2020 TOYOTA RAV 4

What owners reported to NHTSA, ranked by how often and how seriously.

This is complaint data, not a random sample.

It only includes owners who chose to file a federal complaint, so it over-represents dramatic and safety-related problems and under-represents minor issues an owner just had fixed without reporting. Read this as what NHTSA complainants report most, not as this vehicle's true failure rate. Full methodology.

Component ranking

  1. #1

    engine cooling

    3 stranded, 160 unsafe, 1 broken, 15 annoyance

    179
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=13, median 40,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "SINCE OWNING THIS VEHICLE, WHICH I PURCHASED IN JUNE 2020, THERE HAS BEEN A STRONG SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT OF THE VEHICLE. THE SMELL ONLY HAPPENS WHEN IT IS WARM AND THE AIR CONDITIONER IS RUNNING. I DO NOT SMELL IT INSIDE THE CABIN. T…"~5,972 mi, complaint #1747576
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL ODOR. THE CONTACT LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT THE COOLANT TANK WAS LOW. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE W…"~6,800 mi, complaint #1694671
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where a failure code was retrieved for an engine coolant bypass valve circuit…"~30,000 mi, complaint #1896601
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a coolant bypass valve failure. The contact was informed…"~65,793 mi, complaint #2024436
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that soon after he had the vehicle serviced at the dealer, the "engine maintenance required" message was displayed. The contact stated that the warning advisory remained displayed, which rendered the spee…"~66,000 mi, complaint #1887652
  2. #2

    fuel tank and lines

    3 stranded, 31 unsafe, 45 annoyance

    79
    incidents
    Typical range: 500–1,000 mi

    Median 500 mi, based on 61 reports (29% had no usable mileage)

    • "THE GAS TANK OF MY 2020 RAV4 HYBRID IS NOT FILLING PROPERLY. THE TANK IS SUPPOSED TO BE 14.5 GALLONS. MY FUEL GAUGE WILL READ JUST ABOVE EMPTY AND MY DISPLAY SAYS THAT I HAVE 29 MILES TO EMPTY. WHEN I GO TO FILL-UP MY TANK, THOUGH, IT CUTS OFF AFTER ROUGHLY 8.…"~500 mi, complaint #1642104
    • "MY FUEL TANK ONLY FILLS TO 10-11 GALLONS. IT IS A 14 GALLON TANK."~900 mi, complaint #1701356
    • "FUEL GAUGE/FUEL TANK PROBLEM. TANK HOLDS 14.5 GALLONS, BUT AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF ALLOWS ONLY 10 GALLONS. FUEL GAUGE THEN SHOWS "FULL." DISPLAYS AND FUEL-LOW WARNINGS COME ON AFTER ABOUT 400 MILES, WITH FUEL GAUGE SHOWING "EMPTY.""~1,100 mi, complaint #1699896
    • "GAS TANK EITHER DOES NOT HOLD THE 14 GALLONS PROMISED OR DOES NOT ALLOW ALL FUEL TO BE USED. TANK ONLY ACCEPTS APPROX 9 GALLONS ON FILLUP. RANGE DISPLAYED ON DASH IS GREATLY DIMINISHED FROM PUBLISHED INFORMATION."~3,200 mi, complaint #1648308
    • "VEHICLE GAS TANK WILL NOT FILL TO CAPACITY.. I AM STOPING AT GAS STATIONS ALL THE TIME BECAUSE I AM FLYING THROUGH GAS ..AND IT'S A HYBRID ..WON'T FILL MORE THAN 9 OR 10 GALS .. THE VEHICLE HAS NO RANGE FOR A HYBRID WHICH IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT THEY SAY…"~23,350 mi, complaint #1715582
  3. #3

    battery and charging

    28 stranded, 16 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    46
    incidents
    Typical range: 1,000–7,000 mi

    Median 3,500 mi, based on 42 reports (25% had no usable mileage)

