2021 Toyota RAV4
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 387 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 8th highest complaint count among 26 RAV4 model years with reports.
Of the 2021 reports, 47 involved a crash and 7 involved a fire. 49 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, sensor, occupant classificationDec 20, 2023
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.
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.
Campaign 23V865000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
387 reports, newest first.
Steering, Other or unspecified, Jun 5, 2023
On April 29, 2023 I notice that there was a bad chemical smell in my car. I continued to try to find the issue and then I went to the back seat and discovered the floor of my 2021 RAV4 was completely flooded with water. I attempted to call Toyota but the service department was closed. I went to the local car wash to have them suck up the water in the meantime. I scheduled an appointment with Toyota on 5/1/2023 @3:45 to explain the issue that was going on. When I got there they serviced my vehicle and informed me that they weren’t able to find the source of a leak and they would need to keep my car. I asked would I be provided with a rental and the service advisor [XXX] told me no as this would need to be paid out of pocket. I didn’t agree and told them I’d have to bring it back. The following week I still noticed that there was water somewhere in my vehicle so I called to schedule another appointment on 5/10/2023 @3:45. This time I was connected with [XXX] who was very accommodating and set me up with a rental for one day. On 5/11/2023 I was contacted by [XXX] and he informed that they would need to keep my car for 3 weeks. He informed me that there was a lot of damage to the car and it would be fully covered. On 5/27/23 I was called and [XXX] told me I could pick up my vehicle. When I left on 5/27/23 I drove the car and when I put it in reverse my steering wheeled locked up and a message came across the screw saying “low voltage power steering.” I called the service department but they were closed until 5/30/23 for the holiday. I also contacted my service provider [XXX] and left a voicemail. He called me back 5/28/23 and informed me that he was out of town and to drop the car back of 5/30/23. I dropped the car off and they put me in another vehicle. 5/31/23 [XXX] called me back to inform me that the car was ready. I pick it up and it flooded in the inside again. I discovered there was a recall that it was never informed about and now they want me to pay. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 2, 2023
While traveling on highway with adaptive cruise control engaged and maximum following distance selected, adaptive cruise control applies excessive braking force than necessary when vehicle in front exits highway. Safety concern because following vehicles must abruptly apply brakes. Internet search reveals numerous, similar complaints. We were almost rear-ended on the highway. This feature is great, but needs attention for safety reasons.
Engine, Jun 2, 2023
The hybrid system stopped working thus AWD, automatic emergency brake and other components stopped working as well. Message Hybrid System malfuction output power reduce visit your dealer AWD System malfuction 2wd mode engage visit dealer Engine light turn on
Tires, May 30, 2023
The contact’s daughter owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 equipped with Firestone Tires, Tire Line: Destination LE2, Tire Size: 225/65/R17, DOT Number: 8X2Y6 DE8. The contact stated that upon inspecting his daughter’s vehicle, he noticed that the tread all four tires was worn. The contact stated that he used a tire tread gauge identifier that confirmed that the front passenger’s and driver’s side tires had 6/32 tread, and the rear driver’s and passenger’s side tires had 7/32 tread remaining. The dealer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the normal tire replacement was at 40,000 miles, while the tire warranty was 60,000 miles. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to contact Firestone. The contact notified the manufacturer however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 18,800.
Air bags, May 23, 2023, crash
On May 20th, 2023 @ approximately 9:50 P.M. we struck a deer head on. Impact was severe enough that the passenger airbag should have deployed, but failed to deploy. I looked at the wiring guide for this vehicle after the incident, and I believe that in photo #4, it shows the path of the airbag wire and the airbag wire was cut at the time of impact.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, May 22, 2023, fire
We were on a drive back from Nashville like normal. My mom had picked me up from work at around 07:15. The car started making strange sounds as we were driving down the highway. It started yelling at us to pull over to a safe spot and slowing down. All of the lights had come on flashing at this time. It didn’t even make it to the shoulder; We made a stop on the triangle area for when cars come in from the exit. As soon as we stopped, smoke started engulfing us and 2 guys who saw this happening parked on the shoulder and came running out of their van with fire extinguishers and started telling us to get out. When we went around the car to check what was going on, we noticed the fire that had started from the bottom of it. They fired the extinguishers a couple of times to the bottom of it where we could see the fire but it didn’t help much so we had to retreat to a safer spot. We called 911 to ask them to send assistance. Not long after, the front half of the car was engulfed in flames. 10-20 minutes later, the fire department came to extinguish the flames. Once they got the fire under control, they towed the car to the shoulder of the road where we proceeded to salvage anything that was salvagable from the car. Where I got my hands cut up from broken shards that were littered all over the interior. We waited for awhile for another form of transportation to be able to make it home and it took a little bit due to the traffic that this incident had caused. We got the car towed back to Toyota for evaluation of the incident. It was supposed to be done within 2 months, but we still hadn’t heard anything about it going into 3. We called them to inquire about the car and the situation, and they said that they had closed the case and had to reopen it for further investigations. They had closed the case and not told us anything about it. We received an email on the 23rd of January that stated the vehicle was too far damaged for them to be able to evaluate anything.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 23, 2023
I have a 2021 Rav4 gas LE. I bought it new in May 2021 and have 38,000 miles on it. I was casually driving the car going 30-40mph when the car dashboard lit up. The first notification I got was on the screen display saying a malfunction in the charging system was detected and to stop in a safe location. Next, all my dashboard lights turned on (tire pressure, traction control, check engine, ABS, brake, battery light, etc.) and got the following messages on the dashboard: - parking brake malfunction - pre collision malfunction - brake power low - stop in a safe place - secondary collision brake system malfunction - antilock brake system malfunction voltage ability - Voltage abnormality - steering power low And then finally, the “engine stopped” message when the emergency brakes engaged on their own while I was slowing down at a red light. Before this, I never got any warning lights or messages. I tried to get the car towed since jump starting the car didn’t work. The emergency brakes would not disengage in neutral. I had to call a tow truck. I took the car to the Toyota dealership. They said it was the battery and replaced it, but when I went to pick it up, the dashboard lights still wouldn’t go away even after resetting. The power locks still don’t work when the car is off and my key fob to unlock/lock also still doesn’t work. The display screen still isn’t turning on and the usb plugs in the car also aren’t drawing any power. The headlights and interior lights also don’t work. They said it’s an electrical problem but quoted me $520 to diagnose the problem ONLY since the car is now out of the 3 years/36k miles basic warranty. I have had this car less than two years and has 38k miles.
Forward collision avoidance, Apr 23, 2023
While traveling on highway with adaptive cruise control engaged and maximum following distance selected, adaptive cruise control applies excessive braking force than necessary when vehicle in front exits highway. Safety concern because following vehicles must abruptly apply brakes. Dealership or police have not inspected vehicle. No visual or audio warnings. Internet search reveals numerous, similar complaints.
Other or unspecified, Apr 11, 2023
The Glass sunroof spontaneously exploded while driving.
Air bags, Fuel/propulsion system, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 5, 2023, crash, fire
While accelerating ~6ft from a complete stop, a minor collision occurred affecting the front right headlight. The air-bags did not activate and the engine compartment was immediately on fire. Within ~1minute, the fire had spread to and completely engulfed the passenger compartment. The contents were immediately destroyed. The speed with which the fire spread through the vehicle was a significant risk to my life and the motorists around me. There were no warning lights on the dashboard prior to the incident, and the car had never before experienced an accident. Witnesses and firefighters estimated that any fire barrier between the engine and passenger compartments had failed, and that a fire of that severity from such a minor accident indicated some fault with the vehicle. The vehicle was an immediate total loss as inspected by our insurer.
Structure, Apr 2, 2023, crash
Somebody just hit my car and left. My car was parked in my community.
