Should I buy a 2006 Toyota Tundra with documented airbags problems?

Depends on the price and the specific vehicle. Documented airbags issues should be priced into the purchase — if the seller is asking full retail, negotiate down by the expected repair cost. A pre-purchase inspection from an independent shop tells you whether THIS specific vehicle has already shown the symptoms or not.

2006 Toyota Tundra airbags problems

severe Owners of the 2006 Toyota Tundra have filed 130 NHTSA complaints about the airbags, typically surfacing around 118,000 miles at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →

Failure mileage

Complaints

130

Recalls

Avg fix

$1,100

airbags complaints on the Toyota Tundra, by model year
Model year	airbags complaints
2005 Tundra	82
2006 Tundra (this page)	130
2007 Tundra	12
2008 Tundra	8
2009 Tundra	3

11crashes

11injuries

What stands out

Of the 12 model years of Toyota Tundra we track for airbags problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 130.

All 4 active airbags recalls on this vehicle land at critical or severe — none classified moderate.

Related recalls

critical NHTSA 19V741000 October 17, 2019

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0A, J0B, and J0C. Lexus' numbers for this recall are JLI, JLJ, and JLK.

severe NHTSA 16V065000 February 5, 2016

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470, 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia, 2004-2006 Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX470 vehicles equipped with side curtain-shield-air bags

If the side curtain-shield-air bags deploy unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of occupant injury.

Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control module with one that has improved programming, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-271-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G0C and GLB.

critical NHTSA 15V286000 May 13, 2015

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015, that they are recalling 2005-2007 Lexus SC, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, and Pontiac Vibe, and 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra vehicles that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-286 are under a Do Not Drive advisory. Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the passenger side front air bag, free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota began the recall on July 13, 2015. Pontiac Vibe owners may contact GM at 1-800-762-2737. GM began the recall on June 29, 2015. NOTE: This recacll supersedes recall 14V-655 in its entirety. For vehicles located in the U.S. states not listed above, please see Toyota recall 15V-285 which covers all other U.S. states.

critical NHTSA 15V285000 May 13, 2015

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015 that they are recalling certain model year 2004 Sequoia vehicles manufactured August 18, 2003, to August 19, 2004, and 2003-2004 Tundra vehicles manufactured March 18, 2003, to August 25, 2004

Fix: 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-285 are under a Do Not Drive advisory. Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag. The recall began on July 13, 2015. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Pontiac owners may call 1-800-762-2737. NOTE: This recall supersedes recall 14V-312 in its entirety.

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.

Service Bulletin Product Jan 2024

DP: The subject vehicles are equipped with a front passenger airbag. A part inside the airbag could explode, shooting sharp metal fragments at vehicle occupants. This could cause serious INJURY or DEATH. ? Added Dealer Procedures for Do No Drive Advisory ? Updated BEC contact information ? Revised Warranty Claim Filing Instructions to streamline customer convenience items during repair ? Added creative materials from Vendor Partners i.e, sample letters and sample tags ? Removed several obsolete sections

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin Support Division Jan 2024

DP: The subject vehicles are equipped with a front passenger airbag. A part inside the airbag could explode, shooting sharp metal fragments at vehicle occupants. This could cause serious INJURY or DEATH. ? Added Dealer Procedures for Do No Drive Advisory ? Updated BEC contact information ? Revised Warranty Claim Filing Instructions to streamline customer convenience items during repair ? Added creatives materials from Vendor Partners i.e, sample letters and sample tags ? Removed several obsolete sections

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin TSB003220 Aug 2023

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 ↗

Service Bulletin T-SB-0094-21 Rev Nov 2022

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 ↗

Service Bulletin 22TE04 - Takata Jul 2022

CSP: On July 30, 2018, a settlement of claims for Economic Loss related to Takata airbag inflators was approved for full implementation. The settlement includes Toyota?s agreement to provide a Customer Support Program (?CSP?) for 2002-2019 model year (MY) vehicles originally equipped with certain Takata airbag inflators or repaired under a recall with Takata airbag inflators to provide coverage for repairs of the airbag inflator contained in the airbag module. This CSP letter is to help clarify how to administer this coverage in accordance with the settlement. This is NOT a recall or a campaign, but is provided to reassure owners that Toyota stands behind the reliability of our vehicles.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.

The failure pattern owners describe

The 2006 Tundra airbag recall became a logistical nightmare for most owners who filed complaints. Toyota issued multiple recall campaigns (15V285000, 15V286000, 16V065000, 19V741000) targeting Takata inflator defects, instructing owners not to use the front passenger seat until repair. However, dealers consistently reported inflator parts unavailable indefinitely—some told owners to wait 5 weeks, others cited 1+ year lead times, many refused to provide any timeline. Owners reported contacting dealers repeatedly over months or years with no resolution and no compensation or loaner vehicles offered. Toyota customer service acknowledged parts shortages but declined responsibility, leaving owners in limbo with vehicles essentially reduced to single-occupant use.

Beyond the recall backlog, owners reported two alarming deployment failures: airbags that did not deploy during crashes at 25–70 mph that resulted in serious injuries (rib fractures, spine injuries, cardiac trauma), and one incident where driver and passenger airbags deployed spontaneously at highway speed with no collision, causing loss of control and a crash. One owner also reported the airbag cover becoming sticky and discolored months after a recall repair, suggesting potential workmanship issues, though the dealer and manufacturer denied responsibility. An owner who did receive recall repair reported the airbag warning light illuminating within weeks, with the dealer diagnosing an ECU sensor failure and manufacturer offering no remedy.

