562 of the
10,741 complaints filed about the Toyota Tacoma
are about the airbag system —
5% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2006.
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.
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.
I was traveling southbound on I-25 when the flatbed truck in front of me came to a sudden stop. I was unable to stop in time to avoid rear-ending the truck. The airbags did not deploy upon impact.
NHTSA complaint #11749079 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Only the side window airbags deployed during a collision. There was no protection from the front impact. Insurance representatives have the vehicle and we are waiting to hear about the outcome. While in the car pool lane traveling approximately 65mph, a Honda civic left the lane to the right of us and veered directly into our lane. I applied the brakes as hard as I could, but did not swerve due to fear of rolling into the opposite direction of traffic. His back driver side came into my front passenger side at the immediate collision and then we flipped onto the driver side and slid for quite a few feet. Only the airbags on the doors/windows deployed. There was very little reaction time to apply the brakes due to the speed and closeness of the Honda coming into our lane. The airbags in the front console would have protected us from the whiplash we received.
NHTSA complaint #11747822 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Was in a serious accident while driving and rear ended another vehicle and my airbags did not deploy. Serious front end damage resulting in a total loss of my Tacoma. Shocked airbags did not deploy. Definitely should have.
NHTSA complaint #11735954 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Purchased this vehicle used from dealership after reviewing the carfax and receiving reassurance from dealer that airbags were never deployed. 4 days after purchase passenger window needed to be reset into the track and upon removing plastic around front pillars, discovered vehicle had airbags cut out of it. Also found other SRS components of vehicle tampered with or non functional.
NHTSA complaint #11735437 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Air Bags (Driver and Passenger Curtain Airbags) no other airbags deployed. Been in repair since 3/8/26. Currently 4/21/26. Insurance already sent Body Shop money. Parts on National Backorder and Manufacturer Switch has not been determined yet by Toyota. Truck will not be released back to me until the repair is completed per email. I need adequate transportation provided to continue going to and from work. My insurance has maxed its coverage and cannot extend. I should not be out of pocket more than I already am while waiting on a part that is not in my control. Accident: I hydroplaned and ended in a ditch after going over a T-Intersection. Air bags went off and vehicle was drivable after. Submitted a claim to insurance and here we are.
NHTSA complaint #11732718 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I got into a head-on collision with a cement center median going roughly 45-50MPH after fishtailing on black ice. My airbags did not deploy at that speed, I contact toyota corporate and they only removed the CDR information and did not assess the airbag sensors themselves. I was able to press the SOS button for EMS to arrive. My safety was put at risk as none of my airbags deployed. It was not inspected by my insurance company and was taken to an automotive shop to be repaired. No prior warning systems were enacted,
NHTSA complaint #11728415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle involved in a head on collision resulting in a total loss. Frontal airbags did not deploy. Occupant (driver) sustained bilateral wrist injuries requiring surgery.
NHTSA complaint #11714837 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2025 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, a Semi Truck attempting to merge onto the highway crashed into the passenger side of the vehicle, causing the driver to lose control of the steering and cross three lanes of traffic before crashing into the concrete median. During the crash, no air bags in the vehicle deployed, the collision avoidance systems did not operate, and twelve error messages were activated, including a brake error, a Four Wheel Drive error, and an ABS error. The driver sustained a concussion from the head contacting the steering wheel and lacerations from shards of glass entering the vehicle during the crash. The front seat passenger sustained lacerations to the legs and arms, the rear driver side passenger sustained fractured ribs and lacerations to the arms leg, and face. The rear passenger side occupant sustained lacerations to the arms and legs. All occupants in the vehicle were transported to the hospital with injuries, along with the semi-truck driver. No further information was available. A Police report was taken, and the vehicle was towed away. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the incident. A representative from the manufacturer was sent to inspect the vehicle and deemed no failure had occurred. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure mileage was 4,000.
NHTSA complaint #11714169 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving at 35-40 MPH, coming up on fog, the driver, attempting to slow down, traveled over a slush patch in the roadway, and an approaching vehicle was in view. She lost control of the vehicle, spun around, and went face-first into a ditch, and the vehicle flipped and rolled over onto the hood. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that she sustained a concussion, hematoma, and pain on the left side of her neck and head, and the next day, there was pain on the right side of her neck and shoulder. She was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where medical attention was provided. The side curtain on the driver's and passenger's sides deployed. The front airbags failed to deploy. The vehicle was towed to an independent auto center. There was no reported fire. A police report was filed. Previously, while turning around in a parking lot, the contact crashed into a cement barrier. The airbags did not deploy. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 240,000.
NHTSA complaint #11710917 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The horn started malfunctioning recently at around 200k miles, sometimes working sometimes not (regardless of steering wheel positioning). As prior complaints have stated; the suspect was likely the clockspring, but all the steering wheel controls were functioning with no issues and no warning lights illuminated. Also, I've continously found myself in the 3rd gear multiple times after very lighy taps (mainly from a drink falling/bumping into it) as the cupholders in the front are very small and/or not stable for anything other than small disposable containers.
NHTSA complaint #11706361 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On November 14, 2025, at approximately 0200 hours, in Fresno, California, I was driving southbound on Highway 99 at approximately 70 mph using cruise control. It was raining heavily at the time, and visibility was significantly reduced. I was traveling in the middle lane when I suddenly felt what I believed to be an impact on the driver side of my vehicle. Due to the weather conditions, I was unable to visually identify what struck the vehicle. Immediately prior to this event, I noticed faint headlights in lane 1 (fast lane), but I could not determine whether that vehicle made contact with mine. At the moment of the perceived impact, the side curtain airbags deployed unexpectedly. I initially thought the deployment was a collision with another vehicle because the force felt like a physical impact. Once the curtain airbags deployed, I immediately lost control of the vehicle. Steering became impossible, and the vehicle veered off the roadway, ultimately coming to a stop on an embankment adjacent to the highway. California Highway Patrol officers responded to the scene, took my statement, and inspected the vehicle. They reported no exterior body damage consistent with a collision. The following day, I visited the tow yard and conducted a daylight inspection of the vehicle, confirming that there was no visible impact damage on the body panels or exterior surfaces. After the on-scene investigation, the vehicle was towed, and the responding officer provided me with a courtesy ride. As a result of the incident, I sustained minor injuries, including whiplash, road rash on my left shoulder and upper forearm, and soreness in my neck. This event involved unexpected deployment of side curtain airbags without any confirmed collision, leading to loss of vehicle control, roadway departure, and driver injury. I am submitting this complaint for investigation into potential airbag or sensor malfunction.
NHTSA complaint #11699687 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owned a 2007 Toyota Tacoma. The contact's lawyer stated that another vehicle lost control due to a dropped water bottle and collided with his client's vehicle on its front driver's side at 50 MPH. The contact's lawyer stated that no air bags deployed. The contact's lawyer stated that the contact sustained injuries to the pelvis, which was fractured, a concussion, and contusions to the head, left leg, and a laceration to the head and back. Medical attention was required. The contact's lawyer stated that a police report was filed. The contact's lawyer mentioned that the contact was in a coma for two months and was on a ventilator for four months. The vehicle was towed to a private location. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The contact stated that the failure was not diagnosed by a dealer or independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 500,000.
NHTSA complaint #11690645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Clock spring has failed. I've lost all steering wheel button controls as well as cruise control. Air bag light has now come on. I am afraid that if I get into a wreck, the airbag will not deploy. This seems to be a common issue with this select year for this Tacoma.
NHTSA complaint #11687153 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2023 Toyota Tacoma creates an error message on my console screen "A Malfunction in the SRS Airbag System has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected." In 2024, the first error message appeared. Same as above. By January 2025, there also appeared a red indicator light on the dashboard displaying something about the seat belt or airbag. It stayed continually on. I took it to the Lonestar Toyota dealership and they told me the airbags were considered part of the drive train and the issue was still under warranty. They returned my pick up to me while we ordered the airbag parts they needed to fix the issue. The parts arrived in February and on Thursday, February 20th I dropped off my vehicle and picked it up on Friday, February 28. When I picked up the tacoma, the notes on the invoice said, "Tech replaced the passenger side airbag, airbag light is off." Later that evening, the error message on the console screen returned. Same as above, "A malfunction in the SRS airbag system has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected." On Monday morning, March 3 I returned the 2023 Toyota Tacoma and left it there for a week when I picked it up the following Monday, March 10th. This invoice said, "could not duplicate customer concern at this time". Even though the error message was not on the Console screen by the time I took it to the service department it was still visible within the notification history. The very next Wednesday, March 12th, the error message on the console screen appeared once again, and I arrived at the dealership within the hour with the error message still within the history, even though it was not on the main console screen. The notes on this last invoice states, "history of airbag system malfunction was cleared. The computer was reset and no message is currently populating." I picked up my vehicle March 21. This morning, Monday, March 24 the same error message.
NHTSA complaint #11650273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.