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2021 Toyota RAV4

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 258.5.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 72 of 385 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 125 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

46 crash reports7 fire reports29 injury reports

What owners actually said

385 reports
Mileage unknown · Jul 4, 2025
Unknown Or Other

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The air conditioning condenser was damaged due to impact from a rock, resulting in a loss of cooling function. The damaged condenser is still installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection upon request. • How was your sa…

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What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The air conditioning condenser was damaged due to impact from a rock, resulting in a loss of cooling function. The damaged condenser is still installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection upon request. • How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The damage to the air condenser caused the air conditioning system to stop functioning, which posed a potential safety risk by reducing visibility due to fogging of windows and contributing to driver fatigue or discomfort during hot weather conditions. • Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, the issue was confirmed by a certified service center. Upon inspection, they verified that a rock had punctured the air condenser, causing refrigerant loss and disabling the air conditioning system. • Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? The damage has been inspected by an independent service center. It has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives, but it is available for review if needed. • Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lamps or messages appeared. The first symptom was a noticeable loss of cool air from the vents, which occurred immediately following the incident with the rock. Every mechanic I talk to says they see this all the time. Clearly this is a design flaw and should be a recall. This vehicle is supposed to be an off roading vehicle. How do rocks even get there and damage it? I have to use my insurance to cover this claim as my warranty won’t cover this damage.

NHTSA ODI #11671292

Mileage unknown · Jul 2, 2025
Air Bags

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable…

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The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI #11670787

Mileage unknown · Jul 1, 2025
Air Bags

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue an…

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The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI #11670609

Mileage unknown · Jun 30, 2025
Visibility/wiper

UKNOWN. The panoramic sunroof of my vehicle exploded unexpectedly while driving on the freeway and the glass shattered everywhere. There were no debris in sight that would cause the incident and the glass of the sunroof was facing outward when inspected seems to indicate that the breakage occurred from inside the vehicle. The sh…

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UKNOWN. The panoramic sunroof of my vehicle exploded unexpectedly while driving on the freeway and the glass shattered everywhere. There were no debris in sight that would cause the incident and the glass of the sunroof was facing outward when inspected seems to indicate that the breakage occurred from inside the vehicle. The shattered glass and shards caused minor injuries on myself and one other passenger. The 'explosion' caused the debris glass to have potentially hit surrounding cars on the freeway. The problem has been reported to the dealer but they denying any reoccurrences of this issue . The vehicle has not yet been inspected but has been reported to insurance. There were no other symptoms prior to the failure.

NHTSA ODI #11670308

40,000 miles · Jun 17, 2025
Air Bags

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reason…

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The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the air bag warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 40,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI #11667421

Mileage unknown · Jun 12, 2025
Unknown Or Other

I was driving down the highway alone at speed limit, with no traffic in front of me. My sunroof, which was closed, exploded without warning. It was literally like a gun going off when this occurred. I curled up in a ball in my seat but did not jerk the steering wheel. The interior of the car was covered in small and larger gla…

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I was driving down the highway alone at speed limit, with no traffic in front of me. My sunroof, which was closed, exploded without warning. It was literally like a gun going off when this occurred. I curled up in a ball in my seat but did not jerk the steering wheel. The interior of the car was covered in small and larger glass shards. I stopped to examine the damage and found that the sunroof had exploded up like it had been under some kind of pressure. Later, when I arrived at my destination, I found many accounts online of the same "explosion" occurring in the 2021 rav 4 hybrid model like mine. In addition to the reported incidents, I found this; "Is There a Problem with the Sunroof in the 2021 Toyota RAV4? There certainly is a problem with the 2021 Toyota RAV4 sunroof. Multiple owners of 2021 Toyota RAV4s, including the Hybrid and Prime, have complained to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). They say their sunroofs (or moonroofs) explode spontaneously without any impact. When this happens, the glass shatters, which is a safety issue. However, Toyota appears to be disregarding the issue. There are several reports by owners stating that dealers refuse to help. Instead, they tell them to contact their insurance companies." It seems there was a class action lawsuit filed or being put together in 2023 but I do not know the status or result. I have exhausted talks with Toyota after paying $600 for their defective glass to be replaced. They refuse to accept responsibility. This is incredibly dangerous because of the explosion that occurs and because of the tiny slivers of glass that could blind the occupants. I question how many accidents may have actually occurred because of the blast and/or the flying glass shards. A normal reaction would be to jerk the wheel and its a surprise that I didn't. Now I am $600 out of pocket for replacing defective glass and have zero assurance that this won't occur again in the future. Thanks for your help

NHTSA ODI #11666506

Mileage unknown · Jun 10, 2025
Electrical SystemEngineExterior LightingFire

While parked in a commercial lot on [XXX] around [XXX], I noticed smoke coming from the front of the vehicle while sitting inside. There was a strong burning rubber smell. I exited and saw flames coming from beneath the front left bumper, directly under the fog light area. I had arrived at the location about 30 minutes earlier. …

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While parked in a commercial lot on [XXX] around [XXX], I noticed smoke coming from the front of the vehicle while sitting inside. There was a strong burning rubber smell. I exited and saw flames coming from beneath the front left bumper, directly under the fog light area. I had arrived at the location about 30 minutes earlier. I opened the hood from inside the vehicle, stepped back, and called 911. The fire rapidly engulfed the front of the vehicle. Firefighters arrived within 10 minutes and extinguished the fire. Police responded and created a report. Three nearby vehicles also sustained fire damage. The vehicle had previous front-end repairs (driver side bumper and fog light) and was well maintained. The vehicle had not shown any warning lights or messages prior to the fire. I believe the fire originated from an electrical or engine component and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. GEICO insurance has been contacted and a claim has been opened. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11666206

Mileage unknown · Jun 9, 2025
Air Bags

Toyota has failed to provide a solution to a small sensor recall for my vehicle for nearly two years. That is an unacceptable delay for something so simple as a sensor.

NHTSA ODI #11665688

Mileage unknown · Jun 4, 2025
Air Bags

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manuf…

Read full complaint

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had 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. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI #11664853

Mileage unknown · Jun 3, 2025
Air BagsSeat Belts

UNKNOWN - My car system starting alerting me as if I had no seatbelt on (which I did) and said SRS Airbag Malfunction.

NHTSA ODI #11664728

Official recalls

1

23V865000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification

Dec 20, 2023

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Toyota RAV4 problems