Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander and Highlander hybrid vehicles
Improper deployment of the seat-mounted side air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats and replace the seat trim covers as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB14 / 20TA14.
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 BulletinTSB005923Aug 2023
TSB: Some drivers of 2020 ? 2022 model year Highlander Hybrid vehicles may be sensitive to the momentary transition from regenerative braking to hydraulic braking under certain driving conditions, such as while driving downhill, or turning with light brake pedal application. The brake actuator control module can be updated to improve brake feeling for this condition. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to address this condition.
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.
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
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2020 Toyota Highlanders report persistent OCS sensor failures where the system falsely detects passenger occupancy, triggering seatbelt chimes and SRS warning lights whether the seat is empty or occupied, whether the belt is buckled or not. The chime typically stops within a minute but the SRS light remains on. One owner experienced intermittent error codes appearing on the dashboard over 10 months. These vehicles are covered under NHTSA recall 23V865 (Toyota recalls 23TA15 and 23TB15) issued for OCS sensor replacement, but the remedy parts have been unavailable since the recall was issued in late 2023. Toyota initially promised a fix by Q3 2024; as of January 2025, parts remain unavailable. Owners report visiting dealers repeatedly—some six or more times—only to be told no repair is available. In one case, a dealership marked the recall complete in September 2025, yet identical symptoms recurred immediately after. Two collision incidents also involved airbag non-deployment: a 2022 Corolla struck at 45 MPH on the passenger side with no airbag deployment and occupant injuries, and a Highlander struck during a legal left turn on a green arrow.
Same Toyota Highlander airbags reports on nearby years: 2018 · 2019 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023
Failure modes owners describe
Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor malfunction
OCS sensor misreads passenger seat occupancy, triggering false seatbelt chimes and SRS warning lights regardless of actual occupancy or seatbelt status. Owners report this persists even after dealership attempts to address the fault. One owner reported error codes appearing intermittently on the dashboard over a 10-month period.
When: Reported between 67,000 and 78,000 miles; issues ongoing since late 2023
Symptoms owners cite: SRS airbag system malfunction warning light remains illuminated; Seatbelt chime activates whether passenger seat occupied or unoccupied; Seatbelt chime activates whether seatbelt buckled or unbuckled; Chime stops after about one minute but SRS light stays on; Intermittent error codes displayed on dashboard; Dashboard displays warning whether or not passenger present
Codes mentioned:23V865000, 23TA15, 23TB15
Repairs/costs cited: Recall remedy parts not available as of January 2025; one dealer quoted $200 as a temporary fix but no permanent remedy confirmed available. Multiple owners report visiting dealers 6+ times over several months with no repair parts in stock.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota Recall 23TA15 / 23TB15 / NHTSA 23V865 issued for OCS sensor replacement; remedy originally stated to be available Q3 2024 but has not materialized. One recall completion was marked complete (September 2025) but symptoms recurred identically. Toyota claimed in at least one case that the issue was the passenger seat buckle, not the OCS sensor.
Airbag non-deployment in collision
Airbags failed to deploy during side-impact and frontal collision events. One 2022 Corolla struck on passenger side at 45 MPH with no airbag deployment; one 2020 Highlander struck on passenger side on green arrow with unconfirmed airbag status; one incident with vehicle struck by passing vehicle with no warning lights but airbags did not deploy. Owner of Corolla sustained injuries to chest, head, and arm.
When: Incidents occurred; mileage approximately 89,083 for Corolla incident
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags did not deploy during side-impact collision at 45 MPH; Airbags did not deploy during frontal/side impact; No warning lights illuminated before collision (Corolla case); Injuries sustained due to lack of airbag deployment
Codes mentioned:23V865000
Repairs/costs cited: Corolla was towed to lot; vehicle not diagnosed or repaired by dealer. Highlander struck on passenger side during legal left turn on green arrow; no service details provided.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer response documented for these collision events.
Synthesized from 32 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting
1 most recent
airbags
· filed 12/18/2024
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not…
Had airbags trouble with your 2020 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 2020 Toyota Highlander?
It's a meaningful issue. 32 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 32 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 78,082 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?
Yes — 1 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/2020/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.