MotorYearvehicle reliability by model year · NHTSA data

2021 Toyota RAV4

2021 Toyota RAV4
Photo: MercurySable99 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Complaints
375
Per 100k sold
92
≈407k sold (est.)
Recall campaigns
1
Crash / fire reports
46 / 7

Complaints by component

A complaint can name multiple components.

air bags
125 (33%)
unknown or other
70 (19%)
electrical system
45 (12%)
engine
36 (10%)
fuel/propulsion system
21 (6%)
structure
21 (6%)
service brakes
20 (5%)
steering
20 (5%)
power train
19 (5%)
visibility/wiper
19 (5%)
forward collision avoidance
17 (5%)
seats
16 (4%)

Complaints by vehicle age

Years between the model year and the reported incident.

89
45
0
3 · 89 complaints · age 3 years
0
1
2
3
4
5
View as table
055
145
274
389
481
531

Complaints by odometer reading

Mileage at failure, where the complainant reported it. When this curve rises early, problems show up while the vehicle is still young.

28
14
0
0k · 28 complaints · 0,000–10,000 miles
0k
10k
20k
30k
40k
50k
60k
70k
80k
90k
100k
View as table
0k28
10k11
20k3
30k9
40k6
50k6
60k3
70k2
80k1
90k1
100k1

Recalls (1)

air bags · 2023-12-20 · 23V865000

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.

Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.

Crash-test ratings (NHTSA NCAP)

2021 Toyota RAV4 SUV AWD
Overall★★★★★5/5
Frontal crash★★★★4/5
Side crash★★★★★5/5
Rollover★★★★4/5
NCAP frontal crash test, 2021 Toyota RAV4 SUV AWD
NCAP frontal test (NHTSA)
NCAP side crash test, 2021 Toyota RAV4 SUV AWD
NCAP side test (NHTSA)
2021 Toyota RAV4 SUV FWD
Overall★★★★★5/5
Frontal crash★★★★4/5
Side crash★★★★★5/5
Rollover★★★★4/5
NCAP frontal crash test, 2021 Toyota RAV4 SUV FWD
NCAP frontal test (NHTSA)
NCAP side crash test, 2021 Toyota RAV4 SUV FWD
NCAP side test (NHTSA)

Recent complaints

2026-07-04 · air bags · ODI 11748297

I have been unable to get my vehicle inspected and repaired by a dealer despite months of waiting and asking two different Toyota dealers to order the necessary part or parts. This recall has been in place for years. For several years I was told it was only being done in certain states and that New Mexico would be last on list due to climate. Probably six months ago the message changed from Toyota and it was now ok in every state. Only problem is still no parts according to dealer. Last contact was on June 2, 2026 with the second dealer to order part. No call back and no contact. First effort was in Santa Fe NM where car was purchased new in 2021at Toyota dealer. Last effort over a month ago was at Albuquerque Larry Miller Toyota. So safety recall for faulty air bag sensor on my wife's side of car has been in place about 900 days without parts to fix a potentially deadly problem. VERY DANGEROUS

2026-06-22 · unknown or other · ODI 11745546

What component or system failed, and is it available for inspection? The roof/water sealing system failed, allowing water to enter the vehicle interior. It is available for inspection upon request. How was safety put at risk? Water intrusion through the roof caused visible mold growth, interior deterioration, and a severe foul odor. The mold and contamination inside the vehicle is causing constant illness to the occupant, creating a serious ongoing health and safety hazard. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center? The vehicle was brought to a service center for inspection, however they refused to inspect it. The problem has not been formally confirmed. Has the vehicle been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance, or others? The vehicle was taken in for inspection but the dealer/service center declined to inspect it. No manufacturer, police, or insurance inspection has taken place. Were there warning lamps, messages, or symptoms prior to failure? When did they first appear? No warning lamps or messages appeared. The symptoms that developed include: Water entering through the roof Visible mold growth Interior deterioration Severe foul odor described as "rotten rat" smell Occupant experiencing constant illness due to exposure

2026-06-20 · latches/locks/linkages · ODI 11745416

The front driver-side door lock and opener (actuator) stopped working using the key fob and needs to be manually locked from the inside. When I try to access the door after manually locking driver side and using my key fob for the remaining 3 locks, the unit won't automatically open. This causes a safety risk considering I need to access the driver's side back or front passenger side to open the door. According to what I've read this is a known issue.

2026-06-10 · latches/locks/linkages · ODI 11743327

Passenger front door actuator\lock mechanism does not lock/unlock the door. There have been numerous lawsuits and yet NO RECALL for this very dangerous known problem. Please advise if there is any assistance from Toyota available to cure this defect that is well known to exist. I can be reached @ [XXX]. Thank you in advance for your assistance, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2026-06-09 · air bags · ODI 11742969

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota RAV4. The contact was traveling at approximately 50 MPH directly behind a van in the same lane of traffic. The van suddenly made an emergency avoidance maneuver to bypass a stationary vehicle completely stopped in the lane. Despite the attempt, the van rear-ended the stopped vehicle. The contact immediately initiated an evasive maneuver to avoid the sudden collision occurring ahead. However, due to proximity and immediate lane obstruction, the contact was unable to avoid an impact and struck the vehicle. The severe front-end impact resulted in catastrophic damage to the contact's vehicle before it came to a complete stop. The airbags failed to deploy, and no warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a repair shop. A police report was filed. The driver and her pet were the only occupants of the vehicle, and the contact was the only injured passenger. The contact sustained moderate chest pain, but no medical assistance was received. A police report was filed. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 62,000.