FaultScore

2004 Toyota Tacoma airbag problems

15 of the 545 complaints about the 2004 Toyota Tacoma are about the airbag system — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 113,000 miles.

F

15

Complaints

10

Crashes

0

Fires

8

Injuries

Exactly what failed

AIR Bags 12 80.0%
Frontal 3 20.0%

Airbags across every Toyota Tacoma year

1995 10 2.0%
1996 17 3.4%
1998 47 9.3%
1999 38 7.5%
2000 25 4.9%
2001 20 3.9%
2002 19 3.7%
2003 27 5.3%
2004 15 3.0%
2005 48 9.5%
2006 77 15.2%
2007 45 8.9%
2008 29 5.7%
2009 13 2.6%
2010 16 3.2%
2011 17 3.4%
2013 10 2.0%
2014 10 2.0%
2015 11 2.2%
2017 13 2.6%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 159,000 miles Aguanga, CA Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tacoma. The contact called on behalf of her mother who was driving approximately 45 mph when she lost control of the vehicle which resulted in crashing into a power pole. None of the air bags deployed. The vehicle was towed to an insurance lot and currently was at a storage yard. A police report was taken and the driver sustained injuries to her face, and her dentures shattered but did not seek medical treatment at the time of the crash. The driver attempted to go to the hospital later but there was a 5-hour wait and was not seen. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 159,000.

NHTSA complaint #11446887 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 134,000 miles Corona, CA

AIR BAGS

PASSENGER FRONT AIRBAG MAKES A RATTLING NOISE WHILE IN MOTION MORE NOTICEABLE ON ANY UNEVEN ROAD.

NHTSA complaint #11367025 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

North Miami BCH, FL

AIR BAGS

VEHICLE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYED ON. AND IS STILL ON .TOOK THE TOYOTA TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTICS TEST ON IT. SOMEONE CAME BACK TO INFORM I NEEDED NEW AIRBAGS. THEY SAID MOISTURE ENTERED THE AIRBAGS .MAY CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO MALFUNCTION. THEY NEW ABOUT THE TAKATA AIRBAGS RECALL .SO I ASSUMED IT WOULD BE FIXED FOR FREE.NO I HAD TO PAY THE BILL. SO I DIDN'T. WHAT CAN I DO?

NHTSA complaint #11365787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 178,468 miles Phelan, CA Crash

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SON WAS DRIVING 55 MPH, THE AXLE AND BALL JOINTS DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S SON LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A DIRT DITCH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VALLEY HI TOYOTA (14612 VALLEY CENTER DRIVE, VICTORVILLE, CA 92395, 866-405-5098), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 178,468.

NHTSA complaint #11119621 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50,000 miles Stafford, TX

AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL? I HAVE A 2004 TACOMA PRE-RUNNER 4DR. V-6. MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON APPROX. OCT. 2014 (50,000 MILES). ALL THAT I HAVE READ SO FAR IS THAT IT MIGHT BE A BROKEN "SPIRAL CABLE" WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL. ALL AIRBAG PROBLEMS I'VE SEEN ARE WITH 2005 & NEWER VEHICLES? AS OF DEC. 2015 (60,K MILES),I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM BUT HAVE NOT YET VISITED A DEALERSHIP TO IDENTIFY THE FAULT.

NHTSA complaint #10817108 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 131,200 miles Lancaster, OH Crash

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE IDLING AT A STOP, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,200. UPDATED 12/30/14*LJ UPDATED 05/26/2015

NHTSA complaint #10654452 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kyle, TX

AIR BAGS

I WANT TO CHECK MY VIN # TO SEE IF IT IS ONE OF THE VEHICLES AFFECTED BY TOYOTA'S DEFECTIVE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS.

NHTSA complaint #10648966 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 113,000 miles Milton, FL Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS

WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, I WAS REAR-ENDED BY A VEHICLE. I HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME AND THAT VEHICLE HIT THE ONE IN FRONT OF IT. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY PASSENGER'S HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS WEARING A SEATBELT (THE INTERIOR DESIGN REQUIRED ME TO HAVE THE SEAT POSITIONED QUITE CLOSE TO THE WINDSHIELD).

NHTSA complaint #10588230 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 67,000 miles Lawrenceville, GA

AIR BAGS

I PURCHASED A USED 2004 TACOMA PICK-UP TRUCK FROM AN INDEPENDENT DEALER AND NOTED THE FRONT AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. I FINALLY TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER FOR REPAIR IN 2013. THEY REPLACED THE SPIRAL CABLE IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHICH TURNED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT OFF FOR A FEW WEEKS AND THEN IT BECAME ILLUMINATED AGAIN. I TOOK IT BACK AND THEY WORKED ON IT FOR SEVERAL HOURS AND SAID THE ONLY REMEDY IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY FOR $1600. I AM UNSATISFIED SINCE THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL RECALLS ON THE TACOMA AIR BAG SYSTEMS FROM MODELS 2005 AND HIGHER BUT NOT THIS YEAR. HOW CAN SUCH A SIMILAR PROBLEM NOT BE A MANUFACTURING ISSUE? MEANWHILE I PROBABLY DO NOT HAVE PROPER FUNCTIONING AIR BAGS.

NHTSA complaint #10587248 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Yorba Linda, CA Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND A CAR WAS IN A ACCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS ON ITS SIDE. THE OWNERS OF THE CAR HAD GOT OUT TO SAFETY, BUT HAD TO LEAVE IT TO PROTECT THEMSELVES. IT WAS A BLACK OR VERY DARK COLORED. WITH IN THIS TIME OF MY PASSENGER AND MYSELF IN MY 2004 TOYOTA TRUCK HAD COME UPON IT TO FAST TO STOP. IT WAS A SPLIT DECISION AND REFLEX TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES. OTHER CARS WHERE AROUND AND I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO HIT HEAD ON. I WAS DOING ABOUT 65 MILES AN HOUR AND SLAMMING ON MY BRAKES DID LITTLE TO AVOID OR LESSON MY REDUCTION OF SPEED. THANK GOD MY PASSENGER AND I HAD ON OUR SAFETY BELTS. MY TRUCK COMES WITH AIR BAGS AND WAS LISTED AS A GOOD PRODUCTION OF VEHICLES WITH SAFE AND QUALITY PROTECTION IN AN ACCIDENT. I LOVE MY TRUCK. I WAS NOT PROTECTED AS LED TO BELIEVE. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY TRUCK IS BEYOND QUESTIONABLE OF MY IMPACT THEY SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. I BARELY HAVE A FRONT PORTION OF A BUMPER. ENGINE WAS SMASHED INTO MY CAB PRACTICALLY. FENDERS CAVED IN. TOTALED.... I NEED HELP UNDERSTANDING THIS. I NEED TO BE INSURED THAT TOYOTA WOULD NOT LET THIS BE OVERLOOKED. IM ASKING FOR THIS AND MAYBE OTHER SAFETY ISSUES TO BE HANDLED AND TAKEN INTO TO SERIOUS CONCERN. IT MIGHT BE WITH THIS MODEL TRUCK ONLY.

NHTSA complaint #10445530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lumberton, TX Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

2004 TOYOTA TACOMA, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #10213099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Jose, CA Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS

TOYOTA TACOMA-TRD- 2004. HEAD ON COLLISION, SERVERED FRONT DAMAGED. BOTH AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #10195487 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brunswick, GA Crash 3 injured

AIR BAGS

2004 TOYOTA TACOMA SLID ON ICE AND HIT A TREE RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE FLIPPING AND INJURING THE THREE PASSENGERS AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT INFLATE.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***.*MR *BF

NHTSA complaint #10122642 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 3,000 miles Woodstock, GA Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 40-45 MPH, CONSUMER VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE NEAR THE TIRE AREA. UPON IMPACT, FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS RESTRAINED WITH THE SEAT BELT, AND NO INJURY WAS REPORTED. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS HIT SO HARD IN THE FRONT THAT IT WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA complaint #10108901 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 1,800 miles Jacksonville, FL Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PASSENGER SUFFERED FROM A BROKEN WRIST.

NHTSA complaint #10097634 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2004 Toyota Tacoma problems

← Full 2004 Toyota Tacoma report