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2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 15 of 16 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine complaints

2 reports
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Mileage unknown · Sep 1, 2016
EngineSteering

DURING THE FIRST STARTUP OF THE DAY (OR AFTER COOLED DOWN) THE STEERING WHEEL MOVES RAPIDLY FROM SIDE-TO-SIDE AND THE ENGINE SURGES ROCKING THE CAR BACK AND FORTH. THE CAR IS IN PARK, AND MY FOOT HAS TO BE ON THE BRAKE TO START THE CAR, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS HAPPENING IN TRAFFIC WITH THE CAR IN GEAR. SO FAR IT'S AN INTERM…

Read full complaint

DURING THE FIRST STARTUP OF THE DAY (OR AFTER COOLED DOWN) THE STEERING WHEEL MOVES RAPIDLY FROM SIDE-TO-SIDE AND THE ENGINE SURGES ROCKING THE CAR BACK AND FORTH. THE CAR IS IN PARK, AND MY FOOT HAS TO BE ON THE BRAKE TO START THE CAR, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS HAPPENING IN TRAFFIC WITH THE CAR IN GEAR. SO FAR IT'S AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. I CAN'T REPRODUCE IT FOR THE DEALERSHIP. THE STEERING WHEEL CAN WOBBLE AT STARTUP WITHOUT THE ENGINE SURGING. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I LEASED THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI #10903096

5,000 miles · Apr 13, 2016
Engine

IN THE TOYOTA RAV 4 HYBRID, THE "POWER" (IGNITION" BUTTON IS ABOUT 2.25" FROM THE AC BUTTON. (SEE ATTACHED PHOTO). WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING LESS THAN 10 MPH YOU CAN PUSH THE BUTTON AND THE ENGINE WILL TURN OFF, STEERING WHEEL LOCK UP, AND THE CAR KEEPS ROLLING. THIS HAPPENED TO ME. I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT, AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN…

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IN THE TOYOTA RAV 4 HYBRID, THE "POWER" (IGNITION" BUTTON IS ABOUT 2.25" FROM THE AC BUTTON. (SEE ATTACHED PHOTO). WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING LESS THAN 10 MPH YOU CAN PUSH THE BUTTON AND THE ENGINE WILL TURN OFF, STEERING WHEEL LOCK UP, AND THE CAR KEEPS ROLLING. THIS HAPPENED TO ME. I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT, AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I WANTED TO TURN OFF THE AC, AND I ACCIDENTALLY PUSHED THE WRONG BUTTON (BECAUSE THEY WERE CLOSE TOGETHER), AND THE WHOLE ENGINE TURNED OFF, WHILE I WAS IN THE INTERSECTION. LUCKILY, THE STREETS WERE EMPTY SO NOTHING HAPPENED. THIS WOULD NOT BE AS MUCH OF AN ISSUE IF THE TWO BUTTONS WERE NOT CLOSE TOGETHER, BUT SINCE THEY ARE SO CLOSE TOGETHER, THE IGNITION BUTTON SHOULD NOT TURN OFF SO EASILY, TURNING OFF WITH A PUSH WITHOUT A FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, IN DRIVE AND WITHOUT THE PARKING BRAKE ON. I TESTED IT OUT WHILE IN REVERSE AND BACKING OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE AT WORK, AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF AND THE CAR KEPT GOING. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS, BUT I THINK IT IS STILL DANGEROUS. I CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT THIS, BUT THEY SAID THAT THIS IS THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED. THEY CLAIM, "IF YOU HOLD THE POWER BUTTON FOR A NUMBER OF SECONDS WHILE DRIVING IT WILL TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. THIS TECHNIQUE MAY SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE AS A VERY LAST RESORT IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION IF ALL OTHER EFFORTS TO STOP THE VEHICLE FAIL." THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT I DID NOT HAVE TO HOLD THE BUTTON DOWN FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND IT TURNED OFF. I MERELY PUSHED IT, AS I WOULD TO TURN OFF THE AC, AND THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. MAYBE AT HIGHER SPEEDS YOU NEED TO HOLD IT DOWN FOR A WHILE, BUT AT LOW SPEEDS A LIGHT PUSH CAN SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN.

NHTSA ODI #10855336

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.