NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Air Bags complaints
20 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Aug 6, 2026
Air BagsElectrical SystemStructure
This vehicle has twice had the same issue where the sunroof drain lines become clogged or dislocated and the water fills the liner in the front driver and passenger seats resulting in flooding in the compartment and mold damage throughout the interior. the mole spore are transmitted throughout the interior. The water damaged the…
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This vehicle has twice had the same issue where the sunroof drain lines become clogged or dislocated and the water fills the liner in the front driver and passenger seats resulting in flooding in the compartment and mold damage throughout the interior. the mole spore are transmitted throughout the interior. The water damaged the airbags and the electrical harness in the dash of the car resulting in the dashboard electrical system shutting off and restarting spontaneously while driving. The leaks were repairs and the interior replaces in october 2023 and the same incident has recurred in august 2026. The claims adjuster recommends that the entire wiring harness, airbags, and carpets, seats and liners be replaced for health and safety of passengers.
NHTSA ODI #11755337
Mileage unknown · Dec 16, 2023
Air BagsCrashInjury
When the passenger front airbag deployed in an accident, a coil about 3 inches long and an inch wide was ejected from the airbag compartment and info the face of the occupant. Minor injuries sustained but was near the eye. The coil became embedded in the skin and the coil had to be removed.
NHTSA ODI #11560489
Mileage unknown · Nov 2, 2023
Air BagsService BrakesCrashInjury
Related to a car accident when getting hit in the front my air bags didn’t deploy . Only the driver side was hit pretty bad . Another car accident related to a tree branch no air bag deploy . I was told that you have to be hit in a certain way to deploy the air bags . Hearing that makes me switch from a Toyota to a Kia . I have …
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Related to a car accident when getting hit in the front my air bags didn’t deploy . Only the driver side was hit pretty bad . Another car accident related to a tree branch no air bag deploy . I was told that you have to be hit in a certain way to deploy the air bags . Hearing that makes me switch from a Toyota to a Kia . I have my toddler .
NHTSA ODI #11553312
Mileage unknown · Aug 10, 2023
Air BagsCrashInjury
Side Airbag failure: (all air bags didn't deploy) As I was making a left hand turn, My vehicle was hit in my drivers rear quarter, just behind the gas cap. The impact spun the car over 90 degrees, causing me to hit the left side of my head against the side drivers window, causing a concussion and cervical strain. No airbag…
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Side Airbag failure: (all air bags didn't deploy) As I was making a left hand turn, My vehicle was hit in my drivers rear quarter, just behind the gas cap. The impact spun the car over 90 degrees, causing me to hit the left side of my head against the side drivers window, causing a concussion and cervical strain. No airbags in the vehicle were deployed, yet the car was totaled. The car that hit me was traveling at a high rate of speed and the impact totally destroyed that vehicles front end displacing the engine. In my opinion the airbags malfunctioned due to the water damage caused by the rail leaks common to that vehicle (which I had the dealer fix previously). If the airbag in question was operational I would not have hit my head. (yes, I was wearing my seatbelt.)
NHTSA ODI #11537736
48,408 miles · Jul 17, 2023
Air BagsCrashInjury
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the contact struck a sign on the side of the road causing front-end damages to the vehicle and the air bags did not deploy. The contact suffered a major injury to the chest from the seat belt and back pains where she was taken to the hospital and had t…
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The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the contact struck a sign on the side of the road causing front-end damages to the vehicle and the air bags did not deploy. The contact suffered a major injury to the chest from the seat belt and back pains where she was taken to the hospital and had to seek physical therapy. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer that stated that the damages were not severe for the air bags senor to deploy. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,408.
NHTSA ODI #11532765
Mileage unknown · Dec 24, 2022
Air Bags
We owned 2 Toyota cars, highlander and RAV4( this is our second RAV4), we bought both time new, the first one after one year has some break and noise issues and my wife did not like it and we traded and got 2017 RAV4, from her experience, she did not wanted Toyota but different car, though I told her that it has longevity and sh…
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We owned 2 Toyota cars, highlander and RAV4( this is our second RAV4), we bought both time new, the first one after one year has some break and noise issues and my wife did not like it and we traded and got 2017 RAV4, from her experience, she did not wanted Toyota but different car, though I told her that it has longevity and she should get another Toyota and she agreed and gotten RAV4 2017 new car. However, this RAV4 cars have issues and my wife was right and I was wrong and will never buy RAV4 again. Today, in Portland, there is rain and raining and that small snow also now start melting with the rain, I parked my wife car in our driveway and went in, after lunch came back to drive, saw water was dripping, immediately looked for the sun roof locks, it was completed closed, reach my hand to the place where is the leak is coming, its from headliner areas by driver side where sun visor located. This is 2017 RAV4 with 26k mileage, I drop the car by the dealer where did we bought this car, their tech will be back on Monday, I cannot wait what they have to say for this obvious defect from the factories, I read more about it and there are a lot of this issues with RAV4 and needs factory attention for recall. MY MAIN CONCERN IS NOW: The real danger with this roof leak is not so much cosmetic , the real danger is damage to the airbags over the door and corrosion to the wiring harness, it should warrant recall!!
