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 ↗2013 Toyota Highlander airbags problems
severe Owners of the 2013 Toyota Highlander have filed 15 NHTSA complaints about the airbags, typically surfacing around 90,000 miles at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
15
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 Highlander | 7 |
| 2010 Highlander | 14 |
| 2011 Highlander | 8 |
| 2012 Highlander | 9 |
| 2013 Highlander (this page) | 15 |
| 2015 Highlander | 6 |
| 2016 Highlander | 10 |
| 2017 Highlander | 9 |
8crashes
3injuries
What stands out
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 11 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 2013 Toyota Highlanders report five categories of airbag malfunction. The most serious: airbags failed to deploy during multiple frontal collisions—T-bone impacts at 35 mph, telephone pole strikes at 35 mph, concrete barrier hits, and rear-end accidents—resulting in owner injuries including chest, back, neck, and leg trauma. In one case, significant vehicle damage ($8,000–$10,000) occurred without airbag deployment despite clear impact.
Second, an intermittent "CHECK SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM" warning message appears when a front passenger sits down and the vehicle starts, deactivating side airbags. Toyota service has made four attempts to fix this—resetting the message, checking passenger-seat sensors and wiring, and consulting engineers—without success.
Third, spontaneous airbag deployments happened without collision: driver-side curtain and seat airbags fired while parking; both curtain airbags fired while driving 75 mph in negative 10-degree weather. No warning preceded either event.
Fourth, the passenger-side airbag sensor failed repeatedly, requiring recalibration at least four times. The problem recurs within a couple hundred miles of repair.
Finally, one owner lost vehicle control during normal braking and low-speed maneuvers, with airbags also failing to deploy. Toyota Corporate and dealerships declined to inspect or diagnose most of these issues.
Same Toyota Highlander airbags reports on nearby years: 2010 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
SRS airbag system warning message—side airbag deactivation
Intermittent 'CHECK SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM' warning message that persists when front passenger is seated and vehicle is started. Message deactivates side airbags. Toyota service unable to resolve despite 4 visits, reset attempts, sensor/wiring checks under passenger seat, and engineer consultation.
When: Occurs consistently when front passenger seated and car started; intermittent occurrence
Symptoms owners cite: CHECK SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM warning message appears when passenger seated and vehicle started; Message remains until vehicle returned to Toyota; Side airbags deactivated when message active; Not weight-dependent (occurs with 120 and 300 lb passengers)
Codes mentioned: CHECK SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM
Repairs/costs cited: Toyota reset message, checked sensor and wiring under passenger seat; issue unresolved after 4 service visits
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota service unable to resolve despite 4 visits; engineer consultation performed
Airbags failed to deploy in frontal impacts
Airbags did not deploy during multiple frontal or front-end collisions causing significant vehicle damage and injury. Incidents include T-bone collisions at 35 mph, impact with metal telephone pole at 35 mph, front-end collisions at 15 mph and at concrete barrier, and rear-end collision. Owner sustained chest, back, and neck pain; another sustained right leg injury requiring medical attention.
When: At mileage 100,000; 148,000; multiple incidents reported across various mileages
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags non-deployment during frontal collision at 35 mph T-bone impact; Airbags non-deployment during telephone pole impact at 35 mph; Airbags non-deployment during 15 mph front-end collision; Airbags non-deployment during concrete barrier collision causing chest, back, neck pain; Seat belt failed to retract during one telephone pole impact; Owner sustained injuries requiring medical attention (leg injury, chest/back/neck pain)
Repairs/costs cited: One vehicle towed to independent mechanic (not diagnosed or repaired); another to Larry H. Miller Lexus (not diagnosed or repaired); one vehicle frame bent from collision
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota Corporate refused to inspect airbags after T-bone accident; requested owner send letter to claims department with no response; manufacturer notified in other incidents but no follow-up documented
Spontaneous airbag deployment without impact
Driver-side curtain and left seat airbags deployed without any collision or impact while vehicle was being parked. Toyota investigator found no issues in data collected and could not determine cause. No warning lights preceded deployment.
When: During parking maneuver (no mileage provided)
Symptoms owners cite: Spontaneous deployment of driver-side curtain airbag while parking; Spontaneous deployment of driver-side seat airbag while parking; No impact or collision occurred; No warning lights or indicators before deployment; Safety risk stated—would have caused crash if occurred while driving
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota sent investigator to inspect; investigator found no issues in data; Toyota refused to provide assistance
Curtain airbags deployed spontaneously in cold weather without impact
Both driver's and passenger's side curtain airbags deployed without warning or impact while vehicle was being driven in negative 10-degree weather at 75 mph. No diagnostic or repair performed.
When: At approximately 124,000 miles; during negative 10-degree weather conditions
Symptoms owners cite: Driver's side curtain airbag spontaneous deployment at 75 mph in cold weather; Passenger's side curtain airbag spontaneous deployment at 75 mph in cold weather; Deployment occurred without warning or impact
Repairs/costs cited: Local dealer contacted but vehicle not diagnosed or repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not contacted
Passenger airbag off warning light and sensor recalibration failure
Passenger-side front airbag sensor failed repeatedly with airbag off warning light illumination. Dealership claims system is fine but requires recalibration. Sensor failure occurred at least 4 times and recurs within couple hundred miles of repair. Only passenger-side affected.
When: Approximately 16,500 miles; recurring at multiple intervals
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag off warning light illuminated while driving at 65 mph; Passenger-side airbag turns off repeatedly; Passenger-side front airbag sensor failed 4 or more times; Other airbags unaffected; Recurrence within couple hundred miles of repair
Codes mentioned: Airbag off warning light
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership recalibrated system multiple times; issue recurs within couple hundred miles
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified; dealership claims system requires recalibration but no permanent fix identified
Synthesized from 15 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
My vehicle t-boned another vehicle, striking directly into the driver's door of the other vehicle . The front end of my vehicle sustained approximately $8000 worth of front end damage, however the air bags never deployed. (fortunately there were no injuries). In light of current well-publicized air bag issues, I asked my dealership if they would inspect my vehicle to ensure that the air bags were…
Had airbags trouble with your 2013 Toyota Highlander?
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 2013 Toyota Highlander?
It's a meaningful issue. 15 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 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 16,500 and 124,000 miles, with the median around 90,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 16,500; a quarter make it past 124,000. 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/2013/Toyota/Highlander.
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.