Does the 2021 Toyota RAV4 have any recalls?

Transport Canada lists 5 campaigns and the U.S. NHTSA lists 1 for the 2021 Toyota RAV4. Matched by make, model, and model year. Many recalls affect only specific VIN ranges — confirm with your dealer using your full VIN.

How do I know if a recall applies to my 2021 Toyota RAV4?

Recalls are matched by make, model and model year, but many cover only certain VIN ranges. Confirm with your manufacturer or dealer using your full VIN, or use the official Transport Canada or NHTSA lookup.

Are recall repairs free?

Yes. In both Canada and the United States the manufacturer must fix a recalled defect at no charge, through a franchised dealer.

RECALLS — MAKE · MODEL · YEAR

2021 Toyota RAV4 recalls

6 safety recall campaigns have been filed for the 2021 Toyota RAV4 with Transport Canada and the U.S. NHTSA. Here is what both agencies say.

Canadian recalls: 05
U.S. recalls: 01
Total campaigns: 06

Transport Canada recalls

Airbag#2023684December 20, 2023
99,965 units affected
Issue: 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.
Electrical#2023382July 12, 2023
5,981 units affected
Issue: 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.
Powertrain#2023035February 2, 2023
4,545 units affected
Issue: 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.
Brakes#2022179April 13, 2022
41,084 units affected
Issue: 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.
Lights And Instruments#2020541November 12, 2020
297 units affected
Issue: 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.

Canadian data updated August 24, 2026

U.S. NHTSA recalls

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION#23V865000December 20, 2023
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.

Does this recall apply to my vehicle?

Matched by make, model, and model year. Many recalls affect only specific VIN ranges — confirm with your dealer using your full VIN.

What to do

Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer in both countries. To confirm a recall applies to your specific vehicle, or to book the work, contact your manufacturer or dealer with your full VIN, or use the official channel:

NHTSA recall lookup (search by VIN) — U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Defects and recalls database — Transport Canada

Check a 2021 Toyota RAV4 VIN

A VIN decode confirms your vehicle's exact model year, trim and assembly plant, then runs this same recall check against it.

Data sources and coverage limits →