    • "TWO DAYS OF NOT DRIVING AND NO POWER TO CAR BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP THEY SAID I WAS DREAMING OF THINGS AND BOUGHT IT HOME THEN TWO DAYS LATER IT HAPPEN AGAIN"~500 mi, complaint #1681539
    • "THIS IS MY NEW CAR 2020 RAV4 XLE. I BROUGHT IT IN DEC 2019. ONE DAY I PARKED MY CAR IN EVENING AND NEXT DAY CAR DID NOT START (AFTER 3 MONTH OF USE WITH AROUND 1100 MILES ON IT). I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY SEND PERSON TO TOW CAR. THEY DID BATTERY JUMP AND…"~1,100 mi, complaint #1667430
    • "BATTERY "DIED" THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST - JUMP STARTED AND DROVE TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER. I WAS TOLD THAT THE BATTERY WAS FINE AND THAT "SHORT DISTANCE" DRIVING CAN DRAIN THE BATTERY - SINCE I DRIVE 45 MILES A DAY TO AND FROM WORK, THAT IS NOT A VALID…"~3,200 mi, complaint #1686728
    • "LEASED MY 2030 RAV 4 XLE AWD IN LATE NOV 2019 IN JULY 2020 THE ENGINE STOPPING WHEN BREAKING FEATURE WOULD NOT WORK. MESSAGE SAID BATTERY CHARGING. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG THAT DIDN'T DRIVE IT ENOUGH. TOOK IT…"~6,400 mi, complaint #1726630
    • "THE VEHICLE SAT IN THE GARAGE 3 DAYS AND WHEN I TRIED TO START THERE WAS NO POWER TO THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. I TRIED TO JUMPSTART THE VEHICLE WITHOUT AVAIL. CALL TOYOTA THEY SENT SERVICE VEHICLE THAT JUMPSTART THE VEHICLE AND HAD IT RUN FOR @ 10 MINUTES. SHUT CAR…"~16,000 mi, complaint #1711767
  4. #4

    airbag system

    26 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    27
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED WAS STOLEN AND IN A SINGLE CAR COLLISION WITH A TELEPHONE POLE. EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE OCCURRED WITH NO DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. *TR"~34,000 mi, complaint #1666931
    • "The contact owned a 2020 Toyota RAV4.The contact stated while stopped at a red light the vehicle was struck from behind by a Ford F-150 which resulted in none of the air bags deploying. The contact sustained a broken nose, cheeks, dislocated shoulders, and ba…"~54,354 mi, complaint #1761574
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the message "Air Bag Fault" was displayed. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the ai…"~110,000 mi, complaint #2195125
  5. #5

    trunk or liftgate

    20 unsafe, 3 broken, 2 annoyance

    25
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact inspected the vehicle and became aware that the hinges on the rear liftgate were bent, and the liftgate was misaligned. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer…"~22,500 mi, complaint #2055564
  6. #6

    glass and windshield

    19 unsafe

    19
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AND HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND SAW GLASS FLYING. STOPPED AND LOOKED AT TOP OF CAR AND SUNROOF HAD A LARGE PART OF IT MISSING. THERE WERE NO OVERPASSES NOR DID I SEE ANYTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE IT. TOYOTA'S STATEMENT WHEN I TOOK IT THERE WAS,…"~7,947 mi, complaint #1719047
    • "THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL SOUND COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN ROOF GLASS WAS SHATTERED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN ROOF GLASS SHATTERED WITHOUT IN…"~14,000 mi, complaint #1747789
  7. #7

    other

    9 unsafe, 1 broken, 7 annoyance

    17
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=7)

    • "WHEN TAKING THE VEHICLE THROUGH A CAR WASH THE EDGE OF THE HOOD BY THE WINDSHIELD BUCKLES, FLEXES AND THEN RETURNS TO IT'S NORMAL SHAPE. THE HOOD ALSO HAS A RIPPLING APPEARANCE WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS AROUND 70 MPH"~2,500 mi, complaint #1724523
    • "DARK SMOKED BORDER WINDOW VENT PROTECTOR IS UNSTICK. .SO THE PASSENGER DARK SMOKED WINDOW VENT PROTECTOR IS BROKEN.THE GLUE IS NOT WORKING WELL."~5,275 mi, complaint #1693620
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, WATER LEAKED INSIDE THE VEHICLE FROM THE ROOF RACK INTO THE INTERIOR CABIN AND A BY THE A-PILLAR. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE WATER COULD CORRODE THE AI…"~8,100 mi, complaint #1744414
    • "Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 59,475. The contact stated that while his…"~176,009 mi, complaint #2210811
  8. #8

    control module

    1 stranded, 8 unsafe, 3 annoyance

    12
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "2020 TOYOTA RAV4 HYBRID HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING A HOST OF ISSUES SINCE PURCHASED MARCH 1, 2020. TOP THREE ARE: 1) FUEL TANK / FUEL SENDER ISSUE (SEE ATTACHED FROM TOYOTA CORPORATE), 2) REMOTE CONNECT ISSUE (T-SB-0021-20, ALSO ATTACHED), AND MOST RECENTLY 3) SMAR…"~2,800 mi, complaint #1674636
    • "CAR BATTERY DIED AFTER OWNING THE VEHICLE FOR 5 MONTHS, LESS THAN 3,000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING, I WOULD GET A MESSAGE THAT READ, "BATTERY CHARGING." DEALERSHIP REPLACED BATTERY AND 1 WEEK LATER, THE NEW BATTERY DIED. AFTER DOING A PARASITIC DRAIN TEST, THE PROBL…"~2,900 mi, complaint #1684282
  9. #9

    engine internal

    6 unsafe, 6 annoyance

    12
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I have had issues with my 2020 rav4. I have had kickbacks during acceleration, antifreeze/coolant loss, abnormal amount of blow-by, engine runs loud at times, car shakes when I start it, weird noise from under the hood, the dash lights and screen lights went…"complaint #1755533
    • "I was driving down the hwy doing 75mph, herd a loud bang and vehical lost all power, was passing an exit right at the moment this happened and immediately pulled out and was able to coast to a stop. The exhaust smoked for a while and it left a huge puddle of w…"complaint #1841105
    • "After 20 minutes of driving, the vehicle caught fire under the hood and was completely destroyed. When I first started driving the car that morning, I noticed an odd smell coming from the heater. It didn't smell like smoke or burning; I best equate it to t…"complaint #1862861
    • "Over a month ago, I had an engine maintenance required error light come up on my dashboard. I had done some research and found that this has been an ongoing issue with multiple RAV4s. I discussed this recently with the dealership as well as contacting Toyota’s…"complaint #1907225
    • "Engine maintenance required “Visit dealer” Light is on and won’t turn off even when resetting the scheduled maintenance data. Needs a 3 point valve according to dealership. $650 cost for that part to make light go away. This is something that needs fixed an…"complaint #1935113
  10. #10

    steering electric assist

    12 unsafe

    12
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "1.OCCASIONALLY STEERING ISSUES, CAR WANTING TO VEER LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE DRIVING MAINLY NOTICE ON HIGHWAY. 2. SECOND INCIDENT WHERE BATTERY DEAD AFTER NOT DRIVING CAR FOR THREE DAYS."~10,000 mi, complaint #1722002
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manu…"~43,000 mi, complaint #1838045
  11. #11

    door latch and hinge

    7 unsafe, 1 broken, 3 annoyance

    11
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the driver's side and passenger's side rear doors were retaining water. The water was sloshy inside the doors while driving. The contact had to drain the water from both doors. There were no warning…"~2,500 mi, complaint #2007681
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed that there was an unusual sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact parked and inspected the vehicle. The contact stated that u…"~60,000 mi, complaint #2214366
    • "The contact's son owns a 2020 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that when it rained, rainwater entered the vehicle onto the passenger’s side front door panel. The contact stated that the sound of the water slushing around in the front passenger's door panel was…"~111,000 mi, complaint #2014260
  12. #12

    sunroof

    10 unsafe

    10
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=7)

    • "WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN OUR BRAND NEW 2020 TOYOTA RAV4 HYBRID WITH ONLY 5,000 MILES, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE SUNROOF EXPLODED ABOVE US -- SHATTERING GLASS FRAGMENTS UPWARDS AND OUTWARDS. OF COURSE, SOME MINOR FRAGMENTS LANDED UPON MY WIFE AND I -- BUT FOR…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1651810
    • "WHEN VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND IN COVERED CARPORT SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY POPPED AND SHATTERED"~5,400 mi, complaint #1733791
    • "DRIVING DOWN I-40 IN OKLAHOMA AROUND 70-75 MPH ON 12/4/20 AROUND 1:[REDACTED ADDRESS], OUT OF NOWHERE, THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. MOST OF THE GLASS WENT OUT AND BEHIND THE CAR, BUT SOME GLASS ENDED UP ON DRIVER AND 2 PASSENGERS. THERE WAS NOT ANY OTHER CARS (IN FRO…"~15,400 mi, complaint #1711659
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH with the windows and sunroof opened, the contact heard an abnormal sound and noticed that the sunroof had exploded without impact. The other occupant was seated in the rear of th…"~34,000 mi, complaint #1840423
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving or while the vehicle was parked, there was water leaking from the sunroof. While driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud clunking sound coming from the front of the vehicle. T…"~149,782 mi, complaint #2174241
  13. #13

