2021 Toyota RAV4 Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 1 NHTSA recall and 409 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

37/100

Very High Reported Activity — 2021 Toyota RAV4

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 shows very high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Counts are raw and are higher for popular models, so see how we score this below. Review the issues and recalls carefully, and have the vehicle inspected before buying.

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NHTSA Recalls

1 recall on record

409

Owner Complaints

Filed with NHTSA

Crash Reports

7 fire reports

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NHTSA Recalls — 2021 Toyota RAV4 (1)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Toyota dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Air Bags: Sensor: Occupant Classification

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…

NHTSA #23V865000

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Most Common Problems — 2021 Toyota RAV4

Based on 409 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Air Bags

139

Unknown Or Other

Electrical System

Steering

Power Train

Structure

Engine

Seats

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Toyota RAV4 — Complaints by Year

A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2021 model year is highlighted.

→ Recently checked Toyota RAV4 VINs — free recall, safety and specs report for any VIN.

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⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2019, 2020 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.

✅ Best model years: 2022, 2023, 2025 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2021 Toyota RAV4

Is the 2021 Toyota RAV4 reliable?

Based on NHTSA data, the 2021 Toyota RAV4 has 1 recall campaign and 409 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How many recalls does the 2021 Toyota RAV4 have?

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 has 1 NHTSA recall. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.

What are the most common problems with the 2021 Toyota RAV4?

The most commonly reported problems for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 are: Air Bags, Unknown Or Other, Electrical System, Steering. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.

Is the 2021 Toyota RAV4 safe to buy?

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 1 recallis completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.

What year Toyota RAV4 should I buy?

Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Toyota RAV4 are: 2022, 2023, 2025. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2019, 2020.

How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.

Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.