2016 Toyota Highlander Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 10about this part
- Share
- 9%of 111 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 10,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 10 complaints about the air bags of the 2016 Toyota Highlander, 9% of the 111 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 10,000 miles. 6 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I had an accident on my car going 50 to 60 MPH I the road curved and I did not I went into the top of the ditch hit front end and went airborn 30 to 50 feet in the air over the persons drivway. I landed on my back bumper which then propelled me back into the air and I flipped end over end landed on my tires. Not one of the airbags deployed in this accident. The officer at the scene was shocked. I hit my head on the steering wheel the head rest broke I het it so hard and the b pillar of the car. I was on a highway.”
NHTSA complaint #10919975, filed 2016-10, 18,000 miles“I own a 2016 Highlander limited platinum and after a major accident I have a serious concern about the safety claims. Yesterday my wife was in a rollover (2 full rotations) accident in her 2016 Highlander platinum. Car was destroyed, her head hit both the steering wheel and the b-pillar, both have airbags. Not a single airbag was deployed. Driver and front passenger seat-mounted side airbags, driver knee airbag, front passenger seat-cushion airbag and all-row roll-sensing side curtain airbags = all a total fail, none of that worked. …”
NHTSA complaint #10918511, filed 2016-10, 10,000 miles“Airbags deployed during an accident where the 2016 Highlander hit the rear of the car in front of it that had slowed for a traffic light. This accident happened on 1-25-16 and the car was transported to a Toyota auto body shop on the 26th. Since then Highlander has been totally repaired except for the side airbags. Toyota motor in ca has no idea when airbags will be released for use in parts on 2016 model. It is now 3/21/16.”
NHTSA complaint #10850747, filed 2016-03, 1,384 miles“I have had problems with the brakes since I bought the vehicle new in 2016. I have the brakes checked every year and when I had problems but they never found the problem why the brakes do not work. The worse accident was on November 19, 2022 when my wife was using the car. She was in the car alone. She went to brake and the brakes did not engage, she slammed on the brakes 4 times and the car did not even slow down and she rear-ended the car in front of her. The air bags did not engage and she was injured. …”
NHTSA complaint #11540443, filed 2023-08“I was traveling on an interstate going home from work. My speed was approximately 65mph. I noticed traffic slowing up ahead. I began to drop my speed (cost down), as I was approaching the traffic the car in front of me was applying their brakes; I had already began to apply mine. I was applying more pressure to my brakes to slow down more as the person in front of me began to slow more quickly. The person in front of me then had to slam their brakes on and I was not able to stop in time to avoid collision with the car in front of me. That driver did not come in contact with any other vehicle. …”
NHTSA complaint #11695898, filed 2025-10Related service bulletins
- 10244113Aug 17, 2023TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most…
- 10227898Nov 23, 2022TSB: Some 2005 ? 2022 model year Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell is present. Follow the procedures in this…
- 10224102Jun 3, 2022TSB: Some 2016 ? 2018 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with Entune? Audio (version 01013E), Entune? Audio Plus (version 010156 or 01015C), or Entune? Premium Audio (versions…
- 10190460Mar 17, 2021Toyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
- 10132410Jul 20, 2017TSB: REVISION NOTICE July 20, 2017 Rev1: Applicability has been updated to exclude 2007 ? 2017 model year Avanza vehicles. Some hazardous material treatment and handling…
Air bags: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 12 | 6% |
| 2022 | 32 | 12% |
| 2021 | 42 | 8% |
| 2020 | 32 | 10% |
| 2019 | 14 | 3% |
| 2018 | 19 | 7% |
| 2017 | 9 | 3% |
| 2016 | 10 | 9% |
| 2015 | 8 | 4% |
| 2014 | 2 | 1% |
| 2013 | 17 | 8% |
| 2012 | 10 | 5% |
| 2011 | 8 | 4% |
| 2010 | 14 | 6% |
| 2009 | 8 | 6% |
| 2008 | 58 | 14% |
| 2007 | 2 | 2% |
| 2006 | 12 | 4% |
| 2005 | 9 | 4% |
| 2004 | 9 | 3% |
| 2003 | 9 | 3% |
| 2002 | 13 | 4% |
| 2001 | 10 | 7% |
Other parts of the 2016 Toyota Highlander
21 complaintsBrakes
19 complaintsElectrical system
14 complaintsEngine
9 complaintsExterior lighting
9 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
9 complaintsTires
7 complaintsSteering
6 complaintsElectronic stability control
4 complaintsFuel system
4 complaintsSeats
4 complaintsBody and structure
4 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2016 Toyota Highlander
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology