2021 Toyota RAV4: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
383 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
15,950 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2021 model year. Data snapshot: . 72 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 125 of 383 complaints (32.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 38 | 9.9% |
| Braking behavior | 35 | 9.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 29 | 7.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 13 | 3.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 12 | 3.1% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 1.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 125 |
| Unknown Or Other | 73 |
| Electrical System | 46 |
| Engine | 40 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 21 |
| Power Train | 20 |
| Service Brakes | 20 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 19 |
Air Bags: 125; Unknown Or Other: 73; Electrical System: 46; Engine: 40; Fuel/Propulsion System: 21; Power Train: 20; Service Brakes: 20; Visibility/Wiper: 19
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 41 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 16 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 12 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 41; 25,000 to 49,999: 16; 50,000 to 74,999: 12; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (41). 311 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 38 |
| 2022 | 48 |
| 2023 | 43 |
| 2024 | 83 |
| 2025 | 114 |
| 2026 | 52 |
2020: 5; 2021: 38; 2022: 48; 2023: 43; 2024: 83; 2025: 114; 2026: 52
Recurring complaint themes
The selected narratives describe lane-assistance behavior, brake warnings and electrical concerns. One owner reports steering inputs that moved the vehicle out of its lane; another describes an intermittent parking-brake warning. Electrical examples include a battery that would not start the vehicle after several days parked and inconsistent phone connections. These examples describe different systems and do not establish a single shared cause. Some topic matches refer to a component mentioned during diagnosis rather than a confirmed failure of that component.
AI interpretation of three selected source narratives, checked against their recorded text. This is not a summary of every complaint. Generated 2026-09-13 (September 13, 2026). Evidence: 11398108, 11399292, 11415942. This interpretation does not establish a defect or predict reliability.
Owner report 11398108 · 2021-02-26 (February 26, 2021)
THIS VEHICLE HAS INTERMITTENT OPERATION OF ITS LANE KEEP ASSISTANCE. ONE ACTIVATED, IT REGULARLY WILL DO THE OPPOSITE OF KEEPING YOUR LANE. IT HAS RUN ME OFF THE ROAD AND ALSO INTO THE LANE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAVE REPORTED TO THE DEALER BUT THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE IT. I HAVE ESCALATED TO THE DEALER AS THIS HAPPENS VERY FREQUENTLY AND IS IN SAFE. UPON ACTIVATION OF THE LTA, IT TURNS THE STEERING WHEEL APPROX 15- 20 DEGREES AND IMMEDIATELY TAKES YOU OUT OF THE LANE. THE LANE DEPARTURE SYSTEM KICKS IN AND THEN TRIES TO BRING YOU BACK AND…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11398108 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11399292 · 2021-03-05 (March 5, 2021)
VEHICLE BATTERY COMPLETELY DEAD AFTER ONLY 3 DAYS OF NOT BEING DRIVEN. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND COULD NOT BE JUMP STARTED. VEHICLE IS ONLY 2 MONTHS OLD. WIRELESS CHARGING DOES NOT CHARGE CONSISTENTLY. INTERMITTENT CONNECTION ONLY AND GETS VERY HOT. USB PHONE CONNECTION RANDOMLY DISCONNECTS AND RECONNECTS. OCCASIONALLY THE VOICE COMMAND PROMPT ON CENTER CONTROL IS ACTIVATED AND STAYS CONNECTED WHEN CONNECTING A PHONE THROUGH USB AND CANNOT EXIT TO SEE INFORMATION DISPLAY. REMOTE START FROM FOB WILL NOT WORK. LANE DEPARTURE SYSTEM …
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11399292 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11415942 · 2021-05-10 (May 10, 2021)
JUST BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE ON JANUARY AND WITH JUST OVER 4K MILES THIS WARNING CAME UP.. PARKING BRAKE MALFUNCTION.. TURNED OFF THEN ON THE CAR AND SAME WARNING...CALLED THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION ASAP..
