RoadVitals

2021 Toyota RAV4 Seat belts Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the seat belt system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Seat belts reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Jun 3, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
2%
of 381 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
4

What this page shows

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2021 Toyota RAV4 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming seat belt

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jun 3, 2025

UNKNOWN - My car system starting alerting me as if I had no seatbelt on (which I did) and said SRS Airbag Malfunction.

NHTSA ID
11664728
Incident
May 29, 2025
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Mar 25, 2025
Crash reported

Driving straight on side road. Vehicle entered road by attempting a left turn onto road without yielding to me. I swerved to the left and slammed on the breaks but was t boned by their vehicle. Airbags didn’t deploy and we got a message on dashboard indicating faulty airbag. Also upon impact our seatbelts were released.

NHTSA ID
11650617
Incident
Mar 24, 2025
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jan 21, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side seat belt warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the passenger’s seat was not occupied by a passenger or object, but the warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID
11637370
Incident
Jan 21, 2025
Mileage
30,000 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jan 14, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The air bag and seat belt warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 34,777. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID
11635824
Incident
Jan 14, 2025
Mileage
34,777 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Oct 11, 2024
Crash reported3 injuries reported

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35-40 MPH with traffic ahead slowing down, the vehicle registered the traffic information as an immediate stop ahead and the braking system engaged along with the contact depressing the brake pedal to slow the vehicle down. Upon coming to a stop, a pick-up truck rear-ended the vehicle 3 - 4 times. No air bags deployed. The driver's front seat belt failed to retract during the impact to safely secure the driver. The contact sustained injuries to her knees, shoulders, and arms. The front passenger sustained bruises from the seat belt. The rear passenger sustained head and back injuries. All 3 occupants received medical attention via ambulance to the Emergency Room. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed due to it being undrivable. The insurance company was currently inspecting the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID
11619361
Incident
Oct 8, 2024
Mileage
60,000 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Sep 14, 2024

On Saturday [XXX], I was driving my car when the seatbelt light started beeping as well as a warning on the dash saying there was an airbag malfunction. I immediately took my car into the Toyota dealership in Roseville, California and Monday I was notified that this was part of the recall for defective airbags, I was also told that there was no fix currently and there wouldn’t be one until March 2026. they said the delay was due to the fact that the problem with high humidity so they were taking care of cars in high humidity areas first and California would be later. Until then they said they would keep my car and give me a loaner which turned out to be a regular RAV rather than the hybrid which I own. I told them that was unacceptable that I bought the car for the hybrid feature and they said they didn’t have any hybrids available. I certainly hope I get a hybrid to drive for a year and 7 months! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11614545
Incident
Sep 7, 2024
Seat belts
Filed Aug 5, 2024

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while attempting to latch the seat belt, the buckle failed to latch securely, after which the contact observed that the seat belt buckle assembly was jammed. The seat belt warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the seat belt buckle assembly was stuck in the locked position and was unable to be released. The contact was informed that the seat belt assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 58,000.

NHTSA ID
11606461
Incident
Aug 5, 2024
Mileage
58,000 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jan 12, 2023
Crash reported1 injury reported

No safety devices worked during accident that cause by another vehicle driver who ran red light. Neither air bags deployed, nor safety belt worked properly during an accident. Due to these mal functions of safety devices, my wife on the passenger seat hit the dashboard badly. She was wearing the seat belt properly which was released later by the ER personal at the accident location to transfer to an ambulance.

NHTSA ID
11501549
Incident
Jan 12, 2023

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .