There are 16 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 1998 Toyota RAV4in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT AN INTERSECTION, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THEIR VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWO PEOPLE IN THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE PASSENGER IN THE PASSENGER SEAT SUSTAINED A BLACK EYE, SEVERAL LEG BRUISES AND HAD TO GET 7 STITCHES IN HER HEAD. THE PASSENGER IN THE BACK SEAT SUSTAINED TWO BROKEN RIBS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND WAS TOWED TO A JUNK YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
MY VEHICLE IS BEING RECALLED FOR TAKADA AIR BAGS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 RAV 4. THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED THROUGH LOCAL EMISSIONS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V033000 (AIR BAGS). THE VIN TOOL CONFIRMS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SUBJECTED TO THE RECALL. NEITHER A DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
RE: SAFETY RECALL FOR REAR OUTBOARD SEATBELTS. I FIRST BECAME AWARE OF THE THE RECALL IN FEB. 2016. IN EARLY MARCH, WE SCHEDULED NORMAL MAINTENANCE FOR OUR RAV4. WHEN WE INQUIRED ABOUT THE SEATBELT RECALL, THE DEALERSHIP HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISSUE. I HAVE NOW BEEN DRIVING MY 6 AND 8 YEAR OLD CHILDREN AROUND IN A VEHICLE WITH RECALLED SEATBELTS FOR 2 MONTHS. TODAY, APRIL 7, IS THE FIRST NOTIFICATION I HAVE RECEIVED FROM TOYOTA AND THE NOTIFICATION STATES THAT TOYOTA STILL HAS NO "REMEDY". TOYOTA IS PUTTING MY CHILDREN IN DANGER EVERYDAY AND I HAVE LOST ALL TRUST IN TOYOTA.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH AND ATTEMPTED TO AVOID A TRACTOR TRAILER. WHILE SWITCHING LANES, THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL, CRASH INTO THE TRACTOR TRAILER AND THEN INTO THE GUARD RAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. EACH OF THE THREE PASSENGERS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS HOWEVER NONE OF THEM LOCKED ON IMPACT, CAUSING INJURY TO EACH OF THE THREE PASSENGERS. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER REPAIRED NOR INSPECTED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 105,000.
I HAVE A 1998 TOYOTA RAV4 AND THE RETRACTOR OF THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT IS NO LONGER OPERABLE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY REFERRED ME TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND HE OFFERED TO REPLACE AND INSTALL A NEW SEATBELT AND RETRACTOR FOR HALF OF THEIR NORMAL CHARGE OF APPROXIMATELY $400.00. I THINK THEY SHOULD REPLACE IT AT NO CHARGE. *JB
WHILE DRIVING 30-35 MPH HAD A FRONTAL IMPACT WITH A ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS DID NOT PROTECT OCCUPANTS IN THIS CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT TRAVELING 45 MPH, NEITHER THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE INJURED IN ACCIDENT, VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A COMPLETE LOSS. *SLC
VEHICLE WENT DOWN INTO AN EMBANKMENT, HIT SEVERAL LARGE WOODEN POLES, AND BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40MPH AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. AUTOMOBILE REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THAT THE SENSOR WAS SCRATCHED. DISTRICT MANAGER KEPT MAKING UNSCHEDULED VISITS. *AK
THE SEAT BELT ANCHOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE JUST FELL OFF AS I WAS PARKING MY CAR. THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE ANCHOR HAD COME LOOSE AND FELL IN MY LAP. IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE ROAD, THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT OR CAUSE INJURY TO ME DO TO THE SEAT BELT SAFETY SYSTEM FAILING TO RESTRAIN ME.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TURNING INTO A DRIVEWAY AT ABOUT 25 MPH WHEN AND HIT A TREE ON DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND BROKE CONSUMER'S FOREARM. CONSUMER FELT THAT AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED AT THAT SPEED.*AK
VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT ABOUT 40 MPH. THE DRIVER / PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *YC
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES AND WAS IMPACTED BY A HEAD-ON COLLISION OF A 75 CHEVROLET NOVA. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, SHREDDING THE STEERING WHEEL COVER, INJURING THE DRIVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED DURING THIS CRASH. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AT ABOUT 45 MPH AND THE AIRBAG S DID NOT DEPLOY. THE MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
AIR BAG LIGHT FAILED. YH
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026