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 Sienna airbags problems
severe 54 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
54
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
8crashes
2fires
10injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 54 airbags complaints filed for the 2005 Toyota Sienna, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 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 54 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 14 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 ↗Region Letter: Toyota will be sending Safety Recall Follow-Up Notices to remind owners whose vehicles have not yet had campaign repairs completed.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Letter: Toyota will be sending Safety Recall Follow-Up Notices to remind owners whose vehicles have not yet had campaign repairs completed.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2005 Sienna has a chronic airbag system problem that appears well into ownership—typically between 40,000 and 100,000 miles—and shuts down all airbags when it triggers. The most common failure is an intermittent or constant SRS warning light, usually tied to open-circuit faults in the passenger-side wiring harness or seat components (codes B0111, B0116, B0101). Dealers reset the light, but it comes back within days or weeks. Toyota's own technical bulletin from 2008 recommends replacing multiple airbag assemblies and harnesses for 2004–2008 model years, yet no recall was issued.
Out-of-warranty repair costs shock owners: $700 for a single airbag, $2,600 for a full harness assembly, up to $5,400 for a complete SRS overhaul. Some owners report missing small plastic components requiring $3,000 harness replacement. The design flaw appears to be the harness location under or near the passenger footwell, where foot traffic and seat movement create stress on connectors.
More concerning are multiple reports of complete airbag non-deployment in serious accidents—T-bone collisions, rear-end impacts at 45–50 mph, and frontal crashes—resulting in fractured pelvis, facial lacerations, and one vehicle destruction. Additionally, owners note dashboard cracks near the airbag area, raising concerns that deployment force could turn plastic fragments into projectiles.
Warranty coverage stops at 60,000 miles, leaving owners with substantial out-of-pocket costs for a safety-critical system.
Same Toyota Sienna airbags reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2007 · 2008
Failure modes owners describe
SRS Warning Light Illumination – Passenger Front Airbag
The SRS (supplemental restraint system) airbag warning light comes on and either stays lit constantly or flashes intermittently. Owners report the light appearing within a few years of ownership, often around 40,000–100,000 miles. The light frequently recurs even after dealer resets. When illuminated, the entire airbag system shuts down and becomes non-functional.
When: 40,000–100,000 miles; some appear within 1 year of purchase (as early as 43,000 miles or 6 years of ownership)
Symptoms owners cite: SRS warning light comes on continuously or flashes intermittently; Light recurs repeatedly even after dealer reset; Entire airbag system disables when warning light is illuminated; Light may appear during acceleration, deceleration, or at various driving speeds
Codes mentioned: B0111 (Open Side Squib RH Circuit), B0116 (Open Side Squib Circuit), B0101 (Open in D Squib Circuit)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers quote $700–$5,400 to repair, depending on scope. Common repairs include replacement of passenger seat ($873), entire passenger side airbag ($1,500–$2,148), wiring harness ($2,600–$2,500), or complete SRS system rewiring. Some dealers successfully resolve with connector replacement and wire soldering ($523).
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota initially denies coverage after 60,000 miles (standard warranty limit). Some owners report Toyota offered to pay half the repair cost after escalation. Technical Service Bulletin EL001-08 (2/27/08) recommends replacement of 3 airbag assemblies and 2 wiring harnesses for 2004–2008 model years. No official recall issued despite multiple complaints.
Airbag Wiring Harness Defects
Wiring harness connectors in the airbag circuit develop open circuits or loose connections. The harness is located under the passenger seat or in the floor area near the passenger footwell, creating a design vulnerability to foot traffic and seat movements. Owners report connectors becoming loose or corroded.
When: 37,000–128,000 miles; failures occur across a broad mileage range with no clear maintenance interval
Symptoms owners cite: SRS warning light illuminates due to open circuit detection; Harness connectors found loose or disconnected; Short in floor harness detected on diagnostic scan; Defect identified in passenger-side harness specifically
Codes mentioned: B0111 (Open Side Squib RH Circuit), B0116 (Open Side Squib Circuit)
Repairs/costs cited: Repairs range from $523 (connector replacement with soldering and corrugated tubing) to $2,600 (full harness assembly replacement). One owner noted a single missing plastic piece requiring $3,000 harness replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota issued Technical Service Bulletin EL001-08 recommending harness replacement. No recall issued. Warranty coverage ends at 60,000 miles.