    adas lane keeping

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=7)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY VEERED TO THE LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MARKQUART TOYOTA ([REDACTED ADDRESS], CHIPPEWA FALLS, WI 54729), ON SEV…"~800 mi, complaint #1671701
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE AND DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 4 MILES, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT WITH AND WITHOUT THE LANE ASSIST FEATURE ACTIVATED. WITHIN ANOTHER 2-4 MILES THE FAILURE WAS IND…"~3,000 mi, complaint #1678777
    • "TOYOTA TELLS ME THAT THE LANE DEPARTURE SYSTEM (LDA) AND THE LANE TRACING SYSTEM (LTA) ARE INDEPENDENT BY DESIGN. THIS CREATES AN UNSAFE DRIVING ENVIRONMENT AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE ACCIDENTS. I HAVE ABOUT 4700 MILES ON MY CAR AND MANY MILES OF DRIVING…"~3,500 mi, complaint #1656827
    • "I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF INSTANCES WHERE MY VEHICLE'S LANE KEEP ASSIST WILL RANDOMLY JERK ME OUT OF MY LANE. IN SEPT 2020 I EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT EVENT OF THIS HAPPENING WHEN I WAS DRIVING IN THE RIGHT LANE OF AN INTERSTATE AND THE VEHICLE JERKED RIGHT SUDDE…"~4,600 mi, complaint #1722139
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the "Lane Departure System" jerked the vehicle into the left lane; the contact steered the vehicle back into his original lane. The contact stated no warning light was…"~40,000 mi, complaint #1851129
  14. #14

    brake hydraulics

    6 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    7
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=11, median 5,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE (NEW) ON 6/03/2020. ON 6/16/2020, WARNING LIGHTS AND BUZZERS WENT ON AS I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE WARNINGS TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH MY BRAKES, AND THAT I SHOULD PULL OVER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I DROVE TO A NEARBY PARKIN…"~795 mi, complaint #1671213
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 5 MPH THE BRAKES FAILED. NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKES 3-4 TIMES AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO PARKED VEH…"~1,300 mi, complaint #1643137
    • "A FEW MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED MY 2020 RAV4 XLE HYBRID, I NOTICED THAT MY BRAKES SQUEAKS WHENEVER I MAKE A QUICK STOP, OR AFTER I RELEASE THE BRAKES AFTER STOPPING OR WHEN I AM BACKING UP. IT DOESN'T MATTER ON THE KIND OF ROAD THAT I AM ON. I BROUGHT MY CAR T…"~5,100 mi, complaint #1723639
    • "The contact owned a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving 45 mph with the cruise control activated and while coming to a red light, the driver depressed the brake pedal and the braking system malfunctioned causing the vehicle to not stop. The…"~9,000 mi, complaint #1788313
  15. #15

    engine stall or no start

    3 stranded, 4 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "CAR DID NOT START AFTER 2 DAYS OF NOT USING IT."~2,000 mi, complaint #1709180
  16. #16

    mirror

    7 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=9)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the mirror housings of the vehicle were melting. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 8,50…"~8,500 mi, complaint #1769821
  17. #17

    wiring harness

    6 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "TOYOTA'S CLAIM OF A 3,500 POUND TOW CAPACITY IS NOT TRUE. I CANNOT TOW A 3,000 POUND HOUSE TRAILER LEGALLY WITH THEIR OEM 4-PRONG WIRING HARNESS. A 7-BLADE PLUG IS REQUIRED TO PASS STATE INSPECTION AND TOYOTA DOES NOT AND WILL NOT PROVIDE THIS HARNESS. FALSE A…"complaint #1708024
    • "In the sring of this year, i lightly drove through a water filled pothole in a parking lot when all of the displays went dark for a split second and then came back on like the car had just started. I called my dealership right away and was told that maybe some…"complaint #1783018
    • "Dash lights went out and windows stopped working (incident date is for dash lights). Clocks are often blank. Clearly there is an electrical/wiring issue. I have complained about it to the dealer at the 5k check, 10k check and the 15k check. At the 15k ch…"complaint #1799825
    • "The electrical system has issues While driving at 25 mph the interior lights began flash on and off ( 10 pm and dark outside) rapidly and randomly The instrument cluster flashed the door open screen and indicated the rear hatch was open and rear hatch made a…"complaint #1809335
    • "Wire harness failure according to the Toyota dealership representative I spoke with after inspection on 12/18/24. Rep said this is a known issue with certain years and they will cover cost of replacement. Previously, I had received a message stating, "Hybrid S…"complaint #2049731
  18. #18

