Air Bags. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

14 crash reports4 fire reports9 injury reports

What owners actually said

62 reports

Mileage unknown · May 28, 2002

Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. TO AVOID A COLLISON APPLIED BRAKES AND HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY.*AK THIS VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *JG

NHTSA ODI #8010602

Mileage unknown · May 9, 2002

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

DEALER PUT NEW BRAKE PADS ON TO STOP SQUEAKING, TO NO AVAIL.

NHTSA ODI #0

Mileage unknown · Jan 21, 2002

Air BagsCrashInjury

AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN 45MPH (APPROX) HEAD-ON COLLISION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #757127

Mileage unknown · Jan 18, 2002

Seat Belts

WHILE DRIVING, SEATBELT SHOULDER HARNESS STRAP ON PASSENGERS SIDE DOES NOT TIGHTEN UPON LOCKING THE LATCH. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #8002468

Mileage unknown · Nov 30, 2001

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED, AND IN ORDER TO DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL AND STOP VEHICLE, CONSUMER HAD TO "STAND ON BRAKE PEDAL. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE FIVE TIMES, AND FAILED TO DETERMINE A CAUSE FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #899704

Mileage unknown · Oct 16, 2001

Power Train

WHILE STARTING VEHICLE FOR FIRST TIME AND WHEN SHIFTING VEHICLE INTO DRIVE IT WOULD TRAVEL IN REVERSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #897786

Mileage unknown · Aug 17, 2001

Vehicle Speed Control

VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY REV WHILE COMING TO A STOP, FORCING DRIVER TO APPLY FULL PRESSURE TO BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE CAUSE. *AK CONSUMER STATES HE HAS TO SHIFT TO PARK TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM SURGING, THE TACHOMETER SHOOTS UP AND ENGINE ROARS. …

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NHTSA ODI #894620

Mileage unknown · Aug 15, 2001

Vehicle Speed Control

ENGINE ON FOUR OCCASIONS REVS UP WHEN SLOWING TO A STOP AT 5 MPH. HAVE TO SHIFT CAR INTO PARK BECAUSE OF THE SURGE OF THE ENGINE. MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE WITH ALL MY STRENGTH, AND NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. WHEN I REPORTED THIS IN LATE MAY, TOYOTA DEALER COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR. HAPPENED AGAIN YESTERDAY AND I TOOK CAR IN …

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NHTSA ODI #750551

Mileage unknown · Feb 16, 2001

Seats

THE OWNERS MANUAL SHOWS THAT A SEAT TETHER ANCHOR CAN BE INSTALLED. HOWEVER, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO INSTALL ONE AND TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLD ME THAT THE MANUAL WAS A MISPRINT AND THE ANCHOR IS ONLY AVAILABLE STARTING IN 2000. *AK

NHTSA ODI #741005

Mileage unknown · Dec 4, 2000

Electrical System

THE CONNECTION TO THE ALTERNATOR WAS HEAVILY BURNT CAUSING LOSS OF POWER TO THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER WAS TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE FOR 1/2 HOUR PRIOR TO THE POLICE DEPT. ARRIVING TO HELP THE CONSUMER OUT OF THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW THAT DID NOT ALLOW FOR THE CONSUMER TO EXIT VEHICLE UNDER POWER LOSS. *MJS

NHTSA ODI #558279

Official recalls

20V033000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Jan 22, 2020

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 1998-2000 RAV4, 1998-1999 RAV4 EV and Celica and 1997-1998 Supra vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant, and increases the risk of serious injury or death.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and owners will have the option to self-inspect, or have a dealer inspect the steering wheel on their vehicle to determine if their vehicle may be equipped with an affected inflator. Potentially affected steering wheel serial numbers will be inspected by a dealer. Based on the inspection, dealers will replace the front driver air bag inflator with an alternate one, as necessary. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 28, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall is 20TB01 and 20TA01.

00V211000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:park/neutral Start Interlock Switch

Aug 9, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY ELECTRIC VEHICLES. IF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE REPEATEDLY PARKED BY PLACING THE SHIFT LEVER INTO THE "P" POSITION WITHOUT APPLYING THE PARKING BRAKE, THE PARKING LOCK ROD, A COMPONENT OF THE TRANSMISSION PARKING LOCK SYSTEM, COULD BREAK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RENDER THE SYSTEM INOPERATIVE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PARKING LOCK ROD.

00V212000 · Service Brakes, Air:disc:rotor

Aug 9, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY ELECTRIC VEHICLES. THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTOR, WHEN EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS, CAN DEVELOP STRESS FRACTURES IF THE LUG NUTS ARE TIGHTENED WITH EXCESSIVE TORQUE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE DISC ROTOR COULD BREAK (WHERE IT MOUNTS TO THE WHEEL), RESULTING IN A LOSS OF BRAKING ACTION ON THAT WHEEL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DISC BRAKE ROTORS. IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS, TOYOTA WILL REPLACE THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND STEEL WHEELS WITH NEW DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND NEW ALUMINUM WHEELS. IN ADDITION A CAUTION LABEL THAT READS, "USE NEW GENUINE TOYOTA ALUMINUM WHEELS." WILL BE AFFIXED. VEHICLES ALREADY EQUIPPED WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS WILL ONLY REQUIRE CAUTION LABEL INSTALLATION.

98V278000 · Electrical SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL Module

Oct 19, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEMS (TDS) SUPPLIED BY AUDIOVOX CORPORATION AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, INC. IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. THE ALARM WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE ALARM HARNESS TO COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT. A PERCENTAGE OF THE FEMALE TERMINALS USED IN THE ALARM CONNECTOR WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE, CAUSING AN 'OPEN CIRCUIT' CONDITION WHEN MATED TO THE MALE IGNITION SWITCH TERMINALS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98, 9/2/98, AND 9/3/98.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Toyota RAV4 problems

Toyota RAV4 transmission problems →Toyota RAV4 electrical problems →