2021 Toyota Rav4 Prime problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Electrical System (26) · Service Brakes (14) · Fuel/Propulsion System (12)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Toyota Rav4 Prime model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (4)
Electrical System:propulsion System:dc/Dc Converter 2023-07-12 · campaign 23V478000 · 43,442 vehicles
Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2022 RAV4 Prime and 2022 Lexus NX450h+ plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicles. The electric current rectifying module contained within the DC-DC converter may have been damaged during production, which can result in an electrical short-circuit.
Risk: A short circuit can cause the DC-DC converter to overheat, increasing the risk of a vehicle fire.
Fix: Owners are advised not to charge their vehicles when the ambient air temperature is below or expected to drop below 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius). Dealers will replace the DC-DC converter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2023. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB07/23LB01.
Electrical System:propulsion System:hybrid Management:power Control Unit/Module (Hpcu) 2023-02-02 · campaign 23V041000 · 16,679 vehicles
Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021 RAV4 Prime Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. During certain cold weather driving conditions, while driving in EV Mode, the hybrid vehicle control engine control unit (HEV ECU) software may cause the hybrid system to shut down if the accelerator is rapidly pressed to further accelerate the vehicle, resulting in a stall.
Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the HEV ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 27, 2023. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TA01.
Electronic Stability Control (Esc):control Module:software 2022-04-13 · campaign 22V239000 · 458,110 vehicles
Defect: Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Lexus LX 600, Lexus NX 350h, Lexus NX 450h+, Toytoa RAV4 Hybrid, 2021-2022 Lexus LS 500h, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna, Venza, and 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The Skid Control ECU software may not turn on the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system when the vehicle is restarted after the driver has disabled the VSC system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehic
Risk: Driving with a deactivated stability control system increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the Skid Control ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA03. Lexus' number for this recall is 22LA01.
Exterior Lighting:headlights 2020-11-12 · campaign 20V698000 · 413 vehicles
Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021 RAV4 Prime vehicles. The headlight aiming caps may have been improperly closed, allowing for horizontal adjustment of the headlight beam. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Adjusting the horizontal headlight beam can increase glare, reducing the visibility of an oncoming driver or the vehicle operator, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will close the aiming caps on the headlights, free of charge. The recall began January 6, 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA15.
Service bulletins (192)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Engine 2026-08-11 · 24TE04 · Warranty Program/Extension
although the flow shut-off valve is covered by toyota’s new vehicle limited warranty for 36 months or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at toyota care about the customers’ ownership experience. toyota is providing coverage for repairs related to flow shut-off valve coolant leak.
Electrical System 2026-05-14 · 22TE09 · Warranty Program/Extension
although the hv floor under wire harness and rear traction motor cable is covered by toyota’s new vehicle limited warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at toyota care about the customers’ ownership experience. toyota is providing extended coverage under this customer suppo
Engine 2026-02-27 · T-SB-0104-21 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
obsolete notice february 27, 2026: this bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.
Electrical System 2026-01-30 · T-SB-0106-22 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
obsolete notice january 30, 2026: this bulletin is now obsolete. please see t-sb-0001-26.
Electrical System 2026-01-28 · T-SB-0001-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2018 – 2024 model year toyota vehicles equipped with a premium audio with dynamic navigation system require a special service tool (sst) usb flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software.
Unknown Or Other 2026-01-07 · T-SB-0055-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2005 – 2026 toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. the purpose of this service bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures
Showing the 6 most recent of 192 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-09-10 · Unknown Or Other“rear glass broken all of sudden when the vehicle is parked outside …”
2026-06-07 · Power Train · 🔥 fire“observed arcing noises and strong electrical fire smell upon plugging in l2 evse charging cable. mil lit, hybrid vehicle charging system codes active; vehicle refused to charge afterwards. self-diagnosed and repaired defective 6.6 kw onboard charger. see pics of clear arcing damage withing charging unit - possible fire risk.…”
2026-05-22 · Unknown Or Other“something needs to be done because toyota is stalling on sending out a critical safety component that has been recalled in thousands of vehicles. it is the hv floor wire connector, when the corrosion is beyond repair, the parts have been back ordered for months. toyota and dealerships are not approving loaner vehicles. this is a serious safety issu…”
2026-05-05 · Visibility/Wiper“random windshield crack that appeared out of no where when leaving work. 4 hour time span of video shows no foul play, nobody was mowing the yard. no way anything hit it - i confirmed. crack started to expand up and out both ways. can run my finger along the entire crack without any surface impacts or bumps felt. first noted crack 4/29 and has expa…”
2026-05-04 · Latches/Locks/Linkages:doors:lock“front driver side and front passenger side door actuator has failed. locks are non responsive to key fob or interior master switch. the door locks have to be manually unlocked with the key or by the individual in the vehicle. it is a complete safety hazard. my local toyota dealer has quoted me $1,767 to fix the two faulty actuators. the car is 5 ye…”
2026-04-30 · Visibility/Wiper“sunroof exploded while driving down the freeway. covering the occupants in glass, including the driver, this caused cuts from glass shards. this is a known issue to toyota. they decided not to do a recall. they are lucky that the sunroof exploding did not cause a fatal accident.…”
2026-04-29 · Power Train“the vehicle generated an error message "plug in charging system malfunction" warning on the dash. the remedy is a toyota t-sb-0021-21 which requires a software upgrade to fix the air fan sensor reading to the charging unit. this is only considered part of the 60 month/60,000 mile power train warranty despite it being part of the battery charging sy…”
2026-02-23 · Visibility/Wiper“close the door and the rear view window shattered.…”
2025-12-04 · Service Brakes · 💥 crash“during snowy but manageable conditions, the brake system on my 2021 rav4 prime se failed to respond, and the vehicle did not decelerate when i pressed the brake pedal. a “pre-collision system malfunction” warning appeared shortly before impact. i was unable to steer away despite attempting an evasive turn. the vehicle collided with the car in front…”
2025-09-09 · Service Brakes“the car has a grinding sound and a brake slipping feeling that occurs while traveling and braking over rough pavement. it does not happen consistently, but it does happen fairly regularly (every 2-4 weeks). note, the grinding sound can range from subtle to quite loud, depending on bump/timing of braking. this has been happening since i purchased th…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.