    hv system fault reduced power

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "HYBRID MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHT WHILE DRIVING."~6,800 mi, complaint #1727500
    • "ON FEBRUARY 6, 2021 IN ATLANTA GA, THE VEHICLE, WHILE IN MOTION AT AROUND 30MPH, DISPLAYED A 'HYBRID SYSTEM MALFUNCTION' WARNING AND BEGAN BEEPING AND TREMBLING. THE WARNING SAID THAT THE CAR MUST BE STOPPED WITHIN 0.9 MILES BUT LASTED FAR LESS THAN THAT, FULL…"~15,000 mi, complaint #1725374
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power while accelerating. The contact heard a ding and became aware of an irregular voltage spike, steering power, and other unknown messages were displayed b…"~172,600 mi, complaint #1920111
  19. #19

    transmission automatic

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "I HAVE THE RAV4 LE BASE MODEL. IN THE FIRST 3 GEARS, TRANSMISSION JERKS A LOT DURING ACCELERATION, ALWAYS FEELING IT IS HAVING A HARD SHIFT. WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE PADEL PARTIALLY OR ROLLING STOP, THE CAR LURCHES, THIS IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS WHEN I MAKE T…"~500 mi, complaint #1647156
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The vehicle was previously taken to a dealer for maintenance, and it was discovered that there was an oil leak underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that the transmission was shifting roughly while driving. The vehicle…"~133,000 mi, complaint #2189464
  20. #20

    fuel pump

    1 stranded, 4 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owned a 2020 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked for approximately nine hours and unoccupied, it spontaneously caught fire without warning. The fire department extinguished the fire. The fire department informed him the fir…"~35,500 mi, complaint #1854580
  21. #21

    unintended acceleration

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=10, median 5,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "ON JULY 3, 2020 AT 2:30PM I WAS PARKING THE CAR INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A STRIP MALL WHEN I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR BUT THE CAR IMMEDIATELY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE PARKED CAR IN FRONT OF ME. WITH MY FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE, I PUT THE…"~1,839 mi, complaint #1675569
    • "The contact owned a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while pulling into a vertical spot and making a right turn, the vehicle suddenly accelerated, jumped the curb, the sidewalk, and continued driving down the sidewalk and crashed into a building. The…"~25,000 mi, complaint #2225464
  22. #22

    adas collision warning

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "WHEN USING CRUISE CONTROL ON THE FREEWAY. IF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME GOES TO EXIT AND SLOWS DOWN. MY CAR BRAKES EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT EXITING. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT BY TWO SEMIS ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS BECAUSE OF THIS. I HAVE ALSO ALMOST BEEN HIT BY A COUPLE…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1681211
  23. #23

    alignment and pull

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "NEW VEHICLE BROUGHT IN FOR IT'S 5K MAINTENANCE, TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE DEALERSHIP IT WAS PURCHASED FROM. I POINTED OUT SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THE GAS TANK RANGE, BSM, CAMERA SHUTTING OFF, AND THAT I HAVE TO KEEP THE STEARING WHEEL TURNED TO THE RIGHT I…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1729026
  24. #24

    power windows and locks

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "This issue involves the lock/unlock system: Front passenger door does not respond to lock/unlock command by either approaching the door and/or pressing the remote button. This is a constant problem and is not random. Front drivers door has started doing the s…"complaint #2046223
    • "The door lock actuators required repair on all my doors for the RAV4 2020. They stopped working after the 3 year warranty was up. This is a safety issue. I had to manually lock and unlock my doors, which left in a dangerous position at night. Over the course o…"complaint #2152987
    • "In March 2025 the driver door lock stopped working electronically and would only work manually. In August 2025 the passenger door lock stopped working noisy of the time. In Dec 2025 the rear passenger side does lock stopped working most of the time. "complaint #2218685
    • "Front driver side door is not locking remotely or with manual door lock button. Door lock is open when driving. And need to be locked with finger."complaint #2228137
  25. #25

