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 2019 Toyota RAV4 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH and making a left turn at night, the contact did not watch the opposite direction and another driver that was driving 40-50 MPH crashed into the passenger's side of the vehicle, between the rear passenger's side door and the rear passenger's side wheel. The vehicle was propelled 2-3 feet in the air and landed 10 feet away from the collision location. The contact stated that the other vehicle was propelled more than 100 feet away. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact's wife was occupying the front passenger's side seat while the contact's daughter was in the booster seat in the rear passenger's side seat. The contact exited the vehicle. The contact did not sustain any injury. The contact's wife sustained soreness in the right leg. …
It happened yesterday , November 3rd at 8:45 am Approx. speed was 35mph to 40 Location: 934 York Road, Towson, MD Description: Front-right impact at 40 mph, no airbag deployment, two children in back seat, vehicle had recent 50K service and roof-rail repair, CSP 22TE05, at Sheehy Toyota Cockeysville. Vehicle now at Caliber Collision Cockeysville. Claim #060381946 I am experiencing neck, shoulder and rib pain right now, my 5 year old complain about right ankle pain and apparently hit his head on the right side.My 3 year old complain about neck pain yesterday. There was no sign showing any kind of failure on my dashboard. I asked my vehicle to be investigated formally by Toyota engineer asap or forensic expert. I asked my vehicle to be freeze right until proper airbag inspection have been conducted. I have picture of the car showing clearly that none of the airbags worked.
My wife was traveling 45 miles per hour and hit a deer and the airbag did not deploy. After review, the air bag is supposed to deploy at 20 miles per hour. I am especially worried because Toyota has issued Technical Service Bulletin, noting that the rail line leaks and can cause air bag failure. I have brought this to Toyota Corporate and Legal's attention and they have completely denied responsibility and implied that this isn't a serious issue. I asked to have the airbag inspected and they refused, saying we could only do that before repairs had been completed. However, the airbag did not have any work done on it and should be in the same condition as it was during the accident.
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact then stated that while the vehicle was idling, he heard a beeping sound coming from the front driver's seat. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The dealer was notified of the failure, but no further assistance was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.
The vehicle was totaled due to a front end collision. The air bags did not deploy, the seat belt did not lock and the emergency alert when in an accident did not work. The driver was trapped in vehicle and unable to get door open, the vehicle was going about 40-45 mph at the time of the collision and the driver was flung forward causing whiplash and a concussion.
The 2019 Toyota Rav4 has a problem with Water leakage. Check the Internet for very specific details. Water is leaking from the roof mounted roof rails. This leak is causing water to enter the car and drip significant amounts of water down both A-Pillars. The A-Pillars support & Hold Airbags. The concern is that the water intrusion can cause damage to the airbags and/or the wiring to the airbags. This water damage could either prevent the airbags from deploying or cause the airbags to prematurely deploy. Toyota has yet to acknowledge the issue. They claim the water is coming from clogged sunroof drains. While this can be a cause it is NOT the sole cause. I had my vehicle into the dealer on 6/22/22 and they claimed the problem was the clogged sunroof drains. Last night was the 1st significant rain in the area since the visit. This morning BOTH A-pillars had significant water damage. …
I own a 2019 Toyota RAV4 and have experienced water leaking into the interior of the vehicle after rain and/or when taking the car through a car wash. I believe the water leakage is coming in via the small holes in the roof directly above the front driver seat and front passenger seats. The holes are used to align the plastic clips that help hold the roof rails onto the rood. They are leaking and allowing water to drain down into the interior of the car. This then allows the water to come into contact with the electrical wiring that runs along the top of the roof and down the front window pillars and possible the airbag system. Although I have not experienced a true accident or had a side airbag deploy for NO reason, I am extremely nervous about driving a car that could potentially detonate at any time potentially causing me to wreck! …
I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding a manufacturing defect in my vehicle and the refusal by Toyota to honor its responsibilities for repair despite clear acknowledgment of the issue. In October 2024, I discovered a small water leak from the roof of my vehicle. I attempted to schedule an appointment with the nearest Toyota dealer, but the timing of their available appointments conflicted with my work schedule, and it was not possible for me to get a timely appointment. In an effort to mitigate the leak, I tried to fix it myself until I could get the vehicle to the dealership. Upon visiting the dealership, I was informed that the issue was a manufacturing defect, but they refused to repair my vehicle because I had attempted to fix the issue myself. This worsened the leak, as they did not return my vehicle to its original condition. …
I bought my vehicle new in August 2019, it currently has approximately 30,500 miles. A few months ago I noticed a water stain by the roof, right on the A pillar on the passenger side. I took it to Toyota and they determined it was from the sunroof, according to them one of the drains was clogged with leaves and dirt (prior to this I had NEVER opened/used the sunroof, not sure if leaves are able to get in there without ever opening the roof). They cleaned the water stain and sent me on my way, without checking for water damage. After doing some research online found out this was happening to quite a few frustrated people and seemed to happen in the 2019-2021 RAV4 vehicles, most people were told it was the sunroof but further research revealed the possibility that it was the roof rail that contained bad seals. The water is now pooling on both A pillars right where the airbags are housed. …
I was recently driving my 2019 RAV4 when it started switching to mud and sand mode and turns of all my safety features. This would occur at random when I was parked and driving. I was able to find several discussion boards about this issue by searching ' 2019 rav4 switching to mud and sand mode." I took it to the dealership and they discovered that there is a leak from the roof racks that is causing water to get in my car and is now impacting the driving ability and safety features on this car. I was able to find many discussion boards and even YouTube videos on how to fix this issue by searching "2019 rav4 roof rack leak." It was reported in Australia, Japan, Taiwan, and the US. Many reported they had this issue fixed for free under warranty but now warranty has run out on the car and to fix the roof rack costs approximately $5000. …
Airbag complaints in other RAV4 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2019 Toyota RAV4?
NHTSA has 45 complaints about the air bags of the 2019 Toyota RAV4, 5% of the model year's 882 complaints. The component named most often is side/window › curtain (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2019 Toyota RAV4 airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2019 Toyota RAV4, though it has 7 recalls for other components. 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 2019 Toyota RAV4 airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 8,000 miles, and 71% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 8 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.