Car check · problems, recalls, fuel cost, price

Toyota Yaris 2016 in Ghana

What US owners report going wrong with the Toyota Yaris 2016, its safety recalls and crash stars, what fuel costs you a month in cedis, whether it can still be imported, and what it sells for in Ghana.

Lankyrider, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lankyrider, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lankyrider, CC BY-SA 4.0
Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lankyrider, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photos of the same model and year, not of the car you are buying. Ask the seller for photos of that car, with the VIN and the odometer in shot.

At a glance

US safety recalls 2 includes air bags
Owner complaints 5 2 crashes, 0 fires reported
Crash rating ★★★★☆ US government, out of 5
Fuel a month GH₵1,440 40 km a day
Import into Ghana Allowed about 10 years old

Can it come into Ghana?

A 2016 car is about 10 years old, under the 15-year limit. It can be imported until about 2030.

Every used vehicle needs a pre-shipment inspection and a Certificate of Conformity from a GSA-approved body in the country it ships from.
Not allowed at all: flood- or fire-damaged cars, cars with chassis damage, and cars assembled from parts, according to published guides to the rules.
Import duty: 10% of the customs value for a petrol, 1,001 to 3,000 cc car (GRA's vehicle duty table). VAT, NHIL, GETFund and the ECOWAS, AU, EXIM and special import levies come on top, plus an age penalty on older cars.
The customs value is GRA's own figure (the car's price when new, minus up to 50% for age, plus freight and insurance), not what you paid. Only the ICUMS assessment gives the final amount, so never pay a "clearing agent" a figure you cannot see on the official assessment.
Buying a car already in Ghana? Ask the DVLA to confirm through ICUMS that duty was paid before you pay.

Age is worked out from the model year; the rule uses the date of manufacture, which can be a few months earlier. Source: GSA public notice of 14 August 2026, as reported by Citi Newsroom.

Safety recalls

Faults the maker agreed to fix for free in the US. A car shipped to Ghana usually never got the repair, so these are worth asking about.

Air bags 19V319000 · 23/04/2019

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Yaris vehicles. The wire harnesses for the side air bag sensors located within the front doors may crack and corrode, possibly causing the non-deployment or improper deployment of the front seat side air bags and the curtain shield air bags.

The risk: In the event of a crash, front seat side air bags and curtain shield air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury.

The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wire harness assembly in the front doors, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is K1F/K0F.
Tires 16V236000 · 22/04/2016

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Yaris, Rav4, Land Cruiser and 4Runner vehicles, and Scion FR-S, iM, and TC vehicles manufactured January 28, 2016, to March 14, 2016. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

The risk: An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: SET will notify owners, and provide them a corrected label to be installed over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on June 3, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET16A.

Recalls for this model and year. Not every car of the model is affected: check the exact car with its VIN.

What owners say goes wrong

Problems real owners reported to the US government (NHTSA). A high count on a popular car is normal; look at which part comes up most.

Service brakes2
Air bags2
Structure2
Vehicle speed control1
Electrical system1

5 complaints · 2 crashes · 0 fires · 3 injuries · 0 deaths reported

In owners' own words

"MY ACELERATOR PEDAL IS SO SMALL AND I HAD ALMOST AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE DURING A TRIP MY FOOT GOT STUCK UNDERNEAT THE PEDAL, I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE AT TIME BUT IT WAS HARD TO CHANGE TO THE BRAKES CAUSE IT TOOK LIKE A SECOND TO REMOVE MY FOOT, ALSO SOMETIMES I NEED TO SPEED FASTER TO CHANGE A LANE TO AVOID A SUDDEN STOP AND MY FOOT JUST JUMP FROM THE PEDAL TO UNDERNEAT IT, THAT PEDAL IS A DANGER AND IS A PROBABLY CAUSE OF…"
Vehicle speed control · filed 09/08/2021

"WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN DECEMBER OF 2018 AND AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T HELP. ENTIRE SENSOR OF THE FRONT WERE TORN OFF AND STILL DIDN'T DEPLOY. MY SISTER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. SHE WAS DRIVING AND CRASHED AT 35MPH ON A CITY STREER AND CRASH INTO A STOP LIGHT AND SIGN BECAUSE SOMEONE TOOK A RED ON HER GREEN AND SHE SWERVED TO NOT HIT ANYONE."
Air bags · filed 06/19/2019

"I DROVE FROM RICHMOND CA TO LOS ANGELES ROUND TRIP. ON MY RETURN TRIP, I HEARD A LOUD SOUND AND WHEN I SAW MY PASSENGER'S SIDE MIRROR, IT LOOKED LIKE MY REAR BUMPER WAS GOING TO FALL. THE BUMPER WAS FLAPPING VIGOROUSLY. SOON AFTER, MY PASSENGER'S SIDE WAS DOING THE SAME THING. I STILL HAD 100 MILES TO GO ON MY TRIP. THE REAR BUMPER SEEMS POORLY DESIGNED AND NOT SECURE. I DO NOT TRUST THIS CAR ON LONG DISTANCE TRIPS.…"
Structure · filed 09/09/2018

Crash test ratings

2016 Toyota Yaris Liftback 5 HB FWD · US government 5-star ratings

Overall	★★★★☆
Front crash	★★★★☆
Side crash	★★★★★
Rollover	★★★★☆ 14% risk in a single-vehicle crash

Front crash test · NHTSA
Side crash test · NHTSA
Side pole test · NHTSA

What it costs to run in Ghana

US EPA fuel figures for the Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L, at this window's Ghana pump price.

Fuel at 40 km a day

GH₵1,440 a month

Town driving7.8 L/100 km
Mixed driving7.4 L/100 km
Litres a month94
Petrol price (1 Nov 2026)GH₵15.39/L

Uses the NPA price floor; pump prices are at or a little above it. Accra traffic and air conditioning use more than the US test, so treat this as the least you will spend.

What a Toyota Yaris 2016 sells for in Ghana

Live listings on Jiji right now.

Asking Jiji…

Found a Toyota Yaris 2016 to buy?

Check that exact car: the VIN shows whether the ad tells the truth, and which recalls apply to it.

Questions people ask

Does the Toyota Yaris 2016 have recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 US safety recalls for the Toyota Yaris 2016, including an air bag recall. Cars imported to Ghana rarely had the free US repair done, so ask for proof or have a dealer check.

What are the common problems with the Toyota Yaris 2016?

Owners in the US most often report problems with: service brakes, air bags, structure, vehicle speed control (NHTSA owner complaints).

How much fuel does a Toyota Yaris 2016 use in Ghana?

About 7.8 litres per 100 km in town (US EPA figure). At 40 km a day that is about 94 litres a month, roughly GH₵1,440 at the 1 Nov 2026 petrol price.

Can a Toyota Yaris 2016 still be imported into Ghana?

Yes for now: Ghana bars used vehicles 15 years and older from 1 October 2026, so a 2016 car can be imported until about 2030. It needs a pre-shipment Certificate of Conformity.

Sources: US NHTSA and EPA public data, Ghana NPA fuel prices, Ghana Standards Authority import notice (14 August 2026). Figures are for US-market versions of this model.