2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RAV4 Prime years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 4 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 99 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime. That is the most of any RAV4 Prime model year in the database (4 years). The most reported problem area is electrical system (37 complaints, 37%). Complaints mention 12 crashes, 1 fire, 5 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 99owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 12complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 37 | 37% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 24 | 24% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 18 | 18% | 805 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 16 | 16% | 9,300 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 10 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Carry Handle, Shell, Base | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 31,386 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:propulsion system:dc/dc converter
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2022 RAV4 Prime and 2022 Lexus NX450h+ plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicles. The electric current rectifying module contained within the DC-DC converter may have been damaged during production, which can result in an electrical short-circuit.
Risk: A short circuit can cause the DC-DC converter to overheat, increasing the risk of a vehicle fire.
Fix: Owners are advised not to charge their vehicles when the ambient air temperature is below or expected to drop below 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius). Dealers will replace the DC-DC converter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2023. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB07/23LB01.
Electrical system:propulsion system:hybrid management:power control unit/module (hpcu)
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021 RAV4 Prime Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. During certain cold weather driving conditions, while driving in EV Mode, the hybrid vehicle control engine control unit (HEV ECU) software may cause the hybrid system to shut down if the accelerator is rapidly pressed to further accelerate the vehicle, resulting in a stall.
Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the HEV ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 27, 2023. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TA01.
Electronic stability control (esc):control module:software
Problem: Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Lexus LX 600, Lexus NX 350h, Lexus NX 450h+, Toytoa RAV4 Hybrid, 2021-2022 Lexus LS 500h, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna, Venza, and 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The Skid Control ECU software may not turn on the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system when the vehicle is restarted after the driver has disabled the VSC system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Risk: Driving with a deactivated stability control system increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the Skid Control ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA03. Lexus' number for this recall is 22LA01.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021 RAV4 Prime vehicles. The headlight aiming caps may have been improperly closed, allowing for horizontal adjustment of the headlight beam. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Adjusting the horizontal headlight beam can increase glare, reducing the visibility of an oncoming driver or the vehicle operator, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will close the aiming caps on the headlights, free of charge. The recall began January 6, 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA15.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Rear glass broken all of sudden when the vehicle is parked outside
Observed arcing noises and strong electrical fire smell upon plugging in L2 EVSE charging cable. MIL lit, Hybrid Vehicle Charging System codes active; vehicle refused to charge afterwards. Self-diagnosed and repaired defective 6.6 kW onboard charger. See pics of clear arcing damage withing charging…
Something needs to be done because Toyota is stalling on sending out a critical safety component that has been recalled in thousands of vehicles. It is the HV floor wire connector, when the corrosion is beyond repair, the parts have been back ordered for months. Toyota and dealerships are not…
Random windshield crack that appeared out of no where when leaving work. 4 hour time span of video shows no foul play, nobody was mowing the yard. No way anything hit it - I confirmed. Crack started to expand up and out both ways. Can run my finger along the entire crack without any surface impacts…
Front Driver side and front passenger side door actuator has failed. Locks are non responsive to key fob or interior master switch. The door locks have to be manually unlocked with the key or by the individual in the vehicle. It is a complete safety hazard. My local Toyota dealer has quoted me…
Other Toyota RAV4 Prime years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 RAV4 Prime | 29 | 2 |
| 2023 RAV4 Prime | 65 | 2 |
| 2022 RAV4 Prime | 22 | 3 |
| 2021 | 99 | 4 |
See all Toyota RAV4 Prime problems by year, every Toyota model, or the Toyota VIN decoder.
Similar Toyota models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime?
Owners most often report electrical system, unknown or other, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 37 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other RAV4 Prime model years, the 2021 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.