Air Bags. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

16 crash reports4 fire reports11 injury reports

Traction Control System complaints

2 reports

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125,000 miles · Jan 23, 2017

Power TrainTraction Control SystemVehicle Speed Control

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THE VSC/TRAC LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. ALSO TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING FUNNY. FROM A STOP SIGN IT WOULD HESITATE AND THEN START WITH A JERK. WHILE DRIVING AT A CONSTANT SPEED THE RPMS WOULD GO UP AND DOWN. I TOOK IT TO AN AUTO PARTS STORE TO HAVE THEM READ THE ERROR CODE. THEY SAID IT WAS A SOLENOID PROBLEM WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY CHECKED IT OUT AND ORDERED A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION. TOTAL COST WAS OVER $4,600. SINCE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED HAVE HAD THE CAR BACK 3 TIMES IN 2 WEEKS WITH SAME PROBLEM. TODAY, 1-23-17, I DROVE IT ABOUT 1 MILE AND VSC/TRAC LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I TOOK IT BACK TO TRANSMISSION SHOP AND LEFT IT RUNNING. THEY CAME OUT AND TRIED TO USE THEIR SCANNER BUT HAD SOME DIFFICULTY SO THEY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND WHEN THEY TRIED TO RESTART IT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. SO THE CAR NOW HAS BEEN TOWED TO TUNEX SINCE THEY HAVE MORE DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT. ON THE INTERNET I SEE ARTICLE THAT CLAIM THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THESE 2001 THRU AT LEAST 2005 RAVS IS THE ECM. THE SITE OF OTHER DEAL.COM SAYS THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE ECMS FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST TOYOTA THAT COVERED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON 2001-2003 RAVS. SEEMS LIKE WHETHER IT IS THE ECM OR THE TRANSMISSION OR BOTH THAT TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10947127

30,000 miles · Aug 8, 2013

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Traction Control SystemVehicle Speed Control

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE TRACTION CONTROL ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING AND BRAKES LOCKED AND THE WARNING CHIME BEGAN TO SOUND. THE VSC WARNING LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10534219

Official recalls

19V741000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module; Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Oct 17, 2019

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0A, J0B, and J0C. Lexus' numbers for this recall are JLI, JLJ, and JLK.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0A, J0B, and J0C. Lexus' numbers for this recall are JLI, JLJ, and JLK.

Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

15V284000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

May 13, 2015

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured May 13, 2003, to October 25, 2005. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag, free of charge. Owners were mailed an interim notice June 17, 2015. The recall began on August 21, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Toyota RAV4 problems

Toyota RAV4 transmission problems →Toyota RAV4 electrical problems →