Should I buy a 2005 Toyota RAV4 with documented airbags problems?

Depends on the price and the specific vehicle. Documented airbags issues should be priced into the purchase — if the seller is asking full retail, negotiate down by the expected repair cost. A pre-purchase inspection from an independent shop tells you whether THIS specific vehicle has already shown the symptoms or not.

2005 Toyota RAV4 airbags problems

severe 58 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100

Complaints

Recalls

Crashes

Avg fix

$1,100

Related recalls

critical NHTSA 15V284000 13/05/2015

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured May 13, 2003, to October 25, 2005

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag, free of charge. Owners were mailed an interim notice June 17, 2015. The recall began on August 21, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

What owners are reporting 14 most recent

airbags · filed 12/30/2015

TAKATA AIR BAG RECALL. I HAVE TRIED FOR MONTHS TO GET MY VEHICLE REPAIRED. I HAVE GOTTEN THE RUNAROUND FROM MY LOCAL DEALER. TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE SEEMS UNABLE TO HELP. BOTH KEEP TELLING ME THE PART WILL BE IN NEXT WEEK, BUT NEXT WEEK NEVER COMES. IF THE SITUATION POSES A RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH AS IS STATED IN MY RECALL NOTICES, IT WOULD SEEM THEY COULD GET IN GEAR AND FIX THE PROBLEM W…

airbags · filed 12/29/2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT FACILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V284000 (AIR BAGS)…

airbags · filed 12/26/2006

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. A 13 YEAR OLD WAS DRIVING THE CAR WITHOUT PERMISSION, AND BECAME AFRAID WHEN THE POLICE BEGAN CHASIED HIM. THE 13 YEAR OLD WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH AND CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL, AND THE VEHICLE FLIPPED ONTO ITS ROOF, THEN SKIDDED APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET ON ITS ROOF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYE…

airbags · filed 12/03/2015

2005 TOYOTA RAV 4. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DRIVER FRONT DUAL STAGE AIRBAG INFLATOR RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. *JB

airbags · filed 11/30/2015

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V284000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART FOR THE RECALL WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID…

airbags · filed 11/30/2015

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V284000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION D…

airbags · filed 11/27/2017

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V284000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED AUTONATION TOYOTA CORPUS CHRISTI (6672 S PADRE ISLAND DR, CORPUS CHRISTI, TX 78412, PHONE: (…

airbags · filed 11/24/2015

TL* TAKATA AIR BAGS. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V284000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION …

airbags · filed 11/22/2017

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V284000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO GET THE RECALL REMEDIED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN ON THE ISLAND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO GET SHIPPED BY BARGE TO ANOTHER ISLAND TO GET REMEDIED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER…

airbags · filed 11/20/2015

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES TO THE SHOULDER, LEFT ARM, AND ANKLE THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WITH THE IMP…

Common questions

How serious is the airbags problem on the 2005 Toyota RAV4?

It's a meaningful issue. 58 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.

At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?

Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.

What does it cost to fix?

Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.

Are there any recalls related to airbags?

Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.