2013 Toyota Highlander Airbags Problems

Driver side airbags (curtain and left seat) spontaneously deployed while I was parking the car. I did not hit anything. I was not injured but my safety was put at risk because I likely would have crashed if it had happened while I was driving. I contacted Toyota and they sent an investigator to inspect the car. He found no issues in the data he collected and could not give a reason for the airbags deployment. I received a letter saying they were not going to help in any way. There were no warnings lights or indicators that could have warned me of the airbags deploying prior to the incident.

NHTSA ID

11667147

Incident

Apr 15, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving in negative 10-degree weather at 75 MPH, the driver's and passenger’s side curtain air bags deployed without warning or impact. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ID

11642557

Incident

Feb 10, 2025

Mileage

124,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND SWERVED TO AVOID A CAT, IT RESULTED IN CRASHING INTO A METAL TELEPHONE POLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ADDITIONALLY, THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LARRY H. MILLER LEXUS SPOKANE1030 W 3RD AVE, SPOKANE, WA 99201: (509) 293-6074 BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DRIVER STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL WITH HER CHEST AND MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THERE WAS NO REPORTED FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE.THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.

NHTSA ID

11413557

Incident

Apr 14, 2021

Mileage

148,000 mi

MY PASSENGER AIRBAG KEEPS TURNING OFF DUE TO A SENSOR. I HAVE HAD IT FIXED, AND A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES LATER, IT WAS BACK ON!

NHTSA ID

11366430

Incident

Jul 17, 2020

Mileage

90,000 mi

I HAD A FRONT END ACCIDENT ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO AND MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I CAUSED REAR END DAMAGE TO TWO OTHER VEHICLES. ON SEPT. 2, I HAD ANOTHER FRONT END COLLISION. I RAN INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER THAT HOLDS LIGHT POSTS IN PARKING LOTS. THE ACCIDENT CAUSED ME CHEST, BACK, AND NECK PAIN. THE SEAT BELT TIGHTENED BUT THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. I AM STILL IN PAIN DUE TO THIS ACCIDENT.THE FRAME WAS BENT IN FROM THIS COLLISION.

NHTSA ID

11253078

Incident

Sep 2, 2019

MAINTENANCE LIGHT IS ON AT ALL TIMES FOR THE FORWARD PASSENGER SEAT, MAKING AIRBAGS USELESS. READ IT CAN POTENTIALLY BE A WIRE. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED ON OTHER VEHICLES. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND RECALL AS PASSENGERS WILL BE UNSAFE AND COULD HAVE GREAT BODILY HARM WITH THIS DEFECT.

NHTSA ID

11241464

Incident

Aug 1, 2018

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIRBAG SENSOR HAS FAILED ON 4 OCCASIONS. THE DEALERSHIP HAS CLAIMED THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS FINE, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE RECALIBRATED EACH TIME. NONE OF THE OTHER AIRBAGS ARE AFFECTED.

NHTSA ID

11184890

Incident

Feb 18, 2019

Mileage

125,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT T-BONED ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE RIGHT LEG, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. FURTHERMORE, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION IN OCTOBER OF 2018. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES AND WHEELS SEIZED ON THREE OCCASIONS. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS MADE AWARE OF ALL THE FAILURES, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE SOURCES. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11142609

Incident

Aug 9, 2017

Mileage

100,000 mi

VEHICLE WAS PROCEEDING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION UNDER A GREEN LIGHT. A VEHICLE TRAVELING THE CROSS ROAD PROCEEDED THROUGH THEIR RED LIGHT AND IMPACTED MY VEHICLE AT FULL SPEED. THE RESULT WAS A "T-BONE" ACCIDENT INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. THE FORCE OF THE COLLISION WAS SUCH THAT MY VEHICLE WAS TURNED 90 DEGREES. THE DRIVER'S HEAD IMPACTED THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW SHATTERING THAT WINDOW. THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. AIR BAGS IN THE OTHER VEHICLE DID DEPLOY. HAD THE AIR BAG OPERATED PROPERLY IT WOULD HAVE PROTECTED THE DRIVER'S HEAD FROM IMPACTING AND SHATTERING THE WINDOW. SINCE THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN OBVIOUS SITUATION, I AM NOW CONCERNED THAT NONE OF THE AIRBAGS IN THAT VEHICLE WILL DEPLOY UPON IMPACT AND I AM DRIVING AN UNSAFE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10777920

Incident

Dec 23, 2014

Mileage

37,000 mi

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN RETURNED TO TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT 4 TIMES FOR MESSAGE "CHECK SRS AIR BAG SYSTEM". THIS MESSAGE DEACTIVATES THE SIDE AIRBAGS FROM DEPLOYING. TOYOTA SERVICE HAS BEEN UNABLE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. TOYOTA SERVICE HAS DONE THE FOLLOWING TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. 1) REST THE MESSAGE "CHECK SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM" 2) CHECKED SENSOR AND WIRING UNDER PASSENGER SEAT 3) CONSULTED TOYOTA ENGINEERS. THIS PROBLEM ALWAYS OCCURS UNDER THE SAME CONDITION. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. THIS PROBLEM IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER. WHEN FRONT SEAT PASSENGER IS SEATED AND THE CAR IS STARTED THE MESSAGE "CHECK SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM" APPEARS. THE MESSAGE REMAINS UNTIL THE CAR IS RETURNED TO TOYOTA. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT RELATED TO THE WEIGHT OF THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS WITH BOTH 120 AND 300 LBS FRONT PASSENGER. THANK YOU! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10705059

Incident

Jul 7, 2014

I REAR ENDED A CAR IN FRONT OF ME. DAMAGE MINIMAL TO HIS CAR. MY HIGHLANDER SUSTAINED OVER 10 THOUSAND DOLLAR FRONT DAMAGE. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10673101

Incident

Dec 1, 2014

Mileage

30,000 mi

MY VEHICLE T-BONED ANOTHER VEHICLE, STRIKING DIRECTLY INTO THE DRIVER'S DOOR OF THE OTHER VEHICLE . THE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE SUSTAINED APPROXIMATELY $8000 WORTH OF FRONT END DAMAGE, HOWEVER THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. (FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO INJURIES). IN LIGHT OF CURRENT WELL-PUBLICIZED AIR BAG ISSUES, I ASKED MY DEALERSHIP IF THEY WOULD INSPECT MY VEHICLE TO ENSURE THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE NOT DEFECTIVE. THEY REFUSED, AND REFERRED ME TO TOYOTA CORPORATE. I CALLED TOYOTA CORPORATE, EXPLAINED MY CONCERN, AND REQUESTED THAT MY AIR BAGS BE CHECKED OUT. TOYOTA CORPORATE REFUSED, AND SUGGESTED I SEND A LETTER TO THEIR CLAIMS DEPARTMENT. I SENT THE CLAIMS DEPARTMENT A LETTER ON NOVEMBER 10, 2014, AND HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10664019

Incident

Dec 31, 2013

ON SEPTEMBER 12 2014 MY WIFE WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT HER DOCTOR'S OFFICE. THE SPACE INCLUDE A STOP CURB AND IT FACED A FOUR LANE STREET. AS SHE PULLED INTO THE SPACE, SHE BRAKED TO AVOID CONTACTING THE CURB AND WAS ABOUT TO SHIFT INTO PARK WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CAR JUMPED THE PARKING CURB AND THEN ANOTHER CURB AND ENTERED A GRASSY AREA (APPROXIMATELY 10 FT WIDE. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND JUMPED ANOTHER CURB AND LANDED IN A 4 LANE STREET. SHE CONTINUED TO APPLY THE BRAKES WHILE THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE ACROSS THE STREET. SHE WAS HEADED TOWARD ANOTHER CURB AND GRASSY AREA AND A DOWNHILL SLOPE FOLLOWED BY A MEINEKE REPAIR BUSINESS. NOT WANTING TO GO DOWN THE HILL AND INTO THE BUILDING, SHE TURNED THE CAR TO THE RIGHT BUT NOT IN TIME TO AVOID ENTERING THE SECOND GRASSY AREA. SHE WAS NOW TRAVELING PARALLEL TO THE MEINEKE BUILDING AND SIDE SWIPED TWO SMALL TREES, AND WAS HEADED TOWARD A VERY BUSY RUSH HOUR STREET. TO AVOID ACCELERATING INTO THIS STREET, SHE DECIDED TO TRY SHIFTING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL. SHE LOOKED DOWN TO FIND THE NEUTRAL GEAR, AND JUST AS SHE LOOKED UP, SHE CRASHED HEAD-ON INTO ANOTHER TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY BUT THE SEAT BELTS SAVED HER. THE CAR WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED TO THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT WHERE SHE HIT THE TREE AND TO THE SIDE OF THE CAR WHERE SHE SIDE SWIPED THE TWO TREES. THE MEINEKE EMPLOYEES CALLED 911 AND A DETECTIVE TOOK HER TO HER DOCTOR'S OFFICE FOR TREATMENT. SHE INJURED HER RIBS AND BACK AND CONTINUES TO RECEIVE TREATMENT. I'M CONVINCED THIS IS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM AND I AM ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE THIS WITH TOYOTA BUT HOLD OUT LITTLE HOPE. IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED BEFORE THERE ARE ADDITIONAL INJURIES OR LOSS OF LIFE. MY WIFE COULD HAVE DIED IF THE CAR HAD MADE IT TO THE VERY BUSY STREET.

