Owners have filed 26 complaints
about the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid with NHTSA between 2021 and 2026.
The largest single group is the airbags.
Across this model's run it ranks 5 of 7 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 61
Against the median year of the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 40
7.7% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 100
60% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
How 2021 compares with every other Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
330.0%
1,000 – 9,999 miles
220.0%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
110.0%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
440.0%
NHTSA crash tests
The agency crash-tested this model year itself. These are its own
photographs and star ratings.
Configuration
Overall
Front
Side
Rollover
2021 Toyota RAV4 HYBRID SUV AWD
15.5% risk
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Jan 2021peak 4May 2026
NHTSA investigations into the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
DP22005Opened 27 Jan 2023Closed 7 Aug 2023ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after Marc...
Recalls on the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
United States — NHTSA
23V865000
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.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 202368499,965 units in Canada
Airbag
Issue: On certain vehicles, a sensor for the occupant classification system (OCS) may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the sensor could short circuit and cause the airbag system to turn off the passenger-front airbag even when a passenger is seated. Note: This problem would cause a warning message to display on the instrument panel and the airbag indicator light would display "passenger airbag off". Safety Risk: An airbag that is turned off could increase the risk of injury to a passenger in a crash. Corrective Actions: Toyota will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect and, if necessary, replace the OCS sensor.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
at 8,000 milesAlexandria, VACrash
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 mph, the vehicle failed to stop while the brake pedal was depressed which resulted in the contact crashing into two parked vehicles where it eventually came to a stop after crashing into a curb. The contact was also concerned that the air bags failed to deploy. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed and the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic and then towed again to a local dealer where it was awaiting diagnosis. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.
NHTSA complaint #11431988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 8,000 milesAlexandria, VACrash
SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owns a 2021Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 mph, the vehicle failed to stop while the brake pedal was depressed which resulted in the contact crashing into two parked vehicles where it eventually came to a stop after crashing into a curb. The contact was also concerned that the air bags failed to deploy. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed and the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic and then towed again to a local dealer where it was awaiting diagnosis. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.
NHTSA complaint #11431988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Apple Valley, CA
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LOCK
I bought the car new in July 2021. All four door locks stopped working around May 2023. In June 2023, I only got one of the four door lock assembly’s replaced. And it’s very expensive to get all four fixed. Now, in May of 2026, I am experiencing the same issue with the lock assembly that was replaced in June 2023. There are so many complaints online about the door locks stopping work. I feel like this should be an urgent recall that needs to be addressed. Huge safety issue.
NHTSA complaint #11738189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Olympia, WA
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available .
NHTSA complaint #11657600 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Antioch, CA
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11656524 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rio Rancho, NM
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11648719 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sacramento, CA
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11648134 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ashburn, VA
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11640570 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Burnsville, MN
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11634590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 50,000 milesLake Oswego, OR
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the SRS warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to the rent a vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11630933 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 60,000 milesDenver, CO
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and traveled to the floorboard with “BRAKE Failure” message displayed. The contact engaged the parking brake to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted and taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the traction control electronic control unit had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.
NHTSA complaint #11631020 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 60,000 milesDenver, CO
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and traveled to the floorboard with “BRAKE Failure” message displayed. The contact engaged the parking brake to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted and taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the traction control electronic control unit had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.
NHTSA complaint #11631020 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rio Rancho, NM
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11627265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vancouver, WA
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11625904 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kensington, MD
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11623118 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Denver, CO
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11623189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Coralville, IA
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11605861 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oceanside, CA
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11589652 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Orlando, FL
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11588500 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rancho Cordova, CA
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11585853 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Boston, MA
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The VIN was not available.
NHTSA complaint #11585893 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 62,000 milesMoore, SC
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated that on two separate occasions, while driving at high rates of speed, the vehicle stalled after slamming on the brake pedal. The contact waited approximately 20-30 seconds after the initial failure before being able to restart the vehicle and resume normal driving operation. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a claim was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
NHTSA complaint #11568053 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 20,000 milesRedding, CA
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the sunroof exploded, and fragments of glass fell inside the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and was diagnosed with needing the sunroof replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
NHTSA complaint #11448186 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 8,000 milesAlexandria, VACrash
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2021Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 mph, the vehicle failed to stop while the brake pedal was depressed which resulted in the contact crashing into two parked vehicles where it eventually came to a stop after crashing into a curb. The contact was also concerned that the air bags failed to deploy. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed and the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic and then towed again to a local dealer where it was awaiting diagnosis. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.
