Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2021 Toyota RAV4 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact rented a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard a vibrating sound coming from the front driver's side windshield. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the contact was informed that the vehicle was a rental and could not be diagnosed. The contact was informed to return the vehicle to Avis Car Rental. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that he was able to restart the vehicle after several minutes. The contact stated that due to the loss of motive power, the front driver's and passenger's side headlights failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the contact was informed that the vehicle could not be diagnosed since the vehicle was a rental. …
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while her husband was driving approximately 75 MPH, there was an abnormally loud booming sound heard. After stopping to inspect the vehicle it was discovered that the glass sunroof had exploded. The contact stated that during the failure, there was no other vehicles or objects were nearby. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 50,000. Repairs were made but the contact paid out of pocket for them. Their claim for reimbursement from the manufacturer was denied due to there being no evidence of a factory defect or an outstanding recall.
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact stated that the front driver's side window became inoperable. The contact stated that the power button would not function properly, and the contact could not get the front window off track. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the window regulator had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 32,804.
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the contact heard a loud bang and then heard wind entering the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that the sunroof had shattered without impact. Neither an independent mechanic nor a dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be inspected or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 56,413.
The 2021 Toyota RAV4 has extremely poor right forward visibility and obstruction by the hood and the A pillar. These cars are unsafe. The front hood does not slope down, so visibility is obstructed, and the A pillar and mirrors (rear view and front right side mirror) further obstruct views. I took a photograph of the right front view and 50% or more of the view when looking right is obstructed. These cars should be taken off the road.
The outer rear-view mirrors on my 2021 Toyota RAV4 vibrate all times, and excessively at highway speeds (approximately 50-70 mph), creating a shaky and distorted image of surrounding vehicles. This failure of the mirror mounting system makes it difficult to accurately judge the position and speed of other cars when changing lanes, merging, or reacting to traffic. The mirrors remain installed on my vehicle and are available for inspection. This issue poses a serious safety hazard. Because the mirrors do not provide a stable, undistorted view, my ability to monitor blind spots and adjacent lanes is compromised, putting myself, my passengers, and others on the road at increased risk of collision. …
I found the moonroof of my 15-day old 2021 Toyota RAV4 spontaneously exploded while sitting parked in my driveway. As the shade that covers the moonroof was open, I incurred minor abrasions from not realizing that the "s**t on my console" was not dust or fuzz, but tiny shards of broken glass that I had already swiped with my hand. There is a large, jagged hole near center on the rear section of glass and the entire moonroof is shattered. Strangely, the glass around the hole is bowed outward as if something was shot through from the inside of the vehicle. Thankfully I was not driving & did not have my kids in the car with me when it happened because there would have been definite safety issues for me, my passengers, and any others out on the road with me. The car was last used about 6:30pm on Saturday, 12/11/21 and not used again until about 11:15am on Monday, 12/13/21. …
My 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid exhibits significant vibration in both exterior rear-view mirrors beginning at approximately 30 MPH, worsening at highway speeds of 50-70 MPH. Toyota has acknowledged this as a known manufacturing defect via TSB T-SB-0079-20, which identifies the original mirror mounting studs and reinforcement brackets as inadequate from the factory. The condition was confirmed by my local Toyota dealership, who verified TSB applicability but declined to cover the repair due to my vehicle being outside the 36-month/36,000-mile warranty window. I am currently at 127,000 miles. The safety risk is active and ongoing. Constant mirror vibration creates two compounding hazards: it directly distorts rear visibility, and it conditions the driver to mentally filter out mirror movement as background noise. …
Defective windshield, visible distortion, Is available for inspection. (Brand new vehicle) Safety hazard to drive as I can't see properly through it, everything is blurry. Eyes can't focus - like looking through someone else's glasses! Makes me physically ill as well due to the continued eye fatigue/strain. I"m not sure it's even possible to drive it more than half an hour, I wouldn't risk it. Problem is confirmed by the dealer, both technicians that inspected said distortion is visible. Dealer said won't fix because "Every Rav currently on the lot has a defective windshield, most worse than yours"! Was told this was not their first complaint about the bad windshields. and if they did fix it I could end up worse off, because all the windshields are coming out defective currently, some with even worse "visible waves" in the glass. …
Purchased a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Limited and the side mirrors vibrate while driving to the point it is unsafe to use them as their intended purpose. Nationally, Toyota seems to have acknowledged the problem via T-SB-0079-20 and only covers them on vehicles with 36k miles or 36,000 miles. Our vehicle was on the dealer lot for a year and the coverage for this TSB expired in February 2024 and has over 36k miles so my local dealer has told me it does not qualify to be repaired but recognized that the issues meets the issues described in the above TSB. My complaint is that it should be made a recall and should not be something only quietly covered. No engine or warning lights to indicate this issue and no public notice from Toyota. …
Window & Wiper complaints in other RAV4 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2021 Toyota RAV4?
NHTSA has 30 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2021 Toyota RAV4, 8% of the model year's 387 complaints. The component named most often is rearview mirrors/devices › exterior (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2021 Toyota RAV4 window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof recall for the 2021 Toyota RAV4, though it has 1 recall 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 2021 Toyota RAV4 window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 33% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 2 injuries to windows, wipers & sunroof 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.