Airbag Non-Deployment in Accidents
In multiple crash scenarios, airbags failed to deploy when they should have. Owners involved in significant collisions (T-bone, rear-end, front-end, side-impact) reported no airbag activation, resulting in injuries or vehicle destruction. One passenger required extrication.
When: Occurs during actual accidents at various vehicle mileages (61,000–216,000 miles documented)
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment in frontal collision at ~45 mph; Side curtain and side-seat airbags did not deploy during T-bone impact; No airbag deployment in rear-end collision at ~50 mph; No airbag deployment in side-impact collision at ~40 mph; Airbag system non-functional due to prior warning light issues
Repairs/costs cited: One vehicle damaged over $14,000; passenger sustained fractured pelvis and face lacerations. Another vehicle completely destroyed. One owner with 61,000 miles was hospitalized with minor to moderate injuries. In one case, driver sustained seatbelt-only injuries (seatbelt bruising) when airbags failed to deploy in severe frontal impact.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota acknowledged inquiry but no diagnosis provided in one case. No recalls for non-deployment; no root-cause analysis documented in narratives.
Dashboard Cracks Near Airbag
Dashboards develop cracks on or near the passenger-side airbag area. Owners express concern that airbag deployment force could dislodge cracked plastic and create projectiles toward passengers. Cracks grow over time and appear to be linked to temperature cycling.
When: Not specified in narratives; appears after extended ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Visible cracks appearing on dashboard, particularly near passenger airbag; Cracks grow from 2–5 inches in length over weeks; Multiple cracks throughout dashboard (driver and passenger sides); Cracking sounds during temperature changes
Repairs/costs cited: No repair information provided by owners. One owner reports Toyota replaced dashboard under a recall but airbag light came on afterward.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota ended recall coverage by 2017 (mentioned in one narrative). Dealer states nothing can be done after recall deadline.
Passenger Seat Occupancy Sensor Malfunction
Occupancy sensors in the passenger seat malfunction, causing the airbag to turn off even when an adult passenger is seated. One owner reports a 100-pound passenger unable to enable the airbag. Dealers blame the passenger for triggering sensor issues.
When: Early in ownership (November 2005 reported for November 2004 purchase)
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger-side airbag automatically disables when occupancy sensor fails; Airbag remains off even with properly seated passenger; Sensor issue recurs up to 27 times in span of weeks; Dealer falsely blamed passenger for triggering malfunction
Repairs/costs cited: No successful repair documented in narratives. Dealers could not diagnose root cause.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota blamed the passenger initially. Dealership waited for Toyota service rep guidance with no resolution. Owner escalated to Toyota complaint hotline.
Inadvertent Airbag Deployment
At least one instance of airbag deployment occurring without a crash or collision. Owner was driving at approximately 45 mph when airbags deployed unexpectedly.
When: Single incident reported; timing/mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags deployed while driving at 45 mph with no accident; No apparent cause for deployment
Repairs/costs cited: Not provided; owner awaited dealership inspection.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer instructed owner to visit dealership but no follow-up documented.
Synthesized from 54 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
Toyota sienna 2005 developed two major problems about 6 years and 40,000 miles on it (right after warranty runs out). 1. Passenger side front airbag malfunction resulting in airbag lights being on. Dealer is quoting $700 dollars. More importantly, the fact that this important life saving device malfunctioning at just 6 years and right after warranty runs out. Several other people have had…
SRS warning light flashing, taken to the dealer to be informed of the b0111 code and told that both front side airbag harnesses are recommended to be replaced by a Toyota service memo, though the b0111 is specifically indicative of a faulty right front harness fault. Could the number of complaints be low due to the fact that this fault comes up earlier on most vehicles and they are covered by…
I own a 2005 Toyota sienna with only 43,000 miles, and the passenger air bag light is on all the time, it doesn't matter if someone is sitting in the seat. Today I took my van to the dealership to have the spare tire chain replaced, another Toyota recall, and asked them to check out the passenger air bag light. I was told the air bag and wiring harness needed to be replaced at a cost of $2148.…
Had airbags trouble with your 2005 Toyota Sienna?
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 Sienna?
It's a meaningful issue. 54 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 41 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 50,000 and 100,000 miles, with the median around 80,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 50,000; a quarter make it past 100,000. 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/Sienna.
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.