2021 Toyota RAV4 Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 125 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2021 Toyota RAV4, 32% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 30,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bags contacted” (21% of reports).
- 125air bags complaints
- 30,000median miles at failure
- 28mention a crash
- 22mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 28%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bags contacted: mentioned in 26 of 125 complaints (21%)
- Passenger seat: mentioned in 12 of 125 complaints (10%)
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 21 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 125 complaints, 28 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 22 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 (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I have been unable to get my vehicle inspected and repaired by a dealer despite months of waiting and asking two different Toyota dealers to order the necessary part or parts. This recall has been in place for years. For several years I was told it was only being done in certain states and that New…
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota RAV4. The contact was traveling at approximately 50 MPH directly behind a van in the same lane of traffic. The van suddenly made an emergency avoidance maneuver to bypass a stationary vehicle completely stopped in the lane. Despite the attempt, the van rear-ended the…
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 23V865000 (Airbags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was/was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2021 Toyota RAV4s have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 125 owner complaints about air bags for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 (32% of the 387 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 2021 Toyota RAV4 air bags?
Yes: 1 safety recall 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 30,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2021 Toyota RAV4?
The most frequent phrase is “air bags contacted”, in 26 of 125 complaints, followed by “passenger seat” (12).
See all 2021 Toyota RAV4 problems or air bags problems across all RAV4 years.