Complaint volume
375 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2021 Toyota RAV4 Complaints
375 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Toyota RAV4, grouped by component category.
375 Total complaints
46 Crash reports
7 Fire reports
29 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are air bags, unknown or other, structure. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 46 crash reports, 7 fire reports, 29 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 71 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 25,410 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to air bags, unknown or other, structure?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2021 Toyota RAV4?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2021 Toyota RAV4
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Toyota RAV4 complaints?
46 Crash
7 Fire
29 Injury
0 Fatality
37 Towed
26 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Toyota RAV4 complaint categories?
AIR BAGS 108
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 45
STRUCTURE 14
ENGINE 13
SEATS 13
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 11
VISIBILITY/WIPER 11
VISIBILITY 10
SERVICE BRAKES 9
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 8
375 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Today, July 17, 2024, I received a text message from Toyota of Glendale: "There is a safety recall on your Toyota. Please call to schedule an appointment." I called Toyota of Glendale a few minutes after I had received the text message to make the appointment. However, the representative informed me that I could not make an appointment, because there still is no remedy for a possible airbag failure. They were not able to give me more specific information, so they referred me to the "Toyota Customer Experience Center" (800) 331-4331. There the representative was also unable to give me satisfactory information, except that there was a problem with the airbags and no remedy was available yet. I was told "the airbag(s) may not deploy as they are supposed to”. Regarding my obviously very justified concern that in case my vehicle gets into an accident and the airbag does not deploy, the representative continued to repeat that there was no remedy yet. I would be informed via a letter or other means once the remedy becomes available. I am completely shocked that in case of an accident there might be a problem with an airbag and Toyota can take all the time in the world to find a remedy for it. How is the possible? Something has to be done immediately about this obviously life-threatening situation. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2024 | 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 and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2024 | STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | While driving on the freeway with outside temperatures of about 89/90F, at about 67-68 mph, our passenger window randomly exploded and shattered. There was no prior damage to the window or any indication that a rock, projectile or other debris had hit the window. Prior to this incident, we had observed that the passenger window would rattle inside the door pocket/window frame when the car was in motion. When the window shattered, it did so instantly without any warning, as if it had exploded, startling us. As we continued driving, the outside air started pulling apart the shattered window, causing the broken window glass to fall apart into thousands of little pieces that ended up all over the passenger, driver, and back seats, which were also occupied with children [XXX] and [XXX] old). This was a very scary and traumatic experience for us, as things could have taken a turn for the worse and we could have been seriously injured. Luckily, we had nothing more serious than minor cuts in the aftermath. However, our family and especially our children were very affected by this incident and our car suffered damage to the outside body and some more minor damage on the inside from the glass flying off from the shattered window. We believe the rattling of the window caused it to eventually explode and shatter. We believe the rattling is due to some kind of manufacturing error: either improper installation or possibly low quality glass material or incorrect size to match the door frame or a missing part that should hold the window securely. We would like our car inspected for any further damage not visible to the eye (such as glass inside the door pocket and the safety of the door window retainer of the passenger door as well as a check of the integrity of the rest of the car’s windows to check that they are property installed and secured in place to prevent rattling. The driver side window in the car continues to rattle and we fear that this incident may occur again. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No Injuries: 2 | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Cruise control suddenly quit working, alarms for hybrid system malfunction, cruise control malfunction. This is a known issue for Toyota, high voltage leaking out because of a corroded ground. This repair is going to cost around $7,000 out of pocket.. My car is 3 years old. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | AIR BAGS | Manufacturer Recall Number23TB15 NHTSA Recall Number23V865 There is currently a recall on the airbags for my vehicle. An alert popped up on my dash saying there is a error with the airbags. When I went to take it to the dealership, they refused to check if the sensor was related to the airbag recall for free. They said they would check it out, but if the sensor wasn't related to the recall then I would be charge just for inspecting it. I don't understand why they would not check it for free regardless since there is a recall out on the car. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | AIR BAGS | I was at a complete stop and was rear ended. The person who hit me was going over 45mph, and the impact caused me to hit the car in front of me, which crushed my car at both ends. My (driver) airbag did not deploy, and my head struck the steering wheel. It is available for inspection, and has not been confirmed by a dealer - it is at the insurance company’s tow lot. The police officer at the scene was surprised that my airbag did not deploy. There were no warning lights, messages, or any other indication that anything was malfunctioning/in need of service. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 3 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Sunroof shattered suddenly while driving down a freeway. It sounded like an explosion, and my passenger riding and I were concerned it was gunshots when we slightly moved the sun shade cover, we realized it was the exploded sunroof. There have been no prior incidents or found debris anywhere that could have caused the sudden explosion of the glass. We had some glass fell on us , and if not for the sun cover blocking us from harm, we could have been seriously injured . | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | We’ve had the car for three months had it to the shop of the Toyota place seven times for the electrical issue the car will shut off going down the road when you give a gas when you let off the gas, it will start back up spitting sputter, the instrument cluster The gauges will stick in one spot and not budge and you lose all power to the vehicle to drive | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Hello, I recently purchased a RAV4 2021 Limited and immidiateky noticed the side mirrors are shaking while the car is on the move to an extent where it is hard to keep track of the other vehicles from the mirrors. When I looked up this is a toyota design defect for which they have a service bulletin. I believe this should be a safety concern as the mirrors are integral part of driving and excessive shaking limits the usuability as well as strains the driver’s eyes. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the liftgate was making an abnormal rubbing sound while being closed manually or automatically. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was discovered that fluid was leaking from the left liftgate bar which had caused the failure. The mechanic reached out to the parts department and was provided an estimate for the replacement parts. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 44,000 |
