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 ↗2018 Toyota Camry airbags problems
severe 19 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
19
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
15crashes
18injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 19 airbags complaints filed for the 2018 Toyota Camry, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 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
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 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.
DL: On December 20, 2022, a settlement of claims for certain low pressure fuel pumps was approved by the federal court. The settlement includes Toyota?s agreement to provide a Customer Support Program for certain 2014-2020 model year (MY) vehicles originally equipped with low pressure fuel pumps repaired under Safety Recall 20TA02, Safety Recall 21TA03, Safety Recall 21TA05 or Special Service Campaign 21TC03. The purpose of this Customer Support Program letter is to help clarify how to administer this coverage in accordance with the settlement.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗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 ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report two distinct airbag failures. Most common is non-deployment during significant collisions: frontal impacts at 40–50 mph, rear-end impacts at 45+ mph, side-door impacts, and loss-of-control crashes into barriers and trees all yielded zero airbag inflation despite heavy vehicle damage. Occupants suffered whiplash, spinal disc displacement, concussions, fractured sternums, and neck injuries—injuries that airbag cushioning could have mitigated. One owner's son struck a tree head-on; his driver-side airbag never inflated. Another owner was rear-ended at high speed and developed severe cervical spine misalignment from the impact. A third was in a multi-vehicle rear-impact chain reaction with life-threatening back-seat injuries and snapped seat frames, yet no airbags deployed.
A second, less common failure appears as an intermittent "Air bag malfunction" dashboard warning at startup, accompanied by sudden steering stiffness that clears after vehicle restart cycles.
One owner reported the opposite problem: an airbag deployed during a deer strike and produced a visible flash with thermal burns to the driver's arm and melted jacket sleeve.
Manufacturer responses have been minimal. One case triggered an engineer visit and computer extraction for analysis. Another dealer confirmed no recall despite airbag warning light and diagnosed a short circuit in the driver's side airbag system; the owner reported the vehicle was not repaired.
Same Toyota Camry airbags reports on nearby years: 2016 · 2017 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021
Failure modes owners describe
Airbags fail to deploy in moderate-to-high-speed impacts
In multiple collision scenarios—frontal impacts at 40–50 mph, rear-end impacts at 45+ mph, and side impacts—owners report airbags did not deploy despite severe vehicle damage and occupant injuries. This pattern appears across low-mileage and higher-mileage vehicles.
When: Multiple reported across vehicle mileage range (5,600 to 216,000 miles); incidents reported 2018–2020
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment during head-on collisions; No deployment during rear-end collisions at high speed; No deployment during side-impact collisions; No deployment during loss-of-control impacts into barriers and trees; Severe occupant injuries (whiplash, concussions, fractured sternum, spinal disc displacement, neck injuries) due to lack of restraint
Repairs/costs cited: One owner (narrative #8) was advised by dealer that driver's side airbag system had a short circuit and required replacement; vehicle not yet repaired. Other owners did not pursue repair or diagnosis.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: In narrative #3, manufacturer sent engineer to remove vehicle computer for further analysis (case #810130693). In narrative #8, manufacturer confirmed no recall on VIN despite airbag warning. Most other owners report no manufacturer contact or assistance.
Airbag malfunction warning light with steering difficulty
Owner reports intermittent 'Air bag malfunction' dashboard warning that correlates with sudden steering pressure increase and loss of normal steering feel, occurring at vehicle startup. Issue clears after multiple restart cycles.
When: Intermittent at startup; later became consistent; mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard warning: 'Air bag malfunction'; Significant increase in steering wheel pressure/difficulty; Loss of normal steering responsiveness; Issue resolves after restart cycle (2–3 restarts typical)
Repairs/costs cited: No repair attempted; owner manages by restarting vehicle
Airbag deploys with flash and burns occupant
During low-speed deer-strike collision, airbag deployed but produced a visible flash/fire and caused severe thermal burns to driver's arm and melted jacket sleeve.
When: Single incident; mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Visible flash/fire from steering wheel airbag during deployment; Severe burn injury to driver's arm; Jacket sleeve melted; Burn still unhealed after one week
Repairs/costs cited: Airbag deployment occurred; no repair or investigation mentioned
Frontal airbag fails to deploy in independent acceleration crash
Vehicle independently accelerated at low speed in parking garage, crashed into wall and parking column. Front-side airbag deployed but frontal airbag did not deploy despite significant front-end damage.
When: Low-speed garage incident; mileage unknown
Symptoms owners cite: Front side airbag deployed; Frontal airbag did not deploy; Multiple injuries to occupant requiring medical attention
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle deemed destroyed; no repair
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer and manufacturer not notified; vehicle not diagnosed
Synthesized from 19 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
While driving my 2018 Toyota camry, a deer ran in front of the car causing a serious accident. Two airbags deployed. I saw a fire flash from the steering wheel airbag and received a serious burn on my arm. My jacket sleeve melted as well. It's been over a week, and the burn has still not healed. So thankful my eyes were not burned!
Driving on the freeway, cruise control set, a remnant of a large tire was in my lane, I could not avoid hitting it, it caused my car to lose control, drive up on the concrete divider placed by construction crews, came back down to the freeway and hit the back of a semi causing my car to then spin out of control and eventually landing in a ditch. The entire front end of the car was damaged, the…
Had airbags trouble with your 2018 Toyota Camry?
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 2018 Toyota Camry?
It's a meaningful issue. 19 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 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 16,000 and 92,000 miles, with the median around 60,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 16,000; a quarter make it past 92,000. 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/2018/Toyota/Camry.
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.