NHTSA ID

10637921

Incident

Sep 12, 2014

Mileage

12,356 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NUMEROS ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO HAVE HER VEHICLE SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V148000 AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V014000 (AIR BAGS , SEATS) HOWEVER, BOTH DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT RETURN THE CONTACT'S PHONE CALLS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT EXHIBITED THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10598229

Incident

May 23, 2014

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR NEAR THE DULLES TOLL ROAD ENTRANCE RAMP AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. SHE SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT THE CAR AHEAD OF HER. NO BODILY INJURY TO EITHER PARTY. THE POLICE OFFICER WHO CAME TO THE SCENE SAID THAT IT WAS NOT MY WIFE'S FAULT AND HENCE, HE DID NOT ISSUE A TICKET TO MY WIFE. THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE IS $10,000. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS MALFUNCTION WAS TOLD TO KOONS TOYOTA. THEY DID NOT NOTIFY THE NHTSB, NOR THE TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS. AFTER THE BODY SHOP WORK WAS DONE, KOONS TOYOTA DID NOT EVEN INSPECT THE VEHICLE TO CHECK ALL THE NECESSARY REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE PROPERLY. NO SAFETY INSPECTION WAS DONE. *TT

NHTSA ID

10583038

Incident

Mar 6, 2014

Mileage

13,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND CAME UPON A RED LIGHT, THERE WERE TWO CARS AHEAD OF ME, A LINCOLN AND A CHRYSLER. I STARTED TO SLOW DOWN AT A DISTANCE, WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKE, MY VEHICLE ACCELERATED, I LOOKED DOWN TO MAKE SURE THAT MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, AND IT SURE WAS, SO I HAMMERED DOWN ON THE BRAKE AND MY VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN AND CONTINUED TO RUN AT THE SAME SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. THE FAULTY BRAKE CAUSED A WITHOUT THE DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS. I KNEW THAT I DID NOT ACCIDENTALLY STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL BECAUSE IF I HAD DONE SO, THE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FATAL. I WOULD HAVE PUSHED THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME ONTO THE ON COMING TRAFFIC. AFTER THE INCIDENT, I TESTED OUT THE BRAKES, AND IT WAS AS IF EVERYTHING WAS ALRIGHT. EVEN THOUGH I HAD SEEN THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME, AND THE RED TRAFFIC LIGHT, MY VEHICLE DID NOT REACT TO MY BRAKES. THE LINCOLN AND THE CHRYSLER IN FRONT OF ME ALSO DIDN'T HAVE THEIR AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10563582

Incident

Feb 9, 2014

Mileage

12,030 mi

PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE - BRAKES APPLIED - CAR LURCHED FORWARD (UNINTENDED ACCELERATION) - BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE - CAR JUMPED THE CURB, CROSSED THE SIDEWALK AND HIT A TREE - AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10546569

Incident

Oct 1, 2013

Mileage

24,000 mi