Back over prevention, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 27, 2023, crash
While driving to friends house, the collision warning popped on screen 1 or 2x but no vehicle was close to front of the car. When I turned into driveway and pulled onto yard to park the collision warning went off and red screen flased and I tried to brake but brakes would not depress. The car suddenly lurched forward quickly and I tried to steer away but it slammed into a line of cars with great force. I crashed into the parked car in front of me with such force it pushed a line of 4 cars. I had mild issues after crash: Whiplash, neck pain, head pain, and soreness. The RAV-4 had passed inspection with the dealer with no issues, The car had less than 15K miles driven. The collision warning lights seemed to start to have issues the day of the crash; approximately 15 min before the crash. Post-note for 3/27/2023 - we picked up from the collision repair and the car and the collision control was still flashing in error - and will be taken back to Toyota dealer on 3/28/2023 to have them read the computer. Other similar incidents have been reported for 2021 RAV-4 - and a similar recall went out for Toyota Prius we found after the crash.
Service brakes, Mar 21, 2023
2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid XLE Premium. Purchased new from the dealer. It currently has 75,000 miles (predominantly highway). Condition: The Braking mechanisms behind the firewall intermittently make a noise when the brake pedal is pressed fast (emergency) and/or released. It sounds like a seal barking when the pedal is moving either up or down. These are not your typical noises from a pad or rotor wear. Cause: At approximately 28,000 miles, the seal barking sound was there but very faint. As I added miles the sound became more frequent and louder. I did take it to the dealer who was not able to help. Environment: This seal barking sound can happen at any time and any condition, but is almost always going to happen when I want to avoid hitting an object that suddenly appears in my lane of travel and must brake quickly. Research: I’ve researched several Toyota and Lexus owner forums and found that other owners have the same issue. They described the sound as “seal barking” or “farting” (sorry for the wording, but that is what was used in the forums). Other forum members stated that it could possibly be tied to the master cylinder, brake actuator pump or ABS Brake Pump Booster (or all of them). Conclusion: I’m very concerned because this noise happens when brake components are activated and then may lead to failure. Please let me know if you need more information or an audio recording of the condition.
Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 21, 2023
I purchased car in 12/20. The car has a 14.5 gal sized tank, and gets avg 42 mpg -calculated by miles driven to empty divided by gas pumped when empty- as well as on dashboard display. Since purchase the car registers empty 150 or more miles sooner than the 560 dashboard estimate and than 14.5*42 mpg. I am only able to fill less than 11 gallons when the fuel Guage reads empty with less than 20 miles remaining. The service dept assures me the car is able to drive 560 on a full tank, as the fuel Guage and miles-to-empty ignore a "buffer " of several gallons in the tank. It is unsafe to drive over 150 miles with the car registering no miles remaining. It is unsafe to plan a trip based on dashboard or tank size/gallons mileage, where I could run out of gas in an unsafe region.
Suspension, Feb 12, 2023
Rust under the hood just where the front suspension mounted.
Electrical system, Air bags, Service brakes, Jan 31, 2023, crash
and Brakes202022 HighlandAR of Th RcosearhostEN9 & Brake& steercar was freewheeling,ENg.LOST stee and slbeingr
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 29, 2023
I was pulling into a parking space with my foot on the brake, had just touched the parking bar, and the engine started racing. The car went forward over the parking bar before I cold stop it by stomping on the brake. The only thing stopping me from going over the side of the hill was a chain link fence. Luckily the brakes worked. This is a 2021 RAV4 and I have never had this problem before. I am scheduled to go into the Toyota dealer to have them look at it.
