2017 Toyota RAV4

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/31/2017· STEERING,SUSPENSION,WHEELS

  AIR PRESSURE SEEMS WRONG AND THE CAR SHAKES SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING. I HIT POTHOLES ALL OVER THIS TOWN BUT IT CAN'T BE HELPED.

• 12/29/2023· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  Battery became disabled without any warning. Safety of driving down the road and battery stop working is an issue. I replaced battery through no help of Toyota. Only person to inspect was person replacing battery.

• 12/29/2016· SERVICE BRAKESCrash

  I WAS DRIVING AND TAKING A TURN AND AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN RESULT IN A MINOR ACCIDENT. *TR

• 12/28/2016· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  WHILE DRIVING ON CRUISE CONTROL AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 65 MPH, MY RAV 4 CAME TO AN ABRUPT DEAD STOP WITH NO WARNING. THERE WAS NOT A CAR IN FRONT OF MINE, BUT A CAR WAS STOPPED IN A MEDIAN TO MY LEFT FACING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF MY CAR. I COULD ONLY ASSUME THAT MY RAV 4 APPARENTLY SENSED THAT CAR WHEN IT CAME TO A SUDDEN DEAD STOP. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO MY CAR AND THOUGHT THE ENGINE HAD SHUT OFF. A PASSENGER WITH ME, WHO IS A WITNESS TO THIS EVENT, IS AN OWNER OF A RAV 4 SE WITHOUT THE SAFETY SENSE/PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM. WE WERE SHOOK UP BY THIS BECAUSE HAD THERE BEEN A CAR OR SEMI TRUCK TRAILER BEHIND US, WE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN KILLED. I REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO THE DEALER, TOYOTA OF WARREN, WHERE WE PURCHASED THE NEW CAR, AND AFTER A DAY IN SERVICE, THEY SAID THE CAR WAS WORKING FINE WITH THE SENSORS ALIGNED CORRECTLY. I WAS TO LET THEM KNOW IF THIS SITUATION OCCURRED AGAIN, AND IT DID. IN ANOTHER INCIDENT, AGAIN WHILE USING THE CRUISE CONTROL AND WITH NO CAR IN FRONT OF MINE, A CAR IN THE PASSING LANE WENT BY ME AT APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH TO MY 65 MPH. MY CAR CAME TO A DEAD STOP. THANK GOD THERE WAS NOT A CAR BEHIND ME AT THE TIME, OR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON THIS SAFETY PROBLEM THAT WE EXPERIENCED, WE FOUND A NUMBER OF REPORTS CONCERNING THIS VERY SITUATION HAPPENING WITH THEIR RAV 4'S COMING TO SUDDEN STOPS FOR NO REASON. THESE REPORTS OF THIS VERY PROBLEM WERE REPORTED TO TOYOTA WITH NO RESOLUTION. THESE OWNERS ALSO SOLD THEIR CARS AT A LOSS BECAUSE OF SAFETY ISSUES. ACCORDING TO THESE REPORTS, TOYOTA DOES KNOW THAT A PROBLEM EXISTS, BUT IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED. *TR

• 12/27/2021· 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.

• 12/24/2022· AIR BAGS

  We owned 2 Toyota cars, highlander and RAV4( this is our second RAV4), we bought both time new, the first one after one year has some break and noise issues and my wife did not like it and we traded and got 2017 RAV4, from her experience, she did not wanted Toyota but different car, though I told her that it has longevity and she should get another Toyota and she agreed and gotten RAV4 2017 new car. However, this RAV4 cars have issues and my wife was right and I was wrong and will never buy RAV4 again. Today, in Portland, there is rain and raining and that small snow also now start melting with the rain, I parked my wife car in our driveway and went in, after lunch came back to drive, saw water was dripping, immediately looked for the sun roof locks, it was completed closed, reach my hand to the place where is the leak is coming, its from headliner areas by driver side where sun visor located. This is 2017 RAV4 with 26k mileage, I drop the car by the dealer where did we bought this car, their tech will be back on Monday, I cannot wait what they have to say for this obvious defect from the factories, I read more about it and there are a lot of this issues with RAV4 and needs factory attention for recall. MY MAIN CONCERN IS NOW: The real danger with this roof leak is not so much cosmetic , the real danger is damage to the airbags over the door and corrosion to the wiring harness, it should warrant recall!!

