1997 Toyota Tacoma Air Bags

1997 TOYOTA TACOMA
310,000 MILES • 2.4L • 4 CYL • 2WD • MANUAL
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JIM WINNER
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Last year I found my truck sitting in the driveway filled with a light yellow slightly gritty dust. There were deposits on the seats, doors, dash and floor. It appeared to come from the steering column, and the only source I can imagine is the air bag canister. I spoke to the Toyota dealer and other independant garage mechanics and the told me they never heard of such a thing, but the only explanation I can imagine is that the air bag canister spontaneously discharged without deploying the air bag. The truck is obviously well used, and has a variety of rattles in the dash and maybe the steering column. The airbag warning light is not on.

The truck continues to operate normally, but the dust continues to filter out of various nooks and crannys. Toyota offered to look into the problem (not repair it) for a minimum of $200. Can you suggest another explanation, and do I have an option other than continuing to drive my truck with no air bag. (I don't intent to collide with anything in the neer future). Finally, if my assumption is correct, are there any health effects to the dust?

Thank you,
Jim Winner
Apr 10, 2015 at 9:53 PM
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MHPAUTOS
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This will not be the airbag, the air bag is a sealed unit and the dry lube use is a white powder and very fine in texture, I am un sure as to what you have the pics you posted did not post up they were just a blank.
Apr 10, 2015 at 10:45 PM
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JIM WINNER
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Ok, then what was it? To paraphrase Sherlock Holmes, "If you delete all other alternatives, the remaining must be the correct one". How about this; the canister rattled in the column until the side was weakened or penetrated. The air allowed the reaction to occur but at a slower rate then normal. This spewed the material (from the reaction, not the lubricant) out of the steering column and into the truck. I realize that I may be searching a little bit here, but what else could it have been. I will attempt to attempt to attach a photo.

And thank you for you insights.
Apr 14, 2015 at 12:22 PM
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MHPAUTOS
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if you remove the air bag unit you should see if this powder is inside and around the module. One would expect that it would be deposited there rather thickly and some breach of the module would be seen.
Apr 14, 2015 at 2:58 PM
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THIS IS MIKE
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here are your images
Apr 16, 2015 at 9:46 AM
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THIS IS MIKE
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image #2
Apr 16, 2015 at 9:47 AM