# Toyota Prius airbag warning light: complaints, recalls and what to do **Verdict:** Drive to a shop this week - **Owner complaints:** 4 - **Most complaints:** 2018 (2) - **Related recalls:** 2 - **Verdict:** This week ## Quick answer NHTSA has 4 owner complaints about the airbag warning light on the Toyota Prius (2015-2026 models), most for the **2018** model year (2). There are **2 recalls** for related parts; check yours by VIN. Drive to a shop this week: The car is mechanically safe to drive, but the airbags may not deploy in a crash, so get it diagnosed soon rather than ignoring it. ## Toyota Prius airbag warning light complaints by model year | Model year | Complaints mentioning the airbag light | All complaints that year | Share | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2016 | 1 | 181 | 1% | | 2018 | 2 | 52 | 4% | | 2022 | 1 | 32 | 3% | Counts are complaints filed with NHTSA whose description mentions this light. They show where owners have had trouble, not a failure rate: popular years collect more complaints simply because more cars are on the road. ## Toyota Prius recalls related to the airbag warning light **[18V085000](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=18V085000)** (2016 models, reported 2018-01-31): If the air bags fail to deploy in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury. **Remedy:** Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sensors as necessary based on their serial numbers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 12, 2018. **[16V672000](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=16V672000)** (2016 models, reported 2016-09-16): A front passenger air bag that unintentionally inflates can increase the risk of a crash or injury. **Remedy:** Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2016. Recall repairs are free at any Toyota dealer. Enter your 17-character VIN at [nhtsa.gov/recalls](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see whether yours is still open. ## What Toyota Prius owners report - "Specifically, (going from left to right), "Headlight high beam indicator," "Shift position indicators," "Cruise control indicator," and Passenger Air Bag status indicators are washed out or unreadable. The result is that important safety information is denied to the driver. Toyota of Nashua has inspected my concerns..." -- owner of a 2022 Toyota Prius, complaint filed 2023 - "The Airbag lights were lit, the person sitting with seatbelt on (flashing) and the person sitting with an inflated airbag in front of them. I ran an OBD2 scan on SRS and got code B1656. Driver seat belt buckle Left Hand. I Investigated the latch and found one wire was snapped off and a couple of inches shorter that..." -- owner of a 2018 Toyota Prius, complaint filed 2024 - "My steering wheel controls, including odometer, cruise control, horn, and airbag light is on. I took it to the dealership and they said it is the spring (clocking) cable in the steering wheel. Looking up a recall there are quite a few years and models where this exact issue has been recalled on Toyotas, but the..." -- owner of a 2016 Toyota Prius, complaint filed 2022 Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly cleaned for reading. They are owners' own accounts and have not been verified. ## What the airbag warning light means The airbag or SRS light means the airbag computer found a fault and may have turned off some or all airbags. The car drives normally, but you may not have airbag protection in a crash. Common causes include a loose connector under a seat, a worn clock spring in the steering wheel, and a seat belt buckle sensor. Have it diagnosed soon and check for open airbag recalls. The most common causes, on any make: 1. **Loose or damaged connector under a seat** (common) 2. **Worn clock spring in the steering wheel** (common) 3. **Passenger occupant sensor fault** (less common) 4. **Seat belt buckle or pretensioner fault** (less common) Full causes, what to do and how to reset it: [Airbag (SRS) warning light](/warning-lights/airbag). ## Frequently asked questions ### Is there a recall for the Toyota Prius airbag light? Yes. NHTSA lists 2 related recalls (18V085000, 16V672000) covering 2016 models. Recall repairs are free; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is open. ### Which Toyota Prius years have the most airbag light complaints? In NHTSA's database the 2016, 2018 and 2022 Prius model years have the most complaints mentioning the airbag warning light, with 2 for 2018. Complaint counts reflect how many cars were sold as well as how often problems happen. ### Is it safe to drive a Toyota Prius with the airbag light on? Drive to a shop this week. The car is mechanically safe to drive, but the airbags may not deploy in a crash, so get it diagnosed soon rather than ignoring it. Do not try to repair airbag parts yourself, because an accidental deployment can cause serious injury. ### How do I check if my Toyota Prius has an open recall? Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or ask any Toyota dealer. Open recalls are fixed free of charge, even if you are not the first owner. ## Sources - [NHTSA: Vehicle safety complaints and recalls (api.nhtsa.gov)](https://www.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa-datasets-and-apis) - [NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls) ## Other Toyota Prius warning lights - [ABS warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/abs/toyota-prius): 40 complaints - [Brake warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/brake/toyota-prius): 47 complaints - [Check engine light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/check-engine/toyota-prius): 19 complaints - [Coolant temperature warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/coolant-temperature/toyota-prius): 22 complaints - [Traction control light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/traction-control/toyota-prius): 24 complaints ## Airbag (SRS) warning light on other models - [Subaru Forester](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/subaru-forester): 280 complaints - [Nissan Altima](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/nissan-altima): 250 complaints - [Ford Explorer](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/ford-explorer): 205 complaints - [Nissan Rogue](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/nissan-rogue): 163 complaints - [Honda Accord](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/honda-accord): 90 complaints - [Jeep Wrangler](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/jeep-wrangler): 88 complaints - [Ram 1500](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/ram-1500): 77 complaints - [Volkswagen Tiguan](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/volkswagen-tiguan): 75 complaints - [Jeep Cherokee](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/jeep-cherokee): 71 complaints - [Chevrolet Traverse](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/chevrolet-traverse): 69 complaints ## Toyota Prius - [Toyota Prius specs and mpg by year](https://diagxcar.com/vehicles/toyota-prius) --- Source page: https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/toyota-prius Updated: 2026-11-04 General information, not a substitute for a qualified mechanic.