Problems · by component

2004 Toyota Tundra air bags problems

50 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Toyota Tundra cite air bags, 11% of all 466 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 5 recalls on this component.

Complaints
50
11% of all complaints
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH during heavy rains, the vehicle hydroplaned and spun several times before the front end crashed into a guardrail. The driver's side air bag failed to deploy, causing the driver's chest to strike the steering wheel. A bystander assisted the contact out of the vehicle and called an ambulance and the Police. The contact was transported to the emergency room by ambulance. The contact sustained internal and external bruises to the chest, stomach, and bruises to the armpit from the seat belt. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The failure mileage was approximately 185,000. The VIN and license plate were unavailable.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 8, 2026Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11762695
“I HAVE TRIED FOR MONTHS TO GET THIS AIRBAG REPLACED WITH NO LUCK. I KEEP GETTING THESE RECALL NOTICES WITH INSTRUCTIONS I TRY TO FOLLOW AND HERE'S THE RESULTS SO FAR: AFTER TEXTING "FIX" TO 877-427-0285 SEVERAL TIMES, NOTHING HAPPENED. MONTHS LATER, I GET SOME BIZARRE TEXT FROM A NUMBER I DON'T RECOGNIZE ASKING FOR MY ADDRESS SAYING I NEED TO RESPOND WITHIN 10 MINUTES. AFTER ASKING WHO IT WAS, ANOTHER NUMBER TEXTS ME ASKING FOR THE SAME INFO WITH NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHO THEY ARE AND THEY REFUSED TO SAY. I'VE CALLED TOYOTA OF TUMWATER A FEW TIMES AND, AT FIRST, THEY COULDN'T SCHEDULE ME FOR AN APPOINTMENT UNTIL SOME TWO MONTHS OUT. IN THE MOST RECENT CALL THEY NEEDED MY HOME ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER, WHICH I'M NOT INCLINED TO GIVE BUT DID IN HOPES OF GETTING THIS RESOLVED, BUT THEN THEY NEEDED MY FULL VIN. IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHY ISN'T IT ON THE [XXX] RECALL NOTICE? YOU LISTED THE LAST 8 DIGITS SO CLEARLY YOU HAVE IT. I TEXTED "FIX" TO THE NUMBER LISTED AGAIN THIS MORNING AND FINALLY GET A RESPONSE FROM "CINDY" WHO ASKS FOR EITHER THE FULL VIN OR THE RECALL ID. I SHARE THE RECALL ID AND TOLD I NEED TO SEND THE FULL VIN. AFTER A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH, I'M TOLD…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 17, 2021Air bagsODI 11403518
“OUR TUNDRA HAD A FRAME RECALL AND IT WAS THE DEALERS DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT TO REPLACE DRAM OR JUST COVER UP WITH UNDERCOATING. WE DISAGREED WITH THE DECISION TO UNDERCOAT AS THE DEAL WAS SHOWING SIGNS OF EXTENSIVE RUST. NOW, OUR FRAME IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO THE POINT OF FALLING AWAY FROM THE BODY. JUST ABOUT ALL PARTS UNDER THE TRUCK HAVE NOW SUFFERED AS WELL. WE HAVE NEVER HAD THE TRUCK LAUNCH A BOAT, GONE OFF ROAD, OR ANY OTHER DANGEROUS ACTIVITIES. BASICALLY A TRAIN STATION AND DUMP RUN VEHICLE. I AM TERRIBLY DISAPPOINTED WITH TOYOTA AND THEIR POOR HANDLING OF THE SITUATION. BASICALLY THEY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUPER EXPENSIVE FRAME REPLACEMENT; TOO BAD. ENGINE, BODY, AND INTERIOR ARE IN GREAT SHAPE. I NEED HELP AS I 1) CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR THEIR MISTAKE AND 2) CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE THIS TRUCK AND IT IS VITAL FOR US. JUST FOUND OUT TODAY THAT THE FRAME IS DISINTEGRATING QUICKLY WHEN WE BROUGHT CAR TO SHOP FOR A STEERING ISSUE WHICH WE NOW FIND OUT WAS CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE RUST. THANK YOU”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 20, 2020Suspension, Air bags, StructureODI 11350418
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED HER HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, WHEN HE UNEXPECTEDLY COLLIDED WITH AN EMBANKMENT AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT HUSBAND WAS FATALLY INJURED AND WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOT FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V286000 (AIR BAGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 3, 2020Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11343032
“WE RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER SOME TIME IN NOVEMBER FOR OUR TOYOTA TUNDRA. I REACHED OUT TO STEVEN TOYOTA IN HARRISONBURG VIRGINIA SHORTLY AFTER RECEIVING THE LETTER. I WAS TOLD THEY NEEDED TO ORDER THE PART AND WOULD CALL BACK WHEN RECEIVED. I NEVER RECEIVED A CALL FROM STEVEN TOYOTA, AND HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED TO GET THIS RESOLVED WITH MULTIPLE CALLS TO THE DEALERSHIP SINCE EARLY JANUARY. THE CALLS TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT EITHER GO TO VOICE MAIL OR ARE HUNG UP ON AFTER MULTIPLE RINGS. I FINALLY GOT A HOLD OF A SERVICE PERSON ON JANUARY 30TH, WHO SAID THEY WOULD CALL BACK IN TEN MINUTES WHEN THEY FOUND OUT INFORMATION. I NEVER RECEIVED A CALL. I ATTEMPTED TO CALL BACK TODAY, AND THE CALL WENT TO VOICE MAIL. I DO HAVE A RECORD OF ATTEMPTED PHONE LOG ON MY PHONE. I CALLED STEVENS BACK AND TOLD THE RECEPTIONIST I WOULD BE FILING A COMPLAINT, AND SHE RESPONDED " I'M SORRY FOR YOUR INCONVENIENCE."”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 31, 2020Air bagsODI 11306355
“I CALLED THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. TOYOTA OF GASTONIA. 1.704.824.7777 AND THE MANAGER.. [XXX] ASKED WHY THE OWNER COULD NOT BRING THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND LEAVE IT. AND I TOLD THEM THE OWNER [XXX]. HAS COPD AND IS ON OXYGEN. AND COULD NOT WAIT 3-4 HOURS.. AND SHE SAID WELL IF HE CAN NOT DRIVE COUPLE HOURS. WHY IS HE EVEN GOING TO FIX THE AIR BAG?/ *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 24, 2020Air bagsODI 11301683

