Your vehicle report
2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 99
- Received Jan 2021 to Sep 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Glass shatters or cracks without impact10 complaints · 10% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Unintended acceleration despite braking5 complaints · 5.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Fuel gauge reads erratically or incorrectly5 complaints · 5.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #23V478000Toyota 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.
- Recall #23V041000Toyota 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Glass shatters or cracks without impactFirst signal: Nov 2022
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 12 crashes, 1 fire, 5 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 8 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Month | Complaints |
|---|---|
| January 2021 | 1 |
| February 2021 | 1 |
| March 2021 | 1 |
| April 2021 | 0 |
| May 2021 | 1 |
| June 2021 | 2 |
| July 2021 | 0 |
| August 2021 | 1 |
| September 2021 | 0 |
| October 2021 | 0 |
| November 2021 | 0 |
| December 2021 | 4 |
| January 2022 | 3 |
| February 2022 | 4 |
| March 2022 | 6 |
| April 2022 | 0 |
| May 2022 | 4 |
| June 2022 | 2 |
| July 2022 | 1 |
| August 2022 | 1 |
| September 2022 | 1 |
| October 2022 | 3 |
| November 2022 | 1 |
| December 2022 | 2 |
| January 2023 | 1 |
| February 2023 | 1 |
| March 2023 | 1 |
| April 2023 | 1 |
| May 2023 | 0 |
| June 2023 | 0 |
| July 2023 | 1 |
| August 2023 | 1 |
| September 2023 | 0 |
| October 2023 | 6 |
| November 2023 | 5 |
| December 2023 | 5 |
| January 2024 | 6 |
| February 2024 | 6 |
| March 2024 | 2 |
| April 2024 | 5 |
| May 2024 | 3 |
| June 2024 | 0 |
| July 2024 | 1 |
| August 2024 | 0 |
| September 2024 | 0 |
| October 2024 | 2 |
| November 2024 | 0 |
| December 2024 | 1 |
| January 2025 | 1 |
| February 2025 | 0 |
| March 2025 | 0 |
| April 2025 | 0 |
| May 2025 | 0 |
| June 2025 | 0 |
| July 2025 | 0 |
| August 2025 | 1 |
| September 2025 | 1 |
| October 2025 | 0 |
| November 2025 | 0 |
| December 2025 | 1 |
| January 2026 | 0 |
| February 2026 | 1 |
| March 2026 | 0 |
| April 2026 | 2 |
| May 2026 | 3 |
| June 2026 | 1 |
| July 2026 | 0 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 1 |
| October 2026 | 0 |
| Total | 99 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 10 | 10% | 11.1× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Nov 2022 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.3% |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 5.1% | – | |
| Fuel gauge reads erratically or incorrectly | 5 | 5.1% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 5 | 5.1% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 4 | 4.0% | – | |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 4 | 4.0% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 3 | 3.0% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 3 | 3.0% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #23V478000July 12, 202343,442 vehicles affected
electrical system: propulsion system: dc/dc converter
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.
A short circuit can cause the DC-DC converter to overheat, increasing the risk of a vehicle fire.
Remedy
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.
NHTSA recall #23V041000February 2, 202316,679 vehicles affected
electrical system: propulsion system: hybrid management: power control unit/module (hpcu)
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.
An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
NHTSA recall #22V239000April 13, 2022458,110 vehicles affected
electronic stability control (esc): control module: software
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."
Driving with a deactivated stability control system increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
NHTSA recall #20V698000November 12, 2020413 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: headlights
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."
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.
Remedy
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN