FaultScore

2011 Toyota Tacoma airbag problems

17 of the 231 complaints about the 2011 Toyota Tacoma are about the airbag system — 7% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 62,000 miles.

F

17

Complaints

3

Crashes

0

Fires

2

Injuries

Exactly what failed

AIR Bags 14 82.4%
Driver Clockspring/Spiral Cassette 3 17.6%

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.

Girard, OH

AIR BAGS

I purchased a vehicle from a car dealer "as is" with a clean title. About two months after purchase I took it to a mechanic after I got an airbag light and he told me the vehicle was missing airbags and was in a hard enough collision that it caused the airbags to deploy. This was not listed on the Carfax report and was not disclosed to me. I would have never purchased a vehicle if I knew it was missing airbags.

NHTSA complaint #11757707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 88,000 miles Capitola, CA

AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that over time the horn intermittently became inoperable; however, the horn operated while in the middle of making a turn. The contact was concerned about the failure because the horn and the air bag in the steering wheel were connected by the clockspring. No warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired because the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The local dealer confirmed that the VIN was not included in a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 88,000.

NHTSA complaint #11751917 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 104,000 miles Mount Holly, VA

AIR BAGS

MY VEHICLE FAILED VA INSPECTION DUE TO THE HORN NOT WORKING. I HAVE TO GET THE SPIRAL CABLE REPLACED PER THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THIS WAS A RECALL ON TACOMA'S UP TO 2009 (RECALL B1801) BUT NOT MY YEAR. MY YEAR SHOULD BE PART OF THE RECALL. I BELIEVE THIS ALSO IMPACTS THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT FROM THE STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA complaint #11415222 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 85,382 miles Baileyville, KS

AIR BAGS

YES, I WENT TO THE DEALER WHO IS SELLING THIS VEHICLE AND NONE OF THE 9 RECALLS HAVE BEEN CORRECTED. DISTURBING! I CHECKED THE SAFETY SITE FOR THE INFORMATION

NHTSA complaint #11308641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 215,000 miles Berlin, CT

AIR BAGS

MY HORN STOPPED WORKING A MONTH AGO-REPLACED RELAY-NOW AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON- AFTER REAADING COMPLAINTS, SEEMS THE TWO ARE RELATED AND RECALLED ON EARLIER VERSIONS

NHTSA complaint #11246290 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 90,500 miles Brooktondale, NY

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER CLOCKSPRING/SPIRAL CASSETTE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 35-40 MPH, THERE WAS A SLIGHT CLUNKING NOISE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHILE BRAKING OR MAKING A RIGHT TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR LEAF SPRING FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ADDITIONALLY, THE CLOCKSPRING FRACTURED AND WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V604000 (SUSPENSION). GAULT TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 2205 NORTH STREET, ENDICOTT, NY 13760) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,500.

NHTSA complaint #11174921 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 32,000 miles Taos, NM

AIR BAGS

'TAKATA RECALL' THE STEERING WHEEL APPEARS TO HAVE A BULGE AT THE AIRBAG SEAMS. BOTH MY PERSONAL MECHANIC AND THE WORKERS AT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HAVE STATED THIS IS A DEFECT INVOLVING THE AIRBAG WHERE THE COVER HAS DETACHED FROM THE SENSORS OR A COIL. THE SEPARATION IS INTERNAL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENTS AND WAS PARKED(STATIONARY) WHEN THE BULGE OCCURRED.

NHTSA complaint #11139882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Bernardino, CA

AIR BAGS

MANY TOYOTAS WERE RECALLED BECAUSE OF THE AIRBAGS BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MY TRUCK WAS NOT. LAST YEAR MY HORN STARTED TO ACT UP AND SOMEONE AT THE TOYOTA REPAIR CENTER COMMENTED THAT IT MAY BE DUE TO THE AIRBAGS. JUST TO LOOK AT IT THERE IS A CHARGE OF OVER $100.00 TO REPAIR IT WOULD COST ME OVER $200.00 NOW MY HORN WORKS WHEN WHEN I PUSH THE PANIC BUTTON BUT NOT IN THE STEERING COLUMN. I THOUGHT I READ THAT THERE WERE OTHER VEHICLES IN THE SAME YEAR THAT WERE RECALLED.

NHTSA complaint #11031768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 48,000 miles Ruidoso, NM

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER CLOCKSPRING/SPIRAL CASSETTE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HORN FAILED TO WORK WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SPIRAL CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COST $500. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL AND COULD NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000. UPDATED 06/29/17*LJ

NHTSA complaint #10983289 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 48,000 miles Miramonte, CA

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER CLOCKSPRING/SPIRAL CASSETTE