• 12/22/2019· AIR BAGS,WHEELS,SERVICE BRAKES

  THE AIRBAGS ARE OFF AND I CANT TURN IT ON, EVERY WEEK TURN IT ON THE LIGTH FLAT TIRE AND THE TIRE ARE GOOD INCLUIDING EXTRA TIRE, AND MY BRAKES ARE DOING A EXTRANGE NOISE I CHECKED THE BRAKES AND ARE GOOD.

• 12/21/2019· TIRES,WHEELS

  I WAS DRIVING ON I 10 SOUTHBOUND WITH MY TWO DISABLED CHILDREN. MY FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT THE SIDEWALL IN 1-2 INCH CHUNKS. IT SOUNDED LIKE MACHINE GUN FIRE. I HAD TO SAFELY COAST TO THE SHOULDER HOLDING MY STEERING WHEEL FIRMLY AND PUTTING MY CAR IN NEUTRAL. I HAD AIR CHECKS AND BALANCING REGULARLY. I KEEP MY CAR IN A GARAGE WITH LOW MILEAGE. DISCOUNT TIRES CHECKED MY TIRES ON THREE OCCASSIONS AND TOLD ME TO GO TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR HELP. THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS RUDE AND DISMISSED MY CONCERNS COMPLETELY MAKING IT SOUND LIKE MY TIRES WERE WEARING AT A NORMAL RATE, WHICH IS NOT TRUE. I ASKED THEM TO HELP ME REACH OUT TO THE TIRE MANUFACTURER AND/OR HELP ME DETERMINE IF MY NEW RAV4 CAME TO ME WITH IT'S ORIGINAL TIRES OFF THE LOT. THEY DISMISSED ME AND I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO TOYOTA TO PURCHASE A NEW CAR AGAIN. BEWARE, ONCE THEY HAVE YOUR MONEY, IT SEEMS THEY NO LONGER CARE ABOUT YOU AFTER THE INITIAL SALE. I AM UNCERTAIN IF THIS IS THE CASE WITH ALL TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS, OR JUST OURS IN TUCSON, AZ, BUT PLEASE, BUYERS BEWARE! THEY ENDANGERED ME AND MY CHILDREN AND REFUSED TO ADMIT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE ROAD I TRAVELLED WAS SMOOTH, I WAS TRAVELING AT 65MPH, AND I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING IN THE ROAD. MY SPINE IS A WRECK FROM THE JARRING... LEGS ARE BRUISED UP, TOO. THANKFULLY A STATE TROOPER ASSISTED US. STATE FARM ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS ABSOLUTELY BOTCHED UP BY THEIR AUTOMATED SYSTEM AND DISPATCHED TO SOMEWHERE IN PHOENIX. SO GRATEFUL FOR THE STATE TROOPER AND DISCOUNT TIRES FOR THEIR CARE. TOYOTA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ISSUE AND THE TERRIBLE TIRES. THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM. MY LAST TIRES LASTED TO 60,000 MILES. NO REASON I SHOULD HAVE HAD TO CHANGE ALL 4 TIRES ON A NEW VEHICLE AT 19,000-20,000 MILES. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE HAS BEEN A SAFETY RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. TOYOTA SHOULD PAY FOR MY TIRES.

• 12/20/2017· ENGINE

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, TOXIC FUMES EMITTED FROM THE HEATER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. KOONS ARLINGTON TOYOTA IN ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ACKNOWLEDGED THE PRESENCE OF THE FUMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

• 12/19/2017· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  2017 RAV4 HYBRID XLE - 4300 MILES HELLO, EXPERIENCE A PROBLEM LAST WEEK DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, I TOOK MY FOOT OFF GAS PEDAL TO COAST, THE "EV" LIGHT CAME ON FOR ABOUT "1/2 - 1" SECOND AND THEN WENT OFF. IF I HAPPENED TO PRESS THE GAS PEDAL AT THE TIME THE LIGHT WAS ON AT ABOUT 65-70 MPH, I EXPERIENCED A SHAKING, VIBRATION, AND A FEELING THAT I RAN OVER SOMETHING FOR ABOUT A 1/2 SECOND TIMEFRAME. IT WAS VERY NOTICEABLE AND TROUBLING. IF I WAITED THE SECOND FOR THE LIGHT TO GO OFF WHILE COASTING, THEN NO PROBLEMS. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT RECREATE, NO COMPUTER CODES, AND INDICATED THAT THIS IS NORMAL SINCE THE ELECTRIC AND GAS IS "OUT OF SYNC" AT THE HIGH SPEED. THIS WAS CERTAINLY NOT NORMAL TO ME. MY THOUGHT IS THAT THE EV LIGHT SHOULD NEVER HAD COME ON (EVEN FOR A 1/2 SECOND) AT THE HIGH SPEEDS AND THERE IS A PROBLEM SOMEWHERE.

• 12/19/2016· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  LANE DEVIATION WARNING IS NOT AUDIBLE WHEN VEERING EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT AT SPEEDS OVER 32 MILES PER HOUR AS STATED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. OUR 2015 TOYOTA RAV 4 LANE DEVIATION WARNING WAS LOUD AND CLEAR.

• 12/16/2023· AIR BAGSCrash

  When the passenger front airbag deployed in an accident, a coil about 3 inches long and an inch wide was ejected from the airbag compartment and info the face of the occupant. Minor injuries sustained but was near the eye. The coil became embedded in the skin and the coil had to be removed.

• 12/14/2019· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER SHUDDER AND SHIFT HESITATION - SHUDDERS BETWEEN GEARS, OCCURS BETWEEN ANY TWO GEARS BUT MOSTLY WITHIN THE 20-55 MPH RANGE. BEGUN MOST NOTICEABLY AT ~90K, VEHICLE NOW HAS 103K ON IT AND SHUDDER CONTINUES TO WORSEN AND BECOME MORE FREQUENT. BROUGHT IT BACK TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES NOW AND THEY HAVE ADVISED MOST LIKELY TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED (APPROX $3-$4K REPAIR). SAME PROBLEM AS THE GENERATION BEFORE WHERE TOYOTA EVENTUALLY EXTENDED WARRANTY COVER FOR: HTTPS://WWW.TOYOHEADQUARTERS.COM/THREADS/2013-2015-TOYOTA-RAV4-TRANSMISSION-SHUDDER-WARRANTY-EXTENSION-ZH1.1148/PAGE-2

• 12/13/2023· SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCECrash

  I have a 2017 RAV4 Hybrid XLE that I bought brand New. I have done all schedule maintenance on it. I was driving to an appointment on 15 November 2023 and the vehicle all the sudden jerked violently side to side throwing me off the road. I brought the car to the shop thinking an alignment or something. My whole rear subframe was cracked, and by the driver side rear wheel bolt it was broke straight through where the tow bar connects to the subframe. The mechanic said it was from rust from living in the Northeast, and the salt from the road during winter months. The Mechanic said Even though I took care of the vehicle this was going to happen anyways due to the subframe suspension parts that Toyota puts in the RAV4. Being flung into a ditch coming off a highway is a dangerous situation, and could of cost me my life because Toyota wants to save money and put in parts knowing that the rust problem will and could occur. I did my research, and found out this has been going on since 2007 and there have been recalls on models all the way up to 2012. If this is a known thing then why is Toyota being allowed to still make a weak subframe. Does someone have to die for this to be stoped. I’m am asking for a recall on all models of 2017 Rav4 hybrids and on to fix this problem. I am lucky to escape with minor injures, but maybe the next person isn’t. Something has to be done.

• 12/12/2024· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  Toyota has yet to resolve this safety recall.

• 12/12/2023· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  The contact owns 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving downhill at night with the headlights illuminated, the windshield darkened, and the contact lost visibility of the roadway. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the windshield was compliant to safety standards. The contact stated that he had contacted an unknown dealer, who informed him that the failure was related to the design of the headlights. Additionally, the contact stated that while attempting to turn the key in the ignition switch, the key would not turn and remained stuck. The contact stated that he continuously attempted to turn the key while wiggling the steering wheel, and he was able to turn the key in the ignition switch. There was no warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened; however, no further assistance was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.

• 12/12/2017· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES

  I STARTED IT AND NOTICED IMMEDIATELY SOMETHING WAS WRONG. VEHICLE STARTED MOVING AND I TRIED TO APPLY BRAKE. BRAKE WAS HARD INITIALLY AND VEHICLE CONTINUED MOVING. THEN I WAS ABLE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY BUT IT KEPT MOVING. WITH MY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR I GOT PANIC. I SWITCHED TO P AND VEHICLE KEPT GOING, THOUGH SLOWLY ON THE STREET. THEN I TURNED POWER OFF AND REMOVED THE KEY. AT THIS POINT ALL DASH BOARDS LIGHTS WERE ON AND IT WAS MAKING A LOUD, WIRED NOISE. IT LASTED SEVERAL SECONDS AND VEHICLE KEPT MOVING DURING THIS TIME. FINALLY IT CAME TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 4200 MILES. THE SCARY THING IS, BRAKE FAILED FOR NO REASON AND ALL DASH BOARD LIGHTS WERE ON EVEN AFTER THE KEY WAS REMOVED.

