IllustrationTHE ROOF RACK CROSS BARS DO NOT STAY IN PLACE WHILE BEING USED AND CAR IS IN MOTION. WE PURCHASED A ROCKYMOUNT FOR OUR BIKES THAT CONNECTS TO THE ROOF CROSSBARS AND WHEN DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, THE STOCK CROSS BARS MOVED BACKWARDS SO THAT OUR BIKES WERE HANGING OVER THE BACKSIDE OF THE CAR.
2014 Toyota RAV4
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2014 Toyota RAV4 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 258.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAV4 years →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
360–25K
2025–50K
2050–75K
1075–100K
11100–150K
10150K+
107 reports with mileage · 90 unknown
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.
- Electrical System. Review the 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
20 crash reports25 fire reports16 injury reports
Unknown Or Other complaints
45 reportsLARGE BLACK AREA AT TOP OF WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. MAINLY ON DARK ROADS. THIS IS WHILE DRIVING WITH HEADLIGHTS ON.
WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 65 MPH AT AROUND 9 AM WHEN WE HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A BOOM ON TOP OF OUR 2014 RAV4. THERE WERE OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WE SAW FLY UP OFF THE ROAD AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO SEE WHAT MIGHT HAVE FLOWN OFF THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE AND SAW NOTHING. WE WERE …
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WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 65 MPH AT AROUND 9 AM WHEN WE HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A BOOM ON TOP OF OUR 2014 RAV4. THERE WERE OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WE SAW FLY UP OFF THE ROAD AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO SEE WHAT MIGHT HAVE FLOWN OFF THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE AND SAW NOTHING. WE WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE FREEWAY AND FIND A PARKING LOT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR VEHICLE. OUR SUNROOF HAD A BIG HOLE IN THE MIDDLE AND ALL THE REST OF THE GLASS WAS CRACKED LIKE A SPIDER WEB. THERE WAS NOTHING FOUND SUCH AS ROCK OR OTHER OBJECT IN THE GLASS THAT COULD HAVE HIT THE VEHICLE AND NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE ROOF. THANKFULLY THE COVER WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME. WE DID NOT HAVE A CHOICE BUT TO BREAK OUT ALL THE REMAINING GLASS AFTER CONTACTING THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP/AND INSURANCE COMPANY, SO AS NOT TO SPRAY GLASS ON THE ROAD OR DRIVERS ON OUR 45 MILE DRIVE BACK HOME. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TOLD US IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER OUR WARRANTY AND WOULD HAVE TO BE AN INSURANCE CLAIM. WE FEEL THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT.
WHILE DRIVING AT 60MPH, MANUFACTURER INSTALLED SUNROOF EXPLODED. OUTSIDE AIR TEMP WAS 88DEG. SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT, AND CAUSED ME TO SWERVE OFF ROAD THINKING MY CAR HAD BEEN HIT. NO OTHER CARS OR PEOPLE ON ROADWAY AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. NO OVERPASSES OR TREES, EITHER. NO ROCKS OR DEBRIS WERE FOUND IN THE BROKEN GLASS. …
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WHILE DRIVING AT 60MPH, MANUFACTURER INSTALLED SUNROOF EXPLODED. OUTSIDE AIR TEMP WAS 88DEG. SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT, AND CAUSED ME TO SWERVE OFF ROAD THINKING MY CAR HAD BEEN HIT. NO OTHER CARS OR PEOPLE ON ROADWAY AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. NO OVERPASSES OR TREES, EITHER. NO ROCKS OR DEBRIS WERE FOUND IN THE BROKEN GLASS. COVER WAS CLOSED, OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED IN GLASS. TOYOTA HAS HAD COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS KNOWN DEFECT.
ON MAY 2, 2015, AT ABOUT 10:00 A.M. WE WERE DRIVING TO THE SCRANTON, PA, AREA. WE HAD JUST ENTERED THE ON-RAMP TO I-81 NORTH FROM RT. 309 WHEN WE HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG AND ROARING SOUND SIMILAR TO A DOOR ON A JET BLOWING OFF MID-AIR IN A MOVIE. THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE ROAD TO RUN OVER AND THE CLOSEST VEHICLE TO US WAS A TRUCK…
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ON MAY 2, 2015, AT ABOUT 10:00 A.M. WE WERE DRIVING TO THE SCRANTON, PA, AREA. WE HAD JUST ENTERED THE ON-RAMP TO I-81 NORTH FROM RT. 309 WHEN WE HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG AND ROARING SOUND SIMILAR TO A DOOR ON A JET BLOWING OFF MID-AIR IN A MOVIE. THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE ROAD TO RUN OVER AND THE CLOSEST VEHICLE TO US WAS A TRUCK TRACTOR AT LEAST 500 YARDS AHEAD OF US AND NOT DRIVING ON AN ANGLE THAT WOULD SEND ANYTHING AIRBORNE TO OUR AREA; NOR WERE WE NEAR AN UNDERPASSR. WE PUT OUR FLASHERS ON AND PULLED OVER AT THE FIRST SAFE AREA. UPON CHECKING OUR VEHICLE, WE DISCOVERED OUR SUNROOF GLASS HAD 'EXPLODED' WITH AN APPROXIMATE 8-10 INCH CIRCULAR HOLE DEAD CENTER AND THE REST OF THE GLASS FRACTURED. WE HAD THE INTERIOR SUNROOF COVERING PULLED CLOSED WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE EDGES OF THE HOLE WERE BENT SLIGHTLY UPWARD INDICATING AN UPWARD FORCE. WE DIDN'T RUN OVER ANYTHING AND NOTHING STRUCK US, SO WE WERE FAIRLY SHOCKED. WE CHECKED OUR CELL PHONES AND DISCOVERED INDEPENDENCE TOYOTA, HAZELTON, PA, WAS ABOUT 5 MINUTES AWAY AT OUR NEXT EXIT. WE PULLED IN AND BOTH THE SALES PEOPLE AND SERVICE PEOPLE EXAMINED THE DAMAGE AND WERE AS SURPRISED AS US. NOTHING WAS FOUND IN THE GLASS DEBRIS THAT WOULD INDICATE SOMETHING STRUCK THE GLASS. INDEPENDENCE TOYOTA WAS GREAT BY CLEANING UP THE GLASS, PLACING TWO LAYERS OF HEAVY PLASTIC OVER THE SUNROOF OPENING AND TAPING IT SHUT. I AM A RETIRED POLICE LIEUTENANT. I KNOW WHAT IMPACT DAMAGE LOOKS LIKE AND THIS WAS NOT IT. UPON CHECKING ONLINE, THIS OCCURRENCE APPEARS MORE FREQUENTLY THAN ONE WOULD THINK IN VARIOUS MAKES OF VEHICLES. PRICE TOYOTA IN NEW CASTLE, DE IS DECLINING TO COVER THIS UNDER WARRANTY CITING THIS IS NORMAL GLASS BREAKAGE. I HAVE HAD WINDSHIELDS STRUCK BEFORE. THIS IS NOT REMOTELY CLOSE. IT IS NOT OKAY TO BE DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE AND SUDDENLY HAVE THE SUNROOF "EXPLODE" WITH NO CAUSING FACTORS PRESENT. *TR
Official recalls
423V734000 · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery
Nov 1, 2023
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.
15V144000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System
Mar 13, 2015
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2015 Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid, and 2014-2015 Rav4 vehicles. A component of the electric power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may have been damaged during the manufacturing process. Over time, this damage may result in failure of the electric power steering system.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An unexpected loss of power steering increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number of the EPS ECU or steering column assembly. If the number is within the affected range, the EPS ECU will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on May 7, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
15V011000 · Exterior Lighting; Trailer Hitches
Jan 16, 2015
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.
14V828000 · Equipment
Dec 30, 2014
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner, Tacoma, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, RAV4, Scion FRS, and XB vehicles. The affected vehicles may have accessories installed by SET, such as running boards or other items, that were incorrectly installed. The accessory attaching fasteners were not tightened with the proper torque, possibly causing the accessory to detach from the vehicle.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Accessories that detach from a vehicle may result in a vehicle crash and/or personal injury.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the affected bolts, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-14B.
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
1PE21005 · 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.