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2004 Toyota Tacoma 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.
15
Latest Jan 10, 2022
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.
4%
of 414 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.
10
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
13

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 2004 Toyota Tacoma submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 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 Jan 10, 2022
Crash reported1 injury reported

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 ID
11446887
Incident
Dec 22, 2021
Mileage
159,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Oct 29, 2020

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

NHTSA ID
11367025
Incident
Oct 26, 2020
Mileage
134,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Oct 22, 2020

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 ID
11365787
Incident
Oct 22, 2020
AirbagsSuspension
Filed Aug 13, 2018
Crash reported

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 ID
11119621
Incident
Aug 11, 2018
Mileage
178,468 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 30, 2015

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. *JS

NHTSA ID
10817108
Incident
Oct 4, 2014
Mileage
50,000 mi
AirbagsBrakesDriver assistance
Filed Nov 12, 2014
Crash reported

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 *JS

NHTSA ID
10654452
Incident
Nov 11, 2014
Mileage
131,200 mi
Airbags
Filed Oct 20, 2014

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

NHTSA ID
10648966
Incident
Oct 20, 2014
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed May 13, 2014
Crash reported2 injuries reported

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). *TR

NHTSA ID
10588230
Incident
May 8, 2014
Mileage
113,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 8, 2014

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. *TR

NHTSA ID
10587248
Incident
Jun 19, 2013
Mileage
67,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 26, 2012
Crash reported2 injuries reported

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. *TR

NHTSA ID
10445530
Incident
Jan 22, 2012
Airbags
Filed Dec 28, 2007
Crash reported1 injury reported

2004 TOYOTA TACOMA, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10213099
Incident
Dec 14, 2007
Airbags
Filed Jul 6, 2007
Crash reported2 injuries reported

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

NHTSA ID
10195487
Incident
Jul 5, 2007
Airbags
Filed May 19, 2005
Crash reported3 injuries reported

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 *NM

NHTSA ID
10122642
Incident
May 1, 2005
Airbags
Filed Feb 18, 2005
Crash reported1 injury reported

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. *TC

NHTSA ID
10108901
Incident
Nov 2, 2004
Mileage
3,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Oct 25, 2004
Crash reported1 injury reported

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. *AK

NHTSA ID
10097634
Incident
Sep 25, 2004
Mileage
1,800 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 .