• 12/10/2023· ENGINE

  I was driving my car when no warning lights came on the car started stalling and turning off and then sparks started to come out from the hood. I was able to get the car in a parking lot and when the hood was opened the battery clamp part came off and welded itself to the hood of the car. I had it towed to Price Toyota where they said the battery was fine and that the bolt was missing. They put the same clamp back on and presumed someone tampered with it. The only place that ever touched the battery was them back in June of 2022 when the first recall came out and they said it was fine. I do not feel safe driving this car, especially on a highway if the car stalled like that, I would have been killed. A bolt just doesn't come loose and fall off. Something caused it to loosen and in turn put my life and my kids at risk.

• 12/09/2025· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  My 2017 Toyota RAV4 suddenly caught fire while it was parked in front of my home. The vehicle was turned off and had been parked for several minutes. Without any warning, flames started in the battery area and rapidly spread, resulting in a total loss of the vehicle. The Wylie, Texas Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire. Component or System Involved: Exact cause UNKNOWN. Fire appears to have originated from the engine compartment. The remains of the vehicle are available for inspection upon request by NHTSA, Toyota, or investigators. Safety Risk: This was a severe and unexpected fire with no warning and posed a serious risk to my family, neighbors, and surrounding property. The fire could have spread to my home and other vehicles nearby. It created a dangerous situation for anyone in the area. Reproduction / Confirmation: The problem cannot be reproduced because the vehicle is a total loss. No prior mechanical issues or symptoms suggested this could happen. Inspection Status: The vehicle has been inspected by the Wylie Fire Department, and my insurance company has opened a case and is investigating. Toyota USA has also opened a case (# [INSERT CASE NUMBER]) and is expected to review the incident. No final cause has been determined yet. Warning Lamps or Symptoms: There were no warning lights, messages, unusual smells, smoke, or performance issues before the fire. The vehicle showed no signs of trouble prior to the incident. Additional Details: I later verified that my VIN is included in an open recall related to potential fire risk. I believe this issue may be connected, but the cause is still UNKNOWN pending investigation.

• 12/09/2022· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  I have attached a letter that I wrote Toyota but did not mail. Vechicle is a 2017 Rav Hybrid. We bought it in CA April 2021 and it had 28230 miles. Car went to Renton WA in August, 2021. Vechicle was serviced a couple of times, but in October 2022, dealer gave us a bill for $9700 due to a faulty wire halter. The Toyota people said the car is out of warranty. Please read the letter with lots more details. Thanks.

• 12/07/2019· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

  VEHICLE DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS ON A CITY STREET.

• 12/07/2017· VISIBILITY/WIPER

  THIS IS A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT THE SEALS THAT ARE BUILT INTO THE DOOR WINDOW GUIDES ARE NOT EFFECTIVE. WHEN THE OUTSIDE WINDOWS ARE FOGGY OR WET, THE BUILT-IN SQUEEGEE DOES NOT WIPE OFF THE WINDOW AS THEY HAVE IN EVERY OTHER CAR. THIS CREATES A HAZARD AS YOU CANNOT SEE TO CHANGE LANES OR BACK OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. I REPORTED THIS TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND THE REFUSED TO CORRECT THIS THANK YOU

• 12/06/2017· VISIBILITY,STRUCTURE,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKES ACTIVATED AUTOMATICALLY WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (PRIME TOYOTA RT 2, 700 OLD UNION TURNPIKE, LANCASTER, MA 01523), BUT COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO FAILURE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL OTHER TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000. *TT THE CONSUMER STATED THE RADAR CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED. *JS THE CONSUMER STATED THE CLIMATE CONTROL ADJUSTMENT KNOBS JAMMED.*JS UPDATED 9/18/18*JB *JS *TR *JS *TR *JS

• 12/04/2018· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  WHEN HEADLIGHTS AFTER DARK ARE SET ON AUTOMATIC AND I MEET ON COMING TRAFFIC EITHER BRIGHT LIGHTS MY LIGHTS NOT ONLY DIM AUTOMATICALLY BUT THE AUTOMATIC TURNS IT'S SELF OFF AND WON'T COME BACK ON FOR A GOOD DISTANCE. I HAVE MET VEHICLES WITH EXCEPTIONALLY BRIGHT LIGHTS AND MY AUTOMATIC NOT ONLY TURNS OFF BUT THE HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF ALTOGETHER AND I AM LEFT WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS. I AM FUMBLING WITH THE LIGHT SWITCH TO TURN THE LIGHTS ON MANUALLY. THIS COULD BE DEADLY.

• 12/01/2025· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  While driving the vehicle on an uphill stretch of highway with cruise control set at approximately 65 mph, the vehicle suddenly slowed down without warning. A distinct clunk was heard at the same moment. The cruise control system attempted to restore speed, and the engine became noticeably louder, but the vehicle struggled to return to the set speed. The driver tapped the brake to disengage cruise control and manually pressed the accelerator to resume normal speed. The trip was completed without additional events. After parking, the check engine light illuminated and the cruise control system became disabled on all subsequent drives. No warning indicators were present at the time of the initial failure, and there were no vehicles ahead that would have triggered the collision-avoidance system. Two days later, the vehicle became an intermittent no-start and eventually failed to start entirely. The vehicle was towed to a dealership for inspection. Technicians confirmed an electrical malfunction and reported that the multiplex ECU was likely experiencing an internal short. A parasitic draw test showed an abnormally high current draw of approximately 113 mA, which disappeared when the dome-light fuse and later the multiplex ECU were disconnected. The failure is intermittent and appears to involve an internal electrical short within the multiplex ECU. The sudden loss of cruise control function, abrupt deceleration, and subsequent intermittent electrical behavior created a safety risk, as the electrical malfunction occurred without warning while the vehicle was in motion. The issue was confirmed by a dealership service department.

• 11/29/2022· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGFire

  The contact owned a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while the wife was driving approximately 35 MPH, the odor of smoke was present inside the vehicle. After stopping to inspect the vehicle, smoke and flames were seen coming from under the hood. The fire department was called to the scene to extinguish the flames. During the incident, the vehicle was destroyed and later towed away. A fire report was taken at the scene. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000.

• 11/29/2017· SERVICE BRAKES

  CRACKING DISC AFTER DRIVING ON HEAVY TRAFFIC TERRIBLE NOISE ON DISC. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER BUT THEY TOLD ME THEY CAN'T MAKE ANY CHANGES BECAUSE THE DISC IS OKAY AND THE DISC IS CRYSTALLIZED AND THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING.

• 11/27/2023· STRUCTURE

  The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that condensation was present inside the vehicle causing the carpet to become moist and damp. The contact stated that the front and rear carpets on the driver's and passenger's sides of the vehicle were moldy. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted, and a service appointment was scheduled. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.

• 11/26/2018· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  I PURCHASED A 2017 RAV4 LE IN DECEMBER 2017. AFTER DRIVING IT IN THE DARK, I REALIZED HOW HORRIBLE THE HEADLIGHTS ARE. I HAD THEM ADJUSTED ON MAY 5, 2018, BUT LITTLE DIFFERENCE WAS NOTICED. THOSE THAT BUY THE HIGH END MODELS OF THE RAV4 GET BETTER HEADLIGHTS. AND THEY CANNOT BE RETRO FITTED INTO THE LE MODEL. DRIVING AT NIGHT SCARES THE BEJEZZUS OUT OF ME. MY PARENTS LIVE IN MONTANA (LOTS OF WILDLIFE), AND HITTING A DEER IS NOT MY IDEA OF FUN. I DRIVE HIGH BEAMS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT DON'T WANT ANOTHER CAR TO WRECK DUE TO MY HEADLIGHTS. I CAN'T EVEN SEE ACROSS THE STREET WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON LOW BEAM. I CAN'T BELIEVE TOYOTA HAS NOT REMEDIED THIS ISSUE. DRIVING IN THE RAIN ON NOVEMBER 23, 2018, WAS HORRIBLE! I COULDN'T EVEN TELL IF THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON. I WENT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ON NOVEMBER 24, 2018, AND GAVE THE SALESMAN A PIECE OF MY MIND. I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER TOYOTA AS LONG AS THESE HEADLIGHTS REMAIN AN ISSUE. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND PUTS PEOPLE AT RISK OF THEIR LIVES IF DRIVING AT NIGHT. I WILL SEE WHAT THEY COME BACK WITH AFTER MY DISCUSSION THE OTHER NIGHT. I WASN'T ABLE TO DRIVE MOST OF 2017 DUE TO MEDICAL ISSUES, SO I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS PROBLEM. TOYOTA IS BETTER THAN THIS AND SHOULD BE EMBARASSED BY THE SITUATION. I'VE SPOKE WITH THEM SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY KNOW WHO I AM WHEN IN THE DEALERSHIP. THE NEXT STEP IS TO WRITE TO THE TOYOTA CORPORATION ABOUT MY SPECIFIC COMPLAINT. I HAD A 2009 RAV4 AND DID NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE. A HUGE BLACK EYE FOR TOYOTA.

