2001 Toyota Highlander Airbags Problems

During a collision where another vehicle hit your driver's side door and rear area, the airbag did not deploy. This is a serious safety concern, as the airbag should have activated to protect you during the impact.

When your car sits outside in freezing temperatures, the airbag warning light turns on after you start it and stays on until the car warms up and you restart it. According to reports, Toyota has issued a technical service bulletin acknowledging this is a known issue where the airbag may not function while the light is flashing, but they have not issued a recall or offered warranty repairs. A diagnostic scan and possible airbag system sensor replacement may be needed to resolve this cold-weather malfunction.

Your airbag warning light came on, and the dealer determined that the spiral cable (a component in your steering column that connects to the airbag system) needs to be replaced. Unfortunately, the dealer couldn't locate the part to complete the repair. This issue appeared at around 111,000 miles on your vehicle.

WHEN 2001 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IS STARTED WHEN COLD, BELOW 30 DEGREES F, AIR BAG LIGHT BLINKS UNTIL 1) CAR WARMS UP 2) CAR IS RESTARTED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DEALER THAT WHEN LIGHT IS BLINKING, AIR BAGS ARE INOPERABLE. ORDINARILY THIS CAR IS KEPT IN A GARAGE SO IT IS NOT VERY OFTEN STARTED WHEN BELOW 30 F. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN WITH THE CAR SINCE NEW. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM IS ON MANY OTHER TOYOTA HIGHLANDERS OF THIS ERA BECAUSE A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR "TOYOTA HIGHLANDER AIR BAG LIGHT BLINKS COLD WEATHER" BRINGS UP DISCUSSIONS OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR THE FIRST GENERATION HIGHLANDERS 2001 - 2007. *TR

I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN AUGUST 2010 IN MY TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ON IMPACT EVEN THOUGH I WAS GOING 45-50 MPH. MY SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN ME FROM HITTING MY STEERING WHEEL WAS A HARD IMPACT TO MY CHEST. I SENT PICS TO TOYOTA AND SPOKE TO THEM SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT MY COMPLAINT OF THE FAILING AIRBAGS AND SEATBELT. THEY SAID THAT THE CAR DID WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO ON IMPACT AND THEREFORE I HAD NO COMPLAINT. MY CAR WAS TOTALED IN THE COLLISION. *TR

SHIRENE DUHANEY JUNE 13, 2008 ATTN: RECALLS/COMPLAINTS & INVESTIGATIONS DEAR SIR/MADAM: I AM WRITING BECAUSE I NEED ASSISTANCE WITH A DANGEROUS MATTER. MY VEHICLE IS A 2001 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. I HAVE CONTACTED & VISITED THE DEALER. I HAVE HAD AN ATTORNEY WRITE TOYOTA MOTOR SALES USA, INC. AND NO RESOLVE. I HAVE PICTURES IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THEM. FOR DETAILS PLEASE SEE BELOW: I WANT THEM TO BE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO PLAZA AUTO MALL ON 3/22/07. I SPOKE WITH ADVISOR LONNIE. THE REASON I BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO HAVE THEIR TECHNICIANS CHECK OUT MY VEHICLE BECAUSE I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT A LUMP IN MY STEERING WHEEL. IN ADDITION I WAS HAVING A RECALL TAKEN CARE OF. ACCORDING TO THE ADVISOR LONNIE 'HE SAID IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM AND IT WAS OK. HOWEVER, THE PRINT OUT THAT HE WANTED ME TO SIGN SAID 'LUMP IN STEERING WHEEL 'TECH FOUND AIR BAG DISTORTED 'NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. CUSTOMER DECLINED REPAIR.' THAT WAS NOT TRUE I WAS NEVER TOLD IT NEEDED REPAIR. I REFUSED TO SIGN THAT AND NOTED THAT ON THEIR COPY . THAT WAS UNSETTLING TO ME I RETURNED SHORTLY TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 4/5/07 AND DEALT WITH YET ANOTHER ADVISOR. HE RE-EXAMINED MY VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS OK. HE GAVE ME A NEW FORM THAT SAID THAT THE CAR WAS OK. (ATTACHED ARE 2 COPIES OF TOYOTA PRINT OUTS BOTH OF WHICH SHOW A DISCREPANCY IN THE INFORMATION.) HOWEVER, IT IS STILL NOT SITTING WELL WITH ME. TOYOTA AS A CORPORATION NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF THIS. THIS MAY BE A DEFECT IN THEIR VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW AND THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY RECALLS. THIS MAY ALSO BE A RECALL THAT THE CORPORATION IS NOT AWARE OF. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS LOOKED INTO BY THE CORPORATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MY AIR BAG IS NOT MALFUNCTIONING. I NEED TO HAVE THIS FIXED. ASAP THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION! SINCERELY, SHIRENE DUHANEY *TR

DRIVER WAS HIT ON LEFT FRONT SIDE OF VEHICLE BY ONCOMING CAR IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLY.*AK

CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING 10 MPH REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

WHILE AT A STOP ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH, HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE IN THE REAR. IMPACT FORCED CONSUMER INTO A DITCH. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, AND DRIVER SUSTAINED SOME INJURIES.*AK