1997 Toyota Tacoma Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 5about this part
- Share
- 4%of 131 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 131,500miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 5 complaints about the air bags of the 1997 Toyota Tacoma, 4% of the 131 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 131,500 miles. 5 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.
“Driving south on macintosh rd. Tried to avoid hitting a car that made an illegal u-turn in front of me. I ran into the wall hard enough to knock the wall (cement) down. The air bag did not deploy. I received a concussion, and am still having problems with side effects a year later. Accident happened may 12, 2014.”
NHTSA complaint #10723308, filed 2015-06, 98,000 miles“Was in a terrible collision and roll over in 1996 Toyota Tacoma and both the passenger and drivers side airbags did not deploy. I sustain major fractured face resulting in reconstructive surgery and now have neck problems and fibromyalgia.”
NHTSA complaint #10631731, filed 2014-09, 165,000 miles“Consumer had lost control of his vehicle and hit a guardrail at a high speed. Upon the collision, the airbags failed to deploy. (lawyer mary speedy hajdu on behalf of consumer kenneth c. Miller)”
NHTSA complaint #10059438, filed 2004-02“Consumer was involved in a 50 MPH frontal collision in which the driver's or passenger's air bags did not deploy. The driver of the vehicle sustained fatal injuries. Please give additional information.”
NHTSA complaint #816330, filed 1997-09Related 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…
- 10190460Mar 17, 2021Toyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
- 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…
- 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 1% |
| 2024 | 2 | 1% |
| 2023 | 8 | 15% |
| 2022 | 8 | 14% |
| 2021 | 7 | 9% |
| 2020 | 4 | 4% |
| 2019 | 4 | 2% |
| 2018 | 3 | 1% |
| 2017 | 13 | 5% |
| 2016 | 5 | 2% |
| 2015 | 11 | 11% |
| 2014 | 8 | 9% |
| 2013 | 10 | 8% |
| 2012 | 9 | 3% |
| 2011 | 17 | 9% |
| 2010 | 16 | 5% |
| 2009 | 13 | 3% |
| 2008 | 29 | 6% |
| 2007 | 44 | 8% |
| 2006 | 76 | 10% |
| 2005 | 46 | 7% |
| 2004 | 15 | 4% |
| 2003 | 28 | 8% |
| 2002 | 19 | 6% |
| 2001 | 20 | 5% |
| 2000 | 25 | 12% |
| 1999 | 38 | 15% |
| 1998 | 46 | 15% |
| 1997 | 5 | 4% |
| 1996 | 16 | 6% |
| 1995 | 10 | 6% |
Other parts of the 1997 Toyota Tacoma
46 complaintsSuspension
24 complaintsTires
14 complaintsSeat belts
11 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
9 complaintsBrakes
6 complaintsOther or unknown
6 complaintsVehicle speed control
6 complaintsSteering
4 complaintsWheels
4 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
2 complaintsElectrical system
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1997 Toyota Tacoma
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