2021 Toyota Highlander air bags problems

“Four days after I took delivery of this used vehicle (April 25, 2026), multiple warning lights appeared at once: BRAKE, ABS, PARK, Check Engine, Blind Spot Monitor Unavailable, and RCTA OFF. An independent Toyota dealership diagnosed the vehicle April 27-28, 2026 (approx. 109,000 miles) and found (1) water leaking into the rear hybrid battery area through a sunroof drain "installed incorrectly," causing a Brake System Control Module low-voltage code, starting issues, a headlight only partially functioning on one side, possible air in the brake system, and a musty HVAC odor; and (2) blind spot monitor fault code C1AC2 (Slave Module Horizontal Axis Misalignment) - the blind spot and rear cross-traffic monitoring systems do not function reliably. At a second visit on May 4, 2026, recalibration was unsuccessful; per Toyota procedure the only remaining option is replacing the right-rear blind spot sensor. The technician wrote the cause is a mystery, "whether it be body damage related or electrical short." Toyota service records show the same C1AC2 code was documented during the selling dealer's own pre-sale inspection, and that in December 2024 another Toyota…”

“The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.”

“The contact owned a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed low speed and in the process of merging into the highway, the vehicle was suddenly rear-ended in the rear quarter panel area, near the rear tire, causing the vehicle to face oncoming traffic. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags did not deploy. The message "Park Brake Malfunction" was displayed. The contact transported his wife to an urgent care clinic the evening of the incident for a medical check-up because the contact's wife was pregnant and was starting to feel pain. The contact's wife sustained neck injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The insurance company was notified of the incident and towed the vehicle to Copart to be inspected. The vehicle was totaled. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.”

“The airbags did not deploy when I was involved in an accident on the freeway July 2025. During the collision, there was a message on the driver dashboard that read "SRS Airbag System Malfunction Visit Your Dealer". When I took my Highlander into the collision autobody shop, they notified me that my car had an open recall and that I needed to get in touch with manufacturer or schedule an appointment with a local Toyota dealership to see if they could remedy the recall as soon as possible. When I called Toyota, they confirmed that there was a recall on the Highlander's that opened in 2023 and that there was supposed to be a remedy in 2024, but unfortunately there is still no remedy available. They let me know that I would not be able to bring the vehicle in for service and that the collision center would not be able to remedy the situation on Toyota's behalf. This safety issue put myself and my family that includes multiple children that were in the vehicle at the time of the accident, in a very unsettling situation. We were afraid to drive the car any further than 5 miles or on the freeway, wondering if the airbags would deploy at any minute. There was little to…”

“The component that has failed is the passenger airbag system under Toyota Recall 23TA15 (Interim Notice 23TB15). The recall notice states that the passenger airbag may not deploy in the event of a crash. My vehicle is a 2021 Toyota Highlander (VIN: [XXX] ). This safety defect has been outstanding and unresolved for over 21 months with no available repair or remedy. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The safety of my family is directly at risk. I am a mother of three young children, and we frequently travel with passengers in the front seat. If the passenger airbag does not deploy during an accident, it could result in catastrophic injury or death to anyone sitting in that seat. This ongoing recall forces me to make a difficult choice between risking my family’s safety or not using the vehicle as intended. The problem has been acknowledged by Toyota and confirmed by their recall notice. I contacted Toyota and opened a case with their Brand Engagement Center, but they denied my request for assistance and informed me there is no current remedy. I was told my case has been taken to the highest level within Toyota and that the only option left is…”

“The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS). The contact stated that the dealer was contacted; however, the contact was informed that the parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about parts not being available. The contact had not experienced a failure.”