Showing 6 of 50 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

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

5 recalls on this component

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Oct 17, 2019NHTSA 19V741000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2002-2005 Lexus SC and Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2005 Toyota Corolla and Tundra, and 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation.

Air bagsReported Dec 12, 2018NHTSA 18V883000

Air bags

Free remedy

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015, that they are recalling 2005-2007 Lexus SC, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, and Pontiac Vibe, and 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra vehicles that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan and American Samoa. On June 16, 2015 Toyota expanded the recall to cover an additional 769,055 vehicles, including certain model year 2002-2004 Lexus SC, Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix, Toyota Corolla, Pontiac Vibe, and Toyota Tundra vehicles, as well the vehicles covered by the May 13, 2015 notification in the portions of Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas that were not previously included. The inflators in the front passenger air bags are susceptible to rupture in the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the front passenger air bag.

Air bagsReported May 13, 2015NHTSA 15V286000

Air bags

Free remedy

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015 that they are recalling certain model year 2004 Sequoia vehicles manufactured August 18, 2003, to August 19, 2004, and 2003-2004 Tundra vehicles manufactured March 18, 2003, to August 25, 2004. On June 16, 2015, Toyota expanded the recall to include an additional 1,270,468 vehicles, including model year 2002-2003 and 2005-2007 Sequoia, 2005-2006 Tundra, 2003-2007 Corolla, 2003-2007 Corolla Matrix, 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe and 2002-2007 Lexus SC vehicles. This is to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag inflator which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag. This recall addresses both the passenger side frontal air bags that were originally installed in the vehicles, as well as replacement air bags that may have been installed as replacement service parts. A replacement air bag may have been installed, as one example, if a vehicle had been in a crash necessitating the replacement of the passenger side frontal air bag.

Air bagsReported May 13, 2015NHTSA 15V285000

Air bags: on-off switch assembly

Free remedy

CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, 'CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS.' THESE VEHICLES HAVE A MANUAL AIR BAG ON-OFF SWITCH TO DISABLE THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG AND DO NOT HAVE A CHILD RESTRAINT LOWER ANCHORAGE SYSTEM IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS SPECIFICATION DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.

Air bagsReported Jun 2, 2005NHTSA 05V254000
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.