The vehicle has experienced premature and widespread paint peeling and clear coat failure on multiple body panels. The paint began deteriorating without impact, collision, or environmental damage and has progressively worsened over time. This condition is consistent with a known manufacturing defect affecting certain Toyota veh…
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The vehicle has experienced premature and widespread paint peeling and clear coat failure on multiple body panels. The paint began deteriorating without impact, collision, or environmental damage and has progressively worsened over time. This condition is consistent with a known manufacturing defect affecting certain Toyota vehicles, which Toyota acknowledged through a Customer Support Program. The defect results in exposed metal and body surfaces, increasing the risk of corrosion and long-term structural damage. The issue has been visually confirmed and documented and is reproducible across affected panels. No warning indicators were present prior to the failure. The vehicle remains available for inspection upon request.
NHTSA ODI #11714064
120,000 miles · Dec 5, 2025
Structure
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that large pieces of paint had separated from the hood and contacted the front windshield while driving, creating a visibility hazard for the driver. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. Th…
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The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that large pieces of paint had separated from the hood and contacted the front windshield while driving, creating a visibility hazard for the driver. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 120,000.
NHTSA ODI #11703173
Mileage unknown · Jul 3, 2025
Structure
The paint on the roof of my 2013 Toyota Rav4 has begun to peel (delaminate). I first noticed it in May 2025. More recently, in June, while driving I saw in my rearview mirror what was clearly a chunk of white paint fall off the blowing from the top of my vehicle behind me - which is poses a safety hazard on the road. There are…
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The paint on the roof of my 2013 Toyota Rav4 has begun to peel (delaminate). I first noticed it in May 2025. More recently, in June, while driving I saw in my rearview mirror what was clearly a chunk of white paint fall off the blowing from the top of my vehicle behind me - which is poses a safety hazard on the road. There are two areas on the roof now peeling. One is about 8inches in diameter (which has grown since May) and the newest area peeling and flaking/flying off is 1 foot long and 4 to 5 inches wide. Areas of the roof where the paint has peeled are beginning to rust and compromise the integrity of the body. I contacted Toyota twice recently regarding my case (#250701000710) which is considered closed. Two representatives said they were sorry I was having this issue but advised that I would have to go to a dealer and take care of it myself. Please be aware that there was a prior/known paint peeling issue that affected cars in blizzard/pearl white (which my car is). They offered what was called a "goodwill service" at the time under which they only paid to repaint any areas of the car that were already peeling at the time. The body of my car had many large areas of peeled paint that were repainted. However, the "goodwill service" program has since expired but now the roof is peeling. So, even though aware that the painting was flawed and prone to significant peeling they did not repaint affected vehicles as a whole and so it appears this issue has resurfaced.
NHTSA ODI #11670993
Mileage unknown · Mar 11, 2025
Structure
I am reporting a paint peeling issue on my 2013 Toyota RAV4 Limited that has the potential to be a safety hazard. Large sections of paint have peeled off, exposing bare metal on the hood, roof, and/or doors, and I am concerned about its impact on visibility, corrosion, and potential flying debris while driving. 1.Visibility Obst…
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I am reporting a paint peeling issue on my 2013 Toyota RAV4 Limited that has the potential to be a safety hazard. Large sections of paint have peeled off, exposing bare metal on the hood, roof, and/or doors, and I am concerned about its impact on visibility, corrosion, and potential flying debris while driving. 1.Visibility Obstruction & Glare Risk: The paint on my hood is peeling off in patches, causing sun glare and reflection issues that impair my ability to see the road under certain lighting conditions. This is particularly dangerous during sunrise, sunset, or nighttime driving under streetlights. 2.Risk of Corrosion Leading to Structural Integrity Issues: With the bare metal exposed, the affected areas are at risk of rusting and corrosion, which could weaken the vehicle’s structure. If left untreated, corrosion could affect critical safety components such as the hood latch or airbag crash sensors located behind painted surfaces. 3.Potential for Peeling Paint to Become Road Debris: While driving at highway speeds, I have noticed paint flaking off and flying away. This could become a hazard to other vehicles, especially for motorcyclists or drivers behind me who could be hit by the debris. 4.Compromised Vehicle Visibility to Other Drivers: The exposed, uneven patches of primer and metal create an irregular surface, which could affect how my vehicle is seen by others, especially in low-light conditions. This may increase the risk of rear-end collisions due to diminished contrast. Toyota Response: Toyota previously acknowledged this issue with a Warranty Enhancement Program (WEP ZKG) for peeling paint, but I was informed that my vehicle is one year past the extended coverage period. Despite the defect being well-documented, Toyota has refused to assist. This is not just a cosmetic issue—it has clear safety implications. I urge NHTSA to investigate this problem further to determine if additional action is needed.
