Component

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

2,548 NHTSA complaints about air bags:side/window issues across 42 makes and 440 models.

The air bags:side/window is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 2,548 filings from 42 manufacturers and 440 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.

Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 1,158 crashes, 18 fires, 1,512 injuries, and 21 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the VOLKSWAGEN JETTA with 188 filings, followed by HONDA ACCORD and HONDA CIVIC. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.

Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues — the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material — before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.

2,548
Complaints
440
Models Affected
1,158
Crashes
18
Fires
21
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 188
2 HONDA ACCORD 127
3 HONDA CIVIC 56
4 FORD FOCUS 56
5 CADILLAC DEVILLE 51
6 TOYOTA CAMRY 50
7 LINCOLN TOWN CAR 40
8 HYUNDAI ELANTRA 40
9 HONDA ELEMENT 39
10 FORD EXPLORER 37
11 HYUNDAI SONATA 34
12 FORD TAURUS 33
13 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 32
14 TOYOTA COROLLA 30
15 VOLKSWAGEN GTI 28
16 BMW 323I 28
17 LINCOLN LS 26
18 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE 25
19 FORD WINDSTAR 24
20 FORD EXPEDITION 24
21 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER 21
22 FORD MUSTANG 20
23 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 18
24 TOYOTA RAV4 18
25 NISSAN ALTIMA 18
26 MERCURY SABLE 18
27 CHEVROLET VENTURE 18
28 BMW 330I 18
29 TOYOTA SIENNA 17
30 HONDA CR-V 17

Recent Complaints

2024 KIA TELLURIDE

The contact owns a 2024 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side rear window independently fractured. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic

2006 HONDA CR-V

Driver side window does not operate

2021 NISSAN VERSA

Rear window tinting - dealer installed. Causes severe distortion/refraction on rear windshield during night driving making it impossible to determine where the cars are behind me.

2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER SON WAS DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEED, THE FRONT DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SIDE-CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT AN IMPA

2012 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS I

2016 LEXUS RX HYBRID Crash

I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON 5/1/19 WHERE A WOMAN HIT ME FROM THE SIDE AT 20-30 MPH FROM THE SIDE. THE IMPACT WAS PRETTY SQUARE ON THE FRONT, DRIVER-SIDE QUARTER PANEL. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYE

2015 TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID Crash

I WAS DRIVING MY 2015 TOYOTA CAMRY LE AFTER DROPPING OFF MY SON AT DAY CARE ON JULY 13, 2018. I EXPERIENCED A SEIZURE WHILE ON THE HIGH WAY TRAVELING AT A SAFE SPEED WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. I BECAME

2004 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA

MY HUSBAND WAS REPLACING DOOR HANDLE WHEN HE TOOK OFF THE LEFT FRONT DOOR PANEL, HE FOUND THAT THE AIRBAG SENSOR HAS DISINTEGRATED FROM THE INSIDE OUT. WE TOOK PICTURES TOOK IT INTO DUBLIN CA TOYOTA.

2012 NISSAN VERSA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN VERSA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V144000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATE

2012 CADILLAC CTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE

2014 TOYOTA COROLLA

TAKATA INFLATORS - THE VEHICLE HIT A CURB AND BLEW THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT AND AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN FLASHING EVER SINCE ABOUT 65,000 MILES. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SE

2014 CHEVROLET CRUZE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET CRUZE. WHILE ENTERING VEHICLE, THE SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT OR WARNING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GILCHRIST CHEVROLET BUICK GM

2015 CHEVROLET CRUZE Crash

AFTER I HAD STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, I BEGAN TO START A LEFT TURN, WHEN I WAS IMPACTED BY A DISTRACTED DRIVER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE OTHER CAR HIT ME DIRECTLY ON THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT PANEL, CRUSHIN

2007 LEXUS GS 350

WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY, WITHOUT ANY IMPACT ON THE CAR, NO ACCIDENT OCCURED, AIRBAG ON PASSENGER SIDE DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY REASON.

2016 TOYOTA CAMRY Crash

CAR WAS HIT BY TWO TRUCK ON BOTH SIDES. DRIVER SIDE THE DOOR WAS COMPLETELY DAMAGED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE WIND SHIELD, WINDOW AND FRAME COMPLETELY BROKEN. THE AIRBAG (CURTAIN AIRBAG) WHICH SHOULD BE

2011 NISSAN MURANO Crash

ENTERING KANSAS CITY ON I-49 NORTH APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, ON 2/20/18, IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE LANE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL AND T-BONED MY PASSENGER DOOR BEFORE TURNING AND SLIDING DOWN

2009 TOYOTA YARIS Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA YARIS. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHI

2010 TOYOTA YARIS Crash

NOVEMBER 10, 2017 - I WAS T-BONED BY A MOTORIST (WHO RAN THE LIGHT) ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WHILE ATTEMPTING A LEFT HAND TURN THRU AN INTERSECTION. THE 2010 TOYOTA YARIS I WAS DRIVING WAS TOTALED BY THE

2014 HONDA CIVIC Crash

I, [XXX], ATTEST THAT THE EVENT DESCRIBED BELOW IS THE TRUTH OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE ACCIDENT ON 03/30/2014. SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOYED. ON SUNDAY MARCH 30, 2014 I HIT VERY BY ANOTHER CAR THAT RA

2014 KIA FORTE Crash

I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN WHICH A MAN RAN A RED LIGHT AS I WAS GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. HE HIT MY CAR RIGHT AT THE "HINGE" OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND HIT ME INTO THE CAR NEXT TO ME.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve air bags:side/window issues?
The NHTSA has received 2,548 complaints about air bags:side/window problems across 440 vehicle models from 42 manufacturers.
How dangerous are air bags:side/window defects?
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW issues have been linked to 1,158 crashes, 18 fires, 1,512 injuries, and 21 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most air bags:side/window problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for air bags:side/window issues is the VOLKSWAGEN JETTA with 188 complaints.
Where does PlainCars get its safety data?
All vehicle safety data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database, which collects reports from vehicle owners about safety-related defects.

Data Sources

Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.

Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.

Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.

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