Same Toyota Tundra airbags reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2007

Failure modes owners describe

Delayed/unavailable recall parts

Owners received recall notices for Takata inflator defects but dealers could not perform repairs because parts were indefinitely on backorder. Multiple owners reported waiting months to years with no timeline from Toyota for parts availability, and no compensation or loaner vehicles offered.

When: 2014-2016+ (ongoing at complaint filing)

Symptoms owners cite: Recall notice received instructing owner not to use passenger seat; Dealer appointments canceled due to parts unavailability; No estimated delivery date provided by dealer or manufacturer; Vehicle functionally unusable for its intended purpose (transporting passengers)

Codes mentioned: 15V285000, 15V286000, 16V065000, 19V741000

Repairs/costs cited: Inflator module replacement required; parts not in stock. Some owners reported waiting 1+ years with no resolution. One owner reported dealer claiming 1-year lead time; another cited 5-week wait; others indefinite.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Takata recall initiated; Toyota issued interim recall notices advising against passenger-seat use pending parts availability. Toyota stated parts unavailable, no ETA given. Toyota declined responsibility for dealership actions or compensation. Some owners pursued case numbers with Toyota customer service but received no remedy.

Airbag failure to deploy in crashes

Multiple owners reported frontal airbags did not deploy during crashes in which deployment would be expected. Crashes involved speeds ranging 25–70 mph and significant impacts. Some resulted in serious injuries.

When: Various; failure mileage cited: 80,000, 118,000, 125,000, 170,000, 190,000, 200,000 miles

Symptoms owners cite: No warning light or indication prior to crash; Driver-side and/or passenger-side airbags did not deploy during frontal/side crash; Vehicle total loss or destroyed after crash; Occupants sustained chest injuries, rib fractures, neck/spine injuries, hematoma

Codes mentioned: 15V286000, 16V065000

Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles destroyed or towed; no repair performed. One narrative mentioned previous airbag repair at dealer about 3 years before crash.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Some owners notified manufacturer after crash; one received notification of recall campaign after failure had occurred. No remedy documented in narratives.

Premature/unintended airbag deployment

One owner reported both driver and passenger airbags deployed while driving at highway speed with no collision, causing loss of control and crash into power pole.

When: Incident at 55 mph; failure mileage unknown

Symptoms owners cite: Front driver and passenger airbags deployed independently while driving; No warning light illuminated prior to deployment; Loss of vehicle control; crashed into power pole; Owner sustained back injury requiring medical attention; Vehicle totaled

Codes mentioned: 15V286000, 16V065000

Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not diagnosed; towed to collision center then deemed total loss by insurance.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer had not been informed at time of complaint.

Airbag cover degradation (sticky/discolored surface)

Following Takata recall repair, owner reported passenger-side airbag cover became sticky and discolored. Cover appeared to have been spray-painted to match interior; paint disintegrates in heat, leaving sticky residue. Toyota and dealer denied responsibility.

When: Several months to 1 year after recall repair

Symptoms owners cite: Passenger airbag cover has sticky, tacky feeling; Objects placed on cover stick to surface; Cover discolored and appears spray-painted; Paint deteriorates during heat exposure; Underneath paint, original black color visible

Repairs/costs cited: Owner states original airbag cover was black but appears to have been spray-painted to match truck interior as part of recall repair workmanship.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota and dealer both refused to address issue, stating it is not a Toyota responsibility. Internet search by owner revealed same complaint pattern across multiple manufacturers.

Airbag warning light after recall repair

Owner received recall repair (inflator replacement) for campaign 15V286000; within weeks, airbag warning light illuminated. Dealer diagnosed ECU sensor failure.

When: Within weeks of recall repair completion; failure mileage ~150,316

Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminates after recall repair; Vehicle taken to dealer for diagnostic

Codes mentioned: 15V286000

Repairs/costs cited: Dealer diagnosed ECU sensor replacement needed.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was notified but provided no remedy.

Airbag warning light with seat cover interference

Owner's airbag warning light illuminated; dealer attributed it to aftermarket seat covers. Owner removed covers but warning recurred. Campaign 15V285000 recall notice received but parts unavailable.

When: Mileage 74,189

Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminated; Recurring after seat covers removed

Codes mentioned: 15V285000

Repairs/costs cited: Dealer initially blamed seat covers; owner removed them but malfunction persisted.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer stated there was no remedy available.

Possible use of refurbished parts in recall repair

Owner reported that after waiting an extended period for recall repair (campaign 15V286000), the module behind the dashboard did not belong to the vehicle, suggesting refurbished or incorrect parts used.

When: At time of recall repair

Symptoms owners cite: Module behind dashboard visually does not match expected component; Long wait period at dealer before repair completed

Codes mentioned: 15V286000

Repairs/costs cited: Owner suspected use of refurbished or improper replacement airbag module.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was not notified by owner.

Synthesized from 130 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.

What owners are reporting 1 most recent

airbags · filed 12/20/2015

Takata recall - unacceptable how long this recall has taken to correct. One of our two vehicles is unable to be used as a family vehicle and has now gone past the point of being an inconvenience. Have received absolutely no information since the original notice. How was Toyota able to pass the state inspection with this recall in effect?

Had airbags trouble with your 2006 Toyota Tundra? 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 2006 Toyota Tundra?

It's a meaningful issue. 130 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 24 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 83,000 and 150,316 miles, with the median around 118,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 83,000; a quarter make it past 150,316. 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?

Yes — 4 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.

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/2006/Toyota/Tundra. 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.