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 2007 Toyota Prius owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2007 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving approximately 30-35 MPH, the vehicle in front of her slammed on the brakes, causing her vehicle to crash into its rear end. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact sustained a severe whiplash. The contact was able to exit the vehicle through the front passenger side window. The contact stated that her son transported her to the hospital, where she was informed that she had sustained a concussion and neck abrasion injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a collision shop, where it was totaled. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was approximately a 180,000. The VIN was not not available.
The lights spontaneously turned off while driving on a cloudy night on an unlit section of interstate. While slowing the car down, it went onto gravel, semi-circled around and flipped over onto the lower median. No air bag deployed. No protection from shoulder seat belt. Head hit steering wheel, and I briefly lost consciousness. Tests showed skull and cervical fractures. The car was "totaled." I was planning a move. Now I consider myself to be lucky to be alive. I am rewriting because of previous a NHTSA computer malfunction changing a serious injury to "NO" injury on the questionnaire.
Both headlights failed, one earlier, then the second, on a cloudy night on an unlit, deserted rural stretch of interstate highway. Driver started slowing down from 60 mph, looking for a place to pull over. An accident resulted--only the defective car was involved. No airbag was deployed. The driver was injured. (Full recovery--months.) The car was totaled.
I was involved in an accident in which I rear-ended the car in front of me on a almost empty city street. The car in front of me stopped abruptly and was stationary at the time of the collision. I was going approximately 25-30 MPH at the time of impact, as I did not have the opportunity to brake effectively. My car was totaled in the collision. I suffered bruising to my sternum and knees as well as severe bruising on my knees and hip. My airbags did not deploy, and this was remarked upon by the firefighters, paramedics and police that responded to the accident. I am concerned because this is the second Toyota I have been in an accident with in which the airbags did not deploy. The last accident was in a 1996 Toyota corolla in a high speed accident on the freeway in which my car had locked onto the car that had hit me and we spun out on the freeway. …
Tl* the contact's daughter owned a 2007 Toyota Prius. While the contact's daughter was driving 55 MPH, she suddenly depressed the brake pedal; however, the brakes failed to stop the vehicle. The contact's daughter attempted to depress the brake pedal several times, but the vehicle failed to stop. As a result, the contact crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The vehicle was destroyed. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained an injury to the right eye, which caused swelling. The contact's boyfriend sustained bruises to the chest area. Medical attention was required. The vehicle was towed to autonation Ford gulf freeway (12227 gulf fwy, houston, tx 77034, [phone]), but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 123,000.
"Takata recall" in aug 2014 I was involved in a head on collision where my air bags deployed. One of the injuries sustained was a fracture to my right fifth metacarpal bone caused by projectile shrapnel, most likely from the deployed air bag. The shrapnel was 2mm x 10mm, black and appeared to be plastic per the operative report by the surgeon who removed it. For such a light piece of plastic to cause this extensive a comminuted fracture, the projectile must have been traveling at a very high velocity most likely caused by the air bag's explosive for [redacted] ' '
My car was hit at by an SUV at high speed on the passenger side while crossing an intersection (the SUV had run a red light). My car was then propelled front-first into the pole holding the street lights. None of my airbags deployed, although firefighters and police said that the sensors had been triggered. I sustained considerable contusions to my ribs, elbow, knees, and ankles. I have a torn tendon in my right ankle, and whiplash severe enough to require physical therapy. Firefighters said the crash was severe enough that if there had been a passenger, they would likely have died given the airbags did not deploy. Updated 04/13/15
Tl* the contact owned a 2007 Toyota Prius. While driving up a mountain at 20 MPH, the contact stated that the tires lost traction and the vehicle slid off a mountain curve and crashed into a ditch. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained injuries to the head and some deep tissue bruising. Medical attention was required. A police report was not filed. Due to the force of the crash, the seat belt remained buckled, but failed to restrain the contact. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. The failure mileage was approximately 52,800.
Tl contact owns a 2007 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that after becoming stuck on the railroad tracks, a train crashed into the vehicle and the front passenger side air bag failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to the owners home. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000...updated 02/20/150 updated 04/06/15 updated 04/14/15
Traveling straight ahead, ~30mph on city street , front tire (Michelin dt008-35670-mi, 185/65r15) blew for unknown reason. Car swerved to right into utility pole, removing right front wheel, wheel connections, fender, headlight. (car "totaled" by insurer.) steering wheel airbag activated. Driver (sole occupant) suffered fractures of right hand, wrist, 3 ribs and sternum, apparently due to impact of airbag. Driver was wearing belt/harness.
Airbag complaints in other Prius years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2007 Toyota Prius?
NHTSA has 50 complaints about the air bags of the 2007 Toyota Prius, 2% of the model year's 2,003 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2007 Toyota Prius airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2007 Toyota Prius, though it has 4 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 2007 Toyota Prius airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 38 crashes, 0 fires and 34 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.