2005 Toyota RAV4 Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2005 Toyota RAV4, 42% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 91,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “takata air bags” (22% of reports).
- 59air bags complaints
- 91,000median miles at failure
- 9mention a crash
- 6mention an injury
- 3related recalls
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Takata air bags: mentioned in 13 of 59 complaints (22%)
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 18 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 59 complaints, 9 mention a crash, 6 an injury.
Toyota RAV4 air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 RAV4 | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2024 RAV4 | 12 | 7% | 10,000 |
| 2023 RAV4 | 8 | 5% | 57,500 |
| 2022 RAV4 | 10 | 7% | 19,449 |
| 2021 RAV4 | 125 | 32% | 30,000 |
| 2020 RAV4 | 55 | 9% | 40,500 |
| 2019 RAV4 | 45 | 5% | 8,000 |
| 2018 RAV4 | 16 | 5% | 17,000 |
| 2017 RAV4 | 20 | 7% | 14,500 |
| 2016 RAV4 | 19 | 8% | 25,000 |
| 2015 RAV4 | 15 | 5% | 24,000 |
| 2014 RAV4 | 12 | 6% | 20,000 |
| 2013 RAV4 | 13 | 5% | 25,309 |
| 2012 RAV4 | 22 | 8% | 30,000 |
| 2011 RAV4 | 20 | 7% | 40,500 |
| 2010 RAV4 | 28 | 7% | 56,000 |
| 2009 RAV4 | 13 | 4% | 57,000 |
| 2008 RAV4 | 58 | 10% | 79,101 |
| 2007 RAV4 | 99 | 10% | 87,000 |
| 2006 RAV4 | 57 | 8% | 89,500 |
| 2005 RAV4 | 59 | 42% | 91,000 |
| 2004 RAV4 | 47 | 31% | 100,000 |
| 2003 RAV4 | 10 | 3% | 35,547 |
| 2002 RAV4 | 22 | 4% | 38,000 |
| 2001 RAV4 | 13 | 4% | 90,000 |
| 2000 RAV4 | 1 | 3% | 169,266 |
| 1999 RAV4 | 14 | 23% | 104,950 |
| 1998 RAV4 | 13 | 17% | 132,500 |
| 1997 RAV4 | 5 | 9% | — |
| 1996 RAV4 | 4 | 9% | 55,600 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module; air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0A, J0B, and J0C. Lexus' numbers for this recall are JLI, JLJ, and JLK.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator moduleDo not drive
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured May 13, 2003, to October 25, 2005. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag, free of charge. Owners were mailed an interim notice June 17, 2015. The recall began on August 21, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
Air bags
Problem: On certain vehicles, due to improper assembly of the air bag inflator, which is used in the side air bag, the curtain shield air bag, and the knee air bag assembly, some inflators were produced with an insufficient amount of the heating agents necessary for proper air bag deployment. In this condition, the expansion force of the gas may be insufficient to properly inflate the air bag when the srs system is activated during a crash.
Risk: This may increase the risk of injury to the occupant in the involved seating position in the event of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the specific srs air bag. The recall began on april 6, 2006. Owners may contact toyota at 1-888-270-9371, scion at 1-866-548-1851, or lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The recall repair was completed 7/15/25. It never updated in anyoneâs system. I have been fighting between Toyota corp and the dealership for weeks more like a month just to get them to do the repair. After it was done I got my car damaged. A whole separate issue. I need to get inspection done on…
Air bag recall: i have been getting recall notices for years. I have notified toyota many times that i no longer own this vehicle!!! It was traded in to toyota of lewisville tx in october 25, 2014. This is bordering on harrassment! It is also a waste of money. I recently recieved a notice via…
My car was a toyota rav4 basic model 2005 bought toyota purchase at dealer in (la,ca)， a car accident occurred on june 09, 2017 and another car accident occurred on february 26, 2018; the second accident was caused by a lack of work on my car airbag. My head and body collided with the front…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2005 Toyota RAV4s have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 59 owner complaints about air bags for the 2005 Toyota RAV4 (42% of the 141 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Toyota RAV4 air bags?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 91,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2005 Toyota RAV4?
The most frequent phrase is “takata air bags”, in 13 of 59 complaints.
See all 2005 Toyota RAV4 problems or air bags problems across all RAV4 years.