2020 Toyota RAV4 Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 55 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2020 Toyota RAV4, 9% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 40,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bags contacted” (9% of reports).
- 55air bags complaints
- 40,500median miles at failure
- 8mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 2related recalls
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bags contacted: mentioned in 5 of 55 complaints (9%)
- Passenger seat: mentioned in 5 of 55 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 6 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 55 complaints, 8 mention a crash, 4 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 (2)
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Problem: 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.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Air bags:frontal; steering:column
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Toyota Avalon and 2020 Avalon Hybrid, RAV4, and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles. Breakaway pins within the steering column, designed to absorb energy and reduce injury during a crash, could have been damaged during production, possibly affecting the performance of the driver's air bag in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not perform as designed can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering column, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB17/20TA17.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the message "Air Bag Fault" was displayed. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the air bag needed to be replaced. The…
I received recall notice December 2023 for defect in front passenger seat airbag that could cause the airbag to fail to deploy in the event of a crash. I have contacted the dealer several times and have been told each time that there is no remedy (yet). It has been two years and the risk to…
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); for over a year. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken for routine maintenance, and the contact requested information on the possible recall repair and was informed that…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2020 Toyota RAV4s have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 55 owner complaints about air bags for the 2020 Toyota RAV4 (9% of the 635 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 2020 Toyota RAV4 air bags?
Yes: 2 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 40,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2020 Toyota RAV4?
The most frequent phrase is “air bags contacted”, in 5 of 55 complaints, followed by “passenger seat” (5).
Other 2020 Toyota RAV4 problems
See all 2020 Toyota RAV4 problems or air bags problems across all RAV4 years.