NHTSA ODI #11647732
Mileage unknown · Nov 2, 2023
Structure
Water leaks inside from the sunroof and out of corner of sun visor
NHTSA ODI #11553137
Mileage unknown · Apr 28, 2022
Electrical SystemEngineStructureFire
I turned the key and started the RAV4 parked in my driveway. It immediately made unusual noices (gurgling, spitting, etc.). Within a minute, there was a loud "BOOM" under the hood and fire began coming out from underneath the car. I got out of the car and got a safe distance from it. My neighbors came running over as they he…
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I turned the key and started the RAV4 parked in my driveway. It immediately made unusual noices (gurgling, spitting, etc.). Within a minute, there was a loud "BOOM" under the hood and fire began coming out from underneath the car. I got out of the car and got a safe distance from it. My neighbors came running over as they heard subsequent explosions and saw black smoke billowing from my direction. Within a matter of a few minutes, the entire car was engulfed in flames. The fire department came and extinguished it. There is nothing left! BTW, I am 91 years old. This could have had a very different and sad outcome!
NHTSA ODI #11462559
Mileage unknown · Jan 30, 2022
Structure
Paint peeling on car. Paint could come off hood while driving and obstruct vision while driving.
NHTSA ODI #11449455
Mileage unknown · Aug 30, 2020
Structure
PAINT PEELING OFF MY CAR. TOYOTA STATED OVER A YEAR AGO THAT THEY WOULD REPAI NT THE AFFECTED AREA BUT HAVE NOT DONE SO YET.
NHTSA ODI #11352127
70,000 miles · Feb 18, 2020
Structure
TOYOTA RAV4 WITH THE BLIZZARD WHITE PAINT HAVE A PAINT PEELING PROBLEM WHICH CAN QUICKLY BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN IT PEELS OFF THE ENGINE HOOD AND FLIES UP ON THE WINDSHIELD BLOCKING YOUR FIELD OF VISION ON I-84 AT 90FT/SEC.TOYOTA WILL ONLY PAINT PARTS OF THE CAR AS THEY PEEL FROM THE PRIMER BUT THEY SHOULD PAINT THE ENTIRE CA…
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TOYOTA RAV4 WITH THE BLIZZARD WHITE PAINT HAVE A PAINT PEELING PROBLEM WHICH CAN QUICKLY BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN IT PEELS OFF THE ENGINE HOOD AND FLIES UP ON THE WINDSHIELD BLOCKING YOUR FIELD OF VISION ON I-84 AT 90FT/SEC.TOYOTA WILL ONLY PAINT PARTS OF THE CAR AS THEY PEEL FROM THE PRIMER BUT THEY SHOULD PAINT THE ENTIRE CAR SINCE THE PAINT AND PRIMER ARE THE SAME ON THE ENTIRE CAR.THEY DID SOME BOGUS TESTS AND TOLD ME THE REST OF CAR WAS OKAY.I PICKED THE CAR UP ON FEBRUARY 6 AND ONE WEEK LATER THE PASSENGER CAR DOOR STARTED TO PEEL.I HAVE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT ON MARCH 9 TO PAINT THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR.THE WORK IS BEING DONE AT GREENTREE TOYOTA IN DANBURY,CT.TOYOTA IS PROCRASTINATING HOPING THESE PROBLEMS WILL DISAPPEAR.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles. Certain replacement 12-volt batteries may not fit properly in the battery tray, allowing the battery to move and contact the hold-down bracket, possibly causing a short circuit.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 27, 2024, to 2013-2014 RAV4 owners. Additional owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, phase 2 will begin on May 14, 2025, and phase 3 in late July 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 23TB13 and 23TA13.
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Toyota Rav4 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2013, to December 29, 2014, and equipped with an accessory trailer light module. The software within the module may incorrectly detect an electrical short and preventively turn off the electrical current and the trailer lights.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the system incorrectly detects an electrical short and turns off the trailer lights while the trailer is being towed at night, there is an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer light module with a new unit with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-15A.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Trailer Hitches
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Toyota Rav4 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2013, to December 29, 2014, and equipped with an accessory trailer light module. The software within the module may incorrectly detect an electrical short and preventively turn off the electrical current and the trailer lights.
Consequence: If the system incorrectly detects an electrical short and turns off the trailer lights while the trailer is being towed at night, there is an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer light module with a new unit with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-15A.
