Airbag Deployment Issues in the Toyota Highlander

Airbags are designed to help diminish damage and injuries during a crash by complementing the seat belts that you should always wear. Unfortunately, there are times when they will not deploy properly.

Although the Toyota Highlander has generated a couple of driver complaints and a few recalls, it is one of the safest used SUVs on the market.

Seat-Mounted Side Airbags

The side airbags on your Toyota Highlander are designed to protect you and your passengers in case of an accident. They are like cushions that inflate quickly to reduce the impact from side-on collisions. They are meant to complement seat belts, so please wear them at all times.

If you have children, the 2022 Toyota Highlander offers LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) in its outboard second-row seats. This system allows you to securely anchor down your child safety seats.

Other smart features in this model include Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert. These technologies notify you of vehicles and pedestrians that are in your blind spot, making it easier to back out of parking spots. The Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection can give you an Lexus NX airbag audible warning or even apply the brakes for you in certain scenarios, decreasing your chance of colliding with other cars. Automatic High Beams adjust your headlights based on other nearby vehicles and oncoming pedestrians, improving visibility during nighttime driving.

Knee Airbags

The knee airbags in the 2021 Toyota Highlander help protect your occupants lower extremities from serious injury during a collision. Seatbelt pretensioners also automatically tighten the seatbelt to keep them secured during an accident.

The available Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert utilizes cameras and sensors to improve your awareness while driving around the city or reversing out of parking spaces. If another vehicle is near you in a blind spot, this feature will give you an audible and visual warning. It will also provide you with an alert for approaching vehicles on both sides of your Highlander, making reversing out of parking spots a much safer process.

The standard Tire Pressure Monitoring System in the Highlander will alert you if your tires are underinflated, which can lead to poor handling and fuel efficiency. You can check the status of your tires by looking at the multi-information display, which will show you if they are "ON" or "OFF". Other safety features in the Highlander include Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection and Automatic High Beams.

Curtain Airbags

The Toyota Highlander’s curtain airbags provide front-row passengers with added protection in the event of a rear collision. They are activated by sensors to deploy during a crash, providing a protective cushion for your head. These bags also help to prevent the driver and passenger from being thrown backwards.

The 2023 Highlander XSE gives you a sportier drive with exclusive machined-faced 20-inch wheels and black accents. The shock absorbers and electric power steering have been retuned for improved handling agility, all while maintaining the Highlander’s renowned ride comfort.

To further enhance your driving experience, the XSE features a Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist. This system monitors the white and yellow lane markings, and if you start to drift over them, it will warn you with an audible alert and offer gentle corrective steering assistance to keep you centered within your lane. It also includes a Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection that can help reduce your chances of a collision under certain conditions, and Automatic High Beams that adjust to oncoming traffic automatically.

Seatbelt Pretensioners

A front-crash airbag can help keep a driver and their passengers safe. The 2022 Highlander also has seatbelt pretensioners, which tighten the seat belts in the event of a collision to ensure optimal seating positions. It's a smart safety feature that reduces the chance of injuries to the lower body in far-side impacts.

These airbags are deployed by sensors, based on the severity of the impact and how much force was applied. The sensors send a signal to the car's computer, which then determines whether or not to activate the airbags.

In addition to the ten airbags, the Highlander offers a suite of intuitive safety features called Toyota Safety Sense 2.0. It includes Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control System and Brake Assist. It also has Lane Departure Alert and Steering Assist, which will notify you if your vehicle leaves its lane. There's even Blind Spot Monitoring for driving on crowded Mars, PA roads, which will alert you when other vehicles move into your blind spots.