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2021 Toyota RAV4
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2021 Toyota RAV4 — Safety Summary
The 2021 Toyota RAV4 has 1 NHTSA safety recall and 375 owner complaints on record. Transport Canada separately lists 5 Canadian recalls for this model. The most frequently reported complaint area is air bags. It earned an NHTSA overall safety rating of 5 out of 5. Based on this public data we rate its risk profile as high. Enter your VIN above to confirm which of these apply to your exact vehicle, then get the Smart Buyer Report for AI analysis of this model's reliability, common issues by mileage, and a pre-purchase inspection checklist.
NHTSA Safety Ratings
Government crash test results
NHTSA Recalls
1 recall(s) for this year/model
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
20/12/2023Toyota 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.
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.
Transport Canada Recalls
5 Canadian recall(s) from the official Transport Canada database
Lights And Instruments
2020-11-12Issue: On certain RAV4 Prime models, the headlight adjustment caps were not properly installed when the vehicle was assembled. As a result, the headlights may be adjusted horizontally. Canadian regulations do not allow for horizontal headlight adjustment unless the vehicle is equipped with a built-in aiming device. Safety Risk: Headlights that are not properly adjusted could cause reduced visibility or glare for oncoming drivers, and could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Toyota will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to close the aiming caps on the headlights to prevent horizontal adjustment.
Brakes
2022-04-13Issue: Under certain conditions, the vehicle stability control (VSC) system may not switch on when the ignition is restarted. This can happen if the driver manually turns off the VSC, depresses the brake pedal, and then turns off and restarts the vehicle while continuously depressing the brake pedal. Canadian regulations require the stability control system to be active each time that you start the vehicle. Safety Risk: A stability control system that is switched off could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: The company will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to update the skid control ECU software.
Powertrain
2023-02-02Issue: On certain RAV4 Prime models, rapid acceleration could cause the battery voltage to drop suddenly while driving in "EV mode" in cold temperatures. If this happens, the hybrid system could shut down and cause a sudden loss of power to the wheels. Safety Risk: A sudden loss of power to the wheels could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Toyota will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealership to update the hybrid vehicle control ECU software.
Electrical
2023-07-12Issue: On certain plug-in hybrid vehicles, the DC-DC converter located under the rear seat could fail. If this happens, the DC-DC converter and nearby parts could overheat. Safety Risk: A DC-DC converter that overheats can create the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: Toyota will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the DC-DC converter. To reduce the safety risk, Toyota recommends not to charge your vehicle while the air temperature is below or expected to drop below 5° C until the recall repairs have been completed.
Airbag
2023-12-20Issue: On certain vehicles, a sensor for the occupant classification system (OCS) may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the sensor could short circuit and cause the airbag system to turn off the passenger-front airbag even when a passenger is seated. Note: This problem would cause a warning message to display on the instrument panel and the airbag indicator light would display "passenger airbag off". Safety Risk: An airbag that is turned off could increase the risk of injury to a passenger in a crash. Corrective Actions: Toyota will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect and, if necessary, replace the OCS sensor.
Contains information sourced from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database, licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Data is provided "as is" from Transport Canada's monthly release and may not reflect real-time updates. Transport Canada does not endorse this service. Always confirm open recalls with the manufacturer or Transport Canada before purchase.
Owner Complaints
375 complaint(s) filed with NHTSA
Top complaint categories:
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The free data above comes from public NHTSA records. The Smart Buyer Report adds AI-powered analysis for this exact model — reliability score, common problems by mileage, real maintenance costs in CAD, a pre-purchase inspection checklist, a market value estimate, and Canadian notes on rust, winter, and fuel.
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Data disclaimer:Vehicle history information on CarHistoryReport.ca is compiled from publicly available government sources, primarily the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Reports may not include all incidents, recalls, or issues related to a specific vehicle. Data is provided "as-is" without warranty of completeness or accuracy. Always obtain a professional pre-purchase inspection before buying any used vehicle. CarHistoryReport.ca is not liable for purchasing decisions made based on report contents.