    adas adaptive cruise

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "TRIED TO SET RADAR CONTROLLED CRUISE CONTROL FOR THE FIRST TIME ON A WORK TRIP TO MICHIGAN AT 70 MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO THE LEFT AND TOOK CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE TO KEEP VEHICLE STRAIGHT. TOOK SUV IN TO SHOP AND THEY SAID THE RADAR CONTROL…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1674433
    • "THE TOYOTA ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL KEEPS A SAFE DISTANCE TO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT, SLOWING AND ACCELERATING PROPERLY TO KEEP A SET DISTANCE EVEN DOWN TO A FULL STOP. HOWEVER, WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED AND ANOTHER CAR ENTERS MY LANE IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF MY…"~3,000 mi, complaint #1720963
  26. #26

    hv battery and range

    2 stranded, 1 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "2020 RAV4 HYBRID: BATTERY KEEPS DYING. PURCHASED 6/22/20, BATTERY DIED MULTIPLE TIMES 3 WEEKS LATER, BATTERY REPLACED 7/16/20. BATTERY DYING AGAIN 2/19/21 AND AGAIN 3/5/21. ONGOING ISSUE. ALSO HEAD UNIT W/USB PORT HAD TO BE REPLACED 12/8/20 AFTER FOUND INOPERA…"~1,481 mi, complaint #1731543
    • "2020 TOYOTA RAV4 HYBRID PURCHASED DEC 2019 BATTERY DIES AFTER CAR HAS BEEN SITTING A FEW DAYS CAR DOES NOT START HAVE TO TOW TO DEALER"~13,900 mi, complaint #1681397
  27. #27

    infotainment head unit

    1 unsafe, 1 broken, 1 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The infotainment system stopped working after the car was 2 years and 3 months old. The screen flashes on and off and the screen is not responsive. The dealership disconnected the battery to do a hard reset and this did not help the issue. Also they were no…"complaint #1843909
    • "On September 16, 2022, I discovered the vehicle battery died. I charged the battery through a jump start. The car worked normally, except the radio and infotainment system failed to work, constantly rebooting in an endless cycle while the car was powered on.…"complaint #1844657
    • "On or about 8/21/23, we were driving from Vermont back to our home in New Jersey when the sound system started malfunctioning. First, we lost all sound (safety warnings, as well as radio). The sound returned and then cut out again repeatedly. Then, the spea…"complaint #1925039
  28. #28

    instrument cluster

    1 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the "Engine Maintenance Required" warning illuminated. The contact stated that the instrument cluster displayed the warning; however, all information, including the spe…"~48,000 mi, complaint #1992114
  29. #29

    seatbelt and pretensioner

    1 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "UNLESS ALL BACK PASSENGER SEATBELTS ARE FASTENED, THE 'FASTEN SEATBELT SEAT' LIGHT AND BEEPING CONTINUOUSLY GOES OFF. THIS HAPPENS WHEN NOTHING IS ON THE SEATS AND NO ONE IS SEATED IN THESE SEATS. THIS HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY ONGOING, WHILE DRIVING, SINCE THE…"complaint #1738986
    • "Rear seat seat belt warning and chimes comes up even when no one sitting in the back and no stuff is put on the back seat. It start chiming randomly and even when all 3 seat belts are buckled the chime comes up. It is security risk as the sudden sound of warni…"complaint #2118101
    • "Rear middle seatbelt sensor keeps going off when driving."complaint #2185555
  30. #30

    ac compressor and refrigerant

    1 unsafe, 1 broken

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "AIR CONDITIONING STOPPED WORKING TWICE, FIRST TIME REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE AND NOW IT'S OUT AGAIN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS LATER. REPAIR WAS 1500.00 FIRST TIME. SECOND CONTINUES TO RATTLE FROM MIRRORS, FRONT END AND CARRYING RACK. MY RIGHT FRONT FOG LIGHT OUT AND…"~9,000 mi, complaint #1714427
  31. #31

    brake booster

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal became inoperable and nearly traveled to the floorboard while attempting to stop the vehicle. A “Pull Over” warning message was displayed. The v…"~106,000 mi, complaint #2203684
  32. #32

    brake pads and rotors

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Squealing noise when stopping or braking under 3 mph."complaint #1861311
    • "The front brakes wear out too quickly. In the past 3 years, the front brakes and rotors have had to be replaced 5 times while the rear brakes only once. this is not normal. i have complained to the dealership but they have no answers."complaint #2217670
  33. #33