• 11/25/2017· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  HEADLIGHTS ON LOW BEAM, FORM A LINE ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. UNABLE TO SEE THE ROAD AHEAD UNLESS HIGH BEAMS ARE ACTIVATED. YOU CANNOT SEE STOP OR STREET SIGNS. UNLESS YOU KNOW THERE IS A STOP SIGN OR ROAD ENTRANCE YOU CANNOT SEE THEM WHEN USING THE LOW BEAMS. 2 OTHER PEOPLE HAVE DRIVEN MY VEHICLE AND COMPLAINED ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE THE ROAD AHEAD. VERY DANGEROUS. I AM NOW LEERY OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AT NIGHT.

• 11/23/2020· VISIBILITY/WIPER

  2017 TOYOTA RAV4 LE ISSUES. THERE IS QUITE A LOT OF ROAD NOISE ESPECIALLY DURING HIGHWAY TRAVEL. THE VEHICLE COULD BE INSULATED BETTER. THE PRIMARY ISSUE IS WITH THE WIPERS. THE SPEED SETTINGS ARE NOT REFINED ENOUGH. THE SETTING CAUSE THE WIPERS TO EITHER BE TOO FAST OR SLOW DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF RAIN EXPERIENCE. ALSO, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND WIPERS THAT DO NOT CAUSE THE ANNOYING LOUD STUTTER/RUBBNG NOISE. I HAVE TRIED ALL THE DIFFERENT TOP OF THE LINE BRANDS WITH NO SUCCESS. RAINX, MICHELIN, BOSCH, AND TRICO.

• 11/19/2022· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  The door lock actuators failed I was locked out of my car

• 11/15/2017· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  2017 TOYOTA RAV 4 HAS LANE DEPARTURE WARNING, AUDIBLE SOUND. IT IS TO MUTED TO HEAR, EVEN IF THE RADIO IS OFF. SECOND RAV 4. MY 2015 RAV4 LANE DEPARTURE WAS LOUD. TOYOTA STATES THAT THEY CAN'T INCREASE THE VOLUME. THIS TO ME, IS A SAFETY DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. NO RECOURSE WAS OFFERED BY TOYOTA ON MY LEASED VEHICLE. BOTTOM LINE, IF I ACCIDENTALLY CROSS OVER A WHITE LINE I GET A LOW ALMOST MUTED SOUND, WHICH IF I HAVE THE RADIO ON I CAN NOT HEAR. TOYOTA NEEDS TO GO BACK TO THE TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY USED FOR THIS ON THE 2015 MODEL, TO MAKE IT ACTUALLY WORK!

• 11/14/2019· POWER TRAIN

  2017 TOYOTA RAV4 TRANSMISSION GIVES UP AT 100K MILES.THE TOYOTA DEALER ASK ME TO $6000 FOR REPAIR.

• 11/13/2020· SERVICE BRAKESCrash

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, HE HAD REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES WITH ALL SEASON TIRES. HE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ON A RAINY DAY, A TRUCK BEGAN TO MERGE INTO HIS LANE. AS THE CONTACT BEGAN TO VEER TO THE RIGHT, THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY WHICH CAUSED HIS VEHICLE TO VEER INTO THE LEFT LANE AND HIT THE REAR OF THE TRUCK. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NEITHER HIMSELF OR THE OTHER DRIVER SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD RECENTLY STARTED TO EXPERIENCE PAIN IN HIS RIGHT CHEST. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AT THE SCENE. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT TOW YARD WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE FAULTY ABS SYSTEM WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 67,000.

• 11/10/2020· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  WITH RAIN AND SNOW THE SENSOR START BEEPING AND WARNING OF OBJECTS IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THERE ARE NOTHING. DRIVING IN SNOW GETS THE SENSORS BLOCKED AND YOU CANT USE THE CRUISE CONTROL.

