Home · 2014 Toyota RAV4 · Complaints

What 194 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Toyota RAV4

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (194)Crash / fire / injury (48)Electrical system (69)Engine (31)Transmission & drivetrain (20)Steering (19)Body & structure (17)Brakes (16)Airbags (11)Lights (8)Visibility & wipers (8)Fuel system (7)

11 of 194 complaints match · Airbags · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Mar 3, 2026AirbagsCrash1 injury

I was in a car accident and the side and steering airbags deployed. While the main steering airbag deflated successfully following the accident, the driver's side door side airbag never deflated. Once I was trying to get out of the car and had the door open, this meant it was much harder and took longer to get out as I had to slide out from underneath it. Because I wasn't able to get out quickly, I remained in a car in direct line of traffic with my driver's side door where it would have been hit first putting me in more danger.

NHTSA ODI 11721674

Nov 16, 2021AirbagsCrash

My 2014 Toyota RAV4 had an accident (front end collision) No air bags deploy

NHTSA ODI 11440729

Oct 24, 2020AirbagsBody & structureCrash1 injury

AIRBAGS WERE NOT DEPLOYED AFTER A CRASH THAT LEFT THE CAR CONSIDERED A 'TOTAL LOSS'. THE CAR HIT A POLE AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ALL. CAUSING DRIVER TO INJURE FINGER AND MISS TIME FROM WORK.

NHTSA ODI 11366198

Jul 6, 2020AirbagsCrash1 injury

MY SISTER ACCIDENTALLY RAN INTO THE BACK OF A BOX TRUCK ON 7/2/2020 AND THE KNEE AIRBAG IN HER TOYOTA 2014 RAV4 DEPLOYED. THE AIRBAG OR COVER CAUSED MAJOR GASHES IN HER LEG AND SHE IS NOW IN THE HOSPITAL AND WILL NEED TO HAVE SKIN GRAFTS. THERE IS A POLICE REPORT THAT IS NOT YET READY. I AM ATTACHING PICTURES OF THE LEG. I HAVE NEVER SEEN DAMAGE LIKE THIS CAUSED BY AIRBAG AND WONDERING IF THERE IS SOME TYPE OF ISSUES WITH KNEE AIRBAGS?

NHTSA ODI 11337736

Dec 21, 2018Transmission & drivetrainAirbagsSpeed controlCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPOT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE BODY REPAIR WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $4,700. THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT THE ACCELERATION MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE FRONT AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *JS

NHTSA ODI 11162919

Nov 30, 2015AirbagsSpeed controlBrakesCrash

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. BEFORE STARTING WORK, MY WIFE WAS ATTEMPTING TO SLOWLY PARK OUR 2014 RAV4 AT LESS THAN 2 MPH IN AN EMPTY PARKING SPACE IN THE PUBLIC PARKING LOT WHERE SHE WORKS WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN REACHING A FINAL SPEED OF 21 MPH IN THE SPAN OF APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 3 SECONDS. DURING THESE 2 TO 3 SECONDS THE VEHICLE TRAVELED A DISTANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 27 FEET FROM THE EMPTY PARKING SPACE, RUNNING OVER THE PARKING SPACE CONCRETE CURBS AND HIT A PARKED VEHICLE ON THE RAV4 RIGHT AND THEN RAN INTO A TREE, WHICH WAS THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED THE VEHICLE. MY WIFE APPLIED THE SERVICE BRAKE TO TRY TO STOP THE VEHICLE BUT THIS EFFORT DID NOT PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING. AFTER HITTING THE TREE MY WIFE SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND PUSHED A BUTTON TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AFTER HITTING THE TREE AT 21 MPH. WE NOTIFIED TOYOTA OF THE PROBLEMS REGARDING SUDDEN ACCELERATION, SERVICE BRAKE AND THE NON-DEPLOYED AIR BAGS. TOYOTA OPENED A CASE AND SENT AN INSPECTOR TO INSPECT THE RAV4. WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM TOYOTA STATING THEY FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF ANY TYPE OF MANUFACTURING OR DESIGN DEFECT. WE DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE. WE ARE NOT DRIVING THE 2014 RAV4 DUE TO THIS SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT OF SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. VEHICLE SAFETY FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,577 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 10807599

Nov 2, 2015AirbagsSeat beltsBody & structureCrash1 injury

CAR 1 CUT IN FRONT OF CAR 2, CAR 3 (OURS) STOPPED 1 CAR LENGTH AWAY, WHEN STARTED TO DRIVE PAST THE CRASH SUDDENLY CAR 4 SLAMMED INTO CAR 3 (OURS) AND PUSHED MY WIFE'S CAR INTO CAR 2 AND CAR 2 INTO CAR 1 AGAIN. AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY, SEAT BELT LOCKED AND EMS HAD TO GET MY WIFE OUT. WHEN THIS HAPPENED MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON I95 HEADING SOUTH JUST PASSING EXIT 60 HYPOLUXO DR AT ABOUT 45MPH WHEN SHE WAS ABLE TO STOP. SHE WAS GOING LESS THAN 5 MPH WHEN SHE WAS HIT BY CAR 4....UPDATED 11/05/15 *BF *JS