NHTSA ODI #11498767
Mileage unknown · Dec 9, 2022
Air BagsElectrical SystemForward Collision Avoidance
I have attached a letter that I wrote Toyota but did not mail. Vechicle is a 2017 Rav Hybrid. We bought it in CA April 2021 and it had 28230 miles. Car went to Renton WA in August, 2021. Vechicle was serviced a couple of times, but in October 2022, dealer gave us a bill for $9700 due to a faulty wire halter. The Toyot…
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I have attached a letter that I wrote Toyota but did not mail. Vechicle is a 2017 Rav Hybrid. We bought it in CA April 2021 and it had 28230 miles. Car went to Renton WA in August, 2021. Vechicle was serviced a couple of times, but in October 2022, dealer gave us a bill for $9700 due to a faulty wire halter. The Toyota people said the car is out of warranty. Please read the letter with lots more details. Thanks.
NHTSA ODI #11496822
Mileage unknown · Aug 22, 2022
Air BagsCrashInjury
While traveling around 40 mph on a roadway another vehicle ran a stop sign approximately 2 feet in front of my vehicle. This vehicle came onto the roadway from a side road at a sustained speed with no braking. I swerved to avoid impact and went over an embankment. The vehicle sustained extensive damage to the front and undern…
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While traveling around 40 mph on a roadway another vehicle ran a stop sign approximately 2 feet in front of my vehicle. This vehicle came onto the roadway from a side road at a sustained speed with no braking. I swerved to avoid impact and went over an embankment. The vehicle sustained extensive damage to the front and underneath. It is a total loss. The airbags did not deploy during the accident. There were also serious injuries to the driver and passenger. The driver sustained a broken neck in 4 places. The passenger sustained massive hematomas, a fractured arm, and 7 fractured ribs in the chest and separated sternum. There were no warning lights or messages displayed. An inspection has not been performed on the airbag system. The vehicle is currently located at the insurance company's salvage yard.
NHTSA ODI #11480603
68,240 miles · Feb 3, 2021
Air BagsCrash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN ON A GREEN LIGHT AT AN INTERSECTION, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO HIS VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE WAS CONTACTED FOR THE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN ON A GREEN LIGHT AT AN INTERSECTION, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO HIS VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE WAS CONTACTED FOR THE OTHER INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT FROM UNKNOWN INJURIES. THE CONTACT HAD NOT SOUGHT MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION SHOP BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. T MOSES TOYOTA (1433 MACCORKLE AVE, SAINT ALBANS, WV 25177, (304) 727-7777) WAS CONTACTED REGARDING THE FAILURE HOWEVER, INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO THE NHTSA AND THE MANUFACTURER FOR ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 68,240.
NHTSA ODI #11394421
18,500 miles · Apr 17, 2020
Air BagsElectrical SystemStructureCrashInjury
2017 RAV 4 STRUCK A CONCRETE LIGHT POST IN PARKING LOT. CAR WAS MOVING FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, IMPACTED DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT AND FENDER. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO COLLISION ALARM SOUNDED. ENTIRE FRONT PANEL DESTROYED, MAJOR ELECTRICAL SENSOR DAMAGE, DRIVER'S DOOR UNABLE TO OPEN. HOOD DAMAGED. SUSPENSION BENT. DRIVER SUFF…
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2017 RAV 4 STRUCK A CONCRETE LIGHT POST IN PARKING LOT. CAR WAS MOVING FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, IMPACTED DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT AND FENDER. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO COLLISION ALARM SOUNDED. ENTIRE FRONT PANEL DESTROYED, MAJOR ELECTRICAL SENSOR DAMAGE, DRIVER'S DOOR UNABLE TO OPEN. HOOD DAMAGED. SUSPENSION BENT. DRIVER SUFFERED MAJOR BRUISING AND CHEST PAIN. BOTH ELBOWS IMPACTED SOMETHING IN COLLISION. *TR
NHTSA ODI #11321413
Official recalls
3Nov 1, 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles. Certain replacement 12-volt batteries may not fit properly in the battery tray, allowing the battery to move and contact the hold-down bracket, possibly causing a short circuit.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 27, 2024, to 2013-2014 RAV4 owners. Additional owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, phase 2 will begin on May 14, 2025, and phase 3 in late July 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 23TB13 and 23TA13.
Jun 28, 2019
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. SET's number for this recall is SET19A.
May 2, 2017
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated on the Tire Pressure Label.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074. Toyota's number for this recall is 17R2.
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
1PE21005 · Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events
Opened Feb 25, 2021 · Closed Aug 12, 2024
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to understand the contributing factors and frequency of vehicle fires originating from the battery region of the engine compartment in Model Year (MY) 2013-2018 Toyota RAV4 vehicles on 25 February 2021. At the time of opening, ODI attributed eleven allegations and additional EWR events to this PE. PE21005 focused on replacement batteries installed in the subject vehicles. No reported fire event identified in PE21005 involved the originally supplied 12V battery. The reported fires took place in vehicles known to contain aftermarket batteries or whose age exceeded the expected life of the original equipment battery. ODI identified battery dimensioning as it relates to the battery retention system (hold down bracket, radiator support bolt, J-hook, and battery tray) as the main factor set in the contact between the battery hold down bracket contacting the positive terminal of the 12V battery. The subject vehicles carried over the same battery tray and retention system from the prior generation (MY2006 – MY2012) of RAV4 vehicles. However, the subject vehicles were equipped with a dimensionally smaller battery (Group 35) than the prior generation (Group 24F). The smaller- length measurement in the Group 35 battery size in a battery tray originally designed to fit a Group 24F battery contributed to increased potential for battery movement which was exacerbated by the diversity in aftermarket battery configuration and irregularities intrinsic to battery replacement procedures. Battery movement coupled with the proximity of the B+ terminal on the battery and the grounded electrically conductive hold down bracket set the stage for a short to ground leading to an engine stall (if in operation) followed by a vehicle fire. This investigation was not able to classify the installation status, battery size, or cause of every allegation due to the fire event causing damage to the area, inaccessible vehicle, modification to the battery retention system after the event, and/or inconclusive photographic evidence. Toyota's investigation of the issue identified aftermarket battery catalogs that listed an improper battery replacement size (Group 26R) that would nevertheless fit into the subject vehicles whose battery retention system is incapable of reliably restraining a Group 26R battery. On 18 November 2021, Toyota initiated a consumer advisory campaign (21TG01) to the subject vehicle owners, notifying them of the correct size battery and offering a free inspection of the battery and retention hardware, a caution label to affix to the hold down bracket, and a discounted replacement 12V battery. This investigation with Toyota established three broad categories to characterize the battery retention system state of a given vehicle: "correct", "minor mis-installation", and "major mis-installation". - The "correct" terminology references the front bolt, bracket, and J-hook installed in a position not in contact with the positive battery terminal and the front bolt torqued to 17 Nm and the J-hook engaged with the tray hole and torqued to 4.9 Nm. - A "minor mis-installation" would describe the three retention components installed in the prescribed location, however not to the correct torque values. - The "major mis-installation" condition would constitute a retention component missing or disconnected from the system. Toyota's own testing used five exemplar batteries installed on a subject vehicle in each battery categorization resulted in: - Contact between the B+ terminal and hold down bracket in "major mis-installations" - Movement of the battery in "minor mis-installations" - No observable motion in "correct" installations. ODI conducted its own evaluation of the Toyota- specified replacement battery and 5 aftermarket Group 35 batteries. The six batteries tested conformed to the Group 35 Battery Council International (BCI) standard on overall dimensional tolerance and terminal location. That standard does not define the edge shape or material of battery casing. Physical interaction between the hold down bracket and the battery case and the friction between the casing material and the battery tray resulted in a large variability in movement forces required to incite movement when the battery was installed in the "correct" condition. Resulting in movement at an induced lateral load between 0.6 G and 1.91 G equivalent force across each battery. This force is higher than a typical vehicle could exert in a steady state turn and would only experience loads through brief shock or impulses. Multiple shock or impulse loads across time would contribute to a delay between the replacement battery installation and the fire event. Likelihood of a fire event increases as the installation method degraded from the "correct", to "minor mis-installation", and then to "major mis-installation". Protruding vent caps atop some of the batteries tested aided in restricting battery movement relative to the hold down. An absence of vent caps permitted additional movement. Following several discussions and vehicle inspections with ODI during this investigation, on 01 November 2023, Toyota filed a safety recall (NHTSA 23V-734) of 1,853,568 MY 2013 through MY 2018 Toyota RAV4 vehicles to reduce the risk of a vehicle fire with redesigned battery retention components. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
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