| May 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | This not problem | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | A warning message came up that the HYBRID SYSTEM MALFUNCTION contact dealer. This was confirmed by the dealer. According to the dealer and message boards at various web sites, the Hybrid System Malfunction is NOT uncommon. To fix the problem, a wire harness must be replaced with a replacement cost of $2000-$4000. When I asked what changes have been made to the replacement part to address the corrosion problem, the response was there might be a new coating but we do live in New Hampshire. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | AIR BAGS | The driver side mirror hit a mailbox and all of the skirt air bags were deployed. Why was this? This should not have happened I need an explanation as to why my air bags deployed with a side mirror hit. The mirror is still attached to the car the glass was just cracked. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | AIR BAGS | The contact owns a 2021 TOYOTA RAV4. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, and attempting to stop the vehicle to let other vehicle enter they respective residence, an unexpected truck crashed into the rear area of the vehicle. The contact stated the impact pulled the vehicle forward which led him to crash the other vehicle in front of his. The contact stated the airbags failed to deploy. The contact sustained a neck, knees and back injuries which required medical attention. The contact stated the injuries led him being disabled from work since eight months. The vehicle was towed by the police and repaired by the the insurance. A police report was filed. 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 are not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact notified the manufacturer of the failure, however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 14,000. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | 14,000 |
| Apr 2024 | ENGINE | Engine maintenance light came on saying to go to dealer at 35,000 miles. The coolant bypass valve needs to be replaced in order to prevent the engine from overheating. Our repair shop coordinated with the dealership who admitted that they commonly see this issue on RAV4 and Corolla models, though there is no recall currently in place. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | 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 manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | AIR BAGS | I was parked with the car running and an alert came on the dashboard that states SRS Airbag System Malfunction Visit your dealer. Toyota stated that my car is not part of their airbag recall. I believe my car should be included in the recall. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Fuel pressure line leaking gas | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | I received an error message “Engine stopped, steering power low” after driving an hour in the rain, sat in my car for about 20 mins with wipers on, engine began to jerk aggressively then shut off. I could not gas it or move the car. I let the car sit after being towed, it ran fine as if nothing happened. I got a battery test and it was at 100% charge according to Autozone. The check engine light, battery light and steering light came on. No prior indications of this problem. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | AIR BAGS | The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that he was stopped on a residential street waiting for a person to return their vehicle out of a driveway when his vehicle was crashed from behind by another vehicle. The contact stated that the impact of the crash moved his vehicle and he crashed into the rear end of another vehicle that was in front. The contact stated that the air bags did not inflate and that he hit his chest on the steering wheel. The contact stated that his knees hit the bottom of the dashboard. The contact stated that he sustained bruising to his chest and had fractured the knee cap of his left leg as well as injury to his neck. The contact was transported to an emergency room by ambulance. The contact stated that the police were on the scene and had written a report. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to a collision repair facility and that the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that he was advised by the repair facility that his vehicle did not have either a passenger or driver's side air bag. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | 12,000 |
| Mar 2024 | ENGINE | Coolant Bypass Valve failed. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | 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 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | TIRES,SERVICE BRAKES | The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 equipped with Michelin Tires, Tire Line: Primacy MXV4, Tire Size: 225/65/R17, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact stated that while having routine maintenance at the local dealer, the contact was informed that the driver's side and passenger's front tire threads were at 3 on the inside and 4 on the outside. While depressing the brake pedal, an abnormal noise was detected. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The tire mileage was approximately 45,419. The approximate failure mileage was 39,706. | Crash: No Fire: No | 39,706 |
| Mar 2024 | TIRES | The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 equipped with Firestone Tires, Tire Line: Destination LE2, Tire Size: 225/65/R17, DOT Number: 8X2Y-DE8. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the vehicle experienced abnormal shaking and vibration. The vehicle was taken to the local service center who discovered that all four tires were out of round and had experienced tread separation. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 36,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 36,000 |
| Mar 2024 | AIR BAGS | The contact owned a 2021 Toyota RAV-4. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle collided with a deer, and the front driver-side and knee air bags were deployed along with the front passenger-side air bag. The contact stated that the air bags were deployed with excessive force. The contact was unaware of any warning lights before the collision. The driver sustained a left leg injury with bruising. The contact stated that she declined transportation by ambulance but did visit a walk-in clinic. The front passenger was not injured. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was deemed a total loss. The failure was not diagnosed by the dealer. The contact stated that while cleaning the vehicle an unknown part was found on the front passenger side of the vehicle. The contact stated that the part was greasy and had an inner spinning mechanism, the contact believes the part detached from the knee air bag causing leg injury. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 56,000. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | 56,000 |