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 2005 Toyota Camry owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving on the freeway at 60 - 65 MPH. I am a cautious driver and am always aware of the conditions around me. Suddenly, my car just took off like a shot. It was going at an extremely high speed on the freeway. I had no control over it. There are dark skid marks on the road from my braking. I tried to turn the car to straighten it out, but the next thing I knew I had flipped into the median. I flipped two times in the air before crashing, hood first, on the median. I did nothing to cause this. I was merely driving, in the slow lane, at a safe speed. It is a miracle I am alive, and even more-so that I wasn't injured. The air bags did not deploy. At the end of the accident, my seat belt was unlatched. I am going to receive a citation for this. I have done research on 2005 Camry's since this happened, and have seen that it is a common problem. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2005 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, an item flew out of a truck while in motion. The contact moved into the right lane safely, then safely went over back to the left lane. The contact then maneuvered the steering wheel slightly to the right, and the steering wheel spin out of control. The contact lost control of the vehicle as a result, the vehicle crashed into a concrete barrier. The contact sustained a bloody nose and ankle injuries. The front passenger sustained three broken vertebrae in the back and broken right arm. Both injured required medical attention. The contact does not remember if a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. In addition, the contact also stated that the air bags partially deploy. The vehicle was destroyed. …
July 14, 2021 arriving back to New Jersey from Las Vegas. I pick up my vehicle Wednesday night at Hoboken NJ garage , heading home my 2005 Toyota Camry vehicle air bag (steering wheel) deployed. As I was driving (15mph) no lights was on the dashboard, no pot holes on the street and there was no accident involving my vehicle. I was hit in the face from the air bag pretty hard it almost made me crash into a electric pole and gas station. 911 was called, the Jersey City police department, fire department and Ambulance arrived. The area was block off looking for car parts or pot holes nothing was found so the police report can be completed. I treated inside the ambulance at the scene, my left hand was burned and head/ neck was hurting. I just decline going to the hospital at the moment. The police called a towing company as I called my car insurance to informing them the situation. …
I, robert, was sitting in the car when my wife came out of the store and got into it. I put my foot on the brake and started the car. It took off at a very high rate of speed. The car lunged ahead and steadily picked up speed. The car hit a lady walking with her groceries, then hit a parked vehicle and pushed it into another vehicle. The air bag never deployed. The brakes would not work. The only thing that made it stop was that it hit a large SUV. My wife did not have time to fasten her seat belt, thus sustaining injuries. It all happened in a matter of seconds. There was a police report filed. I was not charged with the accident. I purchased the vehicle on May 24, 2017 at a public auction in washington, dc. That means that these vehicles are still being sold as if there is not a problem with them. The vehicle had about 240,000 miles when I purchased it. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2005 Toyota Camry. While the vehicle was stationary in the reverse position, the contact applied minimal pressure to the accelerator pedal, but it accelerated rapidly on its own into a concrete pole. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was destroyed a police report was filed and there were no injuries. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000. Updated 07/12/17 the consumer stated the while backing out of the driveway and releasing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle sped up. It crashed into a fence, a pole, and a car. The breaks failed as well. The vehicle was totaled. Updated 10/18/2017
Tl contact owns a 2005 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that after the vehicle was started and shifted into drive, the vehicle unintentionally accelerated. In addition, the brake pedal was depressed and failed to respond. As a result, the contact crashed into other vehicles and the air bags failed to deploy. The driver sustained a head injury that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed however, the body damage was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,000. The VIN was not available.
My vehicle was in motion 70 MPH on the highway I take everyday as I was mildly turning with the road the steering wheel spung to the left and the car went out od control spinning and ended on the right shoulder where than my car started to flip over none stop and the airbags didnt not burst or come out.
Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to pull in a parking space at 2 MPH, the vehicle surged and suddenly accelerated without warning. The brake pedal was depressed at the time of the incident. The vehicle went through an intersection and over a public sidewalk before crashing into a fire hydrant. The contact and passenger were wearing safety restraints. The vehicle impacted the fire hydrant with such force that the fire hydrant was extracted 3 feet above ground. The vehicle was towed to the local dealership were diagnostic testing was performed. The local service dealer could not determine the cause of the accident; however the dealer additional testing will be performed before the vehicle is repaired. The police filed a report at the scene and the contact's insurance company also filed a report. …
My 2005 Toyota Camry le was traveling at roughly 35 MPH when it crashed into the rear end of a Jeep cherokee. The accident was a head on collision, which totaled the Camry. The airbags for the Camry did not deploy. The entire front end of the Camry, including the bumper was destroyed. Damages extended to the frame and all front end parts. I have pictures of the damage if needed. I spoke with Toyota and filed a complaint, but their response was less than satisfactory. They stated that there was not enough damage to the bumper to cause the airbag to deploy, and told me that there are only specific situations in which the airbags deploy. My position is that this was a direct head on collision that destroyed my 2005 Camry; their was front end frame damage, and every front end part from head light to head light was destroyed in the accident. …
Westbound on I-285, middle lane, a car stopped totally in front of us, at dusk. We had 5-6 vehicle lengths between us ,but momentarily did not realize the car in front was not moving, as she did not even put on her brake lights. We braked, hitting her in the rear bumper. We were nearly hit by a tractor trailer behind us, but mercifully, he was able to move the front of his rig to the right lane beside us. We realized almost immediately that our airbags did not deploy, either side. The seat belts really held us. We contacted Toyota requesting they pay for the diagnostic test to see if the airbags are functional. We sent a certified letter per their instructions 4/16/14. Their stated response time is two weeks, by letter. We still have not heard from them. While the car has had some small fender benders on its rear, it has never been in an accident of this magnitude. …
Airbag complaints in other Camry years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2005 Toyota Camry?
NHTSA has 65 complaints about the air bags of the 2005 Toyota Camry, 9% of the model year's 721 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (15 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Toyota Camry airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2005 Toyota Camry, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Toyota Camry airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 54,000 miles, and 30% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 44 crashes, 2 fires and 49 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.