    ev charging system

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "OUR 2020RAV4 HYBRID HAS FAILED TO START TWICE (5/5/2020 AND 12/5/2020) AFTER SITTING ONLY 1-2 DAYS IN OUR GARAGE. IT REQUIRED JUMPING TO BE RECHARGED. FROM THE CARGURUS SITE, THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH NO DEFINITE SOLUTION YET, PERHAPS A BAD BATCH…"~4,600 mi, complaint #1711429
  34. #34

    key fob and immobilizer

    2 stranded

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "VEHICLE PARKED FOR LESS THAN 24 HRS. 14 MONTHS OLD, APPROX 12,000MI. BATTERY TOTALLY DRAINED. LEFT STRANDED WITHOUT VEHICLE USE. INDICATES SMART KEY PROBLEM, TRIED OTHER KEYS. BATTERY IS TOTALLY DRAINED."~12,000 mi, complaint #1722235
  35. #35

    noise or vibration unspecified

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHES A SPEED OF 60MPH A GRINDING NOISE COMES FROM THE AREA BETWEEN THE GAS PEDAL AND DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE NOISE SOUNDS LIKE A RAPIDLY SPINNING METAL DISC IS FREQUENTLY BUMPING INTO A METAL WALL AS THE CAR VIBRATES NATURALLY AT THE HIGHER S…"complaint #1702657
    • "Since I've owned the vehicle it has made loud squeaking, scraping, popping, and clicking noises in the suspension and steering. When I first turn the vehicle on and use the brakes they are very loud as if they are worn. I've had the brakes checked and the deal…"complaint #2030398
  36. #36

    phone connectivity

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "APPLE CAR PLAY ISN'T WORKING CORRECTLY, MALFUNCTIONING FREQUENTLY. IT DISCONNECTS OR STOPS WORKING RANDOMLY, CREATING A DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING. EITHER ITUNES STOPS PLAYING OR NAVIGATION DISCONNECTS WHICH CAUSES A DRIVER TO START FIDDLING WITH THE APPLE CA…"complaint #1702054
    • "The CarPlay disconnects constantly during every drive. It’s is extremely dangerous because when my directions are being displayed the navigation cuts out, and you have to fiddle with your phone to attempt to reestablish the connection. "complaint #2104292
  37. #37

    power steering hydraulic

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE POWER STEERING FAILED SUDDENLY. THE CAR WAS DRIVEN FOR TWO HOURS (FROM NYC TO PHILADELPHIA) THEN PARALLEL PARKED ON A CITY STREET AND TURNED OFF. THE CAR WAS RESTARTED LESS THAN ONE MINUTE AFTER BEING TURNED OFF (TO IMPROVE THE PARKING JOB); THE CAR STARTE…"~1,400 mi, complaint #1682435
  38. #38

    seat mechanism

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact called on behalf of her daughter who owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, her pregnant daughter attempted to move the driver's seat back, and the seat failed to respond as intended. The contact stated the vehicl…"~32,000 mi, complaint #1993975
  39. #39

    software or update

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS ON THE DRIVEWAY FOR LESS THAN 24 HOURS, IT WOULD NOT UNLOCK DOORS, DISENGAGE THE SHIFT FROM PARK, OR START THE ENGINE. THE BATTERY APPEARED TO HAVE CHARGE AS THE LIGHTS WOULD GO ON. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. TOYOTA…"~7,200 mi, complaint #1727148
  40. #40

    starter

    2 stranded

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "CAR WOULD NOT START AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT IN MY GARAGE. ONLY HAS 2,200 MILES ON IT. DASHBOARD LIGHTS FLICKERING SAYING PARKING BRAKE MALFUNCTION AND CHECK ENGINE/ OTHER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. SEEMS TO BE A HUGE ISSUE FROM OTHER REVIEWS. TOYOTA NEEDS A RECAL…"~2,200 mi, complaint #1709264
    • "VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW IN DECEMBER 2019 WITH 7 MILES ON IT. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS LOCKED AND LEFT IN THE DRIVEWAY OVER NIGHT. UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE THE NEXT MORNING, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. ALL LIGHTS WHEN ON UPON PRESSING THE STA…"~7,300 mi, complaint #1667690
  41. #41