NHTSA ODI 10787567

Aug 13, 2015AirbagsCrash

I WAS DRIVING ON AN OVERPASS AND WAS ABOUT TO TURN ONTO AN ON RAMP TO ENTER INTERSTATE 70 IN LIMON COLORADO AND I STRUCK A VEHICLE ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE OF BOTH OUR CARS. AND MY AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. I HIT THE STEERING COLUMN WITH MY RIGHT ARM AND LEFT SIDE OF MY CHEST AND STOMACH.

NHTSA ODI 10748492

Jan 19, 2015Electrical systemAirbagsBrakesCrash

AT APPROXIMATELY 8:20 AM ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 16TH, 2015, I WAS PULLING INTO AN EMPTY PARKING SPOT IN FRONT OF MY APARTMENT COMPLEX AFTER DROPPING MY 6 YEAR-OLD AT SCHOOL. THIS WAS A ROUTINE AS I DO THIS EVERY MORNING. HOWEVER, AS I WAS SLOWING THE CAR DOWN PREPARING TO PARK (5-10 MPH), THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED (APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH) AND RAN OVER THE SIDEWALK, BUSHES AND INTO THE SIDE OF MY APARTMENT COMPLEX. DESPITE MY ATTEMPTS TO BRAKE, THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. IN THE PROCESS I RAN THROUGH THE SIDE OF MY APARTMENT COMPLEX WALL AND FRONT GATE, NEARLY GOING RIGHT THROUGH MY FRONT DOOR AND LIVING ROOM WHERE MY 6 MONTH OLD AND WIFE WERE PLAYING. I HAD TO PLACE THE CAR IN PARK AND TURN THE CAR OFF. THAT STOPPED THE CAR. I THEN TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND REVERSED. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DONE TO THE SIDE OF MY APARTMENT COMPLEX AND MY VEHICLE. SHOULD BE NOTED, THAT DESPITE THE IMPACT, NO AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED. AT THE MOMENT, MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS ME AT FAULT. I HAVE FILED WITH TOYOTA CORPORATE AND THEY ARE HAVING A SPECIALIST INVESTIGATE THE VEHICLE. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR. AND HOPE THAT THIS IS INVESTIGATED FURTHER. HAD I NOT TURNED OFF MY CAR, I WOULD HAVE SURELY GONE THROUGH MY FRONT DOOR AND INTO MY LIVING ROOM, POTENTIALLY HURTING MY 6 MONTH OLD AND WIFE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10676497

Oct 2, 2014AirbagsBody & structureSeatsCrash4 injuries

ON BUSINESS AND VACATION, COMING FROM LA TO ATLANTA...I WAS DRIVING SPEED LIMIT IN FAR LEFT LANE, ON INTERSTATE, IN LAGRANGE ,GA, A TRUCK COMING ONTO THE INTERSTATE MERGING FROM FAR RIGHT LOSS CONTROL BECAUSE SHE WAS SPEEDING AND THE ROADS WERE SLICK FROM A LIGHT RAIN, SHE FISHTAILED FROM THE FAR RIGHT , CROSSING THE RIGHT LANE AND COMING HEAD ON IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF TRAFFIC , HITTING MY RENTAL VEHICLE..RAV 4. HIT US HEAD ON...THE AIRBAGS POPPED OUT EVERYWHERE, BLOCKING ESCAPE EXITS, WE THOUGHT THE TRUCK WOULD CATCH AFIRE, BECAUSE OF SMOKE SMELL, WE TRIED TO GET OUT, ALL DOORS ON THE LEFT OF THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT OPEN, ALTHOUGH IT WASN'T HIT IN ANY WAY, HAD TO CRAWL OVER SEATS AND UNDER AIRBAGS TO ESCAPE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF VEHICLE. EVEN THE HATCH BACK DOOR AT REAR OF VEHICLE WOULD NOT OPEN AT ALL. WE JUST BARELY ESCAPED WITH OUR LIVES,AND INJURIES, BECAUSE IF WE DIDN'T PUSH THE RIGHT SIDE DOORS WE WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAPPED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10640943

Jul 18, 2014AirbagsCrash3 injuries

RAV 4 TRAVELING ON ROADWAY WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE STRUCK ITS RIGHT FRONT FENDER AND FRONT DOOR IN T-BONE IMPACT. FORCE OF IMPACT WAS ENOUGH TO MOVE RAV 4 TO THE LEFT 2.5 LANES. RIGHT SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10614535

Working with the data? Download all 194 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 10, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2014 Toyota RAV4 verdict →