TSB: 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 1979 ? 2023 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2005 Toyota Prius airbags problems
severe 35 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
35
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
26crashes
30injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 35 airbags complaints filed for the 2005 Toyota Prius, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 100,000-125,000 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
Owners have filed 35 airbags complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 15 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
TSB: 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 bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this service bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This service bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare the interior of the vehicle prior to an odor remediation being performed, as well as contact information for an approved vendor who will arrange the remediation, and instructions on how to prepare the interior of the vehicle for reassembly once the remediation has been completed. Refer to all model and
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Toyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TSB: REVISION NOTICE July 20, 2017 Rev1: Applicability has been updated to exclude 2007 ? 2017 model year Avanza vehicles. Some hazardous material treatment and handling regulations at the state and local level define the pre-disposal deployment of airbag and pre-tensioner assemblies as hazardous material treatment. Hazardous material treatment may require special training, certification or licensing in certain areas. TMS recommends that dealership personnel carefully review and follow ALL local and state regulations, and where necessary, contract with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Licensed Hazardous Waste Transportation and Disposal facilities.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Toyota 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 in a collision. If a customer expresses any concerns that the SRS airbags or pre-tensioner devices did not perform as expected (including an unintended deployment event), please follow the steps in the recommendations section below.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2005 Priuses consistently report airbags failing to deploy in frontal and broadside collisions at speeds between 25 and 55 mph—impacts severe enough to total the vehicle. Collisions ranged from head-on crashes, offset frontal hits, and T-bone impacts to single-vehicle tree strikes after skidding. In many cases, the front end was crushed, pushed back over a foot into the dashboard, or so mangled that firefighters had to cut doors open. Yet airbag systems with driver-side, passenger-side, and side-curtain bags all remained inactive. Occupants hit windshields, dashboards, and door frames. Some required hospitalization, neck collar treatment, CT scans, and MRIs; one suffered permanent shoulder injury with limited arm mobility.
When contacted, Toyota's standard response was that speeds were too low, impact angle was wrong, or the vehicle didn't hit hard enough—claims that contradict the severity of structural damage owners describe. One owner received Toyota's claim that a 32–35 mph head-on collision with the Jeep's airbags deploying wasn't hard enough for the Prius system; the Jeep driver was drunk with no injuries.
Separately, owners report a chronic SRS warning light issue: the light comes on, gets reset at the dealership, then returns within weeks or months. One owner noted the dashboard bulging upward under the "SRS AIR BAG" label on the passenger side—the exact same spot on both of his 2005 Priuses. Dealers identified wiring harness defects requiring $2,000 to $4,373 in repairs, with technicians stating they were aware of the problem across the model line. Toyota issued no recall for these defects.
Same Toyota Prius airbags reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2007 · 2008
Failure modes owners describe
Airbag non-deployment in moderate to high-speed frontal collisions
Driver-side, passenger-side, and/or side-curtain airbags fail to deploy during frontal or broadside collisions at speeds ranging from approximately 25 to 55 mph, including offset and head-on impacts with significant structural damage.
When: Various incidents from 2008 through 2024; mileage at failure ranged from 48,000 to 280,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment despite frontal impact; No side-curtain airbag deployment in broadside collisions; Vehicle totaled but airbags remained inactive; Occupants struck windshield, dashboard, or door frames without airbag protection; Injuries sustained that occupants believe would have been reduced or prevented by airbag deployment
Codes mentioned: SRS airbag system failure (no specific codes provided in narratives)
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented for non-deployment events; owners indicate vehicle destruction and towing to insurance or repair shops
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota claimed insufficient impact severity, wrong collision angle, or insufficient speed to trigger deployment; refused to investigate after bumper removal; stated vehicle was out of warranty and no recalls applied
Airbag warning light illumination and recurrence
SRS airbag warning light comes on and either stays on or cycles off and back on intermittently; resets temporarily at dealership but returns; one case noted dash bulging under 'SRS AIR BAG' label on passenger side.
When: Reported as early as 3–4 years prior to complaint date; failures as recent as 2015; pattern of cycling over years
Symptoms owners cite: SRS airbag warning light illuminates and remains on; Light resets after dealer visit but returns within weeks to months; Intermittent warning light that sometimes clears when steering wheel is turned; Dash bulging upward on passenger side under 'SRS AIR BAG' label (same location on two different 2005 Prius owned by one person)
Codes mentioned: SRS malfunction detected (specific codes not provided)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers replaced front passenger seat twice; cleared error codes; replaced wiring harness and main computer; costs cited include approximately $2,000 for wiring harness replacement and $4,373.07 for driver and passenger squib airbag harness replacement
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Told no recalls apply; stated vehicle out of warranty; documented reports but advised owner to return to dealer for inspection
Airbag wiring harness defect
Wiring harness under seat or in airbag circuit develops a defect causing loss of airbag function and warning light illumination; dealers confirm defect awareness within the industry.
When: Failures noted at 12,000, 80,000, 105,000, and 107,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: SRS airbag warning light illuminates; Diagnostic confirms wiring harness malfunction; Airbags confirmed non-functional due to harness failure
Codes mentioned: Wiring harness defect (no OBD codes provided)
Repairs/costs cited: Wiring harness replacement quoted at approximately $2,000; squib airbag harness replacement quoted at $4,373.07; one owner reports dealers are aware of the problem but no recall issued
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall issued despite dealer awareness of the defect; one narrative states Toyota and dealer ignored request to download event data recorder
Clock spring failure
Clock spring component under steering wheel develops defect causing intermittent airbag warning light that sometimes clears when steering wheel is turned.
When: Timing not specified; reported as intermittent issue
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminates intermittently; Warning light clears when steering wheel is turned
Codes mentioned: Clock spring malfunction
Repairs/costs cited: No repair cost provided
Synthesized from 35 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 Toyota prius. A vehicle traveling approximately 35 MPH crashed into the contacts vehicle head on. The air bags did not deploy. A police was filed and 2 injuries were reported. The contact and a passenger were transported via ambulance to the emergency room. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to an insurance company lot. The vehicle was not examined for the cause of…
Had airbags trouble with your 2005 Toyota Prius?
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 Prius?
It's a meaningful issue. 35 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 29 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 47,500 and 130,000 miles, with the median around 75,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 47,500; a quarter make it past 130,000. 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/Prius.
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.