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2019 Toyota Highlander Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Feb 9, 2026
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 471 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
8
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
5

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2019 Toyota Highlander submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming airbag

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Airbags
Filed Feb 9, 2026

While driving down the road about 30mph on a paved road, heard a loud bang from the back. Stopped and inspected. The stability button shot off the door into the door jam, the door panel coming off, and the weather stripping separating from the door. The passenger rear airbag went off. Nothing visible on outside. Everything mechanically like it should be. 55,000 miles on car. Bought new from dealership. Done all maintenance and safety recalls. Vehicle is at dealership getting inspected.

NHTSA ID
11716891
Incident
Feb 9, 2026
AirbagsElectrical
Filed Oct 13, 2025

Clog of evaporator box caused water intrusion into vehicle. Water leaked onto Airbag ECU causing malfunction and requiring replacement of Airbag ECU.

NHTSA ID
11693031
Incident
Aug 1, 2025
Airbags
Filed Mar 3, 2025
Crash reported2 injuries reported

The contact owned a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at low speeds in a parking area, she briefly lost control only coming to a stop after colliding with a light pole. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact and his wife were both transported to an area hospital by EMT. The driver was treated for injuries to her left hand and thumb, and the contact was treated for non-descript injuries to his head, face, and chest trauma. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The contact was informed that the manufacturer intended to inspect the vehicle but had yet to receive an update. The failure mileage was 41,000.

NHTSA ID
11646013
Incident
Mar 8, 2023
Mileage
41,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 28, 2025

A safety alert popped up on my dash regarding an airbag malfunction. This would be similar to other recalled models of my vehicle but for some reason my vin is not on that recall. This is a huge safety concern for me and my family and looking to have our vin added to the recall.

NHTSA ID
11639161
Incident
Jan 16, 2025
Airbags
Filed May 13, 2024

2 weeks ago, the warning light in the dashboard turned on with a message that “SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM MSLFUNCTION” I am not sure but I never had an accident and I donno why that warning is on. I asked Toyota but they said they do not have any recalls

NHTSA ID
11588590
Incident
May 6, 2024
Airbags
Filed Jun 2, 2023
Crash reported1 injury reported

The contact owned a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, she crashed into a large commercial vehicle. As a result, her vehicle went underneath the large vehicle and her air bags failed to deploy upon impact. The contact hit her head on the windshield as she later sought treatment at her urgent care facility for injuries to her head, back, neck and right knee. The other driver sustained no injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and an investigation was able to retain the vehicle's black box; the cause of the air bag failure remained under investigation. The vehicle was deemed a total loss due to the extensive front-end damage. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA ID
11524992
Incident
Apr 5, 2023
Mileage
70,000 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jan 27, 2022

Ever since I bought this car i have been having an issue where the SRS airbag Malfunction light comes on and my airbags are off seatbelts don't get recognized as buckled in. I have taken this car to the dealership numerous times to get it checked out but they cant seem to find a problem or solution. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE and I would really like someone to get involved in this issue and help me figure out my next steps because of what they tell me is that they just reset the modue and it never comes back on until 2-3 months from after they chekc it out and reset it. Please help me

NHTSA ID
11449154
Incident
Jan 26, 2022
AirbagsBrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jul 27, 2021
Crash reported

While driving onto an exit ramp I applied my brakes to my 2019 Toyota Highlander but the engine just roared up, took my foot off the brake and applied both feet to the brakes and the engine roared up again, I then came up right behind a car at the intersection and the front end collision did not stop me so I survived to the left lane but then I was headed into the highway and was T-boned by another Toyota Highlander and came to a stop on the right side of the highway. All the air bags deployed in the other SUV but none deployed in mine. The fireman had to use the jaws of life to get me out of the SUV. My wife and I were very shook up but had no serious injuries. But my brakes, the front-end collision, and the airbags all failed in the Toyota. My Highlander was totaled by my insurance company but they will not investigate the failures.

NHTSA ID
11426668
Incident
Jul 2, 2021
Airbags
Filed Feb 25, 2021
Crash reported

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ON LEFT SIDE WAS HEAVY SNOWFALL AND TRUCK WITH TRAILER ON RIGHT SIDE SUDDENLY MOVED TO CROSS THE HIGHWAY FROM RIGHT LANE TO LEFT LANE HIT MY CAR PUSHED ME IN CONCRETE BARRIER CAR ROLLED OVER 2 TIMES.*DT*JB* TOTAL LOST CAR STRUCTURE DAMAGED AIR BAG NOT DEPLOYED I REQUEST TOYOTA TO DO INSPECTION AND THEY GET INFORMATION FROM BLACK BOX STILL WAITING RESPONSE.*DT*JB

NHTSA ID
11397996
Incident
Feb 1, 2021
Mileage
30,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jun 2, 2020
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, SHE REAR ENDED A VEHICLE IN FRONT BUT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER FOR COSMETIC REPAIRS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

NHTSA ID
11326972
Incident
Jun 2, 2020
Mileage
18,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 22, 2020
Crash reported1 injury reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON ENTERING AN INTERSECTION, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT MISSED THE PEDAL. THE CONTACT ENDED UP ROLLING INTO THE INTERSECTION AND WAS HIT BY TWO VEHICLES ON BOTH SIDES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. ONE OF THE OTHER DRIVERS HAD CLAIMED TO HAVE INJURED HER HAND BUT DID NOT RECEIVE AN MEDICAL ATTENTION AT THE SCENE. NO OTHER INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS HOME AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A COLLISION CENTER AND WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF $18,700.00 FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 500. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

NHTSA ID
11301202
Incident
Dec 18, 2019
Mileage
500 mi
AirbagsPowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 30, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HAMER TOYOTA (11041 SEPULVEDA BLVD, MISSION HILLS, CA 91345), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

NHTSA ID
11292174
Incident
Dec 23, 2019
Mileage
10,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Dec 8, 2019
Crash reported1 injury reported

OTHER CAR PULLED INTO INTERSECTION CAUSING OUR HIGHLANDER TO COLLIDE WITH TURNING VEHICLE. T COLLISION. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. SPEEDS AROUND 35 MPH. CAR TOTALED AND I SUSTAINED SEVERE CONCUSSION. WAS WEARING SEATBELT.

NHTSA ID
11287749
Incident
Nov 18, 2019
Mileage
5,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Oct 22, 2019
Crash reported

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE IN A T FASHION, WAS PUSHED TO THE LEFT AND RAN INTO ADDITIONAL 2 POLES, THEN STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS AT APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 40-45 MPH AT THE TIME OF COLLISION WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE AIRBAGS OF THE VEHICLE (TOYOTA) DID NOT DEPLOY DURING ANY OF THE COLLISION EVENTS: THE OTHER VEHICLE OR WHEN IT HIT THE POLES.

NHTSA ID
11270202
Incident
Oct 18, 2019
Mileage
1,300 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .