Toyota RAV4 Complaints (2023)

149 consumer complaints on file.

#11700928November 22, 2025
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
Vehicle shows multiple safety systems malfunction and display warning messages. The vehicle displays repeated alerts including LTA (Lane Tracing Assist) Malfunction, Pre-Collision System Malfunction, RSA (Road Sign Assist) Malfunction, and Headlight System Malfunction. These warnings occur while the vehicle is in motion or parking and cause the safety features to shut off unexpectedly.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699895November 17, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:BLINDSPOT:SENSORS
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side blind spot warning system located on the exterior side mirror failed to function as intended. The light flashed on the side mirror; however, the beeping sound was inaudible. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure had occurred the same month the vehicle was purchased. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699395November 14, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
We discovered severe mold contamination and water intrusion in our 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. My wife, our [XXX] child, and I have been experiencing dizziness and nausea for months whenever we were inside the vehicle, but we did not know the cause until the dealer (DLL) showed us extensive mold throughout the cabin and standing water trapped inside the vehicle. The dealer confirmed that this was not normal wear and tear. The mold has spread into the floors, interior panels, and even the steering components. This is a serious health hazard. After doing research, we found many other RAV4 Hybrid owners reporting similar water leaks and mold growth issues. This raises the concern of a potential design or sealing defect in this model. This vehicle is unsafe to drive, especially with a young child. We are requesting a full safety investigation into the water intrusion, sealing integrity, and air quality risks associated with this model. Symptoms: • Dizziness • Nausea • Headache • Strong mold smell • Corrosion of interior components This is a serious safety and health issue, and we are asking NHTSA to investigate. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#11698048November 7, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
While driving or idling, the pre-collusion, RSA malfunction, Headlight system malfunction, and LTA system malfunction will go off as well as my navigation on my screen. Its been going on and off for 7 months now. It works, then it doesn't. I don't want to take it in because I know they're famous for making me pay high dollar fees for anything and everything. Toyota is horrible for their services and just want the money. I never had any issues with my car until I got a nail in my tire that was an easy fix (that they also wanted to keep my car overnight for a patch).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696044October 28, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Faulty instrument panel keeps going on and off. It will reset itself and then do it again like it’s trying to fix itself. But then we’ll go on and off again it’s been doing it for about six months now we’ve been putting off by telling someone because we thought it might straighten up and when we keep looking up recalls, it says there’s no recall on it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695950October 27, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Vehicle: 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Issue: Persistent brake noise, safety hazard, manufacturer negligence I leased a 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid from Clermont Toyota (Florida). Well before reaching 5,000 miles, the brakes began squealing and grinding, posing a potential safety hazard. Multiple service visits failed to correct the issue. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and its distributor, Southeast Toyota Distributors LLC, have long been aware of this defect, as documented in Technical Service Bulletin TSB-0001-22 and numerous NHTSA consumer reports describing similar brake failures and noises in 2019–2023 RAV4 models. Despite repeated notice, Toyota refused to repair or replace the defective vehicle and denied my Lemon Law claim through an arbitration panel connected to manufacturer counsel. This unresolved brake defect creates danger to the driver, passengers, and others on the road. Toyota’s continued sale and lease of vehicles with known braking issues constitute a serious public safety concern. I request that NHTSA investigate Toyota’s knowledge of these defects, evaluate the adequacy of its response, and consider a recall to protect consumers nationwide. Contact: [XXX] – [XXX] – [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694907October 22, 2025
AIR BAGS
I was in a very bad accident on [XXX]. I was side swiped from the front passenger side of the car. I was not at fault of the accident. My car then hit a fire hydrant and a pole. The airbags did not deploy and my head hit the steering wheel I own a 2023 RAV4 XLe premium. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11693810October 16, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
When driving, I occasionally hear a sloshing sound. After inspecting the vehicle, I realized it was coming from the rear passenger door of the RAV4. After putting down large bowls to catch the water, I pulled up on the rubber weather strip at the bottom of the rear passenger door and water gushed out. I collected over 13 cups of water out of the door. This is not an isolated incident, as it has happened before. At first I thought it was debris/a fluke that caused this water to accumulate, but after reading forums, there are multiple people out there running into the same issue. It's only ever been the rear passenger door too; none of the other doors are holding water.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11692451October 9, 2025
TIRES
The passenger rear tire experienced a catastrophic tread separation failure on the highway at speed limit speed. Since this was on the freeway, loss of control could have been experienced and caused a severe incident injury to drivers in the vicinity of the incident. The problem just happened and will be inspected by an authorized dealer. There were no warnings until the tire of the incident. These tires have been rotated according to schedule and have less than 21,000 miles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691713October 6, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the contact turned off the vehicle, and the vehicle rolled backwards while the gear shifter was in drive(D). A dealer or independent mechanic was not contacted. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle responded properly because the gear shifter was not in park(P). The approximate failure mileage was 24,500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688915September 22, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I purchased a new 2023 Toyota RAV4 in March 2023, which is covered by Toyota’s 36-month/36,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty. In August 2025, while the vehicle was still within warranty, a malfunction warning appeared for the pre-collision system and Road Sign Assist. The Toyota dealership diagnosed an internal failure of the forward recognition camera (DTC C1A95:00 — image processing module malfunction) and recommended replacement and calibration at a cost of approximately $2,300. Toyota denied warranty coverage despite the failure being internal to the part and occurring within the warranty period. I am seeking reimbursement for repair costs that should be covered under the manufacturer’s warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11686293September 10, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving yesterday when we suddenly heard a pop on the roof. We pulled over and noticed that the sunroof was broken, with the glass sticking outward, as if something from the inside had exploded outward. The dealership would not take ownership of the damage, therefore i had to use my insurance. upon inspection I was told that it was pressure from inside the vehicle that caused it to explode and that they have seen it before in Toyota RAV 4 models
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11685598September 7, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While starting my rav4 prime, the instrument panel (gas gauge, speedometer, battery life, etc) went black. Took it to 3 different Toyota dealers; 2 sent me away and the 3rd said I can’t drive the car anymore. Service tech said it’s the 3rd one he’s seen with the instrument cluster black in the last year! They’re still running official diagnostics on it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11683758August 28, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
For over month on multiple random events, the car shuts down while traveling at hwy speeds. The car light prompt to shift the vehicle into neutral and push the start button to re start the engine. We have had the car at the dealership 4 separate occasions and they can not find the issue because it does not cause an engine light to come on when this happens. They also supposedly can not get it to duplicate so they are refusing to go any further. We have video of this occurring at 50mph. This causes lost of steering and braking. We reported this to Toyota and opened a case. They to will not pursue fixing the issue as they are not getting a trouble code. I fear this is going to cause a major accident and this poses a severe safety risk as you loose control of the vehicle
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11675500July 22, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The vehicle's radio/ GPS navigation system shuts off and on and it is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others were put at risk because while in the middle of driving on a one-way street the radio/ GPS navigation system shut off in the middle of my trip and I was unaware of if I was going down the correct street because the navigation system completely shut off. I had almost crashed into another vehicle because the radio/GPS navigation system cut off in the middle of my turn so I was unaware of where I was supposed to be driving at the moment. The vehicle has been inspected by Toyota but has not fixed yet. There were no warning lamps but the radio/GPS navigation system did shut off a few times prior to this incident but it never occurred in a situation where I was in a time where I needed the GPS and feared for my life and the lives of others.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11675480July 22, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Rear passenger door drain is not clearing water and is building up in door frame. Have to pull back bottom of door trim to get the water to clear
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11674342July 17, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The issue is with the moonroof, which is part of the panoramic roof on the 2023 RAV4 hybrid driving down the freeway at highway speeds. The moon roof shattered. It sounded like a shotgun and it seemed to have broken and upward direction versus downward. There were no rocks from cars noticed in any vehicles in front of me to which could have caused this issue. If you’re looking at the photos all around the edge, there seems to be a seam on all four sides of the Glass giving away along with the hole protruding up.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11674020July 16, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
1.) The component/system that failed/malfunctioned is the brakes and/or anti-lock braking system. 2.) My safety and that of the people in front of the vehicle is placed at risk because the vehicle's braking system fails, allowing the vehicle to surge forward for a split second, temporarily out of control. 3.) While the problem has occurred many times with various drivers, the Toyota service technician said they were unable to reproduce the issue. However, with the information (date/time) I have provided, they confirmed the computer indicates the ABS system was triggered each time. 4.) The vehicle has been inspected by the Toyota service center representatives. 5.) There were no warnings, messages or other symptoms prior to the brakes failing. The problem is the braking ability is failing for a split second, when the car hits a bump. The size of the bump can be as small as the crack in the asphalt where two roads meet. The problem occurs when I am driving at slow speeds and riding the brake because I am in a situation like being in slow-moving bumper-to-bumper traffic, approaching an intersection requiring a stop, or coasting down hill. On numerous occasions, the brakes release, allowing the car to surge forward for a split second, before re-engaging. Toyota has told me it is the ABS working as intended. To be clear, the braking failure is happening at slow speeds and on dry pavement. This is not how ABS normally works. I have driven numerous makes and models of cars for 40 years and I have never experienced this type of situation triggering an ABS system. I report this to Toyota each time I bring my car in for regular maintenance. During the last visit, my regular service technician told me that they have now seen at least 5 or 6 other cars doing what I have described above. I don't have a specific date of the incidence because it happens frequently and has done so since I bought the car (10/01/23), so below, I am just listing the last time I reported it to Toyota.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11671474July 6, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
The vehicle was a 2023 Toyota RAV4 hybrid. When the driver attempted to park the vehicle in a parking lot, it suddenly began moving forward without use of the accelerator. The driver applied the brakes but the pedal went to the floor without braking. The vehicle seemed to be moving faster than expected without use of the gas pedal and went through the parking lot. The driver stopped the vehicle by running up over a curb, through a traffic island with soft dirt and mulch and finally crashing into a metal storage unit. Two air bags deployed. Toyota was notified of the crash and a Toyota representative made the 911 call. A New York state trooper and two fire trucks arrived. The vehicle was towed and eventually collected by our insurance company. The tow truck driver said the brake pedal went to the floor when he tried it. The car was declared a total loss. 1. The notable failure was in the braking system. The car also seemed to be traveling faster than it should and didn't slow down. The insurance company has the vehicle now. 2. The safety issue was loss of speed and braking control of the vehicle. Steering was normal. Fortunately the parking lot had few cars or people in it. 3. No investigation of the problem aside from assessment of damage that I know of. 4. Liberty Mutual assessed the damage. The NY state trooper made a collision information form and gave us a copy. 5. No warning lights or related symptoms were noted prior to the car traveling on its own. After the crash, a local Toyota dealer called and said that they were notified that the check engine light was on and there was a problem with the hybrid system, along with other warnings.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11670424July 1, 2025
AIR BAGS, SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has had squeaky brakes for many months (from 4,000 miles onward and consistently continues to be an annoyance, nuisance, and safety hazard while intensifying in frequency), but despite taking the vehicle to the Toyota dealer more than 4 times, they have been unable to repair the issue. At least twice the air bag sensors have come on for the backseat when there was nobody seated in the backseat, distracting me from safely driving. Toyota has done nothing to right the wrong mechanically, refund me for the vehicle (a lease) or offer a replacement. I have a 14 page document filed with the Florida Attorney General Lemon Law Division thoroughly indicating why these ongoing mechanical failures, safety hazards, nuisances and distractions to me the driver substantially impair the use, value, and safety of the vehicle—fulfilling key criteria under Florida Statutes § 681.102 and § 681.104, which I am happy to provide all consumers and attorneys willing to launch a CLASS ACTION against Toyota. Florida law defines "impairment of value" not by market collapse, but by any reasonable reduction in consumer confidence. Consumer disclosure laws require honesty about defects. Florida Statute § 681.102(15) defines a “nonconformity” as a defect that “substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of the motor vehicle.” My vehicle has been subject to repair more than 4 times for the same defect within 24 months and thus qualifies for relief. The manufacturer’s failure to permanently correct the squeaky brakes—even after attempted repairs—demonstrates a pattern of unresolved nonconformity. The squeaky brake issue is not a cosmetic inconvenience—it affects the vehicle's functionality, resale integrity, and safety assurance. Toyota acknowledges the problem exists (via TSB) but has failed to provide a lasting solution. If unresolved, this defect would materially concern any reasonable consumer and diminish confidence in the vehicle’s reliability and safety.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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