1999 Toyota RAV4 Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 1999 Toyota RAV4 has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 142,338 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 75 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the vehicle speed control. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

AIR BAGS 20V033000 2020-01-22 138,842 affected
Defect

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 1998-2000 RAV4, 1998-1999 RAV4 EV and Celica and 1997-1998 Supra vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a…

Consequence

In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant, and increases the risk of serious injury or death.

Remedy

Toyota will notify owners, and owners will have the option to self-inspect, or have a dealer inspect the steering wheel on their vehicle to determine if their vehicle may be equipped with an affected inflator. Potentially affected steering wheel serial numbers will be inspected by a dealer. Based on the inspection,…

POWER TRAIN 00V211000 2000-08-09 756 affected
Defect

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY ELECTRIC VEHICLES. IF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE REPEATEDLY PARKED BY PLACING THE SHIFT LEVER INTO THE "P" POSITION WITHOUT APPLYING THE PARKING BRAKE, THE PARKING LOCK ROD, A COMPONENT OF THE TRANSMISSION PARKING LOCK SYSTEM, COULD BREAK.

Consequence

THIS CONDITION CAN RENDER THE SYSTEM INOPERATIVE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PARKING LOCK ROD.

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR 00V212000 2000-08-09 780 affected
Defect

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY ELECTRIC VEHICLES. THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTOR, WHEN EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS, CAN DEVELOP STRESS FRACTURES IF THE LUG NUTS ARE TIGHTENED WITH EXCESSIVE TORQUE.

Consequence

THE DISC ROTOR COULD BREAK (WHERE IT MOUNTS TO THE WHEEL), RESULTING IN A LOSS OF BRAKING ACTION ON THAT WHEEL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DISC BRAKE ROTORS. IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS, TOYOTA WILL REPLACE THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND STEEL WHEELS WITH NEW DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND NEW ALUMINUM WHEELS. IN ADDITION A CAUTION LABEL THAT READS, "USE NEW GENUINE TOYOTA ALUMINUM WHEELS." WILL BE AFFIXED. VEHICLES…

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 98V278000 1998-10-19 1,960 affected
Defect

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEMS (TDS) SUPPLIED BY AUDIOVOX CORPORATION AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, INC. IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. THE ALARM WIRING HARNESS PLUGS…

Consequence

THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98, 9/2/98, AND…

Complaints by component

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
11
1crashes
AIR BAGS
9
4crashes6injuries
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
5
5crashes7injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
4
1fires
STRUCTURE:BODY
3
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
3
1crashes
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
2
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
2
1crashes1injuries
Total complaints75

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 toyota rav4. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v033000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. An…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2020-08-18

“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 toyota rav4. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v033000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2020-03-01

“Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 1999 toyota rav4. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v033000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact called toyota of wallingford (859 n colony rd, wallingford, ct 06492, [REDACTED]) where it…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2020-01-31

“Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 1999 toyota rav4. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v033000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2020-01-22

“Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 1999 toyota rav4. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v03300 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact called stevinson toyota east located at 444 s. Havana st, aurora, co 80012, and it…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2020-01-22

“We took the rav4 into the mechanic for a brake job & he called us to say it wasn't road worthy because the k-frame was almost entirely rusted through and we shouldn't put our children in it. He said we shouldn't even drive it off his lot that it could hit a pothole and break in two. We came & took…”

STRUCTURE:BODY · reported 2017-07-28

“I lost control of the vehicle and I overcorrected causing the car to go airborne. I hit head on into an embankment then continued to roll 3or 4 times before stopping. There were no indications or warnings to make me think these parts were going to malfunction. My airbags never deployed and the…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2016-12-14

“I lost control of the vehicle and I overcorrected causing the car to go airborne. I hit head on into an embankment then continued to roll 3or 4 times before stopping. There were no indications or warnings to make me think these parts were going to malfunction. My airbags never deployed and the…”

SEAT BELTS · reported 2016-12-14
Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1999 Toyota RAV4 as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.