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Body and structurePart report

2021 Toyota RAV4 Body and structure Problems

Complaints
21about this part
Share
5%of 389 total for the year
Median mileage
50,000miles
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 21 complaints about the body and structure of the 2021 Toyota RAV4, 5% of the 389 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 50,000 miles. 2 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“There is a rattling sound coming from the driver's door when the car is stationary and the door is swung closed. The rearview mirror of the door has significant shaking while the car is in motion, so this is a safety hazard. The speaker in the driver's door makes a static or crackling sound when music is off.”

NHTSA complaint #11403428, filed 2021-03, 70 miles

“I bought a new car in 2021. It is 21 Toyota RAV4 . The mileage is about 3900 . Now, Its windshield is cracked . one day I parked my at outdoor parking lot. The second day I found the windshield had a long crack. After few days I drove my car to dealership, then they said that was not a quality issues and the basic warranty not covering the windshield. I am so upset now.”

NHTSA complaint #11464976, filed 2022-05

“The glass of the sunroof exploded and shattered when I was driving on the highway from Chicago to South Bend at normal speed on January 13, 2023, around 4 pm. I heard a loud explosion sound and found the sunroof glass shattered and falling. There was no vehicle around me, no impact with any objects, and the vehicle was not passing under any structures at the time of explosion. I was not injured by the incident but was really scared and had to pullover to the side. …”

NHTSA complaint #11501889, filed 2023-01

“I bought a 2021 Toyota RAV4 XLE Midnight Black Metallic, last year on July 2021 from Hillside Toyota in Jamaica, NYC. From the very beginning since the delivery, I was not at all happy with the build quality of the car as Toyotas used to be before. There were issues with paint finishing, noise from engine, and issue with pick up. I reported this to Toyota as well as my dealer, Hillside Toyota and no one showed any interest on addressing these issues. …”

NHTSA complaint #11482197, filed 2022-08

“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. …”

NHTSA complaint #11599844, filed 2024-07

Related service bulletins

Body and structure: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202589%
2024169%
2023106%
20221913%
2021215%
20206210%
20198910%
2018144%
2017196%
2016156%
20153110%
2014189%
20132811%
2012156%
2011166%
2010133%
2009175%
2008193%
2007242%
2006233%
200543%
200443%
200362%
200251%
200172%
200027%
1999610%
199834%
1997611%
199612%

Other parts of the 2021 Toyota RAV4

Air bags
125 complaints
Other or unknown
77 complaints
Electrical system
47 complaints
Engine
41 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
31 complaints
Fuel system
24 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
23 complaints
Brakes
21 complaints
Steering
21 complaints
Forward collision avoidance
18 complaints
Seats
18 complaints
Lane departure
10 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2021 Toyota RAV4

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology