On 10/25/18 I was involved in a head on collision when my gas pedal hung and lurched forward while I was pulling into a parking space at a doctor's office. I had slowed down to park when my car jumped the curb and hit the building head on. It was 3:50 in the afternoon and a clear visibility day. The police report has my speed at about 20 MPH. My airbag didn't deploy, I did have my seatbelt on. It…
2005 Toyota Avalon airbags problems
severe 11 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
6crashes
6injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 11 airbags complaints filed for the 2005 Toyota Avalon, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 125,000-150,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2005 Avalon has significant documented airbag issues: multiple owners report non-deployment in serious crashes, one reports spontaneous deployment while parked, and dashboard cracking compromises airbag safety. Get any used example inspected by a Toyota specialist and verify airbag system functionality before purchase.
Owners of 2005 Avalons describe a pattern of airbag system failures. Non-deployment is the most common complaint: multiple drivers experienced frontal collisions at varying speeds (20 mph to 60+ mph) where no airbags activated despite significant front-end damage. In one incident, all 12 airbags failed to deploy during a 60 mph bus collision. Another owner hit a building head-on at 20 mph with no airbag deployment and suffered whiplash and possible traumatic brain injury. A third crashed into a utility pole at 55 mph with no airbag or seat belt pre-tensioning activation. One collision shop and paramedics expressed surprise at non-deployment given impact severity; the owner noted Toyota had issued an airbag recall in 2006 but did not confirm whether the vehicle was covered.
Separate from non-deployment, one owner reported that airbags deployed spontaneously while the vehicle was parked with the engine running when the driver's door was shut. Multiple dealership visits and attempts to contact Toyota for repair yielded no resolution.
Dashboard cracking across the driver-side area is also reported, with owners expressing concern that compromised airbag covers could affect deployment safety. Toyota quoted one owner $2,500 for dashboard replacement and offered replacement covers that were never supplied.
Same Toyota Avalon airbags reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2007
Failure modes owners describe
Non-deployment in frontal/head-on collisions
Airbags failed to deploy during multiple frontal impact crashes including head-on collisions with other vehicles and fixed objects. Impact speeds ranged from 12-20 mph to 60+ mph, with front-end damage confirmed in all cases. Owners and collision shops reported shock at non-deployment given impact severity.
When: During accidents at various mileages: 62k miles, unspecified at time of 60+ mph bus collision, 20 mph parking lot impact, utility pole collision at 55 mph or less, high-speed guardrail collisions
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags did not deploy during frontal collisions; Failed to deploy in head-on and side-impact scenarios; Multiple airbags (stated as 12 in one case) failed to activate; No seat belt pre-tensioning in some incidents
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One complaint mentioned a 2006 recall for airbag problems; Toyota did not confirm whether the vehicle was in the recalled population. Dealer stated in another case that the design threshold (60 pounds) was intentional.
Airbag deployment during normal operation
Driver-side and roof airbags deployed while the vehicle was parked with the engine running when the driver's door was shut. Owner made numerous attempts to have Toyota repair the issue but reported no success after multiple dealership visits.
When: Vehicle parked, engine running; diagnostics performed 11/13/14
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags deployed spontaneously when door was closed; Occurred with vehicle in park and engine running
Repairs/costs cited: Taken to Toyota dealership for diagnostic readings on 11/13/14; no successful repair completed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership stated owner would be notified within 30 days by legal department; owner reported no follow-up or resolution after numerous attempts to contact Toyota
Airbag-related dashboard cracking and degradation
Airbag covers and dashboard panels developed cracks running across the dash from the driver-side airbag area. Dashboard material also became sticky and shiny. Toyota offered to replace dash covers but parts were never made available. One owner quoted nearly $2,500 for dashboard replacement.
When: Timing not specified; noted as ongoing hazard at time of complaint
Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard cracked from driver-side airbag to left door; Airbag covers cracked; Dashboard material became sticky and shiny; Owner expressed concern that airbag safety is potentially compromised if deployed
Repairs/costs cited: Toyota quoted $2,500 for dashboard replacement; replacement dash covers were promised but never supplied
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota offered to supply and replace dash covers but parts were never made available
Excessive airbag deployment force causing injury
One complaint reported that the driver-side airbag deployed with sufficient force to break the driver's ankle during a low-severity collision (hitting a telephone pole while swerving to avoid a cat). The impact was on the passenger front side, yet the driver-side airbag caused significant injury requiring surgical hardware (plate, rod, screws) and follow-up hardware removal.
When: Single incident; no mileage provided
Symptoms owners cite: Ankle fracture from airbag deployment; Severe injury despite relatively low-severity collision
Repairs/costs cited: Surgery required: plate, rod, and several screws placed in ankle; follow-up surgery for hardware removal
Airbag non-deployment with insufficient passenger weight
Driver reported that the airbag did not activate when his 95-pound wife sat in the front seat. The dealer stated the airbag was designed to activate at a 60-pound threshold, implying the threshold was set too high for lighter-weight occupants.
When: At 8,000 miles; complaint filed at 9,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag did not deploy for 95-pound passenger
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer stated the vehicle was designed to activate airbags at 60-pound threshold
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had airbags trouble with your 2005 Toyota Avalon?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2005 Toyota Avalon?
It's a meaningful issue. 11 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 8 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 62,000 and 136,000 miles, with the median around 113,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 62,000; a quarter make it past 136,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2005/Toyota/Avalon.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.