Exterior Lighting
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Toyota Rav4 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2013, to December 29, 2014, and equipped with an accessory trailer light module. The software within the module may incorrectly detect an electrical short and preventively turn off the electrical current and the trailer lights.
Consequence: If the system incorrectly detects an electrical short and turns off the trailer lights while the trailer is being towed at night, there is an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer light module with a new unit with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-15A.
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
1
PE21005 · Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events
Opened Feb 25, 2021 · Closed Aug 12, 2024
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to understand the contributing factors and frequency of vehicle fires originating from the battery region of the engine compartment in Model Year (MY) 2013-2018 Toyota RAV4 vehicles on 25 February 2021. At the time of opening, ODI attributed eleven allegations and additional EWR events to this PE. PE21005 focused on replacement batteries installed in the subject vehicles. No reported fire event identified in PE21005 involved the originally supplied 12V battery. The reported fires took place in vehicles known to contain aftermarket batteries or whose age exceeded the expected life of the original equipment battery. ODI identified battery dimensioning as it relates to the battery retention system (hold down bracket, radiator support bolt, J-hook, and battery tray) as the main factor set in the contact between the battery hold down bracket contacting the positive terminal of the 12V battery. The subject vehicles carried over the same battery tray and retention system from the prior generation (MY2006 – MY2012) of RAV4 vehicles. However, the subject vehicles were equipped with a dimensionally smaller battery (Group 35) than the prior generation (Group 24F). The smaller- length measurement in the Group 35 battery size in a battery tray originally designed to fit a Group 24F battery contributed to increased potential for battery movement which was exacerbated by the diversity in aftermarket battery configuration and irregularities intrinsic to battery replacement procedures. Battery movement coupled with the proximity of the B+ terminal on the battery and the grounded electrically conductive hold down bracket set the stage for a short to ground leading to an engine stall (if in operation) followed by a vehicle fire. This investigation was not able to classify the installation status, battery size, or cause of every allegation due to the fire event causing damage to the area, inaccessible vehicle, modification to the battery retention system after the event, and/or inconclusive photographic evidence. Toyota's investigation of the issue identified aftermarket battery catalogs that listed an improper battery replacement size (Group 26R) that would nevertheless fit into the subject vehicles whose battery retention system is incapable of reliably restraining a Group 26R battery. On 18 November 2021, Toyota initiated a consumer advisory campaign (21TG01) to the subject vehicle owners, notifying them of the correct size battery and offering a free inspection of the battery and retention hardware, a caution label to affix to the hold down bracket, and a discounted replacement 12V battery. This investigation with Toyota established three broad categories to characterize the battery retention system state of a given vehicle: "correct", "minor mis-installation", and "major mis-installation". - The "correct" terminology references the front bolt, bracket, and J-hook installed in a position not in contact with the positive battery terminal and the front bolt torqued to 17 Nm and the J-hook engaged with the tray hole and torqued to 4.9 Nm. - A "minor mis-installation" would describe the three retention components installed in the prescribed location, however not to the correct torque values. - The "major mis-installation" condition would constitute a retention component missing or disconnected from the system. Toyota's own testing used five exemplar batteries installed on a subject vehicle in each battery categorization resulted in: - Contact between the B+ terminal and hold down bracket in "major mis-installations" - Movement of the battery in "minor mis-installations" - No observable motion in "correct" installations. ODI conducted its own evaluation of the Toyota- specified replacement battery and 5 aftermarket Group 35 batteries. The six batteries tested conformed to the Group 35 Battery Council International (BCI) standard on overall dimensional tolerance and terminal location. That standard does not define the edge shape or material of battery casing. Physical interaction between the hold down bracket and the battery case and the friction between the casing material and the battery tray resulted in a large variability in movement forces required to incite movement when the battery was installed in the "correct" condition. Resulting in movement at an induced lateral load between 0.6 G and 1.91 G equivalent force across each battery. This force is higher than a typical vehicle could exert in a steady state turn and would only experience loads through brief shock or impulses. Multiple shock or impulse loads across time would contribute to a delay between the replacement battery installation and the fire event. Likelihood of a fire event increases as the installation method degraded from the "correct", to "minor mis-installation", and then to "major mis-installation". Protruding vent caps atop some of the batteries tested aided in restricting battery movement relative to the hold down. An absence of vent caps permitted additional movement. Following several discussions and vehicle inspections with ODI during this investigation, on 01 November 2023, Toyota filed a safety recall (NHTSA 23V-734) of 1,853,568 MY 2013 through MY 2018 Toyota RAV4 vehicles to reduce the risk of a vehicle fire with redesigned battery retention components. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
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