2010 Toyota Prius Airbags Problems
NHTSA lists 84 airbag complaints for the 2010 Toyota Prius, 3% of its 2,822 total complaints. These reports involve 27 crashes and 23 injuries, with a median failure mileage of 60,500. A related recall (16V487000) covers a curtain airbag weld issue.
- Airbags complaints
- 84
- 3% of 2,822
- Crashes reported
- 27
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 23
- Median mileage
- 60,500 mi
- Related recalls
- 1
Typical airbag symptoms owners report
- Front airbags fail to deploy during moderate-speed frontal or side collisions, leaving occupants with rib, chest, or internal injuries.
- Side curtain airbags fail to deploy or only partially deploy when the vehicle is struck on the driver or passenger side.
- Airbags deploy asymmetrically, with one side firing while the corresponding side does not, even in comparable impact conditions.
- Seat belts reportedly fail to restrain occupants properly at the same time airbags do not deploy, worsening injury outcomes.
- Some owners report airbags did not deploy even after rollover crashes involving multiple rotations.
When 2010 Toyota Prius airbag complaints were filed
First complaint Feb 12, 2010, latest May 16, 2025.
Airbags recalls for the 2010 Toyota Prius
- NHTSA 16V487000Jun 30, 2016Airbags482,002 vehicles
Air bags:side/window
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Toyota Prius, 2010 and 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and 2011-2012 Lexus CT200h vehicles. A weld in the curtain shield air bag inflator may crack causing one or both portions of the inflator to eject into the passenger cabin.
Risk: If either portion of the curtain shield air bag inflator ejects into the passenger cabin, there is an increased risk of injury to vehicle occupants.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install retention brackets to the curtain shield air bags, free of charge. The recall began on October 17, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota Customer Service Department at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is Toyota G0U, and Lexus GLJ.
Airbags complaints by Prius model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many airbag complaints does NHTSA have for the 2010 Toyota Prius?
- NHTSA lists 84 airbag complaints for the 2010 Prius, which is 3% of the 2,822 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2010 Prius airbags?
- Yes. Recall 16V487000, reported in 2016, covers a weld issue in the curtain shield airbag on 2010-2012 Prius and related models; dealers install retention brackets free of charge.
- Were people hurt in these airbag-related incidents?
- NHTSA data shows 23 injuries and 27 crashes tied to airbag complaints for the 2010 Prius, with no fires reported.
- At what mileage do airbag problems typically show up?
- The median mileage at failure for airbag complaints on the 2010 Prius is 60,500 miles.
- Do other Prius model years have more airbag complaints?
- The 2010 Prius has the highest raw complaint count (84) among Prius years shown, though 2011 has a higher share of its total complaints (9%) tied to airbags.