2008 Toyota Prius Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 41about this part
- Share
- 3%of 1,497 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 64,500miles
- Trend
- RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 41 complaints about the air bags of the 2008 Toyota Prius, 3% of the 1,497 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 64,500 miles. 34 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Driving on the freeway at 68 MPH when the car in front of me suddenly slammed on their brakes. I also slammed on the brakes but was not able to stop and rear ended the other car. My hood was crumpled, and the front end was pushed in. Radiator fluid was leaking. The car was not drivable and had to be towed. The air bags never deployed.”
NHTSA complaint #10460596, filed 2012-06, 66,000 miles“Went off the road into a ditch to avoid a deer. Ditch was im guessing about 4 foot deep . Air bags did not work. Hit my head and have a large bruise on my chest .”
NHTSA complaint #11191751, filed 2019-03, 123,000 miles“My husband was t-boned on the drivers side of our 2008 Toyota Prius by a SUV going approximately 40 MPH and not one air bag deployed. Thankfully the impact was near the front driver tire instead of directly on the door. The drivers side door was impacted and my husband had to wait for the fire department to pry open the door so he could get out of the vehicle. We bought this car brand new and it has never been in accident before. ..updated 12/09/15 updated 8/31/2017”
NHTSA complaint #10597770, filed 2014-06, 80,000 miles“Passenger side airbag light shows off when passenger is riding in passenger seat. Precision Toyota told me the weight limit is 80 pounds to turn on the airbag. My wife is between 90 and 95 pounds and sometimes the airbag will say on and other times it will say off. I had a 2015 Prius v for the last week and it has the same problem with the passenger airbag not turning on when my wife is present. This is a safety issue, because if something was to happen, then the passenger will be dead because the airbag did not work. …”
NHTSA complaint #10821563, filed 2016-01, 30,442 miles“I was impacted directly from the side, while in motion on a city street heading straight. I slightly swerved to the right. The other driver ran a stop sign from a cross street. The impact was hard enough to total the vehicle, and to bounce my head against the driver's side window, push me into a curb on the opposite side and cross traffic. The damage was at the majority toward the rear door, but impacted the center of the car and driver door enough where it was pushed an 1-inch and the driver door could not be opened. …”
NHTSA complaint #10883602, filed 2016-07, 131,500 milesRelated 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…
- 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…
- 10131961Jan 14, 2014Toyota vehicles are equipped with Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS), including various airbags and in some models, seat belt pre-tensioners, to help reduce the risk of injury…
- 10132055Nov 4, 2013Beginning in 1998, Toyota introduced side airbags as optional equipment. Toyota does NOT recommend replacement of original seat covers with non-Toyota leather or other seat cover…
- 10133915Jan 3, 2013Toyota vehicles are equipped with SRS, including various airbags and in some models, seat belt pre-tensioners, to help reduce the risk of injury in a collision. If a customer…
Air bags: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 17% |
| 2024 | 3 | 11% |
| 2022 | 3 | 13% |
| 2020 | 1 | 7% |
| 2019 | 4 | 13% |
| 2018 | 3 | 8% |
| 2017 | 3 | 3% |
| 2016 | 7 | 5% |
| 2015 | 6 | 4% |
| 2014 | 14 | 7% |
| 2013 | 18 | 4% |
| 2012 | 28 | 7% |
| 2011 | 46 | 9% |
| 2010 | 84 | 3% |
| 2009 | 17 | 3% |
| 2008 | 41 | 3% |
| 2007 | 50 | 3% |
| 2006 | 30 | 2% |
| 2005 | 44 | 4% |
| 2004 | 18 | 3% |
| 2003 | 1 | 1% |
| 2002 | 3 | 2% |
| 2001 | 1 | 1% |
Other parts of the 2008 Toyota Prius
579 complaintsBrakes
390 complaintsElectrical system
235 complaintsVehicle speed control
156 complaintsOther or unknown
92 complaintsBody and structure
68 complaintsFuel system
55 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
54 complaintsEngine
49 complaintsElectronic stability control
43 complaintsSteering
18 complaintsEngine cooling
16 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2008 Toyota Prius
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