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 2015 Toyota Corolla owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Corolla. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V024000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, another vehicle T-boned the passenger's side of his vehicle. The seat belts did not restrain him, his wife, and their three minor children, upon impact. None of the air bags deployed upon impact. The contact suffered a left shoulder injury, and his wife suffered a hip injury. The three children did not sustain any injuries. The contact, his wife, and their children later received medical attention at the hospital. A police report was filed. The contact was able to drive away from the scene of the collision after roadside assistance replaced the passenger's side front tire. …
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH and approaching a stop, the vehicle struck a deer, causing the front windshield to crack. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to the residence. There were no reported injuries. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,500.
The contact owned a 2015 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously involved in a front-impact collision, and the air bags had failed to deploy. The contact sustained injuries and received medical assistance from a chiropractor. A police report was filed, and the vehicle was driven from the scene. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 35-40 MPH approximately a year later, another vehicle making a left turn at an undisclosed speed crashed into the front driver's side of the vehicle, causing the left side of the contact's head and shoulders to hit the driver's side window, and the contact's chest to hit the steering wheel. The contact was knocked unconscious for a moment. Upon regaining consciousness, the contact noticed that the vehicle was on top of a hill. The contact's husband arrived at the scene and transported the contact to the hospital. …
I purchased this vehicle in November 2024 from a dealership. On July 8, 2025, I was involved in a crash where the airbag failed to deploy. After the accident, I learned there was an active recall from 2020 (NHTSA Recall No. 20V024) related to the airbag control system. The recall had not been repaired, and I was never informed of it when I bought the car. This defect may have worsened my injuries and left me completely unprotected during the crash.
My daughter was driving my car on the interstate the airbags deployed and hit her in the face, filled the car up with smoke, she couldn't see anything she hit the iron poles that are together by cables. My car is totaled. My back tire broke completely off of the car. These cars aren't built safe. I owned my car and now I'm without a car. Has anyone else ever had this happen? Air bags deploying for no reason?
The contact owned a 2015 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH the vehicle rolled 3 1/2 times. There were no warning lights on the instrument panel. No air bags were deployed at the accident The vehicle was towed to a local auto shop which diagnosed the failure of air bag sensors that needed replacement. The vehicle was totally damaged. There were no injuries or medical treatments needed. There was a police report filed. The contact related the air bag failure to NHTSA Campaign 20V024000 (AIR BAGS). The approximate failure mileage was 79,900.
I placed my laptop bag, which weighs less than 15 lbs., on the passenger seat. Despite this, the seatbelt warning system continues to alert me about the seatbelt not being worn. The passenger seat should be able to detect when a human passenger is present. Unfortunately, I have to buckle the seatbelt to turn off the warning light and chime, even though there is no human passenger or item weighing more than 15 lbs.
My daughter was on a 2 lane stretch of I-15 highway southbound, approx 7 miles north of lasvegas nv. She was in the left lane slowly creeping by a 18 wheel rig w/trailer. She was doing 74 with cruise control and witnesses say the rig must have been doing 73mph. He violently turned into her lane causing her to do evasive maneuver left and brake hard skidding into the soft shoulder then spinning clockwise crossing to the right side hitting a small shoulder elevation change with both drivers side wheels, causing a double roll over and a cartwheel landing on the trunk, then coming to a rest on the roof. Not a single air bag deployed! She suffered multiple blunt hits to the head from hitting against the door, she has a concussion with sprained shoulder and ankles. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2015 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the driver loss control of the vehicle causing the vehicle to hit a deer. As a result, the vehicle rolled over multiple times. The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. A police report was filed. The contact did sustain back and neck injury. The contact stated medial treatment was needed. The vehicle was towed to an independent auto body facility for body damage. The insurance adjuster deemed the vehicle a total loss. The contact stated the vehicle was with the insurance company as of now. The contact stated a local dealer was contacted however, no assistance could be offered until they received notice from the insurance company of updates and status of vehicle. …
The contact owned a 2015 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving 55 miles per hour, the driver lost control of the vehicle causing the vehicle to hit a deer. As a result the vehicle rolled over multiple times. The airbags did not deploy. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. A police report was filed. The contacted sustained back and neck injury. The contact stated medical treatment was needed. The vehicle was towed to an independent auto facility for body damage. The insurance adjuster deemed the vehicle a total loss. The contact stated the vehicle was with the insurance company as of now. The contacts stated a local dealer was contacted however, no assistance could be offered until they received notice from the insurance company of updates and status of vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 43000. …
Related recalls
Air bags › Air bag/restraint control module
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge.
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Electrical overstress
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.
Airbag complaints in other Corolla years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2015 Toyota Corolla?
NHTSA has 56 complaints about the air bags of the 2015 Toyota Corolla, 25% of the model year's 220 complaints. The component named most often is air bag/restraint control module (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2015 Toyota Corolla airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 20V-024 (air bag/restraint control module, Jan 17, 2020). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2015 Toyota Corolla airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 43,000 miles, and 32% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 40 crashes, 0 fires and 38 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.