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 2006 Toyota Sienna owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Airbag warning light intermittently flashes, upon personal research on owner forums this is a common issue that is most commonly fixed by wiggling or disconnecting/reconnecting the airbag sensor wiring below the front seats.
On March 13, 2015 driving on I-95 south in a 2006 Toyota Sienna van the cruise control would not disengage when the brakes were applied approaching an exit ramp. The vehicle would not slowdown in spite of pressing the brake pedal as hard as possible. Moving the control lever forward to disengage the function was also not successful. The exit ramp was inclined so the cruise control accelerated the engine in an attempt to maintain our speed at 70 MPH. The vehicle went thru a stop sign, bounced off the guard rail and came to a sudden stop with the engine not running. The impact destroyed the right side of the vehicle and the stopping was so abrupt that the cell phone (in my shirt pocket)flew out ripping the pocket off the shirt. Neither the front nor the side air bags were deployed. …
My 2006 Toyota Sienna has an intermittent airbag warning lamp appear off and on. I have received numerous notifications from the manufacturer regarding various recalls which have usually been dismissed as unnecessary from the various dealers when I brought the vehicle in for inspection. I have not brought the vehicle to the dealer for the airbag warning light. I am concerned about the safety of this vehicle since Toyota has been mostly non-compliant when it comes to performing warranty or safety related issues with their vehicles. At least that has been my personal experience. It took the threat of disciplinary action from the U.S. Congress to get a response from the ceo of Toyota to attend a hearing on vehicle safety issues, so I have no faith in Toyota taking responsibility.
Airbag light blinking for passenger side. Happened before. Kaiserslautern, Germany Toyota dealership said if it happens again that airbag May have to be replaced and it would cost 1,500 to 2,000 dollars. Safety should be not expire within 3-5 year warranty. Should be lifetime until owner owns/has the vehicle. Should be fixed/replaced with no charge. On a different topic, the wheels/rims is another issue. It bubbled/corroded and Toyota said not covered under warranty. Constantly losing air before I bought new aftermarket wheels. Should have been fixed/replaced by Toyota also. Btw, daytime phone is address in chicago. My number for Germany is 011 49 6371 56000351.
The SRS warning light on my 2006 Toyota Sienna went on. On checking with Toyota service, I was told that it would cost me $624/- to fix the problem. They had reported that there was a b0111 (opening in switch core error) that happened. This is a safety issue with the Toyota Sienna and must be part of a factory recall. There are numerous other folks with similar complaints on the Toyota Sienna 2006 model. Please see http://www.siennachat.com/forum/64-general-discussion/5846-2006-Sienna-airbag-indicator-light.html regards, [redacted]
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that while sitting at a traffic stop, a vehicle crashed into the rear of the contact's vehicle. The contact's vehicle was pushed forward until crashing into a preceding vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained head, neck, shoulder and back injuries. Three child passengers were also injured, sustaining neck and back injuries. The vehicle was destroyed and was not inspected for the cause of the air bag failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted about the issue. The failure and current mileages were 128,000.
Tl contact owns a 2006 Toyota Sienna. While driving at approximately 50 MPH, the contact applied the brakes but the vehicle did not slow down which resulted in a crash. The vehicle had not been inspected at the time of the complaint. The contact also stated that she noticed problems with the steering mechanism as the vehicle always steered to the right. The air bag service light also illuminated intermittently; the vehicle was repaired for the air bag light failure several times but the problem continued to occur. The current and failure mileages were 59,363.
Was involved in a mvc where the vehicle went off the road, the front end hit first over an embankment, and then the vehicle proceeded to roll multiple times. There were no airbags to deploy, yet the airbag sensors on the front of vehicle were smashed flat? There wash total loss of the vehicle. Requesting an investigation of the vehicle airbags as to why they did not deploy. Vehicle has already been released to salvage yard by the insurance company but a "hold" has been placed on the vehicle pending an investigation.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that while completing a left turn, another vehicle crashed into the side of the contact's vehicle. The front air bags deployed but the side curtain air bags did not. The contact, and five passengers sustained head injuries from the impact and were transported to the hospital for treatment. A police report was not filed of the incident. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000. The VIN was not available.
My 2006 Sienna was backed into at the passenger rear quarter panel by another vehicle. After about 2 or 3 days the air bag light came on. The body shop reset the airbags. About 2 months later the light came on again. Took back to body shop and they had the same b code from the accident and reset. After researching on the web it seems that the front airbag sensor under the seats is the problem and I have to reset them every so often. Same issue that other 2006 Sienna owners are having.
Airbag complaints in other Sienna years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2006 Toyota Sienna?
NHTSA has 307 complaints about the air bags of the 2006 Toyota Sienna, 30% of the model year's 1,017 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (17 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Toyota Sienna airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2006 Toyota Sienna, though it has 11 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 2006 Toyota Sienna airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 74,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 14 crashes, 0 fires and 14 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.