IllustrationI NOTICE WARM AIR COMING FROM THE AIR VENTS EVEN WHEN I DONT HAVE THE AIR ON. IT CONCERNS ME THAT IT MAY BE EXHAUST. I ALSO HAVE A 2014 COROLLA THAT DOES THE SAME THING. YOU CANT STAND THE WARM AIR ON SEMI WARM DAYS. YOU CAN FEEL THE WARM HAIR COME THROUGH VENTS WITHOUT THE FAN ON. ITS ON GOING.
2015 Toyota RAV4
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2015 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
700–25K
3725–50K
2750–75K
1875–100K
16100–150K
2150K+
170 reports with mileage · 133 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 84 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
37 crash reports41 fire reports21 injury reports
Unknown Or Other complaints
60 reportsFOUR INCIDENTS OF DAMAGE TO WIRING BY RODENTS. MECHANIC BELIEVES THE RODENT TO BE A RAT. ONE RAT HAS BEEN CAUGHT IN A LIVE TRAP. YET TWO MORE INCIDENTS OF EATEN WIRING.THE RAT EATS THE INSULATION ON THE WIRING AND BITES THROUGH THE WIRING. THE RAT DRAGS TISSUES INTO THE H/A VENTS. EVEN TRIED TO EAT A PACKAGE OF FOIL WRAPPE…
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FOUR INCIDENTS OF DAMAGE TO WIRING BY RODENTS. MECHANIC BELIEVES THE RODENT TO BE A RAT. ONE RAT HAS BEEN CAUGHT IN A LIVE TRAP. YET TWO MORE INCIDENTS OF EATEN WIRING.THE RAT EATS THE INSULATION ON THE WIRING AND BITES THROUGH THE WIRING. THE RAT DRAGS TISSUES INTO THE H/A VENTS. EVEN TRIED TO EAT A PACKAGE OF FOIL WRAPPED HAND WIPES. THE RAT HAS LEFT SCAT UNDER THE SEATS. THE RAT WAS OBSERVED PLAYING UNDER MY CAR WHILE PARKED DOWNTOWN. HE MANAGED TO GET BACK IN THE CAR AND RODE 'HOME.'
WE PURCHASED A TOYOTA RAV4 WITH A 100% O.K. FROM TOYOTA DEALER FOUR WEEKS AND 200 MILES AFTER PARKING IN THE GARAGE THE NEXT MORNING IT WOULD NOT START SEVERAL TRY'S LATER IT BARLEY STARTED, I AM A RETIRED MECHANIC, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NORMAL BRIGHT WITH HORN HONKING, THE DEALER TOLD MY WIFE THE BATTERY HAD 0 CRANKING AMPS THEY …
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WE PURCHASED A TOYOTA RAV4 WITH A 100% O.K. FROM TOYOTA DEALER FOUR WEEKS AND 200 MILES AFTER PARKING IN THE GARAGE THE NEXT MORNING IT WOULD NOT START SEVERAL TRY'S LATER IT BARLEY STARTED, I AM A RETIRED MECHANIC, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NORMAL BRIGHT WITH HORN HONKING, THE DEALER TOLD MY WIFE THE BATTERY HAD 0 CRANKING AMPS THEY INSTALLED A NEW 80 MONTH TOYOTA BATTERY,. MY PROBLEM IS SAFETY ISSUES GOING TO THE INTERNET AND SEARCHING TOYOTA PROBLEMS BATTERY'S, ELECTRICAL SHORTS, ELECTRICAL FIRES, STOPPING UNEXPECTEDLY LOSS OF STEERING, ELECTRIC WIRE BURN SMELL, I COULD GO ON MY POINT IS EVERYTHING IS TIED TOGETHER ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH WIRING SHORTS ! I DON'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE AN ALARMIST BUT IT MIGHT SOUND THAT WAY, SOMETHING IS CAUSING ALL THE ISSUES WITH EARLY BATTERY FAILURE, AS A MECHANIC 50 YEARS I HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE AND ALMOST ALWAYS IT IS A ELECTRICAL SHORT SOME WARE IN THE SYSTEM, AND IN SOME VEHICLES YOU NO LONGER HAVE THROTTLE CABLES OR LINKAGE YOU HAVE ELECTRIC ASSIST MEANING A MOTOR OR SOME KIND OF PRESSURE SENSITIVE DEVICE THAT CAN SHORT AND INADVERTENTLY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STOP OR CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO ADVANCE FULL THROTTLE WITH NO WAY TO STOP! I'M HOPING SOME ONE WILL READ THIS THAT CAN HELP PUT OUR MINDS TO REST OR PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE, I AM AFRAID FOR MY WIFE AND ALL LOVED ONES DRIVING THESE VEHICLES.
SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ON A ONE LANE COUNTRY ROAD - NO CAR WAS IN FRONT OF ME AT THE TIME. OCCURRED AT 11:00 AM AND OUTSIDE TEMPS WERE 43 DEGREES.
THE CAR STARTED ON FIRE AS I WAITED FOR A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT.
I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM AS A SAFETY DEVICE. TOYOTA SELLS VEHICLES WITH OUTDATED MAPS AND CHARGES OVER $200 FOR UPGRADES, WHICH DEALERS ARE RELUCTANT TO PROVIDE. I CONSIDER ACCURATE MAPS A SAFETY CONCERN AND I SUGGEST THAT MAP UPDATES SHOULD BE PROVIDED ON AT LEAST AN ANNUAL BASIS AT A NOMINAL (,$25) …
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I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM AS A SAFETY DEVICE. TOYOTA SELLS VEHICLES WITH OUTDATED MAPS AND CHARGES OVER $200 FOR UPGRADES, WHICH DEALERS ARE RELUCTANT TO PROVIDE. I CONSIDER ACCURATE MAPS A SAFETY CONCERN AND I SUGGEST THAT MAP UPDATES SHOULD BE PROVIDED ON AT LEAST AN ANNUAL BASIS AT A NOMINAL (,$25) FEE. THE GARMIN POLICY WOULD BE A BENCHMARK. RIGHT NOW, MY GPS IS USELESS; CANNOT BE TRUSTED, AND MAY LEAD ME ASTRAY AS IT IS NOT CURRENT. TIS IS A SAFETY ITEM.
WHEN USING AIR CONDITIONING MOLD ACCUMULATES ON THE CONDENSER DUE TO WATER NOT DRYING OUT AND THAT MOLD/MILDEW IS THEN BLOWN THRU VENTS WHEN TURNING AIR CONDITIONING ON AND I AM INHALING TOXIC MOLD. TOYOTA IS AWARE THEY'VE HAD THOUSANDS OF INTERNET COMPLAINTS AND AT DEAL ON HVAC AND REFUSE TO CALL IT A DEFECT DESPITE THE HEALTH …
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WHEN USING AIR CONDITIONING MOLD ACCUMULATES ON THE CONDENSER DUE TO WATER NOT DRYING OUT AND THAT MOLD/MILDEW IS THEN BLOWN THRU VENTS WHEN TURNING AIR CONDITIONING ON AND I AM INHALING TOXIC MOLD. TOYOTA IS AWARE THEY'VE HAD THOUSANDS OF INTERNET COMPLAINTS AND AT DEAL ON HVAC AND REFUSE TO CALL IT A DEFECT DESPITE THE HEALTH HAZARD EFFECT. APPARENTLY CAMRY HAS CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT STARTED RE: THIS. I FEAR FOR MY HEALTH WITH THIS AND OTHERS IN MY CAR SMELL THIS AS WELL. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED CAR AND BCD AND FORTH TO DEALER.
UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHILE IN DRIVEWAY WHICH CAUSED MY CAR TO CAREEN INTO A WOOD SHED AND MY HUSBAND'S CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY.
SUNROOF EXPLODED. DRIVING DOWN PAVED HIGHWAY. 51 DEGREES OUTSIDE. GLASS SHATTERED. NO ROCK OR OTHER OBJECT FOUND INSIDE THE CAR. WASHINGTON STATE PATROL ON SCENE.
I HAVE A MILDEW/MOLD SMELL COMING FROM MY AIR VENTS IN THE CABIN EVERY TIME I TURN ON MY CAR AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. STARTED AT 4000 MILES. WENT TO THE DEALER TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE HOWEVER THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FIX IT. I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS THIS PROBLEM. MANY AC MOLD/MILDEW ISSUES WERE FOUND IN MANY RAV4 FORUM. EX…
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I HAVE A MILDEW/MOLD SMELL COMING FROM MY AIR VENTS IN THE CABIN EVERY TIME I TURN ON MY CAR AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. STARTED AT 4000 MILES. WENT TO THE DEALER TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE HOWEVER THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FIX IT. I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS THIS PROBLEM. MANY AC MOLD/MILDEW ISSUES WERE FOUND IN MANY RAV4 FORUM. EXPOSURE TO SUCH SMELLS AND MOLD IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND CAN LEAD TO SICKNESS AND OTHER HEALTH RELATED ISSUES. TOYOTA HIT WITH CLASS ACTION WITH DEFECTIVE AC UNIT BEFORE.
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.