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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
10 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
10 / 0
Average Mileage:
101,343 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2008 Toyota RAV4 seat belts / air bags problems

seat belts / air bags problem

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2008 Toyota RAV4 Owner Comments (Page 2 of 3)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #29

Jan 292014

RAV4 6-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Submission from constituent re recall on 2008 Toyota rav 4 (airbag). The consumer was involved in an accident, and the air bag did not deploy.

- Runnemede, NJ, USA

problem #28

Oct 202013

RAV4 4-cyl

  • 76,000 miles
Was parked at a rest stop, when I restarted the car, airbag light went on and has never turned off. Have not received a letter which was supposed to be sent in April, 2014 for the most recent recall.

- Taunton, MA, USA

problem #27

Apr 012014

RAV4

  • 461,140 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the air bag light illuminated when there was no passenger in the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the technician was unable to find a failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 46,140 and the current mileage was unknown.

- Carson, CA, USA

problem #26

Dec 202013

RAV4 4-cyl

  • 102,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Driver side air bag fault lite on. I was told it requires a new sensor and a spring. I own a 2002 Toyota corolla no trouble so far. The car has over 200000 miles on it. I have asked over 65 people with Toyota rav.4/ years 2008 -2009 and -2011 cars, if they have had any trouble with there cars. They all said not so far.

- Millsboro, DE, USA

problem #25

Oct 132013

RAV4 6-cyl

  • 70,000 miles
Air bag indicator light on when car started. Multiple attempts to get indicator light off failed. Contacted dealer for appointment and was told that it could take all day to resolve the issue. But it appears this is frequent failure with Rav4's and I now question sales person reliability at dealer. Will update this after dealer appointment.

- Highlands Ranch, CO, USA

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problem #24

Jul 052011

RAV4 4-cyl

  • 71,000 miles
Air bag warning light came on at approximately 71000 miles. This is a safety issue and should be corrected by a recall.

- Sandy Ridge, NC, USA

problem #23

Aug 152013

RAV4 6-cyl

  • 86,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The airbag light came on and stayed on. Owner took car to dealer and was told that the spiral cable was defective. Also, the water pump is leaking. The Rav4 only has 86,000 miles. Owner has noticed there are multiple reported complaints on the airbag spiral cable defect. How many more "defects" have not been reported? this issue should be a recall. The repairs are very expensive. Owner used to think Toyota made a reliable car!!

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #22

Jan 012013

RAV4 4-cyl

  • 85,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated the vehicle was included in and repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 11V245000 (air bags). After the recall repair was performed, the air bag warning light continued to illuminate. The technician stated that the spiral cable would have to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.

- Adams, NE, USA

problem #21

Jun 072013

RAV4 6-cyl

  • 100,000 miles
Traffic was stopped on the highway, I came to a stop, the SUV behind me did not realize we were stopped. He hit me at almost full speed, this pushed me into the car infront of me, and them into the car in front of them. Basically a 4 car pile up, the car that hit me and the car I was pushed into both blew their air bags. I was hit the hardest and my airbag did not blow, I had my car in the shop two weeks before for warranty work and recalls, nothing was ever said about the airbags. I hit my head on the steering wheel. I'm not sure why my airbag did not go off.

- Georgetown, TX, USA

problem #20

Apr 012013

RAV4 4-cyl

  • 60,000 miles
Airbag warning light has come on and scan shows that it is a "spiral cable" that needs to be replaced. Unknown to me was that airbag wouldn't deploy while this light is on. Car hasn't been in any accident and this appears to be low mileage to have this event. This is a major safety issue and due to high frequency of this event being reported...it should be a recall!

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #19

May 182011

RAV4 6-cyl

  • 80,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Airbag light came on. Thought this was due to the recall about which Toyota sent out a recall notice. When the vehicle was taken in to have the 5 recall notices addressed, it was stated that the light was on due to a airbag spiral cable that needed to be replaced in the steering wheel. It was stated that this was not covered by the recall. Toyota wanted @ $500 to replace the cable.

- Hot Springs, AR, USA

problem #18

Feb 222013

RAV4 4-cyl

  • 60,000 miles
Air bag light came on one day after turning the car on and the light never went off after that. I had this repaired under a recall in 2011. I brought the car back to the same dealership and they told me it was the spiral cable. The cost to fix this was $500. I feel that this is a safety issue with the air bag and is a faulty system given that this is the 2nd time it has happened to me. I see on the web that a lot of people who own this car are complaining about this too. My car only has 60,000 miles on it and this should not be happening on a car with that mileage. Please help in getting this through as a recall.

- Needham, MA, USA

problem #17

Feb 282013

RAV4

  • 113,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 mph, the air bag warning indicator illuminated continuously until the engine was turned off. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.

- Tyler, TX, USA

problem #16

Jan 192013

RAV4 6-cyl

  • 70,828 miles
Air bag light on...code B1801 see its a common failure on Toyota not covered on any recalls, driver air bag may not deploy.

- Livingston, MT, USA

problem #15

Jan 082013

RAV4

  • 120,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The air bag warning light was not illuminated until the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign id number: 11V245000 (air bags). The dealer was contacted and advised the contact that a wire in the steering column would need to be replaced and that the air bag would not deploy in the event of a crash until the repair was completed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 120,000.

- Paron, AR, USA

problem #14

Oct 132012

RAV4

  • 153,132 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the air bag warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and a diagnostic was performed. The failure was located as the air bag spiral cable. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer advised the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign id number: 11V245000 (air bags). The failure mileage was 153,132 and the approximate current mileage was 153,136.

- Mooresville, NC, USA

problem #13

Aug 012012

RAV4

  • 104,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the air bag warning light illuminated and stayed on constantly. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who diagnosed that the spiral wiring in the steering wheel failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000 and the current mileage was approximately 106,000.

- Plano , TX, USA

problem #12

Aug 142012

RAV4 4-cyl

  • 60,000 miles
I was pulling into a parking space in a lot in front of a building. In a split second the car had jumped the curb up onto the sidewalk and crashed through the brick wall and window in front of me. I was applying the brake as hard as I could and tried and succeeded into shifting it into park. The airbags did not deploy and I was not injured and did not hurt anyone else - thank goodness. The only explanation other than unintended acceleration was that I hit the accelerator very hard and I do not believe I did that. I had not been distracted by anything and had no sense of my foot slipping from the brake or anything like that.

- Liberty Hill, TX, USA

problem #11

Apr 052012

RAV4 4-cyl

  • 73,000 miles
Airbag warning light was on. We received notice that our vehicle was included in a general Rav4 / highlander recall for side airbag sensor issues.after receiving free dealership service for the recall, the warning light was still on. We called the service dept. And were told that it was just a glitch and they would reset it at our next scheduled service (oil change). 4 months later, at the oil change, we were told the airbag warning light related to a spiral cable airbag sensor (B1801 open in squib D) which needed to be replaced; also told this failure was completely unrelated to the original recall for side airbag issues. After complaining to the dealer, they offered to pay for the part (approx. $275) and we would be responsible for the labor charge ($109) the service and dealership managers never acknowledged that there was a known issue although many car forums are rife with complaints on this issue. Although the problem was resolved with little cost to me, I am complaining to add to the database so that others will know they are at risk and in the hope that enough complaints will cause Toyota to address the issue in public.

- Albuquerque, NM, USA

problem #10

May 182012

RAV4 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 78,201 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that air bag warning lamp illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who diagnosed that the air bag spiral cable was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who filed a report and did not offer any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 78,201. Updated 08/07/12 the consumer stated the vehicle has since been repaired. Updated 08/16/12

- Santa Clarita , CA, USA

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