Electrical system, Jan 21, 2023
-Rear passenger door lock actuator fails -Safety risk of door not automatically locking when driving -Problem has been reproduced because it has occurred more than once -No inspection has taken place -No warning lamps or messages
Structure, Jan 15, 2023
The glass of the sunroof exploded and shattered when I was driving on the highway from Chicago to South Bend at normal speed on January 13, 2023, around 4 pm. I heard a loud explosion sound and found the sunroof glass shattered and falling. There was no vehicle around me, no impact with any objects, and the vehicle was not passing under any structures at the time of explosion. I was not injured by the incident but was really scared and had to pullover to the side. After recovering from shock, I managed to drive home with the shattered sunroof and could feel glass pieces falling on my right shoulder when I was driving. This was the first time for the issue to appear and there was no sign or symptom prior to the problem. I purchased this brand new vehicle one year ago. I found other similar complaints online on spontaneous sunroof explosion of Toyota RAV4 and they looked similar to what I experienced. I contacted my dealer and they told me to go to a Body Shop on Monday (closed on weekends) for an inspection.
Air bags, Seat belts, Jan 12, 2023, crash
No safety devices worked during accident that cause by another vehicle driver who ran red light. Neither air bags deployed, nor safety belt worked properly during an accident. Due to these mal functions of safety devices, my wife on the passenger seat hit the dashboard badly. She was wearing the seat belt properly which was released later by the ER personal at the accident location to transfer to an ambulance.
Other or unspecified, Jan 4, 2023, crash
While pulling into what I thought was a parking spot, the left front wheel hit an 8" drop off. Almost immediately after the wheel was back up and level with the other wheels. The vehicle then began surging forward. I hit the brakes but they did not go down. Tried again and the same result. I then hit a hard plastic container and a brick wall. This stopped the vehicle and I was able to put it in park and turn off the engine. Truthfully, once the wheel fell went into the drop off, I had no control of the car. The brick wall has a crack in it and the container is ruined. Toyota Product Liability was called but they have not contacted me. Thankfully the wall did not collapse and no one else was injured. I have pain in left arm and shoulder but hopefully only bruising. The issue has not been confirmed by anyone and I do not know if there were any warnings because I was focused on trying to get the car stopped. There might have been some alarms, I am not sure.
Service brakes, Dec 20, 2022, crash
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated while approaching a traffic light, she depressed the brake pedal but failed to stop the vehicle and rear-ended another vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. No air bags deployed. The contact stated no one was injured nor sought medical attention. The contact stated a police officer was at the site but no police report was filed. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 33,047.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Dec 14, 2022
Since I bought my brand-new car 1. the engine has stopped 5 times. 2. My windshield cracked. 3. There is low tire air pressure indicator that appears once in a while. A new battery was replaced, and it now cannot start. The message on the screen indicates: "IGNITION ON, Voltage abnormality steering power Low. Visit your Dealer." I took it the Dealer and now they are not able to find out what the problem is because I had to jam started the car for it to be towed.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 1, 2022
2021 Toyota REV4 with just over 5,000 miles. I got off from a parking lot and drove 1/2 miles, The screen shown "Vehicle Alert" and asked to check engine with message "A malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle, or automatic transmission has been detected". I smell very strong gasoline, then stop the vehicle. I check the gas tank, it's normal. I opened the hood and saw a puddle of gasoline on engine part, between the battery and the engine but lower than the battery. It's so dangerous to drive with leaking gasoline so I park my car on a street
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 2, 2022
Vehicle stumbles on moderate acceleration from slow speed, hesitates shifting also. Problem has persisted since new. Dealers rep "they're all like that. can't find any problem. No warning lamps. I think there is a TSB but it seems well hidden. I feel it is a safety issue - acceleration from low speed compromised. We have 2 more 2021 rav4s in the family that do not do that. I believe Toyota knows about this problem. Also had a problem with vehicle slamming violently into lower gear when coming to a stop. Dealer could not find problem. I checked vehicle and found air filter housing not properly secured. I latched it properly and that seemed to solve slamming into lower gear problem. Dealers mechanic (?) must have not latched it properly after 12 month service. No telling how much dirt was sucked into engine while that was happening. The stumbling/ drivability hesitant shifting problem persists. Several people have reported this problem. One was fixed by a dealer attending to a software problem. This is a known problem that is being ignored. This has happened since new Jan 29, 2021.