Problems · by component

1997 Toyota Corolla air bags problems

29 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Toyota Corolla cite air bags, 21% of all 138 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
29
21% of all complaints
Crashes
15
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
14
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I WAS SCANNING MY VEHICLE WITH AN OBD2 SCANNER AND LEARNED THAT MY CAR, WHICH I'M NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER, HAS HAD RECALLS AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE BEEN RECTIFIED. ATTACHED ARE SCREENSHOTS OF THE RECALL INFORMATION. THE FIRST ONE HAS ME MORE WORRIED THAN THE OTHER....INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS. PLEASE READ THE DETAILS. THE SECOND (FRONT STRUTS) IS SOMETHING THAT ALSO CONCERNS ME BECAUSE OF ITS LACK OF SHOCK ABSORPTION. MY VIN# [XXX] (ALSO ON THE SCREENSHOTS) IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THE HISTORY OF MY VEHICLE AND WHETHER OR NOT THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN RESOLVED, PLEASE SHARE IT WITH ME. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2018Suspension, Air bagsODI 11097722
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS CRASHED FROM THE REAR AND LATER SPUN OUT OF CONTROL. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK AND BACK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 3, 2015Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10691882
“TOYOTA COROLLA DX 1997 THE CAR WAS SOLD BY THE MANUFACTURER IN ST LOUIS MISSOURI WHILE I WAS IN LAW SCHOOL. THE CAR HAS BEEN NOW IN FLORIDA FOR THE LAST TEN YEAR IN A WARM, EXTREMELY HUMID CLIMATE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS ADMITTED TO A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAGS. APPARENTLY IN HUMID CLIMATES. NOW DOES IT NOT MAKE SENSE TO CHECK OUT THE AIRBAG IF THE CAR HAS BEEN IN A HUMID CLIMATE .REGARDLESS WHERE THE CAR WAS SOLD ? OR IS THE CAR SAFE BECAUSE IT WAS SOLD SOMEWHERE ELSE AND IF THE CAR IS THEN DRIVEN IN A HUMID CLIMATE THE AIRBAG WILL WORK SINCE THE DEALERSHIP WAS IN A COLD WEATHER CLIMATE? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 29, 2014Air bagsODI 10606820
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 30 MPH, SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH MUCH FORCE AND THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. SHE SUSTAINED MINOR LACERATIONS TO HER ARM. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD APPROXIMATELY COST OVER $1,000 JUST FOR THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 135,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 13, 2009Air bagsODI 10261740
“THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO HAVE AIR BAG COMPUTER RECALL REPLACED DUE TO INCONVENIENCE OF LEAVING THE VEHICLE FULL DAY AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE SECOND DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE REPLACEMENT PART. CONSUMER STATED THAT RECALL PROBLEMS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE CONVENIENT, COURTEOUS SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS WHO ARE INCONVENIENCED BY THEIR MISTAKES. *YH”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 20, 2002Air bagsODI 568318
“CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL FOLLOW-UP NOTICE ON AIR BAG COMPUTER, CONSUMER DOES NOTTHAT WHY IT TOOK MANUFACTURER THREE YEARS TO SEND A RECALL NOTICE SHE STATES SHE HAS BEEN AT THE SAME ADDRESS SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, ALSO CONSUMER HAS BEEN BACK ANF FORTH FOR OTHER RELATED ISSUES AND THE DEALER NEVER CAUGHT THE RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED BACK IN APRIL OF 1997.*YH”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 24, 2001Air bagsODI 563718

Showing 6 of 29 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Air bags

Free remedy

IF THE AIR BAG COMPUTER IN A SUBJECT VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A MECHANICAL SHOCK (I.E., RAPIDLY MOVING THE FRONT SEAT BACK AGAINST THE STOPS OR A SUDDEN RELEASE OF THE PARKING BRAKE) WITHIN A VERY SHORT TIME AFTER THE ENGINE IS STARTED, THE AIR BAG CAN DEPLOY INADVERTENTLY.

Air bagsReported Mar 20, 1997NHTSA 97V043001
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

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

Other 1997 Corolla problem areas