HORN STOPPED WORKING AT APPROXIMATELY 48,000 MILES. AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING THE PROBLEM, I DISCOVERED THAT THE ISSUE WAS RELATED TO THE SPIRAL CABLE. ABOUT 2 MONTHS AFTER THE HORN STOPPED WORKING, THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLLED PHONE FUNCTION BEGAN AUTO-ACTIVATING INTERMITTENTLY WITH THE WORDS "TALKING" APPEARING ON THE RADIO DISPLAY (THIS FUNCTION IS ALSO RELATED TO THE SPIRAL CABLE). I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAG MAY SOON BECOME INOPERABLE IF THE AIR BAG ELECTRICAL CONTACTS ON THE SPIRAL CABLE FAIL. WHILE MY VEHICLE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE, I UNDERSTAND THAT TOYOTA DID FILE A PART 573 DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT WITH NHTSA FOR SELECTED 2009-2010 TACOMA VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE HORN IS CONSIDERED A SAFETY DEVICE, AND AS A RESULT OF THIS FAILURE, MY VEHICLE HORN BECAME INOPERABLE. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE AIR BAG WILL NOT FUNCTION AS DESIGNED WHEN THE SPIRAL CABLE CONTACTS FOR THE AIR BAG FAIL. I WOULD EXPECT THAT THIS TYPE OF SAFETY CRITICAL DEVICE BE DESIGNED TO LAST FOR THE USEFUL SERVICE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. FAILURE AFTER LESS THAN 6 YEARS (AND 48,000 MILES) IS MUCH SOONER THAN SHOULD BE EXPECTED FOR THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. I WOULD APPRECIATE IF NHTSA WOULD CONSIDER THIS INFORMATION ALONG WITH OTHER RELATED INFORMATION IN YOUR POSSESSION TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS A BASIS FOR FOLLOW-UP WITH TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION TO PROVIDE A REMEDY FOR VEHICLE OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED PREMATURE SPIRAL CABLE FAILURE THAT AFFECTS MULTIPLE VEHICLE SAFETY DEVICES.

NHTSA complaint #10946419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 63,000 miles Huntington Beach, CA Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING SPACE AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATED APPROXIMATELY 18 FEET BEFORE CRASHING INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THERE WERE TWO INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V014000 (AIR BAGS, SEATS). THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #10881533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 58,000 miles Wilmington, CA

AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE HORN STOPPED WORKING SO I TOOK THE CAR INTO A TOYOTA CERTIFIED MECHANIC. THEY SAID THIS WAS CAUSED BY SPIRAL CABLE PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THEY HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE AND SAID IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR THEM WITH THE TOYOTA TACOMA, BUT NOT COVERED BY A RECALL YET. GIVEN THAT THIS IS A KNOWN MANUFACTURING DEFECT - AND RESULTS IN A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING AIR BAG FAILURE, THE AIR BAGS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED WITHOUT COST TO THE OWNERS. THE PROBLEM DEVELOPED OVER MANY MONTHS AS THE HORN BECAME INCREASINGLY INTERMITTENT UNTIL IT COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING.

NHTSA complaint #10837868 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 70,000 miles Warwick, RI

AIR BAGS

HORN STOPPED WORKING, SO DID THE CRUISE CONTROL.AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON SOMETIMES DEALER SAID I NEED A NEW CLOCK SPRING AND AIR BAG BECAUSE THE HORN SWITCH IS INSIDE THE AIRBAG.

NHTSA complaint #10822162 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 62,000 miles Highlands Ranch, CO

AIR BAGS

THE HORN STOPPED WORKING, SPIRAL CABLE IS BAD, WHICH ALSO AFFECTS THE AIRBAG. THIS HAS BEEN RECALLED ON ALL PREVIOUS MODELS OF THIS GENERATION TACOMA AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED FOR THE 2011 AS WELL

NHTSA complaint #10760560 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 20,000 miles Sioux, SD Crash 1 killed

AIR BAGS

TL* 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. AT 50 MPH, THE CONTACT DROVE INTO A FIELD AND OVER A DRAIN DITCH, AND THEN CRASHED INTO A WALL. THE VEHICLE CAME TO REST IN A CORN FIELD. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STUCK TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE DRIVER WAS KILLED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AWAY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000...UPDATED 08/11/14 *BF UPDATED 10/28/14

NHTSA complaint #10616933 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 47,000 miles Denver, CO

AIR BAGS

THE SPIRAL CABLE FAILED. THE SPIRAL CABLE CONNECTS THE HORN BUTTON AND DRIVER'S AIRBAG TO THE REST OF THE CAR. WHEN IT FAILS, THE AIRBAG AND HORN WON'T WORK. TOYOTA ALREADY RECALLED THE SPIRAL CABLE ON '05-'09 TACOMA'S. THE SPIRAL CABLES ARE STILL FAILING, SO THEY NEED TO RECALL LATER YEARS AND FIX THEM TOO.

NHTSA complaint #10565182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 39,000 miles Englewood, TN Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A DEER. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVABLE AFTER THE CRASH HOWEVER, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A CONTUSION TO LEFT ELBOW AND A BROKEN LEFT WRIST. THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS IN VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE NOT AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

NHTSA complaint #10467628 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2011 Toyota Tacoma problems

← Full 2011 Toyota Tacoma report