• 11/09/2018· UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES

  I HAVE HAD THIS CAR IN SEVERAL TIMES FOR BRAKE NOISES AND ROTATED WARPING. CURRENTLY THE CAR HAS 35,XXX. EVERY 5-7K THE ROTARS OR PADS ARE REPLACED. THERE IS USUALLY A NOISE THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS AND A DUPLICATE VIDEO WAS FOUND ON YOUTUBE AND TURNED OUT TO BE A MASTER CYLINDER AND WAS ADVISED THAT IT IS NOT THAT BUT I HAVE SECOND THOUGHTS. BRAKES ARE A MAJOR PART OF THE VEHICLE AND THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES I THOUGHT ABOUT TOWING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. BUT THEY CLAIM THAT THE NOISES ARE NORMAL AND ARE JUST THE PADS SHIFTING, I HAVE HAD MY SHARE FAR OF CARS AND DRIVEN MANY DIFFERENT BRANDS AND NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE EVEN WITH MY PRIOR TOYOTA'S. SECOND COMPLAINT IS IN REGARDS TO MY LOCKS. THERE ARE TIMES THE LOCKS ON THE VEHICLE WILL NOT LOCK OR CONSTANTLY MAKES NOISE WHILE TRYING TO LOCK/UNLOCK AND THE DEALER CLAIMS THEY CAN NOT REPRODUCE THE NOISE BUT THE SECOND I STEP IN THE CAR IT MAKES THE NOISE.

• 11/08/2023· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLCrash

  The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked. The contact stated that upon shifting to drive (D) and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle lurched, accelerated unintendedly, and crashed into the base of a lamp pole; however, the engine continued to rev loudly. The air bags did not deploy. The contact depressed the brake pedal and while attempting to reverse away from the lamp pole, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated and impacted a curb. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as needed. The contact then pulled into a parking space. The contact did not sustain any injury. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to an autobody repair shop, where the contact was informed that the vehicle was significantly damaged. The contact was referred to an auto collision center. The vehicle was towed to the auto collision center where repairs were made. The vehicle was the taken to the dealer, where the EDR crash data report was read. The manufacturer sent a letter to the contact, informing her that the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact followed up with the manufacturer, but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 24, 971.

• 11/08/2018· SERVICE BRAKES

  I GOT THIS CAR BRAND NEW. WITHIN THE 17,000 MILES I HAVE PUT ON IT, IT HAS HAD TO HAVE THE SAME {ONLY ONE BRAKE) BRAKE REPLACED THREE SEPARATE TIMES. THE OTHER 3 BRAKES ARE LIKE NEW. ALSO, JUST LAST WEEK, ON THE HIGHWAY, WITH THE NEWEST BRAKE REPLACEMENT RECENTLY COMPLETED, THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED TO WORK, AND WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKES, THEY DID DEPRESS, BUT I COULD NOT SLOW DOWN. THIS WAS TERRIFYING, AND ON THE FREEWAY, IT COULD HAVE COST ME MY LIFE. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING MALFUNCTION, AND NO AMOUNT OF BRAKE REPLACEMENT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO DEMAND A NEW VEHICLE THAT IS SAFE.

• 11/07/2019· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAMS (AHB) MALFUNCTION. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE AHB SYSTEMS OCCASIONALLY (EVERY ~10 MINUTES LATELY) SHUTS DOWN AND THE GREEN "AUTO HIGH BEAM" INDICATOR GOES OFF - RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF HIGH BEAMS IN ALL AMBIENT CONDITIONS. THIS USUALLY LASTS ABOUT A MINUTE AND THEN THE SYSTEMS RECOVERS. THERE ARE MANY CASES OF THIS REPORTED ON THE INTERNET - WHICH CAN BE FOUND BY GOOGLING "TOYOTA AUTO HIGH BEAMS MALFUNCTION". THE ISSUE SEEMS TO AFFECT ALL TOYOTA AND LEXUS VEHICLES MANUFACTURED IN THE LAST ~3 YEARS AND EQUIPPED WITH AHB. LEXUS OWNERS SEEM TO BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY FIX THIS UNDER WARRANTY BY THEIR DEALERS - THE FIX IS CLEANING THE CAMERA LENS AND THE WINDSHIELD IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA. UNFORTUNATELY IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THIS ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA. I HAD TWO DEALER VISITS AND TWO CALLS WITH TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE - EACH TIME THEY JUST TRY TO CONVINCE ME THAT "I AM USING IT WRONG". BY THE WAY I HAVE A VIDEO OF THIS HAPPENING AND SHOWED IT MY DEALER BUT WAS DENIED WARRANTY SERVICE NEVERTHELESS. A SIMILAR VIDEO AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE - JUST SEARCH FOR "A_32T4QTX4M" THERE.

• 11/06/2025· FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

  My 2017 Toyota RAV4 XLE is experiencing unsafe behavior with the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). When driving around modest or slight turns, the ACC frequently loses tracking of the vehicle ahead and suddenly accelerates, then harshly brakes once it reacquires the vehicle. This creates a jerking motion and significantly reduces my confidence in the system. On one occasion while traveling approximately 45 miles per hour on a slight curve, the ACC began rapidly accelerating toward the vehicle in front of me as if no vehicle was there, forcing me to perform an emergency manual takeover and disengage the ACC to avoid a potential rear end collision. This issue is repeatable and appears to be related to how the ACC detects vehicles ahead while cornering. I am requesting that this behavior be investigated as a potential safety defect.

