10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
1,141 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #43

Jun 192022

RAV4

  • miles
Sunroof spontaneously shattered, with no vehicles close enough for a rock chip to be the probable cause. The only sound was a pop, of the window glass shattering - not of a rock or other object making contact. Upon examining the window, it had popped up, shattering first along the entire perimeter.

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

problem #42

Jun 182022

RAV4

  • miles
Vehicle has a automatic function that shuts off the engine when sitting in traffic, then restarts the engine when you press the accelerator. This function can be overridden by depressing a switch on the dashboard. It is easy to forget to push the switch and override this function. I believe this can present a safety issue. I was sitting in traffic waiting to make a left turn, this function I had forgotten to override. When an acceptable gap in traffic was recognized I pressed the accelerator, the vehicle took time to restart the engine and propel me into the path of oncoming traffic. At this time the gap in traffic had diminished to an unacceptable gap and I was almost struck by oncoming traffic. In the past we had asked our Toyota dealer to disable this function, they refused. I believe a more acceptable logic path would be for this function to be disabled when the vehicle is started and then the operator has the choice to engage this function if desired. I was told the purpose of this function is to save gasoline when sitting in traffic. There is also a second engine starter that completes this function. Having a second engine starter is one more item that could malfunction and need replacement.

- Allentown, NJ, USA

problem #41

Jun 032022

RAV4

  • miles
The design of the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) on this vehicle is dangerous and fundamentally flawed. When the system has a warning for the driver, it beeps and the driver must take his / her eyes off the road to look at the dashboard to understand the problem. For many years, voice response messaging has been available and should be implemented in addition to or instead of text messages to warn of serious, possible imminent problems.

- Far Rockaway, NY, USA

problem #40

Apr 082022

RAV4

  • miles
The windshield shattered without anything hitting it.

- Glen Burnie, MD, USA

problem #39

Feb 032022

RAV4

  • miles
I was driving down the highway and without warning, my sunroof completely shattered. I did not go over any bumps, there were no trucks around me, and I did not hear anything hit my window. I just heard a very loud pop and all of a sudden there was glass everywhere inside the vehicle. Luckily I did not get into an accident but this was completely startling and I could have easily gotten into an accident or had glass injure myself or passengers (luckily no one else was in the car). I brought the car into a local Toyota dealership in Colorado and they mentioned that someone who had about the same mileage on their car (17,000-18,000) miles came into that same dealership a few weeks ago with the exact same issue. They told me that Toyota would not consider this a defect or under warranty if it happened after 1,000 miles. I also sent a follow-up email to a service manager at the same dealership and he said that they have seen this before and a field technical specialist has looked into it and determined that it could not be a defect if it happened after 1,000 miles. This does not seem like a freak accident if there have been multiple incidents. This is a serious safety concern.

- Denver, CO, USA

problem #38

Dec 292021

RAV4

  • miles
Driving on the freeway and when randomly we hear a big bang, very loud and scary. Pulled the sunroof cover back to see that the sunroof had exploded/shattered into a million pieces. We were in alot of traffic heading to the mountains, my daughter was sitting in the back seat and this happened right above her head. Its been almost a month, sunroof on back order, didnt realize there was such a thing as exploding sunroofs until I searched the internet. My car is a lease and under warranty, but yet I am stuck with a $500 deductible to get this fixed. After reading all of these complaints how has this not been recalled? At the time of this happening, I had a few rocks also hit my windshield, for it to bounce off windshield and break a sunroof into a million pieces, this seems like a manufacture defect. We have turned this into our insurance company, but I feel like Toyota should cover this cost, as I had to come out of pocket for deductible and rental car

- Brentwood, CA, USA

problem #37

Dec 042021

RAV4

  • miles
The windshield on this vehicle is extremely fragile and cracks very easily. Many drivers of this vehicle have reported the same issue online with the windshield on the newest Toyota RAV4. Toyota simply refuses to do anything using the guise of "external influence" being the cause of a windshield crack - this same logic would apply to a small pebble or a tapping of a finger to cause a windshield crack.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #36

Nov 212021

RAV4

  • miles
On Sunday,11/21/2021, sitting in my Toyota Rav4 TRD Off Road with my wife in an outside parking lot to a medical office, when we heard a loud pop/bang. We got out of the vehicle and discovered that the sun roof had shattered. Nothing hit my car. We were parked in it it for 15 minutes. There was nothing around the vehicle. I taped the window with Gorilla Tape. Dealership inspected the car and told me the warranty does not cover glass. Dangerous situation! Potential for flying glass! There is no warning system for this type of incident.

- Burke, VA, USA

problem #35

Nov 082021

RAV4 4-cyl

  • miles
My name is [XXX]. My wife, myself, our 2 month old baby and our dog were driving back from a family vacation when our moon roof spontaneously exploded outward. It was an extremely loud noise and then sounded like it was raining glass. Our baby started screaming and crying from the noise. We were able to immediately and safely pull off the freeway to examine the vehicle. Upon inspection we noticed the remaining glass on the edges of the moon roof looked as if it were being pulled upwards. We are very lucky the screen was shut and nobody got hurt. The incident occurred on a sunny & clear, early afternoon while we were on the freeway going 55mph, there were no cars in front of us or beside us for more than a half mile, we were not near or passing under a bridge or an overpass. There were no warning lights or other symptoms before the incident happened, as well as no warning lights after the fact. There was absolutely no reason this should have happened or anything that we did to cause it or to stop it from happening. I took photos of the damage immediately after and it shows the remaining glass lifting outward. I did some online searching and found that this has happened to multiple other drivers with this exact make & model of vehicle, as well as multiple other years. I brought our car into Toyota within an hour of the incident occurring. One of their employees working said that she has heard of this happening before. I see this as a recurring incident with this model of car and it is extremely dangerous. We bought this vehicle with only 5k miles on it, less than 3 months ago from a Toyota dealership. We bought this car because we have a new baby and wanted a safe family vehicle. We are now terrified that this will happen again. We never would have imagined that anything like this would happened in the first place. From my recent research I am shocked that this vehicle issue has not been recalled. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Everett , WA, USA

problem #34

Jun 012021

RAV4

  • miles
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

- Valley Stream, NY, USA

problem #33

Sep 092021

RAV4

  • miles
I am reporting a PROBLEM - the headrests on the front driver and passenger seats will NOT stay down on my 2020 Toyota Rav4- they always slowly keep moving upwards- I guess from the natural vibrations of the road. I complained at the Toyota service department (at Wilde Toyota in Milwaukee Wisconsin) and they said that is how their headrests work in the Toyota Rav4 - they don't stay down. While this may not be an issue for a tall person, an average person of 5 ft 5 inch tall or shorter would have a serious problem with their head being smacked around when the headrest won't stay down - I have never experienced a headrest that won't lock in place and stay there- I think this could be terrible if I got into an accident and my headrest was in the wrong position. I am shocked that Toyota does not care. I think you should check into this. A manager there did acknowledge he has heard of this problem before and has had a few people complain about it but they don't think it is a big deal. - they were tall men so they didn't care - they like the headrest all the way up as far as it goes.

- Milwaukee, WI, USA

problem #32

Jul 082021

RAV4

  • miles
While driving on the freeway, the panoramic sunroof exploded. I have photos showing the glass exploding up & outward (away from the vehicle), rather than downward as one would see if the glass had been impacted by a foreign object. Had I not had the sunroof screen closed glass would have come down onto myself along with any other passengers who could have been inside the vehicle, and possibly caused an accident with other vehicles. Currently the vehicle is at the Toyota dealership and I am awaiting inspection from Toyota's corporate department and my insurance company. There was no warning prior to this event occurring.

- Manteca, CA, USA

problem #31

Mar 042020

RAV4

  • miles
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 dark once. I have been to multiple dealerships not long after I bought it and they said they -??could not duplicate the issue-??.. when I went to them regarding the antifreeze leak they said it is normal in new cars which I know is absolute lies. I need help as they are not willing to find the issues. I have pictures and videos to back this up.

- Palm Harbor , FL, USA

problem #30

May 302021

RAV4

  • miles
Went to start car and received warning that smart key was not working Unable to turn on car followed instructions in manual car would not turn on and all power lost Unable to open doors Called AAA and technician stated front battery was drained no power and that battery bad Took to dealer who stated it was computer problem that caused battery to be drained This is a safety issue as this appears to be a recurring problem Should not be occurring in new car

- Glenshaw , PA, USA

problem #29

May 192021

RAV4

  • miles
I purchased this vehicle in 2020 and from then this has happened twice and no information was provided when I serviced my vehicle or when the vehicle was repaired last time. The battery died earlier with a warning but this time, the battery died again without a warning. The battery was changed in August within 7 months of purchasing the vehicle and after that in the next 8-9 months, the battery died. I am scared to use this vehicle anymore because you never know when the battery will die and the service center people have no information about why the battery got drained out. I saw few more similar complaints online. The vehicle was idle or not used only for 3 days.

- Oak Creek, WI, USA

problem #28

May 042021

RAV4

  • 5,972 miles
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. The smell is very strong. I have taken it the dealer 5 times and after many systems tests, they have told me the smell is "normal" and there is nothing wrong.

- Sterling, VA, USA

problem #27

Apr 042021

RAV4

  • 11,500 miles
Bad battery- my 2020 Rav4 was in my driveway for 4 days without being driven. When trying to start it, the battery was dead (nothing was left on). Jumped battery and it ran for a few hours. It sat again for 2 hours and then the battery was dead again.

- Fairhope, AL, USA

problem #26

Mar 132021

RAV4

  • 5,400 miles
When vehicle was stationary and in covered carport sunroof spontaneously popped and shattered

- Oakland, CA, USA

problem #25

Mar 022021

RAV4

  • 6,000 miles
After the car sits for 3 or 4 days I driven the battery dies and needs to be jumped to get it started again. No lights left on or anything. On cold start the engine makes a ticking noise that has been getting louder over that last few months.

- San Bernardino, CA, USA

problem #24

Feb 152021

RAV4

  • 7,200 miles
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 updated the software, but this fix did not solve the problem.

- Ann Arbor, MI, USA

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