Problems · by component

2004 Toyota 4Runner air bags problems

37 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Toyota 4Runner cite air bags, 5% of all 678 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
37
5% of all complaints
Crashes
14
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
17
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Response: Frame, Suspension, Airbags / Yes it is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Response: Safety was put at risk due to frame & suspension failure due to severe rust. Also due to failure of deployment of AirBags. Rusted Frame Failure subsequently caused safety of Injured Party and other motorists to be at risk due to the Injured Party’s 4Runner to dart across oncoming lane of traffic with no warning other than a swaying motion felt immediately before losing control. Once the Injured Party lost control of the 4Runner it crossed into oncoming traffic, progressing into the drainage ditch on the oncoming traffic side of highway. Once the 4Runner impacted the drainage ditch at a 90° angle, the 4Runners momentum dispersed by causing the 4Runner to overturn 3 times landing on its wheels in the adjoining field. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Repaonse: Independent Service Center has confirmed the problem with the Rusted Frame, Rusted Suspension, and Air Bag failure.…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 29, 2025Suspension, Air bags, StructureCrash reportedODI 11707650
“The contact owned a 2004 Toyota 4 Runner. The contact stated that the driver’s and front passenger air bags failed. The contact stated that when at complete a stop at the red traffic light, the vehicle in the rear failed to stop and crashed into the contact's vehicle rear-end, pushing the vehicle into the roadway. The driver’s and front passenger air bags failed to deploy and caused the front passenger's head to hit the dashboard, suffered injuries to the head, six broken back vertebrae, three broken ribs, head concussion. The contact was the driver and had no injuries to report. The front passenger who was her husband was airlifted to the hospital. The State Trooper mentioned that the other driver might have been on their phone however it was unknown due to them suffering fatal injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed. The contact advised that the vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 238,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 10, 2021Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11432489
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE OVER A SMALL BUMP, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LARRY H MILLER TOYOTA MURRAY (5650 S STATE ST, MURRAY, UT 84107, (801) 590-0640) AND NUMEROUS FAILURE CODES WERE LOCATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V065000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 10909230699. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 180,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 22, 2019Air bagsODI 11281856
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V065000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AN UNKNOWN TOYOTA DEALER LOCATED IN UPATOI, GA WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 19, 2018Air bagsODI 11102531
“I HAD TO SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS TO TAKE THE CAR TO TOYOTA BECAUSE OF THE AIRBAG DEFECT.THIS HAPPENED TWICE ONCE IN 2013 AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO CHARGE AND THAN THEY CHARGED ME $346 AND SAID IT WAS TO REPLACE FLUIDS...THE SECOND RECALL WAS IN 2016 THIS TIME THERE WAS NO CHARGE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 10, 2017Air bagsODI 11014129
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE FOUR SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED BURNS AND CUTS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS ARM. THE OCCUPANTS DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THERE WAS NO FIRE, CRASH, OR POLICE REPORT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. AN INVESTIGATOR INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING AUTHORIZATION FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 27, 2017Air bagsODI 10968707

Showing 6 of 37 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Air bags: side

Free remedy

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470, 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia, 2004-2006 Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX470 vehicles equipped with side curtain-shield-air bags. The affected vehicles have an air bag control module that may be improperly programmed, causing the side curtain-shield-air bags to deploy inadvertently.

Air bagsReported Feb 5, 2016NHTSA 16V065000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.