    suspension arms and bushings

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The front suspension has problem I noticed recently the sway bar and front studs of the car is not reliable and also the fuel tank also has issue even if the tank is not fuel it refuses to take more fuel "complaint #1888971
    • "I took my car to the dealer this week and was told I need to replace both front lower control arms. I noticed other cars for that year have a recall for this specific problem so I called Toyota but I was told that I had 0 recalls on my vehicle. "complaint #2022248
  42. #42

    engine head gasket

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal amount of white smoke and an abnormal odor coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer wh…"~100,000 mi, complaint #2075087
  43. #43

    ev drive unit or inverter

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "NEW 2020 RAV4 HYBRID MAKES LOUD GRINDING NOISE SOMETIMES WHEN PLACED IN REVERSE AND EV MODE IS ENGAGED. APPEARS TO BE FAILURE OF SPRAG-TYPE DEVICE TO DISENGAGE ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION FROM ELECTRIC DRIVE SYSTEM. MULTIPLE MEMBERS OF FRANK TOYOTA SERVICE DECLAR…"~600 mi, complaint #1703129
  44. #44

    evap system

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "WHEN DOING MY FIRST FILL UP, MY GAS TANK WAS ONLY ABLE TO TAKE 11.19 GALLONS OUT OF THE 14.5-GALLON TANK AND THAT WAS AFTER DRIVING PAST WHEN THE REFUEL LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE RANGE OF THE TANK WAS THE PRIMARY REASON FOR PURCHASING THE RAV4 HYBRID AND UPON DOI…"complaint #1649185
  45. #45

    fluid leak unspecified

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound of slushing water coming from inside the front driver’s side door panels. Additionally, water from the door panels had leaked into the cabin o…"~6,000 mi, complaint #1990204
  46. #46

    fuel injector

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "1. I had to have Injector Fuel Service due to my vehicle having a sluggish feeling while driving from Stop to Start. The vehicle also had a throttling motion while driving. 2. A message appeared on dashboard after a recent visit to the dealership after norma…"complaint #1994388
  47. #47

    paint and clearcoat

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The paint on my 2020 Toyota RAV4 (Blueprint color) is peeling and deteriorating prematurely, on the hood. The vehicle has been properly maintained and has not been in any accidents. The paint started peeling without any external cause. I’ve noticed similar c…"complaint #2147731
  48. #48

    parking brake

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "My Toyota 2020 RAV4 has a dangerous design flaw. It rolls when turned off and in drive mode. For example, my driveway is on an incline, and a couple times I have pulled into my driveway, gotten distracted, and I forgot to put the car in Park. When I hit the…"complaint #2042329
  49. #49

    stability and traction control

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I want an investigation on Toyota Rav4 hybrid 2020 .It has a faulty traction control system . It kicks in on every bump and start the emergency braks vehicle jerks and driver gets confused . its a safety issue and may start causing accident on high speed "complaint #1776047
  50. #50

    suspension struts shocks

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH and turning right onto a main road, there was a loud clicking noise coming from under the front end of the vehicle. The contact stated that the noise was intermittent. T…"~22,000 mi, complaint #1852667
  51. #51

    throttle and pedal

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "My Toyota 2020 RAV 4 Hybrid accelerates in REVERSE when in drive mode and parked on an incline. My car ran over me on 2 occasions while outside the vehicle. Both times I pulled into my driveway, came to a complete stop, and believed I was parked and the car…"complaint #1899010
  52. #52

    tire failure

    1 stranded

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "TWO RIGHT HAND SIDE TIRES BLEW OUT WHEN EXITING THE FREEWAY. THERE WAS NO WARNING ABOUT LOW TIRE PRESSURE AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THIS IS A BRAND NEW 2020 LEASED VEHICLE (1 YEAR OLD). ALL FOUR TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED."~10,500 mi, complaint #1745552
  53. #53

    tpms

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "TPS monitoring systems were reading or installed on the wrong tires. Asked if possibly the sensors need to be recalibrated after rotations, dealership said no the vehicle is suppose to relearn the new location. One morning my front tire said it was low, adde…"complaint #1795021
  54. #54

    wiper and washer

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "FRONT WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER IS LOCATED IN THE CENTER 1/2 OF THE WINDSHIELD, BUT NOT ON THE LEFT OR RIGHT SIDE. AS SUCH, THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD WILL ICE-OVER DURING NORMAL WINTER SNOW CONDITIONS. ADDITIONALLY, PASSENGER-SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER F…"~8,000 mi, complaint #1727550

Search NHTSA's own recall and complaint database for TOYOTA RAV 4 directly.