Letter from senator grassley on behalf of constituent re 2015 Toyota 4 runner subject to recall notice and no settlement. *ld the consumer stated the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time completing the recall repair. *js
2015 Toyota 4Runner airbags problems
severe 16 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
16
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
7crashes
7injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 16 airbags complaints filed for the 2015 Toyota 4Runner, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 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
Airbags accounts for 19% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 7 categories tracked.
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 8 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: A used 2015 4Runner buyer should know that multiple owners report complete airbag failure-to-deploy in serious collisions—including at 75 mph—resulting in occupant injuries. Additionally, Takata recall parts remain unavailable at many dealerships, creating indefinite delays on safety repairs.
Owners of 2015 4Runners report two distinct airbag failure patterns. First: complete failure to deploy during actual collisions. Six separate incidents describe airbags that did not inflate when struck head-on at 30, 35, and 75 mph, in side-impact crashes at 40 mph, and in a low-speed parking lot impact at 600 miles. Occupants sustained documented injuries to the neck, shoulder, back, knee, head, and face. One owner experienced two separate front-end collisions with zero deployments either time, despite over $10,000 damage. Another drove into a tree at low speed and the airbags did not deploy.
Second: the Takata recall remedy itself is stalled. Owners subject to campaigns 19V001000 and 19V005000 report parts remain unavailable or on indefinite backorder at dealerships. Some owners cannot reach dealers at all; others report dealers lack notification they carry the defective airbags. One owner's recall notification arrived four months after an accident. A steering wheel spiral cable assembly carrying airbag wiring developed an open circuit in one case, disabling the horn and potentially compromising other safety systems. One vehicle went 'haywire' electrically during a collision.
Same Toyota 4Runner airbags reports on nearby years: 2012
Failure modes owners describe
Airbags failed to deploy in collision impacts
Front and side airbags did not deploy during vehicle impacts at various speeds ranging from low-speed parking lot incidents to high-speed interstate collisions, despite impact severity that caused vehicle damage exceeding $9,000–$10,000+ and occupant injuries.
When: Multiple incidents from 7,000 to 48,000 miles; one incident at 600 miles
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment on front-end collisions at 30 mph, 35 mph, 75 mph; No side airbag deployment on passenger-side and side-impact collisions at 40 mph; Occupants sustained neck, shoulder, back, knee, head, and face injuries despite high-impact forces
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle collision shop repairs; manufacturer engineer visit requested but vehicle not repaired in at least one case; diagnosis unknown in others
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified in multiple incidents; one notification stated engineer would diagnose; one owner received recall notification (NHTSA campaign number, exact number not fully legible in narrative) 4 months after accident
Takata airbag recall—parts unavailable for repair
Owners subject to Takata airbag recalls (campaigns 19V001000 and 19V005000) unable to obtain replacement parts; dealerships confirmed parts were on backorder or unavailable, delaying recall remedy indefinitely.
When: Ongoing; no specific mileage stated for recall notifications
Symptoms owners cite: Parts unavailable at dealerships for recall repair; Prolonged delays exceeding reasonable timeframe for recall completion; Recall backorder status unresolved
Codes mentioned: NHTSA campaign 19V001000, NHTSA campaign 19V005000
Repairs/costs cited: Parts on backorder; no remedy completed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota confirmed parts unavailable per dealer contact; manufacturer did not respond to some owner notification attempts; some owners unable to reach dealership
Recall identification and notification issues
Owners experienced conflicting information about recall eligibility and status; VIN verification inconsistencies across recall tracking websites and dealerships; delayed or missing formal recall notices; dealers unaware vehicle was subject to recall.
When: Ongoing; one owner received notification 4 months post-accident
Symptoms owners cite: VIN rejected as invalid by one website, accepted by another; Dealership service reps stated they had no notice of recall; Conflicting information from Auto Airbag Settlement Center versus dealership; No formal recall notice sent to some owners
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers lacked information; communication disconnect between manufacturer and dealers; recall process delays; Senator Grassley inquiry on behalf of constituent regarding recall settlement delay
Spiral cable (steering wheel contact assembly) open circuit
Steering wheel spiral cable assembly developed open circuit, disabling horn; cable assembly carries wiring for cruise control, airbags, horn, and at least one additional system.
When: Service history not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Horn non-functional; Spiral cable open circuit diagnosed by dealer
Repairs/costs cited: Spiral cable assembly replaced by Toyota dealer
Vehicle electrical malfunction during collision
Vehicle exhibited erratic electrical behavior ('went haywire') during or immediately after passenger-side impact collision despite airbag non-deployment.
When: At time of collision
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle exhibited multiple electrical malfunctions post-impact; Occurred simultaneously with airbag failure to deploy
Synthesized from 16 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
The dealership is not responsive to our request to have the car repaired.
Needed to use my horn when someone drifted into my lane on the interstate. The horn did not work. I could not honk to inform that driver to stay in his/her lane. Afterwhich, I took it to my Toyota dealer. They diagnosed and discovered the spiral cable had an open circuit. They replaced the spiral cable assembly. From what I remember they told me this cable assembly carried wiring for cruise…
Vehicle is brand new with 600 miles on it. Wife driving at speed of 40 MPH, major side impact damage with over $9000 damage and side air bags did not deploy.. Wondering why??
Had airbags trouble with your 2015 Toyota 4Runner?
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 2015 Toyota 4Runner?
It's a meaningful issue. 16 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?
Based on the 16 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 34,094 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
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/2015/Toyota/4Runner.
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.