NHTSA complaint #11431988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 8,000 milesAlexandria, VACrash
SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owns a 2021Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 mph, the vehicle failed to stop while the brake pedal was depressed which resulted in the contact crashing into two parked vehicles where it eventually came to a stop after crashing into a curb. The contact was also concerned that the air bags failed to deploy. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed and the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic and then towed again to a local dealer where it was awaiting diagnosis. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.
NHTSA complaint #11431988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 350 milesHuron, OH
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
1. CAR WOULDN'T START. LEFT STRANDED WITHOUT VEHICLE. 2. CRUISE CONTROL TURNED OFF AND WOULD NEVER TURN BACK ON FOR THE DURATION OF MY 30 MINUTE DRIVE. 3. THE CRUISE CONTROL ACCELERATED PAST THE SET LIMIT. IT WAS CHALLENGING TO GET IT TO STOP ACCELERATING. IT DIDN'T STOP RIGHT AWAY EITHER. SCARED ME TO DEATH. 4. INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS FLICKERING BRIGHT TO DIM CONSTANT AND THEN SETTLE AT DIM DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS IN THE BROAD DAYLIGHT. 5. PHONE CHARGER NOT WORKING PROPERLY. MY PHONE IS NOT MOVING AROUND EITHER. 6. THE ENTIRE RADIO SYSTEM WOULDN'T WORK. NO SOUND OR ANYTHING DURING MY ENTIRE DURATION OF DRIVE. 7. THE REMOTE START BARELY WORKS EVER BUT I CAN START ERICKS TRUCK. IT DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THE DOOR LOCK/UNLOCK MOST OF TIME EITHER. 8. LANE ASSIST SEEMS LIKE IT'S FIGHTING ITSELF. IT BASICALLY MAKES THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKEY FEELING WHEN IT'S ON AND BOUNCES BACK AND FORTH. 9. WHEN ANY IPHONE IS PLUGGED IN FLASHES BETWEEN CARPLAY TO REGULAR MODE EVERY 3-5 SECONDS. 10. RECEIVING MESSAGE THAT HYBRID BATTERY LOW.
NHTSA complaint #11388255 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 350 milesHuron, OH
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1. CAR WOULDN'T START. LEFT STRANDED WITHOUT VEHICLE. 2. CRUISE CONTROL TURNED OFF AND WOULD NEVER TURN BACK ON FOR THE DURATION OF MY 30 MINUTE DRIVE. 3. THE CRUISE CONTROL ACCELERATED PAST THE SET LIMIT. IT WAS CHALLENGING TO GET IT TO STOP ACCELERATING. IT DIDN'T STOP RIGHT AWAY EITHER. SCARED ME TO DEATH. 4. INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS FLICKERING BRIGHT TO DIM CONSTANT AND THEN SETTLE AT DIM DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS IN THE BROAD DAYLIGHT. 5. PHONE CHARGER NOT WORKING PROPERLY. MY PHONE IS NOT MOVING AROUND EITHER. 6. THE ENTIRE RADIO SYSTEM WOULDN'T WORK. NO SOUND OR ANYTHING DURING MY ENTIRE DURATION OF DRIVE. 7. THE REMOTE START BARELY WORKS EVER BUT I CAN START ERICKS TRUCK. IT DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THE DOOR LOCK/UNLOCK MOST OF TIME EITHER. 8. LANE ASSIST SEEMS LIKE IT'S FIGHTING ITSELF. IT BASICALLY MAKES THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKEY FEELING WHEN IT'S ON AND BOUNCES BACK AND FORTH. 9. WHEN ANY IPHONE IS PLUGGED IN FLASHES BETWEEN CARPLAY TO REGULAR MODE EVERY 3-5 SECONDS. 10. RECEIVING MESSAGE THAT HYBRID BATTERY LOW.
NHTSA complaint #11388255 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.