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2001 Toyota RAV4

Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues

Power train is the leading concern among 314 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 12th highest complaint count among 26 RAV4 model years with reports.

Complaints by model year
  2. 314

Of the 2001 reports, 19 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 12 people were injured and 4 people died.

Primary concernPower train191 reports · 61% of complaints
Owner complaints314Filed with NHTSA
Recall relationshipNo recalls on fileNHTSA campaign records

What owners report most often

  1. Power train191
  2. Electrical system60
  3. Engine and engine cooling27
  4. Service brakes22
  5. Vehicle speed control22
  6. Hydraulic18
  7. Air bags14
  8. Other or unspecified13

Recalls and investigations

No safety recalls on file.

Representative owner complaints: air bags

14 reports, newest first. Show all

  1. Air bags, Jan 30, 2024

    My Rav4 is 23 years old and has 76K miles on it. Does it have Takata airbags? If so, I want them replaced. I plan on driving my car until I die and I don't want the airbags to take me out. Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

  2. Air bags, Jun 5, 2016

    TAKATA RECALL - I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2001 RAV 4 WITH 224,000 MILES ON IT. THIS CAR IS PRIMARILY USED IN NEVADA IN THE RENO/LAKE TAHOE AREA AND ALSO IN SEATTLE WA. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF AN EXPLODING AIR BAG. PLEASE ADVISE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF CONTINUING TO DRIVE THIS CAR AND HOW SOON THE AIR BAGS CAN BE REPLACED! FROM ALL I READ THESE CARS SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD IMMEDIATELY! PLEASE RESPOND SO I CAN PROTECT MY FAMILY.

  3. Air bags, May 8, 2016

    TAKATA RECALL I DRIVE MY 2001 RAV4 THAT I INHERITED FROM MY MOTHER. THE CAR IS 15 YEARS OLD BUT ONLY HAS 56,000 MILES ON IT. I AM FEARFUL ABOUT THE AIRBAG EXPLODING SINCE I PLAN TO DRIVE THIS CAR FOR SEVERAL MORE YEARS. I WANT THE AIRBAG REPLACED.

  4. Air bags, Apr 6, 2016

    TAKATA RECALL I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF. 2001 TOYOTA RAV4 . I HAVE LIVED IN THE STATE OF HAWAII FOR THE LAST 9 YEARS. AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE THE HUMIDITY IS HIGH HERE . SINCE TOYOTA DOES NOT APPEAR TO WANT TO REPLACE THE AIRBAG IN MY VEHICLE SHOULD I DISCONNECT THE AIRBAG SO IT DOES NOT INFLATE AND INJURE OR KILL ME??

  5. Steering, Service brakes, Hydraulic, Air bags, Feb 23, 2010, crash

    I WAS TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY TO WORK AND IT HAD BEEN RAINING WHEN I PRESSED MY BRAKES TO STOP ( I BARELY PRESSED THEM) AND MY BRAKES LOCKED AND I COULDN'T STOP. I TRIED TO PRESS A COUPLE OF TIMES AND EVEN PUMPED THEM. I TRIED TO GET ONTO THE SHOULDER AND MY STEERING LOCKED. I WAS TRAVELING 55 MPH BEFORE I TRIED STOPPING, AND WAS NEVER ABLE TO STOP, AND WHEN I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME MY AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. MY FRONT END WAS SMASHED END AND MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE LADY I HIT HAD JUST A DENT IN HER BUMPER. I DIDN'T HAVE MAJOR INJURIES BUT I HAD SOME BRUISING AND A KNOT ON MY KNEE. I NEVER WENT GET CHECKED OUT BUT I STILL HAVE PAIN SOMETIMES IN MY NECK AND BACK. THE POLICE DID FILE A REPORT AND EVEN THOUGH THE LADY I HIT TOLD THE OFFICER THAT I WASN'T CLOSE TO HER AND HAD PLENTY ENOUGH TIME TO STOP HE GAVE ME A TICKET FOR FOLLOWING TOO CLOSE. IT TOOK ME WAY LONGER THAN 4 SECONDS TO HIT HER. *TR

  6. Air bags, Nov 27, 2007, crash

    I WAS DRIVING HOME ONE NIGHT, I WAS DRIVING A 2001 TOYOTA RAV 4. AI WAS IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE, A DEER RAN IN FRONT OF ME, I SWERVED TO THE RIGHT AND MISSED THE DEER, HOWEVER I HIT A GUARDRAIL ON THE RIGHT SIDE, OVERCOMPENCIATED ACROSS ROAD STRAIGHT UP A BANK, APPROX 20 FT. THE ACR TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND ROLLED OVER TWICE DOWN THE BANK. SINCE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, I SUFFERED A DEEP LACERATION TO RIGHT SIDE OF HEAD AND THE GEAR SHIFT FRACTURED 4-7 RIBS. THERE WAS A POLICE OFFICER NEARBY WHO SAW THE WHOLE THING, HE STATED HE CLOCKED ME AT 35MPH, AND STATED ALSO IN THE POLICE REPORT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. IF YOU CAN HELP ME IN THIS MATTER I WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL. RESPECTFULLY--BILLY JACK HARRELL *TR

  7. Air bags, Jan 17, 2004, crash

    FRONTAL CRASH TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *CB

  8. Air bags, Sep 11, 2003, crash

    WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

  9. Air bags, Seat belts, Aug 26, 2003, crash

    THE CUSTOMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE DRIVER. THE DRIVER HIT HIS HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND SUSTAINED MULTIPLE INJURIES. *AK *SCC *NLM

  10. Air bags, Jul 11, 2002, crash

    CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND BOTH FRONTAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TRAVELLING BETWEEN 30-40MPH. CONSUMER STATED THAT OWNER'S MANUAL CLEARLY STATED THAT AIRBAGS SHOULD DEPLOY AT 15MPH IN A FRONTAL COLLISION.*AK

  11. Air bags, May 1, 2002, crash

    CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS NOT TO DEPLOY.*JB

  12. Air bags, Jan 22, 2002, crash

    WAS DRIVING DOWN A HILL WHEN THE VEHICLE SWERVED AND JUMPED SIDE WALK. VEHICLE HIT CONCRETE WALL AND AIRBAGS DIDNOT DEPLOY. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK

  13. Air bags, Jun 22, 2001, crash

    AIRBAG DID NOT OPEN, DURING THIS ACCIDENT THERE WERE 3 DEATHS.

  14. Air bags, Structure, May 21, 2001

    CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE UP AND AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE HAD BEEN SITTING ALL NIGHT. DOOR AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED ONCE VEHICLE HAD STARTED UP. CONSUMER WAS PINNED TO SEAT AND COULDN'T GET OUT FOR A FEW SECONDS. DEALER INSPECTED AIRBAGS AND COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. AN AIRBAG SPECIALIST LOOKED AT VEHICLE TO DETERMINE FAULT. *AK *SLC