The gas and hybrid are turning the corner — the Prime carries its own recall baggage.

A pattern with no campaign: power door locks that stop working, get replaced, then fail again. One complainant had all four fail at once, paid for a single repair, and had that same assembly fail two years later — repairs are per-door and owners call them 'very expensive.' Community forums echo the pattern. Cycle every lock from the fob, the switch, and the key during inspection; a partial failure history is a negotiating item because the fix doesn't reliably stick.

The first-year Prime logged 98 complaints of its own and two meaningful recalls. 23V-041: in cold weather, rapid acceleration in EV mode could shut down the hybrid system — fixed by a free HEV ECU software update. 23V-478 (2021–22 Prime): a production-damaged rectifying module in the DC-DC converter can short and overheat with fire risk; the interim guidance was not to charge below 41°F, the fix is a free converter replacement, and the complaint file shows the familiar parts-wait pattern into 2024. Prime complaint clusters also include 12V battery drain and regenerative-braking grab over bumps. A Prime with both recalls closed is a strong car; an open 23V-478 in a cold state is a real inconvenience.

The 2021 is the last RAV4 year inside Customer Support Program 24TE04 for flow shut-off valve coolant leaks (the 'Engine Maintenance Required' message, weak A/C, minor coolant seep). Failures typically report at 50–70k miles, which is exactly where many 2021s are now. If the message is on, the fix may be free — check program eligibility before paying a shop.

2019–2022 RAV4 Hybrid AWD (and 2021–2024 Prime) are covered by CSP 22TE09 for underfloor high-voltage harness corrosion. On a 2021 there's more program runway left than on a 2019 — but salt-state buyers should still get the connectors inspected and log any AM-radio static.

Scattered but recurring across gen-5 years: panoramic moonroofs shattering without impact (no recall; comprehensive-insurance territory) and isolated reports of brief stalls after hard braking on hybrids. Neither forms a statistical cluster for 2021 — noted so you recognize them if they come up in a seller's history.