2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime electrical system problems
37 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the electrical system on the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime — 38% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Observed arcing noises and strong electrical fire smell upon plugging in L2 EVSE charging cable. MIL lit, Hybrid Vehicle Charging System codes active; vehicle refused to charge afterwards. Self-diagnosed and repaired defective 6.6 kW onboard charger. See pics of clear arcing damage withing charging…”
filed Jun 7, 2026
“The vehicle generated an error message "Plug In Charging System Malfunction" warning on the dash. The remedy is a Toyota T-SB-0021-21 which requires a software upgrade to fix the air fan sensor reading to the charging unit. This is only considered part of the 60 month/60,000 mile power train…”
filed Apr 29, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- Electric current rectifying module contained within the DC-DC converter may have been…Campaign 23V478000 · Jul 12, 2023
- During certain cold weather driving conditions, while driving in EV Mode, the hybrid…Campaign 23V041000 · Feb 2, 2023
Related service bulletins
Although the HV Floor Under Wire Harness and Rear Traction Motor Cable is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’…
22TE09 · Warranty Program/Extension · issued May 14, 2026OBSOLETE NOTICE January 30, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0001-26.
T-SB-0106-22 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 30, 2026Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software.
T-SB-0001-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 28, 2026Although the HV Floor Under Wire Harness and Rear Traction Motor Cable is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’…
22TE09 · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Jan 6, 2026The subject vehicles are equipped with a rear motor unit and an HV Floor Under Wire that provide high voltage to operate the motor. Mud, water, or road salt could potentially enter the HV Floor Underwire connector…
25TD01 · Service Campaign · issued Sep 25, 2025
Electrical System problems in other RAV4 Prime years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 RAV4 Prime | 9 | 32% |
| 2023 RAV4 Prime | 41 | 67% |
| 2022 RAV4 Prime | 7 | 33% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.