Toyota RAV4 Complaints (2017)

321 consumer complaints on file.

#11465436May 20, 2022
ENGINE, STEERING
The driver owned a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact called on behalf of her son who was driving approximately 35 MPH when he lost control of the steering due to the functionality of the steering wheel and accidentally crashed into a pole. There were no warning lights. The 2 front and 1 side air bag deployed. The police and fire and ambulance arrived on the scene. The driver was transported to the hospital where he received a CT scan for his injury. There was a police report. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a salvage yard. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 76,000
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11465496May 20, 2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, STRUCTURE:BODY
On Saturday, May 14, 2022, my vehicle burned. and has since been totaled. The car had been trouble-free since I bought it in 2018. I was so pleased with it that I had just paid off the balance on the loan the week before because I wanted to keep it for 10 years. Prior to it burning, I had just driven it a couple miles for the first time in 2 weeks (it had been parked in a friend's garage). There were no warning lights visible during that time. I got out of the car for 3 minutes and was about to get back in when I noticed white smoke coming out of the hood. Within 30 seconds the hood had become engulfed in flames. The entire front and interior of the car was destroyed in the blaze, which the Fire Department had to extinguish. No one was injured, but two cars on either side were damaged by the fire. The car had last been serviced by Headquarter Toyota in Miami on January 22, 2022. They had not done the government-recommended inspection of the engine area during the servicing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11464561May 13, 2022
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) warning light would activate even though the air pressure in the tires were normal. The contact indicated that the failure also occurred immediately after refueling. No further information was available. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 30,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11464584May 13, 2022
ENGINE
The contact owned a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving at 10 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The contact saw smoke coming out from underneath the hood of the vehicle and immediately exited the vehicle. The contact then saw flames coming out from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. There were no injuries sustained. A fire department report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot where it was totaled. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11462841April 30, 2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
Vehicle automatically slows down and shakes violently. We had it checked out at a Toyota dealership and they didn’t find any problems with the vehicle when they performed a diagnostic check. It continues to happen when vehicles is on the fwy. EV light appears on screen flashing on and off.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11458923March 30, 2022
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My mechanic showed me that the axle shaft assembly on my Toyota RAV4 is leaking grease and that, if not repaired soon, could be a safety issue when driving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11458367March 25, 2022
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving at 55 MPH, the vehicle started making a rumbling sound and was also shuddering. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who test drove the vehicle, and the tires were balanced and rotated; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine block stabilizers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had become significantly worse while driving between 25-30 MPH and 45-50 MPH. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11457210March 18, 2022
VISIBILITY/WIPER
on a nice clear spring day in california, driving on the 101 freeway my 2017 toyota rav4 xle sun roof just Exploded..no trucks around me...and no overpasses...it just exploded outwards i belive....no warning .....could have very easily cause a serrious accident/injury...some glass dropped on driver/passanger...dome rolloed off top of the car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11451016February 8, 2022
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The axle broke while I was driving. I was on CA HWY 101 NB, it was a day after the rain so I was careful not to speed. As I was heading towards a decline the car made a loud pop sound that came from the rear left side. I looked back because my initial thought was the tire popped but as I looked at my rear view mirror the car veered rapidly to the left headed straight to the median. Safety at risk: I tried to break but it seemed like the breaks were not responding well. I turned the wheel to not hit the median and the car turned completely, facing traffic and sliding to the right side of the freeway where it stopped on its side. The car was checked and we have a letter from Toyota saying the part broke due to speeds over 80 mph. But I was not driving over 80, and and axle is probably not supposed to break at that speed. There were no warning lights, or symptoms. My vehicle seemed completely healthy.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11446929January 10, 2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that occasionally the vehicle would not immediately start-up, or would take multiple attempts before starting. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, but the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 66,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11446108January 4, 2022
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The shifter makes a irregularly rough shift out of park . It is available for inspection if possible. The safety of me or passengers has not been compromised. The problem has not been confirmed from any dealer or manufacturer. The shifter component has not been inspected or checked to confirm the issue or potential issue. There was no warning light to indicate a issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11445128December 27, 2021
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument cluster failed, which caused the speedometer and RPM gauge to be inoperable. Additionally, the power steering assist failed, and the steering wheel was locked up. The failure occurred on four separate occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and Toyota of Brookfield (20655 W Capitol Dr, Brookfield, WI 53045) however, the dealers could not duplicate the failure. Toyota of Brookfield informed the contact that there was a Manufacturer's Campaign Number: 21TG01 (Electrical System) associated with the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at Toyota of Brookfield. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11437941October 24, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I purchased my 2017 Rav-4, brand new off the lot the end of 2017. On October 2018 my car battery was dead. NO prior indications of problems, No indicator lights. I had it towed to the dealership, they stated it was a bad cell in the battery and installed a new one. Then on Nov. 2020, once again had a dead battery, again no prior warning. I called and got a jump, took the car back to the dealership, they checked it and said I must have left a light on all night because it was completely drained. They put a 3.5 hour charge on it, check the charging system and said all was fine. Then again on 10-19-21 the battery was dead again. At that point I was pissed and just went to the parts store to get a new battery. Upon opening my hood to replace the battery I found so much corrosion on the top of the battery, cleaned it off the best I could, upon disconnecting the battery positive terminal I found the post had lifted out of the battery causing the corrosion all over the battery. I went to the dealership, they told me they were not responsible for corrosion, they did what they call a corrosion maintenance to clean the terminal, offered me a $55 credit because they said the battery was 3 years old and they would have to prorate it. Which they hadn't as of 10-23-2021. It was a 84 month battery. While there they also said my oil pan gasket was seeping and would need replaced and the front brakes will need replaced soon. I haven't even had the car 4 years, it has 15,300 miles approximately. Definitely some problems with these cars and Toyota needs to take responsibility . I bought a extended warranty, but seems none of this is covered as they say it is normal wear and tear. Never had to replace brakes on a car less then 4 yrs old. After reading all the complaints, I guess I am lucky my car didn't catch fire.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11437137October 18, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE:BODY
The door does not lock/unlock when you press the button to unlock doors.The individual lock on inside needs to be manually pressed to lock and unlock. My Passenger side went about two years ago. And now the lever on my driver side is not working.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11432373September 9, 2021
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VISIBILITY/WIPER
WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE ALL FRONT HEADLAMPS FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY LEAVING ME IN THE DARK. DEALER NEXT DAY FOUND BOTH FRONT HEADLAMP BULBS HAD BOTH LOW AND HIGH BEAM FILAMENTS BURNED OUT! THIS MAY HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT BUT FOR MY FOG LIGHTS. HOW CAN ANYONE FEEL SAFE IN A VEHICLE IN WHICH ALL LIGHTS MIGHT FAIL WHILE DRIVING UNLIT CURVY ROADWAYS?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11432226September 8, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Upon starting the car at night both headlights failed to go on. Only the fog lights would work. Headlights failed in both auto and manual mode.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11428393August 9, 2021
POWER TRAIN
While driving around 70-75 mph, I took my foot off gas pedal to coast, the "EV" light came on and off for about "1/2 - 1" second several times. I experienced a strong shaking, vibration, and a feeling that the car may be broken out by itself. It was very noticeable and troubling. If I waited the second for the light to go off while coasting, then no problems. It is not easy to recreate it constantly, so when I tried to show the problem to some mechanics. It could not appear. I have found many same complaints online from many years ago. But it seems no solutions yet. Dealers usually says if they cannot see/experience it, they cannot consider it is an issue. So it seems no one takes any actions to try to solve this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11420682June 12, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I bought my Rav4 in September of 2017 brand new and within 6 months I had a dead battery needing replacement so I replaced it via AAA. Since then, I have had the battery replaced an additional 3 times! I always serviced my car at the dealer and took very good care of it. Then after 50k miles, I started having odd lighting issues…both headlight bulbs had to be replaced within 3 weeks of each other and one high beam bulb, and then my tail lights went out! Then I would occasionally have trouble starting the car and with a natural gas smell, rotten eggs. Which could be a catalytic converter or fuel pump issue but can also be the battery. Well, my Rav was in the driveway with a dead battery and with no tail lights and had been sitting there for a month since I mainly drive our Sienna.My Rav just caught on fire and was completely destroyed. No one was hurt but if the Sienna had been out there it would’ve caught on fire and it burned the garage door…Rav totaled! I also had a very expensive brake job last year and think those are faulty too. But this fire….was bad and I can’t get a car of equal value with what i received for the total loss. What is Toyota doing about this? Less than 4 yr old well taken cared of Rav 4 XLE that I paid cash for and now can’t even replace with a Corolla! There were no warning lights ever, not even for the dead battery’s. And less than 6 months prior to the fire, it was serviced at my Toyota dealer and they said all was good. The firemen that came also told me that Rav4 fires have increased and I searched on Consumer Reports and sure enough…what was explained was a carbon copy of my experiences. Thank god no one was in it when it started, but the house could’ve caught fire as well. Toyota needs to do something for those of us who had their cars totaled due to fire…just the time invested finding a replacement is worth something….not to mention the time vested researching vehicles before I bought the Rav4. plus the depreciation, etc….
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11419467June 3, 2021
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, he attempted to avoid a rock but was unsuccessful. The contact stated that rock struck the fuel neck and caused a substantial fuel leak, 13/8 hose was unprotected and cut. A fellow motorist alerted the contact of the failure. The contact inspected the vehicle and found the leak. The contact temporarily fixed the leak and drove to the residence. The contact ordered a new filler neck and repaired the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The manufacturer recommended that the contact take the vehicle to an authorized local dealer for inspection. The vehicle was inspected by a service dealer. The vehicle was repaired by owner. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11419086May 31, 2021
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
Recurring Problems with AWD Malfunction, Engine Light On. Contacted Toyota two month ago, No reply from Toyota; Description of Complaints: On March 19, 2021, I was driving my Rav4 (VIN[XXX] ) to go to Toledo Ohio. During the driving, the AWD System Malfunction/2WD Mode Engaged and the Engine Light came on (see attached). Interestingly, the warning lights came on and off three to four times and each time I felt a drag/hesitation as if the gear was changed from 4WD to 2WD (Exhibit 1) . It advised me to visit the Toyota Dealer. After arriving Toledo, OH I visited Jim White Toyota Dealer next morning and explained the situation. The dealership was very cordial and helpful. Unfortunately, they did not record any malfunctioning Code (Exhibit 2). While returning home on March 21, 2021, the AWD warning light did not come on. A few days later, these warning lights came on again, and that forced me to visit the local Toyota Dealer, Fitzgerald, for inspection again. They diagnosed the problem to Code P0456 (Exhibits 3-4). This code refers to “…that there is a small leak in the evaporative emission control system.” Today (05/31/2021), after two repairs at Fitzgerald Toyota, Gaithersburg, The "AWD malfunction came back on with the engine light on again. The code reads: P043Eand F;P2401,P2402 and P2419. Please ask Toyota to address this problem and make it as part of recall to fix this problem. 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

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