2016 Toyota Prius Air Bags & Restraints Problems

While going 70 MPH, I hid a feral hog. Although the front end of my car crumpled up, and we came to a sudden stop, the air bags did not deploy.

I was hit when someone ran a stop sign. Pushed into oncoming traffic and hit a truck. My Toyota Prius was totaled. No air bags deployed. Seatbelt did not tighten either. I have contacted Toyota. Someone retrieved the data from recorder. I have a copy but it was to long to send with pics. Toyota claim # [XXX] (sorry for one pic I couldn’t delete) INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).”

Airbags failed to deploy upon impact with guardrail. Drivers side front corner hit the guardrail at approx. 45% angle at 50-60mph. The vehicle was inspected by an insurance rep. and was deemed a total loss. The car is available for inspection.

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 dealership says my 2016 Toyota Prius is not cover (same exact issue). I submitted a ticket through Toyota customer service but they have done nothing about this safety issue for the 2016 Toyota Prius. I see lots of blogs and complaints because the airbag default warning light stays lit, so I assume airbag is not functional. I found a site that says to put the complaint through here.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A VERY LOW SPEED A SECOND VEHICLE SUDDENLY CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE PUSHING IT INTO THE REAR END OF A THIRD VEHICLE POSITIONED AHEAD. DURING THE INCIDENT THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END AND WAS DESTROYED BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL TREATMENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AWAY. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

SEATBELT ON DRIVERS SIDE DOES NOT RETRACT, GETS CAUGHT IN DOOR WHEN EXITING THE CAR. DEALER WON'T FIX IT. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE IN THAT THE DRIVER WHEN EXITING HAS TO STOP DEAL WITH EXTENDED SEAT BELT CAUGHT IN DOOR, COULD BE HIT BY ANOTHER CAR IN A PARKING LOT OR THE STREET. IT'S BEEN LIKE THIS FOR MONTHS. VERY ANNOYING.A GOOGLE SEARCH SHOWS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR TOYOTA CARS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA PRIUS V. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V085000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AVONDALE TOYOTA (10005 PAPAGO FWY, AVONDALE, AZ 85323) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. *BF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND TOWED TO A BODY SHOP WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 37,000.

NHTSA RECALL NO.16V672 AND 16V741 WERE NOT COMPLETED. CALLED THE AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALER, STEVENS CREEK TOYOTA, 380 KIELY BLVD, SAN JOSE, CA 95129, ON 01/20/2017 FOR REMEDY TO BE PERFORMED. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WILL CALL ME BACK WHEN TEH PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. REMEDY NOT COMLETED YET.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V672000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER ROBERTS TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 1027 NASHVILLE HWY, COLUMBIA, TN 38401; (931) 388-3006) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

WE WERE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 70MILES AN HOUR ON A DIVIDED HIGHWAY. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING, I WAS THE PASSENGER. WE BOTH WERE WEARING OUR SEAT BELTS. MY HUSBAND SUFFERED SOME SORT OF MEDICAL INCIDENT CAUSING HIM TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WE CROSSED THROUGH THE MEDIAN, BECAME AIRBORNE, CROSSED TWO LANES OF OPPOSING TRAFFIC AND HEADED UP A STEEP INCLINE. THE CAR CAME TO REST ON A PILE OF DEBRIS AND HUNG UP ON A WIRE FENCE. MY HUSBAND SUFFERED A SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE FROM STRIKING SOMETHING ON THE DASH OF THE CAR. WHEN THE CAR STOPPED HE WAS SLUMPED OVER THE WHEEL BLEEDING.. HE ALSO SUFFERED A MILD L4 COMPRESSION FRACTURE. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT I HAD LIGAMENT DAMAGE IN THE CHEST AREA. AS A RESULT HE WAS TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO THE REGIONAL HOSPITAL AND THEN AIR-EVACUATED TO LAS VEGAS. OUR SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED BUT NOT THE FRONTAL BAGS. I CALLED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CRASH WAS NOT SEVERE ENOUGH TO CAUSE THEM TO NFLATE BUT MY HUSBAND'S INJURIES WOULD TEND NOT TO SUPPORT THAT. AN ENGINEER DID REMOVE THE "BLACK BOX" FROM THE VEHICLE TO TEST IT. HE PROMISED HE WOULD GET BACK TO US WITH THE RESULTS. WHEN I DID NOT HEAR FROM HIM I CALLED AND HE TOLD ME THAT ALL RESULTS HAVE BEEN SENT TO TOYOTA. HE WAS RELUCTANT TO SAY MORE. I CALLED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAD LOOKED AT THE CASE AND THAT THE RESULTS HAD BEEN SENT TO LEGAL, THE ATTIITUDE OF THE PEOPLE THERE HAS GONE FROM HELPFUL TO ABRUPT. MY HUSBAND IS STILL UNDER THE CARE OF A NEUROLOGIST BECAUSE OF THE INJURY AND TO DETERMINE WHAT CASED THE INCIDENT. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE A CAUSE FOR HIS BLACKOUT BUT WE HAVE BEEN ASSURED VIA CT SCAN THAT THE BLEEDING HAS STOPPED INTO HIS BRAIN. IF HE HIT SOMETHING IN THE CAR HARD ENOUGH TO CAUSE THIS TYPE OF INJURY IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE AIRBAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. .

AS I TOOK A HIGHWAY EXIT, FOLLOWING BEHIND OTHER CARS DOING THE SAME, MY PRIUS REFUSED TO BRAKE EFFICIENTLY WHEN ANOTHER CAR ABRUPTLY INVADED OUR LINE. IT FELT AS IF THE BRAKES MADE A SLIGHT RELEASE OR COULDN'T REACH A FULL STOP. I HAD ENOUGH SPACE TO STOP, AND I PRESSED THE BRAKES ON TIME BUT THERE WAS ALMOST NO BRAKE REACTION AND I CRASHED INTO THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS PROBABLY GOING 20-30 MPH, SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE... SO NOT EVEN THAT FAST. BEST PART IS THAT THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T INFLATE, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS ALMOST TOTALED. THIS FEELS EXPLAINABLE TO ME... I HAD IT FOR ONLY TWO MONTHS THUS FAR. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS CAR TO OTHERS.