Ray O: Location of airbag sensor(s)....

The airbag will have sensors in the seat to detect an occupant, and in the seat belt retractors. I don't know precisely how yours is built, but you should find sensors in the seat and in the belts.

Usually, the trouble turns out to be the sensor(s), not the wires.

What's happening is that the onboard computer has become highly confused. It knows the vehicle is in motion and somebody must be driving but the airbag sensor is not detecting anyone in the driver's seat because JoeSpareBedroom has become nothing but a bag full of hot air.

This is one of a series of mickey mouse issues this truck's been having. In November, the gas & temp gauges died. Certain car brands are famous for electrical nonsense. I didn't think Toyota was one of them.

I know domestic automaker dealers have a service dept to take care of all the problems, but Toyota dealer also have service depts to take care of oil changes etc i guess????? Toyotas are trouble free.

as an aside i was in a buick dealer service dept. recently their was one buick in for service all of the other cars there were toyota and other foreign makes.

That's because they can give a Buick away, and they sell the others 10-to-1 for each Buick. Pure numbers will make one Buick in for service while the other 19 service bays are filled with the rest of the world's cars.

Yes. All cars need repairs. But this is the fourth Toyota I've owned, and none of the previous ones had issues which any experienced car owner would correctly call "bullshit problems".

I am not familiar with the location of the sensors for side impacts, but for the frontal impact sensors, there is one near the front of each fender plus one in the center console or dashboard. The sensors will have a bright yellow wire loom attached with a double or triple lock connector, the sensor itself is about 2/3 the width of a deck of cards.

If you have a passenger side airbag, there will be a sensor in the passenger seat.

I have never come across a failed impact sensor, so I wouldn't spend too much time chasing them. I have heard of bad passenger seat sensors and bad airbag modules. I suppose the clockspring is also a potential trouble spot. It will be difficult to chase the problem without hooking up a diagnostic computer, then you can check the identified part yourself.

Thanks, Ray. The seat sensor is an often-mentioned subject in other discussion groups too. A few people have said they've stopped jamming things under their seats for storage purposes.... Meanwhile, the dealer has offered to hook up the diagnostic computer while the truck's in for a timing belt later this week. We shall see.

Hooking up a diagnostic tool is the best place to start. Hopefully, it is something cheap!