What 375 owners told NHTSA about the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid

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.

NHTSA ODI 11742969

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.

NHTSA ODI 11729459

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 NHTSA 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)

NHTSA ODI 11727339

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving approximately 23 MPH and attempting to make a turn, the steering wheel seized, and the vehicle sideswiped another parked vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The steering wheel remained seized. The air bags had not deployed. No injuries were sustained, and no medical attention was required. A Police Report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 97,000.

NHTSA ODI 11719931

My wife was pulling her car into a parking area consisting of a few small storefronts. When pulling in, the brakes completely failed as did the forward collision warning system and the automatic emergency braking system. As she continued to press the brake pedal it just went to the floor of the car. The end result was that the car struck one of the storefronts causing damage to the building as well as her car. Fortunately the store was closed at the time and no one was injured, nor was she. There were not any warning lamps or messages prior to the brakes failing. The brakes worked fine in the approx. 15 minute drive prior to the accident. I realize that drivers sometimes press the accelerator in error instead of the brakes and I can assure you that this was not the case (we wife is not elderly and is a very safe driver). We spoke to the auto body shop who will be repairing the car and they told us that the brakes currently seem to work. A online search revealed that this problem as been reported / discussed by others in the past. We expect to have the car repaired and returned to us in the next week but are very concerned with driving it as another accident could be fatal.

NHTSA ODI 11711075

I was involved in an accident on the interstate traveling at about 80 mph and I hit a guard rail. I swerved, and then the lane assistance kicked in and made me lose control of the car completely, which is how I slammed into the guard rail. In that process, none of the airbags deployed and I had a passenger in the car.

NHTSA ODI 11700985

The contact owned a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that his wife had just parked the vehicle in front of the business and was about to move the shift gear lever to park(P), when the vehicle accelerated independently, jumped the cement parking block, and crashed into a tree, where it came to a stop. None of the air bags were deployed. The contact suffered minor injuries; had a bruise on the right breast, back pain, chest pain, and lower neck pain that did not require medical attention. The police were not notified. The vehicle was towed to a collision center, and the insurance company then towed to vehicle to another collision center where the vehicle was declared a total loss. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 23,000.

NHTSA ODI 11694758

Airbags did not deploy after head on collision.

NHTSA ODI 11682029

While parked in a commercial lot on [XXX] around [XXX], I noticed smoke coming from the front of the vehicle while sitting inside. There was a strong burning rubber smell. I exited and saw flames coming from beneath the front left bumper, directly under the fog light area. I had arrived at the location about 30 minutes earlier. I opened the hood from inside the vehicle, stepped back, and called 911. The fire rapidly engulfed the front of the vehicle. Firefighters arrived within 10 minutes and extinguished the fire. Police responded and created a report. Three nearby vehicles also sustained fire damage. The vehicle had previous front-end repairs (driver side bumper and fog light) and was well maintained. The vehicle had not shown any warning lights or messages prior to the fire. I believe the fire originated from an electrical or engine component and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. GEICO insurance has been contacted and a claim has been opened. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11666206

Rear right light got water in it after washing the car and the electrical wires shot out and car went on fire. Firefighters came and investigated and came to this conclusion. Car was totaled and insurance company took pictures and wrote report. Car will be towed by insurance company today. Car was in driveway next to house, we saw smoke from window and fire was extinguished quickly but it was fortunate that we were home and saw it in time so it did not spread anywhere else. Car had not been driven for 2 days and was not on, no warning lights in past. No accidents in past, all maintenance done by Toyota dealer.

NHTSA ODI 11656688

The contact called on behalf of her daughter who owned a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that her daughter was involved in a crash while driving on a main road at 35 MPH, another vehicle crashed into the passenger side of her vehicle at an unknown speed. No property damage was reported. The vehicles came to a stop upon impact. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact stated that only her daughter was injured, and she was seated in the driver's seat. Nobody outside of the vehicle was injured. The contact's daughter sustained injuries to her neck, shoulders, back, and head, medical treatment was needed for the injuries. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 19,000.

NHTSA ODI 11656572

Driving straight on side road. Vehicle entered road by attempting a left turn onto road without yielding to me. I swerved to the left and slammed on the breaks but was t boned by their vehicle. Airbags didn’t deploy and we got a message on dashboard indicating faulty airbag. Also upon impact our seatbelts were released.

NHTSA ODI 11650617

The contact owned a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS). The contact stated that while her son was driving down a hill at 25 MPH, the vehicle was rear-ended when the other vehicle's brakes failed to stop as intended. As a result, the contact's vehicle was pushed into oncoming traffic. The contact's son veered to the left, then crashed into a plastic barrier, and from the impact the vehicle came to a stop. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags did not deploy. The air bag warning light illuminated. The contact and her son went to Urgent Care. The contact suffered injuries to her jaw and back and had a concussion. The contact's son suffered injuries to his neck and back. A police report was filed. The contact's husband drove the vehicle to the residence and later to the collision shop. The insurance company was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,900.

NHTSA ODI 11646374

Critical safety concern regarding the braking system in my Toyota Rav4, 2021 which I believe may warrant further investigation for a potential recall as there are none at this time. The issue pertains to the breaking system, which locks up unexpectadly during use, casuing sudden and severe break locking without warning (unable to break). I suspect as many others online who have mentioned this issue on Toyota Forums is that it is the prime breaking software. I have had my breaks inspected multiple times as I was in a car accident where the breaks did not work and I rolled into the car in front of me when we were starting to proceed through a green light at 5MPH. When pushing on the brakes nothing happened and I rolled into a mother and children. Luckily I did not cause significant damage however I explained to her my breaks would not work. This accident then caused me to be dropped from my insurance (policy termination by Geico) since I had switched providers and happened during my 30 day grace period. This malfunction created a significant safety hazard for myself and others on the road as well as fear that it will happen again and should be investigated as I have have this happen multiple times since the accident. Geico claim number: 8817814110000001

NHTSA ODI 11634144

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35-40 MPH with traffic ahead slowing down, the vehicle registered the traffic information as an immediate stop ahead and the braking system engaged along with the contact depressing the brake pedal to slow the vehicle down. Upon coming to a stop, a pick-up truck rear-ended the vehicle 3 - 4 times. No air bags deployed. The driver's front seat belt failed to retract during the impact to safely secure the driver. The contact sustained injuries to her knees, shoulders, and arms. The front passenger sustained bruises from the seat belt. The rear passenger sustained head and back injuries. All 3 occupants received medical attention via ambulance to the Emergency Room. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed due to it being undrivable. The insurance company was currently inspecting the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11619361

The contact owned a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while his wife was driving approximately 35-40 MPH, another vehicle unexpectedly cut in front of the vehicle. The contact's wife veered to the right to avoid the other vehicle, and the front driver's side of the vehicle crashed into an electric pole. The air bags failed to deploy, causing the contact's wife to hit her forehead against the steering wheel. The contact's wife was temporarily unconscious. The contact stated that the front driver's side door failed to open. A bystander assisted the contact's wife to exit the vehicle through the rear driver's side door. The contact's wife sustained back pain, right elbow pain, neck pain, a lacerated lower lip, and pain all over the body. The contact arrived at the scene and transported his wife to the hospital, where she received medical assistance. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and totaled by the insurance company. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 16,000.

NHTSA ODI 11614842

While driving on the freeway with outside temperatures of about 89/90F, at about 67-68 mph, our passenger window randomly exploded and shattered. There was no prior damage to the window or any indication that a rock, projectile or other debris had hit the window. Prior to this incident, we had observed that the passenger window would rattle inside the door pocket/window frame when the car was in motion. When the window shattered, it did so instantly without any warning, as if it had exploded, startling us. As we continued driving, the outside air started pulling apart the shattered window, causing the broken window glass to fall apart into thousands of little pieces that ended up all over the passenger, driver, and back seats, which were also occupied with children [XXX] and [XXX] old). This was a very scary and traumatic experience for us, as things could have taken a turn for the worse and we could have been seriously injured. Luckily, we had nothing more serious than minor cuts in the aftermath. However, our family and especially our children were very affected by this incident and our car suffered damage to the outside body and some more minor damage on the inside from the glass flying off from the shattered window. We believe the rattling of the window caused it to eventually explode and shatter. We believe the rattling is due to some kind of manufacturing error: either improper installation or possibly low quality glass material or incorrect size to match the door frame or a missing part that should hold the window securely. We would like our car inspected for any further damage not visible to the eye (such as glass inside the door pocket and the safety of the door window retainer of the passenger door as well as a check of the integrity of the rest of the car’s windows to check that they are property installed and secured in place to prevent rattling. The driver side window in the car continues to rattle and we fear that this incident may occur again. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11599844

I was at a complete stop and was rear ended. The person who hit me was going over 45mph, and the impact caused me to hit the car in front of me, which crushed my car at both ends. My (driver) airbag did not deploy, and my head struck the steering wheel. It is available for inspection, and has not been confirmed by a dealer - it is at the insurance company’s tow lot. The police officer at the scene was surprised that my airbag did not deploy. There were no warning lights, messages, or any other indication that anything was malfunctioning/in need of service.

