Your vehicle report
2021 Toyota RAV4
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
- 389
- Received Sep 2020 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Glass shatters or cracks without impact45 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbags fail to deploy in crashes28 complaints · 7.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Rear door latch fails to open or close16 complaints · 4.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #23V865000Toyota 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.
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: Jan 2021
- Side mirrors give poor rear visibilityFirst signal: Aug 2022
- Water leaks into cabin during rainFirst signal: Jul 2023
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 47 crashes, 7 fires, 49 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 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
- Glass shatters or cracks without impact
- Rear door latch fails to open or close
- Side mirrors give poor rear visibility
1 more problem
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
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 38 |
| 2022 | 48 |
| 2023 | 43 |
| 2024 | 83 |
| 2025 | 114 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 58 |
| Total | 389 |
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 | 45 | 12% | 2.7× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jan 2021 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 2.1% |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 28 | 7.2% | 2.9× | NHTSA recall #23V865000 |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 16 | 4.1% | 4.2× | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 13 | 3.3% | 3.3× | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 13 | 3.3% | 1× | |
| Side mirrors give poor rear visibility | 11 | 2.8% | 7.6× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Aug 2022 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.6% |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 10 | 2.6% | 3.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jul 2023 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.2% |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 10 | 2.6% | 1.9× | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 9 | 2.3% | – | |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 9 | 2.3% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 8 | 2.1% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Fuel gauge reads erratically or incorrectly | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Cruise control fails to disengage | 5 | 1.3% | – | |
| Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off | 4 | 1.0% | 5.8× | NHTSA recall #23V865000 |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 4 | 1.0% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 4 | 1.0% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 4 | 1.0% | 0.7× | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 4 | 1.0% | 3.4× |
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 #23V865000December 20, 2023999,901 vehicles affected
air bags: sensor: occupant classification
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.
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Remedy
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.
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.
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