. Use each link to jump from this single vehicle into broader component hubs and make-specific issue pages.
Service Brakes
2 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Service Brakes issues Toyota onlyWheels,Service Brakes
1 owner complaint mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Wheels,Service Brakes issues Toyota onlyUnknown Or Other
1 owner complaint mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Toyota onlySeats,Service Brakes
1 owner complaint mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Seats,Service Brakes issues Toyota onlyVehicle Speed Control
1 owner complaint mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Vehicle Speed Control issues Toyota onlyFuel/Propulsion System
1 owner complaint mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Fuel/Propulsion System issues Toyota onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2016 Toyota Sequoia
Reliability Score
The 2016 Toyota Sequoia receives a reliability score of 82 out of 100 based on analysis of NHTSA complaint data, recall history, crash reports, and safety ratings. This indicates above-average reliability relative to comparable vehicles.
NHTSA Safety Ratings for the 2016 Toyota Sequoia
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluates vehicles through controlled crash tests and assigns star ratings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the safest.
Known Issues for the 2016 Toyota Sequoia
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2016 Toyota Sequoia:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering, Hydraulic Power Assist System The hydraulic power assist system can cause the steering wheel to shake at speeds greater than 40 mph, leading to potential handling issues. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Service Brakes Front rotors had to be completely replaced at 25k miles, and the vehicle accelerated on its own when the driver was trying to stop. |
High | Common | 25k-40k miles |
| Electrical System The instrument panel can become unreadable in bright sunlight, requiring the use of a flashlight to read the gauges. |
Medium | Common | 20k-40k miles |
| Wheels, Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Study Lugs, nuts, bolts, and study issues are reported, though less frequently. |
Low | Occasional | 20k-40k miles |
Common Problems Reported by Owners
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the following components account for the majority of reported issues with the 2016 Toyota Sequoia:
Issues with the hydraulic power assist system are common, causing the steering wheel to shake at speeds greater than 40 mph.
Front rotors require frequent replacement, with some vehicles experiencing brake failure at 25k miles.
The instrument panel can become unreadable in bright sunlight, affecting visibility.
Recall Details for the 2016 Toyota Sequoia
The following 3 recalls have been issued for the 2016 Toyota Sequoia by NHTSA:
Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2008-2022 Sequoia and 2007-2021 Tundra vehicles. The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in an oil leak.
Consequence: An oil leak may cause a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the power steering gear assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 21, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 21TB10 and 21TA10.
Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain JTEKT power steering gear assembly service parts for 2007-2021 Tundra and 2008-2022 Sequoia, part numbers 44250-0C160, 44250-0C131, 44250-0C170, and 11250-0C121. The power steering gear assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in an oil leak.
Consequence: An oil leak may cause a sudden loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 17, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 21TH01.
Summary: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia vehicles accessorized with Southeast Toyota accessory 20-inch Rockstar wheels installed by Southeast Toyota or a Southeast Toyota dealer. The Rockstar wheels were installed with lugnuts that may crack and detach.
Consequence: Lugnuts that crack and detach may cause the wheels to separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will install new replacement lugnuts, free of charge. The recall began June 23, 2017. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET17A.
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2016 Toyota Sequoia
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2016 Toyota Sequoia with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
VEHICLE HAS 40K MILES TIRES ARE WORN TREAD 2/32 ALREADY, AND FRONT ROTORS HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. BACK AT 25K MILES, FRONT ROTORS HAD TO BE RESURFACED, AND NOW AT 40K MILES, NEW ROTORS AND PADS HAD TO BE PLACED.
VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WHEN I WAS GOING TO STOP
NEEDED ROTORS AND BRAKES REPLACED AT 15,000 MILES AND THEN AGAIN AT ALMOST 30,000. TOLD DUE TO ROTORS OVERHEATING. TOLD BY SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT DEALERSHIP THAT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN, BUT DID NOT OFFER A SOLUTION, EXCEPT TO NOT TAILGATE CARS. AS ROTORS WARP THE VEHICLE SHAKES WHEN YOU BRAKE GOING DOWNHILL OR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS- FEELS VERY UNSAFE.
CPSC: I PURCHASED, NEW A 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. AT 18,000 MILES THE ROTORS WERE WARPED. TOYOTA UNDER WARRANTY REPLACED THEM. AT 28,000 MILES THE ROTORS WERE WARPED AGAIN. WHEN BRAKING THE WARPED ROTORS VIOLENTLY SHAKE THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE CAR. *DT THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPAIR THE ROTORS ANY LONGER, AND SUGGESTED THE PURCHASE OF BIGGER ROTORS. *JS *TT
WHEN STEERING GREATER THAN 40 MPH THEN BRAKE, STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE. TOOK IT TO DEALER, AND ROTORS HAD TO BE RESURFACED DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY WERE WARPED. VEHICLE HAD 24,975 MILES WHEN TAKEN TO DEALER. AS WITH SEATS, DRIVER SEAT HAD SOME SEPARATION ON STITCHING AND WAS DISCOLORED. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED DRIVER SIDE SEAT BOTTOM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO REDUCE SPEED WHEN AN INCLINE WAS REACHED. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (ROGERS AND ROGERS TOYOTA, 2351 US HIGHWAY 86, IMPERIAL, CA 92251) AND WAS INFORMED TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ...
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE FUELING THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK, FUEL LEAKED OUT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS REFUELED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND COULD NOT BE SERVICED. T...
TAKATA RECALL. THIS VEHICLE HAS EXCESSIVE VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL / VEHICLE WHEN AT 55MPH OR HIGHER. I'VE BEEN NUMEROUS TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS ISSUE AND THEY KEEP TELLING ME THIS IS NORMAL. I SPENT ALMOST $65,000.00 ON THIS VEHICLE AND THE VIBRATIONS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS UNCOMFORTABLE AND COULD ULTIMATELY POSE A SERIOUS HAZARD ON THE ROAD. SOMETHING HAS TO BE CAUSING THIS VI...
WHEN DRIVING IN DAYLIGHT ON SUNNY DAYS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BECOMES SO DARK THAT THE GAUGES BECOME UNREADABLE. I HAVE TO USE A FLASHLIGHT TO READ THEM. THE DEALER SAID THERE IS NOT ANYTHING HE CAN DO TO FIX THIS.HE SAYS TOYOTA DOES NOT PUT THE BRIGHTER LED BULBS IN THE SR5 BUT THEY ARE IN THE SEQUOIA PREMIER MODEL.THE INABILITY TO READ THE GAUGES WITHOUT AID OF EXTERNAL LIGHT SOURCE CREATES A HAZA...
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE DRIVER ADJUSTED THE DRIVER'S SEAT WITH THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL FUNCTIONS. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND BACKWARDS WITH AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE DRIVER WAS UNCERTAIN HOW THE FAILURE OCCURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED O...
NHTSA Defect Investigations for the 2016 Toyota Sequoia
NHTSA defect investigations are higher-signal than ordinary complaints because they indicate the agency opened a formal review of a potential safety defect. Some investigations later connect to recall campaigns; others close without a recall after review.
Component: Air Bags: Air Bag/Restraint Control Module
Opened 2019-04-19 · Closed 2024-09-19
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect. During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Elec...
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2016 Toyota Sequoia
Has the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA been recalled?
Yes, the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA has 3 recalls on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA have?
The 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA has 10 complaints filed with NHTSA. None of the complaints involved crashes. No injuries or deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA?
The 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA does not have an NHTSA safety rating on file. This can happen for newer model years, specialty vehicles, or models that have not been crash-tested.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA involve service brakes (2 complaints), wheels,service brakes (1 complaints), unknown or other (1 complaints). Other affected components include seats,service brakes, vehicle speed control, fuel/propulsion system.
How many crash reports does the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA have?
There are no crash reports associated with the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA in the NHTSA database.
How many fire reports does the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA have?
There are no fire reports for the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA in the NHTSA database.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA.
How many injuries are reported for the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA?
No injuries have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA.
Should I buy a 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA is research thoroughly before purchasing. It has 10 complaints, 3 recalls. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA?
The components with the most failures on the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA are: 1. SERVICE BRAKES (2 complaints), 2. WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES (1 complaints), 3. UNKNOWN OR OTHER (1 complaints), 4. SEATS,SERVICE BRAKES (1 complaints), 5. VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (1 complaints). SERVICE BRAKES is the single most-reported problem area with 2 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA?
Be prepared for frequent maintenance of service brakes and wheels, and be aware of potential electrical system issues that can affect visibility. The 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA has 10 NHTSA complaints and 3 recalls on record.
How reliable is the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA?
The 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA receives a reliability score of 82/100, indicating above-average reliability. This is based on 10 owner complaints, 3 recalls, and 0 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Steering, Hydraulic Power Assist System and Service Brakes.
What are the known issues with the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA?
Known issues with the 2016 TOYOTA SEQUOIA include: Steering, Hydraulic Power Assist System, Service Brakes, Electrical System, Wheels, Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Study. These are based on patterns found across 10 NHTSA complaints. 3 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
Are there any common issues with the steering system?
Yes, the hydraulic power assist system can cause the steering wheel to shake at speeds greater than 40 mph.
What maintenance issues should I be aware of?
Service brakes and wheels require frequent maintenance, with front rotors needing replacement at around 25k miles.
Are there any electrical system problems I should know about?
The instrument panel can become unreadable in bright sunlight, requiring the use of a flashlight to read the gauges.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be prepared for frequent maintenance of service brakes and wheels, and be aware of potential electrical system issues that can affect visibility.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2016 Toyota Sequoia
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2016 Toyota Sequoia. The data includes 10 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 3 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
All data presented in this report is sourced from public NHTSA databases. Our AI analysis identifies patterns across complaint narratives, correlates them with recall history, and produces the safety assessment above. This analysis is updated as new complaints and recalls are filed with the NHTSA.
Consumers are encouraged to report vehicle safety problems to the NHTSA at nhtsa.gov. If your vehicle is subject to a recall, contact your dealer to schedule the free repair.
Disclaimer: This analysis is AI-generated from NHTSA public data and does not constitute professional automotive or safety advice. Always verify recall status at NHTSA.gov and consult a qualified mechanic.
Analysis last updated: 2026-05-16