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severe Owners of the 2020 Toyota RAV4 have filed 48 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 RAV4 | 18 |
| 2017 RAV4 | 17 |
| 2018 RAV4 | 14 |
| 2019 RAV4 | 28 |
| 2020 RAV4 (this page) | 48 |
| 2021 RAV4 | 122 |
| 2022 RAV4 | 10 |
| 2023 RAV4 | 4 |
| 2024 RAV4 | 11 |
All 2 active airbags recalls on this vehicle land at critical or severe — none classified moderate.
In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not perform as designed can increase the risk of injury.
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ? 2023 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin. Follow the Procurement Procedure in this bulletin to request a replacement certification label or VIN plate.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗DL: On December 20, 2022, a settlement of claims for certain low pressure fuel pumps was approved by the federal court. The settlement includes Toyota?s agreement to provide a Customer Support Program for certain 2014-2020 model year (MY) vehicles originally equipped with low pressure fuel pumps repaired under Safety Recall 20TA02, Safety Recall 21TA03, Safety Recall 21TA05 or Special Service Campaign 21TC03. The purpose of this Customer Support Program letter is to help clarify how to administer this coverage in accordance with the settlement.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗DL: On December 20, 2022, a settlement of claims for certain low pressure fuel pumps was approved by the federal court. The settlement includes Toyota?s agreement to provide a Customer Support Program for certain 2015-2020 model year (MY) vehicles that were not previously involved in a Safety Recall or Special Service Campaign related to the low pressure fuel pump. The purpose of this Customer Support Program letter is to help clarify how to administer this coverage in accordance with the settlement.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TSB: Some 2005 ? 2022 model year Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell 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 for odor remediation. This service bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare the interior of the vehicle prior to an odor remediation being performed, as well as contact information for an approved vendor who will arrange the remediation, and instructions on how to prepare the interior of the vehicle for reassembly once the remediation has been completed. Refer to all model and
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Toyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
Owners of 2020 RAV4s report a critical defect in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor that can prevent the front passenger airbag from deploying in a crash. Toyota issued recall 23TA15 (NHTSA 23V-865) in December 2023, but as of April 2025—over 16 months later—repair parts remain unavailable and Toyota has provided no firm timeline for remedy. Multiple owners report being told parts may take 3–6 months, then having that timeline slip repeatedly with no updates.
Several owners documented actual crashes where airbags failed to deploy: a head-on collision at 55 mph with no deployment, resulting in hospital transport; a T-bone at 15–20 mph with injuries; a side-impact collision; and a crash caused by unintended acceleration. Injuries included broken bones, dislocated shoulders, torn rotator cuff, and back/neck trauma.
Owners also report water leaks through faulty roof rail gaskets entering curtain airbags and SRS control panels. Service advisors confirmed this is a known issue on 2019–2020 RAV4s with factory roof rails, but Toyota reportedly stated water entering safety equipment is not a safety concern. Meanwhile, many owners express fear and anxiety about driving vehicles with unrepaired critical safety defects, and Toyota has denied replacement requests and refused to provide loaner vehicles without out-of-pocket charges.
Same Toyota RAV4 airbags reports on nearby years: 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2021 · 2022
Defect in the OCS sensor may prevent the front passenger seat airbag from deploying in a crash. Toyota identified this defect and issued recall 23TA15 / NHTSA 23V-865 in December 2023. As of multiple complaints filed through 2024 and into 2025, repair parts remain unavailable and Toyota has provided no firm timeline for remedy availability.
When: Recall issued December 2023; complaints filed through April 2025 report parts still unavailable
Symptoms owners cite: SRS warning light illuminated; Air bag fault message displayed on instrument panel; No visible defect; identified through recall notice and VIN lookup
Codes mentioned: NHTSA Campaign 23V865000, Toyota Recall 23TA15
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement of OCS sensors required, to be done free of charge once parts available. Multiple owners report dealerships stating parts may take 3-6 months or longer; as of April 2025, remedy still unavailable on many affected vehicles.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota recall 23TA15 / NHTSA 23V-865 issued December 2023. Toyota initially estimated remedy available Q3 2024; this timeline was not met. Toyota stated would notify owners when remedy available but has not done so as of April 2025. Toyota denying replacement claims.
Multiple owners report airbags failing to deploy during documented vehicle collisions, resulting in owner injury. Some of these vehicles were included in the OCS recall (23V-865) but the defect was not remedied before the crash occurred. In other cases, non-deployment occurred on vehicles where VIN lookup did not show recall involvement.
When: Crashes ranging from 8,000 miles to 110,000 miles; most incidents 2024-2025
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment upon frontal or side-impact collision; Driver and/or passenger injury from undeployed airbags; Vehicle totaled or deemed unsafe
Codes mentioned: NHTSA Campaign 23V865000, Collision system warning displayed after crash in one case
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple collision repairs needed due to unremedied safety defect. Owners sustained injuries: bruised chest and severe pain requiring hospitalization; bruising neck to groin with torn rotator cuff and neck/back injuries; broken nose, dislocated shoulders, back injury requiring ambulance transport; multiple other injury claims.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota acknowledged OCS defect in recall 23TA15 but did not remedy the issue before crashes occurred. In at least one case, Toyota instructed dealer to have owner drive vehicle back to dealer for diagnosis despite known safety defect.
Water leaks through faulty roof rail gaskets on vehicles with factory-installed roof rails, allowing water to enter curtain airbags and SRS control panels. Owners report this is a known issue affecting 2019-2020 RAV4s with factory roof rails. Roof rack side rails are secured only by adhesive at the front with minimal weather-proofing rubber, allowing water and dirt ingress.
When: Occurring during vehicle operation; discovered during routine driving and car washes
Symptoms owners cite: Water stains on A-pillar and C-pillar interior headliner; Headliner leaking into curtain airbags and control panels; Water and dirt accumulation in front supports near windshield; Roof leak during car washes
Repairs/costs cited: Toyota service advisor confirmed issue is known as 'RAV4 leak' and stated warranty claims are being processed. Owners expressed concerns over electrical damage and mold growth. Toyota reportedly does not consider water leaking into safety equipment (airbags and control panels) to be a safety issue.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Warranty claims acknowledged and processed by some dealers, but Toyota reportedly stated that water leaking into airbags and control panels is not considered a safety issue by the manufacturer.
Owner reported vehicle experienced unintended acceleration at stop signs and red lights. After dealer diagnosed no failure, vehicle accelerated again four days later and crashed into residence. Airbags did not deploy upon impact despite owner sustaining significant injury.
When: Approximately 8,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Unintended acceleration at stop signs and red lights; No airbag deployment upon crash impact; Owner injury: bruising neck to groin, torn rotator cuff, neck and back injuries
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer initially diagnosed no failure. Owner was instructed by manufacturer to drive vehicle back to dealer following crash.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware and instructed dealer to have contact drive vehicle back to dealer.
Synthesized from 48 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
This recall has been in place for over a year and Toyota cannot tell us when there will be a remedy for it meanwhile, driving a passenger in my only vehicle is unsafe.
It's a meaningful issue. 48 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
Based on the 48 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 50,671 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
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.
Yes — 2 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.