Airbag complaints carry weight beyond the surface numbers. 80,521 complaints across 2,452 vehicles, and a substantial fraction of those involve the Takata recall — the largest automotive recall in history, covering airbag inflators that can rupture and send shrapnel into the cabin. Takata-related deaths and injuries are documented, lawsuits ongoing, and the recall scope continues to expand even today. The vehicles ranked below include both Takata-affected models and vehicles with other airbag deployment or non-deployment complaints. If you own any vehicle on this list and haven't checked your VIN against open Takata recalls, do it today — go to nhtsa.gov/recalls, paste in your VIN, and see what's open. The repairs are free, the parts are available, and there's no good reason to delay. Beyond Takata, this category captures airbag light issues (sensor faults, clock spring failures), airbag deployment in minor crashes, and non-deployment in serious crashes. The severity of any individual airbag complaint matters more than the volume.
Airbags problems
80,521 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 649 active recall campaigns.
Airbags problems by manufacturer 37 makes with aggregated detail
Drill into a single manufacturer's airbags record across all model years. Each page below carries data on the worst-affected year-models, active recalls, and editorial commentary from one of our contributors.
Worst-affected vehicles Top 25 by complaint volume
Most-recalled vehicles For airbags components
Recent owner reports 12 most recent in this category
I am reporting a failure by Volkswagen Group of America to provide a safe and timely remedy for Safety Recall 23V-215. Per the manufacturer's notice, the front passenger seat is unsafe for use until repaired. I physically surrendered my vehicle to Merced VW on Dec 29, 2025, due to this grounding safety risk. However, both the dealership and VW…
Check engine light was flashing and the car wouldn’t accelerate up to speed, wouldn’t turn over when tried to start.
Was in an accident another car hit us running approximately 45-50 when we was turning in. And no airbags deployed
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact was informed that there were no records indicating previous…
front seat passenger air bag recall and it has been over a year and they are still waiting for the parts. The recall says that the air bag may not deploy when it is supposed to and could cause injury to the occupant. I would think this would be a high priority for Lexus to fix the problem. Can you help us get this taken care of?
The panel that holds in the knee airbags under the steering wheel came open for no reason and exposed the air bag. The vehicle was not involved in a crash and appears to be a manufacture workmanship issue.
The catalytic converter and exhaust manifold are suspected to be malfunctioning. These components are part of the vehicle’s exhaust system, and their failure is believed to be contributing to hesitation and skipping during operation. Both components are available for inspection upon request. The hesitation and skipping reduce the vehicle’s…
My passenger airbag light has been showing an error light on and off since March of 2023. I’ve brought it to a Volkswagen dealership 2 separate times, and they advised me they didn’t have a fix for the issue. This is our family car that we HAVE to drive everyday to get to work and school. Everyday someone is at risk by riding in the passenger…
Airbags don't get a second chance. If your VIN has an open recall, get it scheduled. The dealer has to do it for free, and parts have been available for years now on most affected vehicles.