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 ↗2023 Toyota Highlander airbags problems
severe 11 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
7crashes
8injuries
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: 2023 model year Toyota vehicles are equipped with driver side floor mat retainers to secure the floor mat in the correct position. In addition, some models may also utilize retainers for passenger side and rear seat floor mats. During Pre-Delivery Service (PDS), follow the appropriate Installation Procedure to attach the driver side, and if applicable, the passenger side and rear seat floor mats to the vehicle carpet using the floor mat retainers. If installation instructions are included in the floor mat kit, place the instructions in the vehicle?s glove box for customer reference
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners across 11 complaints describe airbags that did not deploy during crashes in a 2023 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid. Impact speeds ranged from 26 mph to 65 mph, hitting head-on, t-bone, side, and fixed objects like trees and fire hydrants. In one case with a deer strike at 55 mph, the vehicle's black box was downloaded by a Toyota representative; it showed no incident recorded, despite the vehicle being totaled. Toyota's response was that the accident did not meet deployment parameters — a claim one owner with aviation-data expertise found suspicious.
Law enforcement and safety professionals at the scene of at least one crash stated the airbags should have deployed. Injuries sustained include sternum bruising, whiplash, neck and shoulder damage, back pain, and chest trauma from seatbelts. Most vehicles were declared total losses. One vehicle had only 4,000 miles on the odometer when the airbags failed.
One owner also reported automatic emergency braking did not engage during a sudden highway traffic stop that preceded a multi-vehicle collision. The manufacturer was notified in some cases but took no action beyond dispute over threshold parameters.
Same Toyota Highlander airbags reports on nearby years: 2020 · 2021 · 2022
Failure modes owners describe
Airbags fail to deploy in collision
Multiple owners report airbags not deploying during crashes at various speeds (26–65 mph) and impact angles, including frontal collisions, t-bone impacts, side impacts, and tree strikes. In several cases, law enforcement and safety professionals at the scene or later said the airbags should have deployed; in at least one narrative, the black box data was downloaded by the manufacturer and showed no incident recorded despite the crash, leading to a dispute over deployment threshold parameters.
When: During crashes at 26–65 mph; one failure noted at approximately 34,125 miles, another at 50,000 miles, one at 4,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment on frontal impact; No airbag deployment on side/t-bone impact; No airbag deployment on tree strike; No warning lights illuminated in some incidents; Black box reported no incident occurred despite confirmed crash; Airbags deployed in other vehicle involved in same crash while this vehicle's did not
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles were totaled in most cases; no repairs noted. One vehicle was towed for investigation but not diagnosed or repaired by dealer.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota stated in one case that the accident did not meet the parameters to register an incident. Manufacturer was made aware of the failure in at least one case; in others, manufacturer was not notified.
Automatic emergency braking fails to engage during sudden traffic stop
One owner reports that automatic emergency brakes did not engage when traffic suddenly stopped on the highway, contributing to a multi-vehicle collision.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Automatic emergency brakes did not engage during sudden highway traffic stop
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
A vehicle turned in front of me as I was going down the highway and I collided with the vehicle at 44 mph. The airbags of my car did not deploy but the airbags of the other vehicle did deploy.
Had airbags trouble with your 2023 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 2023 Toyota Highlander?
It's a meaningful issue. 11 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 11 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 36,708 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/2023/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.