The dash light indicating a problem with my air bag is on. Toyota states that a safety recall is pending that might affect my car. Until then, they are unable or unwilling to repair my car. They state that the airbag may go off on it's own. They cannot tell me how long it may be before the recall is announced. This seems highly dangerous to me.
2002 Toyota Corolla airbags problems
23 complaints (20% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 85,000. 17 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 23
- of this car's complaints
- 20%
- typical mileage
- 85,000
- crashes
- 17
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
- Frontal6
- Side/window1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Toyota Corolla airbags problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2002 Toyota Corolla airbags
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Related investigations
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.During the course of PE14-016, ODI determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by Takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.Nonetheless, at ODI's insistence, all 10 vehicle manufacturers initiated a regional recall within approximately two weeks of the opening of the investigation.The regions recalled initially included Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, areas with consistently high absolute humidity and climatic conditions believed to be a significant factor in the inflator ruptures.As part of the recall actions, inflators removed from remedied vehicles are to be returned to Takata for testing.Takata's initial test results on passenger inflators from remedied vehicles indicated a much higher than anticipated rupture frequency for inflators returned from Florida.Accordingly, ODI requested all 10 manufacturers expand the regional recalls for passenger inflators to include other geographic areas where high absolute humidity conditions exist, including the Gulf States and other coastal areas.Takata's testing of the passenger inflators to date continues to indicate this geographic area as having the highest risk, with no ruptures occurring from inflators returned from outside the expanded recall regions.During PE14-016, four additional passenger inflator field events occurred, all in vehicles from the same expanded geographic region.Also during PE14-016, four additional driver inflator field events occurred including two in vehicles from regions not known for high absolute humidity, specifically California and North Carolina.Accordingly, ODI requested all five of the affected vehicle manufacturers currently using the subject Takata driver inflators expand to nationwide recalls.Significantly, neither of the affected vehicle manufacturers or Takata provided any explanation to account for these two driver air bag inflator ruptures outside the area of high absolute humidity.Takata testing of returned driver inflators indicates a lower rupture frequency as compared to passenger inflator testing.All test ruptures reported by Takata to date have occurred on inflators returned from high absolute humidity areas.The PE is now closed/upgraded to an Engineering Evaluation (EA15-001) to include all manufacturersand vehicles known to be affected at this time.ODI's EA investigation will focus on, among other things, root cause analysis, other potential defect consequences, identification of affected vehicles scope, and adequacy of the remedy.The recalls related to this PE are: 14V343, 14V344, 14V348, 14V351, 14V353, 14V655, 14V700, 14V701, 14V752, 14V763, 14V770, 14V773, 14V787, 14V802 and 14V817.The number of vehicles affected are an estimate since some vehicles may have both the driver and passenger side inflators recalled. The five ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/owners/Searchreference under the following identification numbers: 10537899, 10568848, 10585224, 10605877, 10651492
PE14016
What 2002 Toyota Corolla owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota corolla. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 15v043000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Air bags did not deploy during the crash. The crash was serious; it totoled the car.
I was driving home from working 12 hour graveyard shift. I fell asleep at the wheel and ran off the right hand side of our blacktop road 1 mile from home. My 2002 corolla was traveling around 50mph I awoke and attempted to correct the car's path and hit a tree head on destroying the right grill bumper hood, windshield, right fender, inner upper frame work and headlamp assembly and wiring. My dash light came on that said my airbag deployed. My steering wheel airbag was still intact it failed to deploy or inflate. I was saved by god and my seat belt.
Toyota told us not to put anyone in passenger side because airbag is dangerous. We have four adults in our family and need to use the passenger front seat. Toyota (johnson city tn) say they have no idea when they can fix the air bag because they have no idea when parts will be available. "it could be months". We need to have it fixed soon.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota corolla. The contact stated that another vehicle crashed into the passenger side of his vehicle and the air bags failed to deploy. The contact mentioned that the air bag warning lamp illuminated. A police report was filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 140,000 and the current mileage was 165,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota corolla. While traveling at 25 MPH, the contact was struck from the front end by another vehicle. The contact's vehicle was destroyed. The air bags did not deploy. The contact suffered injuries to her head and chest. A police report was available. The vehicle was not further investigated for the failure of the air bags. The current and failure mileages were 106,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 toyota corolla. The contact stated that after starting his vehicle, he forgot to put on his safety belt, and when he drove away he crashed into a concrete foundation while driving approximately 15 MPH. His head hit the windshield causing it to crack. The contact stated that he suffered a concussion and briefly lost consciousness. The air bags did not deploy. He drove the vehicle to his residence and called the insurance company. The vehicle was taken to an auto body shop where the mechanic stated that the vehicle was destroyed. Toyota was contacted and a case manager informed him that under the circumstances of the crash the air bags were not designed to deploy. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 toyota corolla. While driving approximately 50 MPH and approaching a red light when he stepped on the brake pedal it did not respond and caused the contact to crash into the vehicle in-front of him. The drivers front air bag did not deploy. He had experience brake failure twice. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. There were no injuries. The failure mileage was 140,000 and the current mileage was 150,000.
Driving on interstate 5 at 60 mile per hour hitting pickup truck from the back the declare a total lost airbag didn't open.
Questions about the 2002 Toyota Corolla airbags
Does the 2002 Toyota Corolla have airbags problems?
Owners have filed 23 complaints about the airbags of the 2002 Toyota Corolla, 20% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2002 Toyota Corolla airbags problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 85,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Toyota Corolla airbags?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Toyota Corolla have bad airbags?
The Toyota Corolla model years with the most airbags complaints are 2009 (552 complaints), 2005 (457 complaints) and 2006 (454 complaints).
Other 2002 Toyota Corolla problems
Engine 24Acceleration 11Brakes 8Visibility 8Fuel system 7Seats 7Tires 7Lights 6Suspension 6Body 5Seat belts 5Transmission 5Steering 4Locks 3Wheels 3Electrical 1
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