Airbag complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 1% | 4,000 miles |
| 2024 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2023 | 8 | 15% | 19,000 miles |
| 2022 | 8 | 14% | 24,000 miles |
| 2021 | 7 | 9% | — |
| 2020 | 4 | 4% | 45,000 miles |
| 2019 | 4 | 2% | 20,000 miles |
| 2018 | 3 | 1% | — |
| 2017 | 13 | 5% | 31,000 miles |
| 2016 | 5 | 2% | 30,000 miles |
| 2015 | 11 | 11% | 38,000 miles |
| 2014 | 8 | 9% | 54,000 miles |
| 2013 | 10 | 8% | 89,000 miles |
| 2012 | 9 | 3% | 29,000 miles |
| 2011 | 17 | 9% | 62,000 miles |
| 2010 | 16 | 5% | 118,000 miles |
| 2009 | 13 | 3% | 76,000 miles |
| 2008 | 29 | 6% | 85,000 miles |
| 2007 | 44 | 8% | 69,000 miles |
| 2006 | 76 | 10% | 85,000 miles |
| 2005 | 46 | 7% | 80,000 miles |
| 2004 | 15 | 4% | 113,000 miles |
| 2003 | 28 | 8% | 40,000 miles |
| 2002 | 19 | 6% | 140,000 miles |
| 2001 | 20 | 5% | 152,000 miles |
| 2000 | 25 | 12% | 83,000 miles |
| 1999 | 38 | 15% | 147,000 miles |
| 1998 | 46 | 15% | 200,000 miles |
| 1997 | 5 | 4% | 165,000 miles |
| 1996 | 16 | 6% | 131,000 miles |
| 1995 | 10 | 6% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owned a 2023 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 75-80 MPH, he fell asleep behind the wheel when the vehicle proceeded through a wired fence and crashed into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained soreness to his neck. No medical attention was required however, the contact stated that he went to see a doctor the following day. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot and deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18,844.
My vehicle was T-boned while driving through an intersection. After being hit, my vehicle continued moving forward, but the brakes would not engage or work. I pressed them several times and as firmly as possible, but the vehicle would not stop or slow down. As I approached a nearby curb, I pulled the emergency brake, which slowed down my vehicle slightly before colliding head-on with a fire hydrant and utility pole. The impact completely totaled the vehicle, yet the airbags did not deploy. Bottom line, in period of a few seconds, the brakes completely failed and the airbags did not deploy. The end result could have been devastating, but fortunately was not. The vehicle is set to be released to the insurance representative soon, but no analysis has been completed. A police report was filed. …
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, another vehicle failed to stop at a red light. Consequently, the other vehicle collided with the vehicle on the passenger's side door and front quarter panel, sending the vehicle careening and nearly tipping over before coming to a complete stop. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who submitted a request to the manufacturer to have an engineer inspect the vehicle. The engineer reviewed the incident recorder and informed the contact that the air bags did not deploy because the occupancy sensor did not detect a passenger. The contact disputed the findings, stating that her son was occupying the passenger seat and had been wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision. …
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving through an intersection at approximately 25 MPH; another vehicle who ran the red light T-boned the contact's vehicle on the passenger side. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact sustained pain in her back and was treated by her doctor for a torn disk. A police report was filed. The vehicle was initially towed to an independent body shop and was later towed to the dealer where it remained in their possession. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and was given a case number. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.
The subject vehicle left roadway and impacted a tree in a pure frontal impact. The front seat passenger airbag failed to deploy. An 11 year old child was seated and properly belted in the front passenger seat. The child was killed as a result of blunt force trauma to his head when his head struck the front dash structure. In addition, the belted occupant seated behind the front passenger seat, while properly belted, impacted the rear of the front passenger seat and the seat deformed forward, limiting the ride down space for the front passenger seat occupant. The other three occupants in the subject Toyota Tacoma suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Tacoma was rear-ended at 80 mph. Tacoma rolled over three times front airbags did not go off.. side curtain bags did.. seat belt on driver side failed after the second rollover.. rear cross traffic warning did not go off.. driver seat collapsed. driver was injured and was in trauma unit for 3 weeks. Vehicle last known is located off of belvedere road in West Palm Beach Florida.. I called up Toyota and a third party got the EDR from the vehicle.. I have a copy of it. As far as I know the problem has not been inspected.
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while driving 50 mph in the morning and in heavy fog, she was unable to visibly see the road which caused her to impact a stationed vehicle in the middle of the road. The contact stated the vehicle was stationed due to a prior crash incident. The contact stated she steered to the right and ended up in a ditch. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. No air bags deployed. The contact stated she thinks she hit her head on the front windshield since it was fractured. The contact stated she sustained a concussion and has bruises on her right chest and right arm. The contact sought medical attention at a near hospital. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to a towing lot. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. …
Was driving doing 35mph and some one ran stop sign T boned Car who ran stop sign my air bags didn't deploy all air bags of other car deployed. My car was totaled . None of the air bags deployed according to recall my vin is not in takata recall. I was tosses all over car
Related recalls (8)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver clockspring/spiral cassette
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, Lexus RX350, 2023-2024 NX250, and NX350 vehicles that may have been incorrectly repaired under previous NHTSA recall number 23V-480.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver clockspring/spiral cassette
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, 2023 Lexus RX350, RX350 Hybrid, RX500 Hybrid, 2023-2024 Lexus NX250, NX350, and NX350 Hybrid vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2023. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
Air bags › Knee bolster
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Tacoma trucks manufactured August 20, 2015, to September 10, 2015. In the affected vehicles, incorrect bolts were used to install the driver's knee air bag module.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install the correct driver's knee air bag module mounting bolts, free of charge. The recall began on November 19, 2015.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, 2008-2010 Highlander, and 2009-2010 Tacoma, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and General Motors Pontiac Vibe vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the steering column assembly contains electrical connections to the driver's airbag module housed in a spiral cable…
Remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota vehicle owners, and General Motors will notify the Pontiac Vibe owners. Toyota sent owners an interim notification letter in May 2014 to advise owners of the recall.
Air bags › Frontal
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 tacoma vehicles, manufactured from September 14, 2004, through August 29, 2008. Over time, steering wheel vibration May damage the spiral cable assembly (clockspring) that powers the driver's air bag module.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the spiral cable assembly, free of charge. An interim letter is expected to be mailed to owners during April 2012. Owners May contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Show 3 more recalls
Air bags
On certain vehicles, due to improper assembly of the air bag inflator, which is used in the side air bag, the curtain shield air bag, and the knee air bag assembly, some inflators were produced with an insufficient amount of the heating agents necessary for proper air bag deployment.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the specific SRS air bag. The recall began on April 6, 2006. Owners May contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371, Scion at 1-866-548-1851, or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
Air bags
On certain regular cab pickup trucks equipped with a bench seat, the seat position and seat belt buckle sensor connector pins are incorrectly positioned due to a wire harness manufacturing process error.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the seat position and seat belt fastening condition sensor connector. An additional sub-wire harness will be installed to correct the connector pin manufacturing error, if necessary.
Air bags › On-off switch assembly
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The statement required in the owner's manual that "...the on-off switch should only ben used when a member of a passenger risk group identified in the request form in appendix b......is occupying the right front passenger seating position..." is mis-stated.
Remedy: Owners will be sent a corrected owner's manual.
NHTSA investigations
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which Toyota Tacoma years have airbag problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2006 (76), 1998 (46), 2005 (46), 2007 (44) and 1999 (38) model years. Airbag complaints make up 10% of all complaints for the 2006.
Is there a recall for Toyota Tacoma airbag problems?
Yes — 8 recalls, including 25V-040 (driver clockspring/spiral cassette, Jan 29, 2025); 23V-480 (driver clockspring/spiral cassette, Jul 12, 2023); 15V-656 (knee bolster, Oct 14, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Toyota Tacoma airbag problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 83,000 miles; 28% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the frontal (132 mentions), followed by the side/window (11).
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.