• 11/05/2017· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  OUTPUT FROM THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS IS TERRIBLE. LOW BEAMS ARE SO DIM THAT IT'S OFTEN TIMES HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT, MAKING IT HARD TO SEE PEDESTRIANS AND ANIMALS. THIS IS UNSAFE I BELIEVE. TOYOTA SHOULD REPLACE THE BULBS JUST LIKE GMC DID HTTP://WWW.GMCPROBLEMS.COM/TRENDS/TERRIBLE-HEADLIGHTS/ IT IS VERY HARD TO SEE LATERALLY AT NIGHT WITH JUST THE LOW BEAMS ON.

• 11/04/2024· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

• 11/02/2023· AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKESCrash

  Related to a car accident when getting hit in the front my air bags didn’t deploy . Only the driver side was hit pretty bad . Another car accident related to a tree branch no air bag deploy . I was told that you have to be hit in a certain way to deploy the air bags . Hearing that makes me switch from a Toyota to a Kia . I have my toddler .

• 10/31/2020· ENGINE

  AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES IN COLD WEATHER, WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPS AT RED LIGHT/STOP SIGNS RPM DROPS TO 400-500 RESULTING IN NOTICEABLE SHAKING LIKE THE ENGINE IS ABOUT TO STALL. I'M AFRAID THE VEHICLE MY STALL IN THE FUTURE.

• 10/30/2022· UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY

  While driving at about 55mph on an open highway, the moon roof exploded. There was a loud explosion inside the car by my right ear. The noise was deafening and distracting and caused a momentary loss of concentration on driving, a situation that was very dangerous and could have resulted in an accident with serious injury. I immediately pulled over and checked the tires, the body and underneath the vehicle, finding nothing. When I began driving again, I heard a loud wind noise and other strange noises above me. I started to open the cover of the moon roof, but shards of glass fell on me, so I closed it again. Pulling over again, I climbed on the door threshold to look at the roof of the car. Unbelievable! It looked like a volcano with the glass pointing upwards around a big hole. Toyota Corp. is claiming it was caused by an outside source. That is definitely not true. I was in the car, nothing landed on the roof. The highway I was on has no bridges, no overpass, no multi-story buildings, no schools or no place that would enable someone to drop or throw a large item on top of a car. And, there was nothing on the inside cover except broken glass. The glass on the roof was definitely pointing upwards. The result of my research on exploding roofs shows that this problem has affected multiple car brands and multiple sun/moon roof manufacturers. I'm asking the NHTSA to help protect USA drivers. If there had been a warning that the roof could suddenly explode while I was driving, I definitely would have selected a car without a glass roof. If the cover had not been closed, I would have been sprayed with glass in addition to the loud blast. Because this is a major safety issue, I'm begging the NHTSA to look into the problem and at the very least immediately issue warnings so drivers of vehicles with sun/moon roofs will be aware that this could happen. It would be much better to find out what defect is causing this to happen before anyone is killed! The consumer stated he feels that moonroof exploding should be reinvestigated and deemed as a safety issue.

• 10/30/2020· SERVICE BRAKES

  MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA SITE (123+) OF RAV4 BRAKE PROBLEMS (EARLY REPLACEMENT AT LOW MILEAGE AND BRAKE FAILURES AT VARIOUS SPEEDS). TOYOTA HAS BEEN IGNORING THE ISSUE. WHY HAVE THERE BEEN NO RECALLS? OUR BRAKES ARE GOING SOFT AT 30,00 MILES (4 YEARS) AND THE DEALER SAYS WE NEED FRONT AND BACK REPLACEMENTS. OTHER COMPLAINERS NOTED THE NEED FOR FREQUENT AND REPEATED REPLACEMENTS.

• 10/30/2019· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  AUTO DIM HEADLIGHTS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR MANY MONTHS

• 10/29/2024· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

• 10/28/2024· FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

  I was driving in the free way, my 2017 Rav4 started shaking and then stopped. I looked at my dash board it says: "Charging System Malfunction". I confirmed that I have 1/4 tank of fuel (reading the gauge). I had my car towed to a mechanic. Troubleshot it, found out that car was out of fuel but the fuel gauge said: 1/4 tank of fuel left. Reported the problem to Toyota. I was told they recalled other Rav 4's , different years but not the 2017.