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2021 Toyota RAV4

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 258.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 72 of 385 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 125 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

46 crash reports7 fire reports29 injury reports

What owners actually said

385 reports
Mileage unknown · Jun 3, 2025
Air Bags

It's been 2 years now and the dealer and Toyota are saying there are no parts available.

NHTSA ODI #11664612

Mileage unknown · Jun 2, 2025
EnginePower Train

"What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?" Coolant bypass valve is malfunctioning. "How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk?" unknown "Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?" Service manager at Tuscaloosa …

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"What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?" Coolant bypass valve is malfunctioning. "How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk?" unknown "Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?" Service manager at Tuscaloosa Toyota confirmed problem without even inspecting the vehicle. He told me I am not the only Toyota customer experiencing this problem. "Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others?" Vehicle nor component has been inspected by manufacturer. "Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear?" Warning alert that reads 'engine maintenance required' has been appearing on the vehicle's dashboard for over a year now.

NHTSA ODI #11664314

Mileage unknown · May 28, 2025
Seats

Front drivers seat no longer capable of moving backwards and forwards. One of the rails will not move, causing the seat to rotate left and right and will not move back and forward. This is a hazard as it now no longer is safe for my Wife or I to drive. It is too far back for my wife and too far forward for me. The car is not tha…

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Front drivers seat no longer capable of moving backwards and forwards. One of the rails will not move, causing the seat to rotate left and right and will not move back and forward. This is a hazard as it now no longer is safe for my Wife or I to drive. It is too far back for my wife and too far forward for me. The car is not that old and has not had that many times moving the chair that the expected failure is acceptable.

NHTSA ODI #11663426

Mileage unknown · May 20, 2025
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System

Steering power low message appears and engine completely stops.

NHTSA ODI #11662210

Mileage unknown · May 14, 2025
Engine

Pop up of "Engine Maintenance Required" , ran the diagnostic steps and confirmed it is due to coolant bypass leak.

NHTSA ODI #11660869

Mileage unknown · May 8, 2025
Steering

EPS warning light keeps buzzing. This has happened several times recently.

NHTSA ODI #11659839

32,804 miles · May 8, 2025
Visibility

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact stated that the front driver’s side window became inoperable. The contact stated that the power button would not function properly, and the contact could not get the front window off track. The vehicle was taken back t…

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The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact stated that the front driver’s side window became inoperable. The contact stated that the power button would not function properly, and the contact could not get the front window off track. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the window regulator had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 32,804.

NHTSA ODI #11659818

Mileage unknown · May 7, 2025
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 local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reason…

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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 local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was 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 the failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI #11659423

Mileage unknown · May 6, 2025
EngineUnknown Or Other

Coolant Bypass Valve The problem has been confirmed by the dealer Warning: Engine Maintenance Required

NHTSA ODI #11659254

56,000 miles · May 5, 2025
Structure

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear passenger's side door made an abnormal sloshing sound. Upon inspection, the contact discovered water inside the door. The contact unplugged the rubber seal under the rear passenger door to release the water. The contact w…

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The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear passenger's side door made an abnormal sloshing sound. Upon inspection, the contact discovered water inside the door. The contact unplugged the rubber seal under the rear passenger door to release the water. The contact was concerned about corrosion of the door and an electrical system failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.

NHTSA ODI #11659054

Official recalls

1

23V865000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification

Dec 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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: 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.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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