NHTSA ODI 11594693

The contact owns a 2021 TOYOTA RAV4. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, and attempting to stop the vehicle to let other vehicle enter they respective residence, an unexpected truck crashed into the rear area of the vehicle. The contact stated the impact pulled the vehicle forward which led him to crash the other vehicle in front of his. The contact stated the airbags failed to deploy. The contact sustained a neck, knees and back injuries which required medical attention. The contact stated the injuries led him being disabled from work since eight months. The vehicle was towed by the police and repaired by the the insurance. A police report was filed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts are not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact notified the manufacturer of the failure, however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 14,000.

NHTSA ODI 11587234

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that he was stopped on a residential street waiting for a person to return their vehicle out of a driveway when his vehicle was crashed from behind by another vehicle. The contact stated that the impact of the crash moved his vehicle and he crashed into the rear end of another vehicle that was in front. The contact stated that the air bags did not inflate and that he hit his chest on the steering wheel. The contact stated that his knees hit the bottom of the dashboard. The contact stated that he sustained bruising to his chest and had fractured the knee cap of his left leg as well as injury to his neck. The contact was transported to an emergency room by ambulance. The contact stated that the police were on the scene and had written a report. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to a collision repair facility and that the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that he was advised by the repair facility that his vehicle did not have either a passenger or driver's side air bag. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

NHTSA ODI 11580481

The contact owned a 2021 Toyota RAV-4. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle collided with a deer, and the front driver-side and knee air bags were deployed along with the front passenger-side air bag. The contact stated that the air bags were deployed with excessive force. The contact was unaware of any warning lights before the collision. The driver sustained a left leg injury with bruising. The contact stated that she declined transportation by ambulance but did visit a walk-in clinic. The front passenger was not injured. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was deemed a total loss. The failure was not diagnosed by the dealer. The contact stated that while cleaning the vehicle an unknown part was found on the front passenger side of the vehicle. The contact stated that the part was greasy and had an inner spinning mechanism, the contact believes the part detached from the knee air bag causing leg injury. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 56,000.

NHTSA ODI 11578106

On February 14, 2024, I was driving to pick up a friend who needed a ride to an appointment. I had the lane correction feature on while I was driving on the interstate. When I exited the interstate, I traveled on a two-lane road that becomes narrow as it travels along a downhill slope. This road has a steep ravine on the right side of the road caused by rainwater runoff. There are reflector signs cemented into the road along the steep drop off. Because there was no oncoming traffic, I crossed the center line avoiding getting too close to the edge. When I did so, the lane correction feature activated, pulling the car hard into the signs along the road. As a result, the entire right side of the car received extensive damage. I was fortunate not to have lost control of the vehicle and gone through the signs into the ditch. My first reaction was to think that I had lost a wheel or had a tire blow out for the car to have jerked so hard to the right. When I stopped, I saw that this was not the case. I have since read that there have been many instances where the auto lane correction has caused other accidents like mine, some of which have been more severe. It is unfortunate that I have the inconvenience of getting the damages fixed and an accident being reflected in my insurance as a result. However, I feel fortunate that I was driving the car and not one of my children who may have lost control. I am glad the signs were securely installed to keep me from rolling into the ditch. I feel most blessed that nobody was injured. What if I had swerved to avoid a person walking on the road instead of the signs posted there? There was not a police report taken on this accident. It was reported to the dealer and insurance company who referred me to Caliber Collision for repairs where it is currently. There were no warning lights prior to the incident.

NHTSA ODI 11577218

There was a stalled vehicle in a traffic lane. The vehicle ahead of me was a large that hit the stalled vehicle. I couldn’t see what he hit but he came to a dead stop and I couldn’t avoid him. My problem is that the airbag under the dashboard on the driver side hit my shin with such force that it caused an abrasion that didn’t seem bad at first but developed into a wound requiring a large hematoma and surgery to remove it and to have skin graft.

NHTSA ODI 11573991

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact was involved in an accident. The contact's vehicle was crashed into by an oncoming vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle had crashed into the front driver's side and the entire front of the vehicle was damaged. The contact stated that the driver's and passenger's front air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that only the driver's and passenger's side air bags were deployed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries and was transported to the local hospital by the paramedics. The vehicle had not been inspected by the insurance adjuster. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised that the liability team would be handling the case. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.

NHTSA ODI 11571835

The contact's wife owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH in an intersection, a Ford F-150 was crashed into head-on. The vehicle's front end collided with the Ford vehicle but the air bags did not deploy. The Ford vehicle did a 180 during the impact and its air bags deployed. The contact sustained 2 herniated discs in the 212 and L1 that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a collision center where it was diagnosed that the front air bag sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but a callback was not completed The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

NHTSA ODI 11563382