Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Toyota RAV4 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving my 2002 Toyota RAV4. SUV on June 26, 2015. A lady talking on her cell phone went through a stop sign and hit my car head on. Me and my passenger sustained several injuries. My vehicle caught on fire and we could not get out of the car (the doors were jambed) finally with some help we were able to get out of my vehicle. I hurt my head, chest, stomach, right leg cut, right knee joint damaged and left arm and hand seriously injured. Everyone ( the police, firemen, witnesses,wrecker truck people and the Toyota garage that my vehicle was taken to wanted to know why my airbags did not deploy when the vehicle hit me. The ladies air bags did deploy and she was not injured. However, my airbags did not deploy which caused me to seriously injured. I am still receiving medical treatment for my injuries and my vehicle was totaled. …
Takata recall: I was involved in a head-0n collision and my air bags did not deflate like they were supposed to. The other vehicle that hit me, their airbags deflated. I was going approximately 45 MPH and the impact pushed everything back from the front end of my vehicle, which blocked the doors so that we could not get out of the vehicle. The accident was the other parties fault and she was cited for the accident. I received several injuries which resulted with me being in the hospital for several days. The police officers, the ambulance people and the fire department people all wondered why my airbags did not deploy when the accident happened. All of the professional people on the accident scene said that my airbags were probably made by Takata and were defective. …
On June 25, 2015, I was driving my neighbor to pick up his vehicle at a garage. A lady went through a stop sign and hit me head on.I incurred several injuries to my left hand, stomach, chest, head, neck and my neighbor sustained injuries to his two arms. We could not get out of my vehicle because the impact was so hard that my front two doors were damaged to the point that they would not open. My airbags did not deploy however the lady who hit me head on, her airbags did deploy. If my air bags had of worked like they were supposed to then me and my neighbor would not have been injured. We were wearing our seat belts and the impact was like hitting a stone wall with great force. Everyone at the accident scene wanted to know why my airbags did not work.they should have worked if they were ever going to, but they did not. …
I was driving down a street in charleston, wv and a lady went through a red light and she hit my Toyota RAV4 SUV. Head on and the air bags in my 2002 Toyota RAV4 SUV, did not employ, but the airbags in the other vehicle did. As a result of the air bags in my vehicle failing to employ caused me and my wife injuries.I really believe that all of the air bags in any Toyota made vehicles are either defective or will not employ as a result of a head on accident. My wife and I had to have medical care as a result of my 2002 Toyota RAV4 SUV failing to employ on impact in a head one collision at speeds in excess of forty miles per hour. I would like for your agency to investigate as to why my air bags failed to employ during a head on accident. If the air bags in my 2002 Toyota RAV4 SUV would have worked then me and my wife would not have been injured. …
I was driving down tennessee street when a lady ran through a stop sign and hit us head-on. My air bags not did deploy which caused me and my wife injuries. The other vehicle that hit my Toyota 2002 RAV4 SUV. Air bags did deploy on impact, where my airbags did not deploy. If my air bags would have deployed like they were supposed to, then me and my wife would not have sustained injuries. For all intent and purposes, I personally believe that Toyota is aware that all of their airbags are either defective or will not work at all. The police, the wrecker driver, the witnesses, the garage where my vehicle was towed to all asked the same question: how come your airbags did not deploy. …
Takata recall: I was involved in a head-on collision while I was driving my Toyota RAV4 2002 SUV and I was driving at 45mph at the time. The other vehicle ran out of her lane and hit me head-on. The airbags in my Toyota did not work which caused me and my wife to sustained several injuries. The other vehicle that hit me head-on, the air bags worked. I would like for your agency to investigate and to find out why my Takata air bags did not work. My vehicle had only 33,000 miles on it and it looked brand new. Mt Toyota was totaled and I had to spend a few days in the hospital from my injuries. Can the NHTSA perform an investigation into why my air bags did not work? It is my understanding that the air bags are supposed to work if you are in a head on collision going twenty MPH. …
I was driving my Toyota and my wife was a passenger. All of a sudden, a lady ran a stop sign and swerved and hit us head-on. We could not get out of my vehicle, the doors were jammed and the vehicle was on fire. The fire dept. And police came and quickly put the fire out and pried the front doors open. None of the airbags in my vehicle deployed. I incurred severe injuries to my head, chest, neck and left arm. My Toyota was totaled and the other driver was cited for the wreck. I have been in and out of the hospital several times since the wreck happened and if my airbags would have deployed, I might not have been so severely injured. My Toyota was totaled and the other driver was cited for the wreck. I would like to know why none of the airbags deployed in my vehicle. I probably have Takata airbags in my 2002 Toyota RAV4 which did not work.
I was involved in a head-on collision in June 2016 with another vehicle that had veered into my lane and my vehicle was totaled and me and my spouse sustained injuries. None of the airbags in my vehicle deployed like they were supposed to. All of the airbags in the vehicle that hit us head on were deployed, protecting the driver. However, my airbags failed to deploy which caused me and my spouse to have several injuries involving me being admitted to that hospital.my vehicle was traveling at 45 MPH and the vehicle that hit us head-on was going much faster. If my airbags would have deployed like they were supposed to then my spouse and I would not have been injured like we were. There has to be a reason that my airbags did not deploy.
Tl* the contact owned a 2002 Toyota RAV4. The contact was involved in a multiple vehicle crash. While driving 65 MPH, the contact crashed into the front and rear driver side of another vehicle. The contact's air bags were the only ones not to deploy. The contact sustained a broken finger, multiple bumps, and bruises all over the body. Medical attention was not received. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer to be repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Toyota RAV4. While driving at approximately 40 MPH, another vehicle crashed head on into the contact's vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact and the passenger sustained arm and hand injuries and lacerations that required medical attention. The vehicle sustained extensive front end damage. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 38,000.
Airbag complaints in other RAV4 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2002 Toyota RAV4?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the air bags of the 2002 Toyota RAV4, 4% of the model year's 527 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Toyota RAV4 airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2002 Toyota RAV4. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2002 Toyota RAV4 airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 38,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 20 crashes, 11 fires and 36 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.