The first time I got this I got very scared that air bag is not working. However it went away by itself. Then It reappeared and ever since it has not gone.
Ironically , the second time that the problem re-appeared, I even got a letter from the dealer for an extended warranty for the flashing light problem. The wording looked like there was a recall for this problem. But the dealer pointed out that this is just a warranty extension and they will charge money to JUST analyze. It is ridiculous that Toyota is not spending money to even allow a dealer check verify and analyze this problem and take care of the customer.
Just a side note: when the problem occurred the first time, the vehicle was just a recreational vehicle, meaning I might be driving around 15 to 30 miles a month only.
The dealer requires that you pay $50 for them to tell you how much it will really cost to get the problem fixed. It seems they should take the time to hook up their diagnostic computer (for free) since you already made a big investment just purchasing the vehicle and especially of all other maintenance is already handled by the dealer. What ever happened to customer service?
I've looked online and found that the 2006 Toyota Sienna airbag light malfunction is a common problem. $3000 to fix the problem for a 5-year old car with only 55K miles on it is ridiculous. That's over 10% of the total cost of the car. I had to do it though to pass the state safety inspection. I will not be buying another Toyota.
I have a 2006 Toyota Sienna with 74,000 miles that I purchases as a certified used vehicle from a Toyota dealer in 2008. I purchased the extended 100,000 mile warranty to ensure I was covered for any future problems. My airbag light started blinking on/off recently, so I took it into the dealership to get it checked out. The dealer informed me that the wire harness and airbag (left side) need to be replaced for about $4,000. They also informed me that this was not covered by Toyota or the extended warranty.
I filed a complaint with the dealer, since other people have had this issued handled by the dealers. The dealer told me that (1) if I had done my maintenance with them that they would have repaired this item as a courtesy (2) If I had under 60,000 miles they would have repaired it free of charge. I called Toyota customer service and they said Toyota would not do anything. This is a huge safety issue that could impact many people. I have conducted all the required maintenance on this vehicle with an authorized auto repair shop. I will continue to report this issue to as many complaint forums as possible, consumer groups, and the media. If nothing is done, I will be a proud owner of a new Honda Odyssey very soon. I'm sad to say that we just purchased a new Toyota Camry. This vehicle has been in the shop several times during the last year for recalls.
The airbag light started flashing soon after we bought the car. We had our car "fixed" by paying $50 for the Toyota dealership to move our first aid kit and then fiddle with some connector that "might" have been causing the problem. I've taken it in 4 times since then because it kept flashing and they have "fixed" it again for $90, and also sometimes done nothing and it's gone away by itself. Now I'm told it's because I need a new air bag, which costs about $1000, and I have to pay for it although the problem has been on the car since we first bought it.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Very concerned that the airbag light is indicating a problem.
- Tim S., Lebanon, IN, US