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2021 Toyota RAV4 airbags problems

125 complaints (32% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 30,000. 28 crashes reported.

owner complaints
125
of this car's complaints
32%
typical mileage
30,000
crashes
28
recalls
1

Which part fails

Owners did not name a specific part.

At what mileage

Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.

0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+

Toyota RAV4 airbags problems in other years

1994200020052010201520202025

Specific symptoms reported on the 2021 Toyota RAV4 airbags

Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.

No deployment 16Airbag light 9

Related recalls

Air bags: sensor: occupant classificationReported December 20, 2023 · 999,901 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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.
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.

Recall number 23V865000 · Recall details

What 2021 Toyota RAV4 owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Jul 4, 2026 · Airbags · NM

I have been unable to get my vehicle inspected and repaired by a dealer despite months of waiting and asking two different Toyota dealers to order the necessary part or parts. This recall has been in place for years. For several years I was told it was only being done in certain states and that New Mexico would be last on list due to climate. Probably six months ago the message changed from Toyota and it was now ok in every state. Only problem is still no parts according to dealer. Last contact was on June 2, 2026 with the second dealer to order part. No call back and no contact. First effort was in Santa Fe NM where car was purchased new in 2021at Toyota dealer. Last effort over a month ago was at Albuquerque Larry Miller Toyota. So safety recall for faulty air bag sensor on my wife's side of car has been in place about 900 days without parts to fix a potentially deadly problem. VERY DANGEROUS

Filed Jun 9, 2026 · Airbags · 62,000 miles · TX · crash · 1 injury

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota RAV4. The contact was traveling at approximately 50 MPH directly behind a van in the same lane of traffic. The van suddenly made an emergency avoidance maneuver to bypass a stationary vehicle completely stopped in the lane. Despite the attempt, the van rear-ended the stopped vehicle. The contact immediately initiated an evasive maneuver to avoid the sudden collision occurring ahead. However, due to proximity and immediate lane obstruction, the contact was unable to avoid an impact and struck the vehicle. The severe front-end impact resulted in catastrophic damage to the contact's vehicle before it came to a complete stop. The airbags failed to deploy, and no warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a repair shop. A police report was filed. The driver and her pet were the only occupants of the vehicle, and the contact was the only injured passenger. The contact sustained moderate chest pain, but no medical assistance was received. A police report was filed. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 62,000.

Filed Jun 1, 2026 · Airbags · NJ

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number 23V865000 (Airbags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was/was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was/was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The VIN was invalid./The VIN was not available.

Filed Apr 20, 2026 · Airbags · PA

Srs error appeared on the dash. Now the dealership is opening steering column to fix the electrical issue. The car has less than 29,000miles on it.

Filed Apr 15, 2026 · Airbags · CA

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The 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.

Filed Apr 6, 2026 · Airbags · CO · crash

I was in a car accident that ended up being a total loss for my vehicle. I was hit head on to the front drivers side and none of my airbags went off. I am aware there was a recall for the passenger airbags, and was actually scheduled to get the repair the following week, but the drivers side airbags are not included in the recall. After the collision I received an error message on my display that advised there was an airbag malfunction and to contact my toyota dealer. Thankfully I did not sustain any known injuries, however I am pregnant and none of my airbags went off appropriately.

Filed Mar 26, 2026 · Airbags · CA · crash · 1 injury

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving on the freeway at approximately 35 MPH, another vehicle approaching from the opposite direction attempted to make a left turn and collided with the contact's vehicle. The point of impact was the front driver's side wheel well and side bumper area, with additional damage noted on the front passenger side bumper. No warning lights illuminated. The other vehicle was driving at an undisclosed speed and sustained damage to its front-end frame. There was no property damage reported. Both vehicles came to a stop in the roadway at the intersection of [XXX] and [XXX] in San Jose, California. The contact's vehicle remained drivable and was driven to the residence; towing was not required. The airbags did not deploy. The driver sustained injuries, including a fractured vertebra and a fractured sternum, and received medical treatment. The driver believes that the injuries may have been prevented if the airbags had deployed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number 23V865000 (Air Bags). The failure mileage was unavailable. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jan 15, 2026 · Airbags · NV

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Filed Jan 11, 2026 · Airbags · CA

Very upset that the passenger air bag is defective and Toyota refuses to fix this issue, the recall was issued December 20, 2023! I can’t let anyone ride in the front passenger seat, if there was a car accident they might be killed or injured badly… Fix this issue Toyota… This is bad bad business… My mother is [XXX] and I can’t transport her anywhere because of the defective air bag. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jan 5, 2026 · Airbags · 40,768 miles · VA

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency 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, but no case number was provided. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Questions about the 2021 Toyota RAV4 airbags

Does the 2021 Toyota RAV4 have airbags problems?

Owners have filed 125 complaints about the airbags of the 2021 Toyota RAV4, 32% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.

At what mileage do 2021 Toyota RAV4 airbags problems start?

The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 30,000 miles.

Was there a recall on the 2021 Toyota RAV4 airbags?

Yes, 1 recall: 23V865000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.

What year does the Toyota RAV4 have bad airbags?

The Toyota RAV4 model years with the most airbags complaints are 2021 (125 complaints), 2007 (99 complaints) and 2005 (59 complaints).

Other 2021 Toyota RAV4 problems

Electrical 47Engine 41Visibility 31Driver assistance 27Fuel system 24Transmission 23Steering 22Body 21Brakes 21Seats 18Seat belts 8Locks 7Acceleration 6Lights 6Suspension 6Tires 6Wheels 5

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