Owner-reported narrative. 4,364 miles reported. Look up ODI 11415942 at NHTSA ↗
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11353782 · 2020-09-08 (September 8, 2020)
WITH 4 MILES LEFT ON HV RANGE/DTE, I FILLED MY FIRST FULL TANK AT COSTCO. PUMP READ 10.82 GALLONS. NOW HV RANGE IS SHOWING 544 MILES. I GOT ABOUT 39.9 MPG ON FIRST TANK (WITHOUT EV) WHICH IS IN LINE WITH EPA. BUT MY REAL HV RANGE FROM FULL TO EMPTY WAS ONLY 10.9 X 39.5 = 430 MILES. IF YOU ADD EV MILES OF 42, THEN YOU GET AROUND 472 MILES. NOT 600. THEIR MPG CLAIMS ARE VALID. BUT THEIR GAS TANK/ RANGE CLAIMS ARE CLEARLY OVERSTATED. REAL RANGE IS ONLY 472. NOT 600. WHICH IS DISAPPOINTING, YOU MIGHT GO ON A ROAD TRIP WITH YOUR FAMILY, AND BE STUCK…
Owner-reported narrative. 502 miles reported. Look up ODI 11353782 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11364114 · 2020-10-13 (October 13, 2020)
BOTH SIDE MIRRORS SHAKES AT 40 MILES OR ABOVE.
Owner-reported narrative. 45 miles reported. Look up ODI 11364114 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11364557 · 2020-10-15 (October 15, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE GLASS SUNROOF SUDDENLY EXPLODED. DURING THE FAILURE, THE SUNROOF WAS CLOSED. THE LOCAL DEALER VALLEY HIGH TOYOTA LOCATED AT 14612 VALLEY CENTER DR, VICTORVILLE, CA 92395 AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11364557 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11365940 · 2020-10-23 (October 23, 2020)
DRIVING NEW 2021 TOYOTA RAV4 AND THE SUNROOF BLEW OUT FOR NO APPARENT REASON.
Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11365940 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11382724 · 2020-12-09 (December 9, 2020)
MY SPOUSE WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND SHE COMPLAINED TO ME THAT OUR NEW 2021 RAV4 SUDDENLY LURCHES WHEN SLIGHTLY ACCELERATING FROM A ROLLING STOP. I THEN DROVE WITH HER AND WITNESSED THE SAME ISSUE ALTHOUGH I COULD NOT REPLICATE IT MYSELF. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE TUSTIN TOYOTA DEALERSHIP (FROM WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR) BUT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND ANY ISSUES OR REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THAT BEING SAID THE CARS ARE SO NEW THAT IT MAY JUST BE THAT THERE AREN'T ENOUGH NEW OWNERS YET TO REPORT THE PROBLEM.
Owner-reported narrative. 25 miles reported. Look up ODI 11382724 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11386212 · 2021-01-03 (January 3, 2021)
THIS ISSUE HAPPENED ON 12/31/2020. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK THIS EVENING. I CAME ONTO AN ONRAMP DURING MY DRIVE AND I BEGAN INCREASING MY SPEED TO 70MPH. AS I'M ACCELERATING I STARTED TO NOTICE A WHISTLING SOUND COMING FROM THE SUNROOF . I INSTANTLY ASSUMED THAT MY HUSBAND HAD ACCIDENTALLY OPENED THE SUNROOF AND HAD NOT CLOSED IT BACK UP ALL THE WAY. (WE HAVE NOT HAD THIS CAR VERY LONG AT ALL SO WE ARE STILL LEARNING WHICH BUTTONS DO WHAT.) AS I PULL BACK THE COVER I NOTICE THAT THERE ARE SHARDS OF GLASS FALLING ONTO MY LAP FROM THE SUNROOF. I WAS…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,241 miles reported. Look up ODI 11386212 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11387955 · 2021-01-13 (January 13, 2021)
WHEN THE LOW FUEL LIGHT COMES ON IT ONLY TAKES 10 GALLONS TO REFILL. THIS GIVES ME A RANGE OF 400 MILES ON A TANK OF FUEL. I WAS EXPECTING A RESERVE AMOUNT OF FUEL AFTER THE LOW FUEL LIGHT COMES ON TO DRIVE TO A FUEL STATION BUT ONLY USING 10 GALLONS OUT OF A 14 GALLON TANK SEEMS WRONG.
Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11387955 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11389684 · 2021-01-24 (January 24, 2021)
HAVE A 2019 AMS 2021 RAV4 HYBRID XSE THAT WILL NOT FILL TO ITS 14.5 GAL CAPACITY. TOYOTA NEEDS TO MAKE A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT HERE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE AND A TIMELINE ON A FIX. WITH NOTING, THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT TOOK 14 GAL ON INITIAL FILL WHEN PURCHASED, SO NOT SURE WHAT TO THINK HERE - CAN PROVIDE PHOTOS AS WELL
Owner-reported narrative. 485 miles reported. Look up ODI 11389684 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
23V865000 · Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification
Reported: 2023-12-20 (December 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: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