There are 16 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2018 Toyota RAV4in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
3/4/2026 5:10 pm Vehicle (2018 RAV4) was sitting in backed up traffic waiting to exist highway and was hit from behind by a sedan travelling at 65+ mph, pushed into a pickup truck in front, then deflected left into a guardrail. SO, three separate impacts with extensive damage to the entire rear of the car, the front end, and right front quarter. Two occupants in the car, driver and front passenger, no airbags deployed. Driver's head contacted the steerring wheel (back eye, cut lip, swelling on forehead and around eye, headache), and legs and arms of driver and passenger contacted other portions of the interior of the vehicle and experienced severe whiplash, but no broken bones per initial ER xrays and scans. Vehicle towed and is currently available for inspection.
Airbags malfunctioned "SRS Airbag System Malfunction Visit Your Dealer" error message after head on collision. No warning lights before crash. Car is transferred ownership to progressive.
little red blinking light
We had a car accident on I-84 in Oregon, westbound, was hit on the driver side rear area which caused us to spin around. We were hit by a semi truck on the driver side rear. We ended up perpendicular to the concrete median (this is a highway with two lanes on either side) which is what stopped us. The semi truck also sustained damage to their passenger side front wheel and had to be towed. Our car had to be towed. None of the airbags went off. The back window of the RAV4 hybrid was gone. There was damage to the front passenger side, front, rear driver side, rear of car. Sheriff and Oregon state patrol came, both vehicles towed. Contacted Toyota who says they are going to retrieve event data recorder box to investigate. We have a police crash report case #.
Had an accident and the air bags did not deploy on April 08, 2022. Me and my son got injured. The impact was strong, and my vehicle was dragged about 300' feet on the street and the other vehicles air bags deployed.
Car moved onto gravel shoulder and side curtain airbags deployed. Was no accident or damage done to car, was also driving under 5 mph.
Vehicle sustained total loss due to unexplained deployment of side airbags when collision was limited to the front. Toyota was asked to check and their response did not address my concerns about the unnecessary deployment. I had expressed concern about the pre-collision warning/emergency braking systems in e-mails with my Toyota dealership well in advance of the accident. It appeared to not be triggered although they said it was working. The files/photos are on another device. I can supply upon request.
I was turning into a parking spot at my doctor's office when my car engine revved up and sped through the doctor's office nearly hitting my doctor and another patient. My airbags did not deploy. I had my foot on the brake but it did not stop the car. The automatic emergency braking system and forward collision warning did not work. My car had to be towed and is now waiting to see if it can be fixed but with the safety features that I paid extra for, I'm not sure that I would even buy a new one of this particular model. I came very close to killing my doctor and that patient!
06/04/21...I Had a Hit & Run Head On Collision(Side Swipe), As I Was Swerving To Avoid Oncoming Traffic & Get A Handle Of the Vehicle, No Warning Lights Came On. I Hit a Wall. My Front Nor Side Airbags Deployed. It What was A Very Forceful Hit From The Other Vehicle & Hitting The Wall. The Vehicle Is Being Inspected By My Insurance Adjuster Tomorrow.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 TOYOTA RAV-4. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE FAILED TO YIELD WHILE TURNING INTO THE LEFT LANE COLLIDING INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE CURTIN AIR BAG AND DRIVER FRONT AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT HAD A FRACTURED A FINGER ON HER RIGHT HAND, CHEST CONTUSIONS AND RIGHT KNEE BRUISE. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED TOTAL LOSS HOWEVER THE EVALUATION WAS NOT COMPLETED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.
ON A STREET TURNING LEFT ON GREEN YIELDING TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IN MOTION OF TURNING AND THE OTHER CAR WHO WAS COMING HEAD ON OVER 80MPH CLIPPING MY FRONT END MAKING MY CAR SPIN 360 DEGREES AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
I HIT A DEER TRAVELING AT 60MPH+ WHILE TRAVELING ON I-470. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, I DID SEE AN ERROR ON THE STATUS DISPLAY OF A SAFETY SYSTEM FAILURE. THE REPAIR SHOP FOUND THE FRONT SENSOR WAS CRUSHED IN THE COLLISION AND AMAZED THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I AM CONCERNED THIS IS A FUNCTIONAL FLAW WITH THE VEHICLE AND COULD RISK THE SAFETY OF OCCUPANTS. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE VEHICLE IF NEEDED.
PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DON'T CHIME WHEN UNLATCHED LIGHT ISN'T DISPLAYED
SEATBELT N THE BACK FOR CHILD DON'T CHIME WHEN KIDS ARE OUT OF SEAT AS MANUFACTURERS MADE. *TR
VEHICLE WAS IN A PARKING SPACE; FOOT ON BRAKE. WENT TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND IT ACCELERATED INTO THE GLASS / BUILDING I WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO REMAIN LATCHED. ALSO, ON OCCASION, THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO OPEN AND RELEASE. THE SEAT BELT WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LARRY H. MILLER TOYOTA PEORIA (8633 W BELL RD, PEORIA, AZ 85382, (480) 865-3990) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026