1999 Toyota Tacoma Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 38about this part
- Share
- 15%of 249 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 143,500miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 38 complaints about the air bags of the 1999 Toyota Tacoma, 15% of the 249 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 143,500 miles. 31 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.
“While driving on I-5, just south of mt. Shasta, at about 2:45 in the morning, I hit a 400 lb brown bear, doing the speed limit for the road in the area(65mph). The bear brought the truck to a complete stop. Neither driver nor passenger side airbags deployed. I called a local Toyota dealer and they said that the bear was not a stationary object, and this is why the airbags did not deploy.”
NHTSA complaint #10030434, filed 2003-07, 49,310 miles“Takata recall- my husband had a seizure while driving. He crossed over to oncoming traffic. He hit one car, went over a curb and down an embankment and ended up hitting the back of a subway. His car went through the wall into the subway. Air bags did not deploy. Police did file a report and he was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. His car was totaled.”
NHTSA complaint #10824320, filed 2016-02, 140,000 miles“- the contact stated that while driving the 1999 Toyota Tacoma with 172000 failure mileage at 20 MPH the vehicle hit a concrete pole on the center of the vehicle's bumper, and the air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained minor injuries. The contact stated that the vehicle was totally destroyed.”
NHTSA complaint #10186271, filed 2007-03, 172,000 miles“3 times now I have had the airbag inoperative light illuminate, each time it has been a fault with the air bag cutoff switch, this has been replaced each time. The cutoff switch is never used, despite this it fails the airbag system each time.”
NHTSA complaint #10260672, filed 2009-03, 147,000 miles“Hit a deer on the new york state thruway when traveling about 65 MPH. Air bags were not activated. No serious injury to myself but had $7500 damage done to the front of my 1999 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck. Was told by repair department that sometimes air bags are not deployed in accidents.”
NHTSA complaint #10146082, filed 2005-12, 121,000 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…
- 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…
- 10042555Sep 6, 2011Toyota: information provided for replacing the seat covers for vehicles equipped with side airbags.
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 1999 Toyota Tacoma
102 complaintsSuspension
35 complaintsTires
23 complaintsOther or unknown
22 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
16 complaintsElectrical system
11 complaintsSteering
10 complaintsEngine cooling
9 complaintsVehicle speed control
8 complaintsSeat belts
6 complaintsBrakes
5 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1999 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