IllustrationTHE DOM LIGHTS FUSE KEEPS BLOWING. IT APPEARS TO HAVE A SHORT BUT SOME TIMES THE FUSE TAKES A LITTLE TIME TO BLOW. YESTERDAY I TRIED TO REPLACE THE FUSE THREE TIMES, AND THREE FUSES WERE BLOWN IMMEDIATELY.
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
What owners actually said
303 reportsI WENT TO START MY CAR AND THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT WAS ON AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. TOWED TO SHOP AND THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG AND IT STARTS RIGHT UP. CONCERNED THE POWER STEERING WILL GO OUT WHILE I AM DRIVING.
MY CAR HAS 123,000 MILES I TAKE GREAT CARE OF IT I JUST HAD TO PUT A GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLY IN TO THE TUNE OF 1100.00. MY TIRES WERE NOT RIDING WELL AND HE FOUND IT
PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE THE ENGINE STARTED TO REV. PUT CAR IN REVERSE AND CAR WAS PUT IN HISH SPEED REVERSE CAUSING CAR TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE.
2015 RAV4 WITH LESS THAN 8,000 MILES. ON I-5 FREEWAY AT ABOUT 70MPH TRAFFIC SLOWED, I APPLIED BRAKES AND A RAPID THUMPING SOUND CAME ON FOLLOWED BY A SHAKING THAT SEEMED TO BE FROM FRONT LEFT OF CAR. WAS ON A THOUSAND MILE FAMILY EMERGENCY TRIP. WHENEVER I APPLIED BRAKES AT FREEWAY SPEED THE SAME THING HAPPENED. MY INDEPENDENT M…
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2015 RAV4 WITH LESS THAN 8,000 MILES. ON I-5 FREEWAY AT ABOUT 70MPH TRAFFIC SLOWED, I APPLIED BRAKES AND A RAPID THUMPING SOUND CAME ON FOLLOWED BY A SHAKING THAT SEEMED TO BE FROM FRONT LEFT OF CAR. WAS ON A THOUSAND MILE FAMILY EMERGENCY TRIP. WHENEVER I APPLIED BRAKES AT FREEWAY SPEED THE SAME THING HAPPENED. MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BY PHONE SAID IT MIGHT BE WARPED DISC.
REAR HATCH STRUT SEIZED AND BROKE CAUSING REAR HATCH DOOR TO NOT CLOSE COMPLETELY, REMOTE AND DOOR RELEASE IN CAR INOPERABLE. I HAD MY CAR SERVICED AND ADVISOR EXPLAINED THAT WATER (FROM WEATHER) CAUSED RUST AND LEFT STRUT BROKE. THE RIGHT STRUT IS CORRODED BADLY AND RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE AS WELL. TOTAL COST WOULD BE 1386.00 …
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REAR HATCH STRUT SEIZED AND BROKE CAUSING REAR HATCH DOOR TO NOT CLOSE COMPLETELY, REMOTE AND DOOR RELEASE IN CAR INOPERABLE. I HAD MY CAR SERVICED AND ADVISOR EXPLAINED THAT WATER (FROM WEATHER) CAUSED RUST AND LEFT STRUT BROKE. THE RIGHT STRUT IS CORRODED BADLY AND RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE AS WELL. TOTAL COST WOULD BE 1386.00 INCLUDED LEFT STRUT PART (427.00), RIGHT STRUT PART (739.00) AND ABOUT 200.00 IN LABOR. I CALLED TOYOTA CORPORATE FOR COMPLAINS AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO RECALLS AND THEIR WARRANTY WAS 3YR/3000 MILES WHICH DID NOT APPLY TO MY SITUATION. I CALLED MULTIPLE TOYOTA PARTS DEPTS, SOME OUT OF STATE TO COMPARE PRICES AND THEY REMAINED THE SAME. ONE PARTS EMPLOYEE INFORMED ME THAT THIS PART I NEEDED TO PROVIDE MY VIN NUMBER BECAUSE THESE STRUTS SUPPLY IS SPARSE AND THEY NEEDED TO SUPPLY LOCAL CUSTOMERS. I ASKED WHY THERE WASN'T A RECALL AND HE AGREED THAT THERE SHOULD BE ONE. AGREED THAT THE DESIGN IS POOR AND EXPECTATION TO LUBRICATE JOINTS TO PREVENT WATER DAMAGE ( WHICH WAS NOT IN ANY OF MY MAINTENANCE MANUELS.). I HAVE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN I PURCHASED MY NEW RAV4 AND ADVISOR CALLED AND PRESENTED PICTURES, THE CLAIM WAS DENIED.
I WAS EXITING A HIGHWAY ON A CURVE (EST. 40MPH) WHEN MY POWER STEERING FAILED INSTANTLY JERKING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. AT THE SAME TIME ALL OF MY DASHBOARD LIGHTS FLASHED ON AND OFF. I HAVE A TOYOTA RAV4 2015. THERE HAVE BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS DESCRIPTION BUT NOT ON MY VIN. *TR
SUA INCIDENT - COASTING BEFORE ENTERING GARAGE AS USUAL WITH MY RIGHT FOOT ON FLOOR AND NOT ENGAGED WITH ACCELERATOR OR BRAKE. UPON ENTERING THE GARAGE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE, NATURALLY SHOCKING/BAFFLING ME, AS I HAD ALREADY STARTED BRAKING AND CONTINUED TO DO THAT TO NO AVAIL AS CAR PROCEEDED TO HIT BACK WALL OF THE GARAGE WH…
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SUA INCIDENT - COASTING BEFORE ENTERING GARAGE AS USUAL WITH MY RIGHT FOOT ON FLOOR AND NOT ENGAGED WITH ACCELERATOR OR BRAKE. UPON ENTERING THE GARAGE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE, NATURALLY SHOCKING/BAFFLING ME, AS I HAD ALREADY STARTED BRAKING AND CONTINUED TO DO THAT TO NO AVAIL AS CAR PROCEEDED TO HIT BACK WALL OF THE GARAGE WHERE ACCELERATION STOPPED,CAR CAME TO REST. I NEVER DRIVE WITH TWO FEET AND AM ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND BRAKE WAS NOT RESPONDING. ALSO CAR DID NOT ACCELERATE WITH THE SAME SOUND AS IT NORMALLY WOULD IF I PRESSED THE GAS PEDDLE. IT ACCELERATED MORE LIKE IT WAS ON CRUISE CONTROL...VERY SMOOTH AND STEADY. ACTUALLY I'M GRATEFUL THE WALL WASN'T FAR AWAY SO IT DIDN'T ACCELERATE FURTHER. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED JUNE 11,2020 AT AROUND 10 AM. DO NOT KNOW REASON FOR SUA, BUT WILL NOTE THAT WE HAD THE GARAGE DOOR SENSORS REPOSITIONED ON JUNE 10. I'M NOTING THAT BECAUSE WHERE THEY ARE IS ABOUT WHEN I FELT ACCELERATION STARTING. *TR
WHILE SLOWLY PULLING INTO OWNERS GARAGE, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITH HIGH WHINING SOUND. VEHICLE CRASHED INTO GARAGE WALL AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED. FRONT END COMPLETELY DESTROYED, DOORS DO NOT OPEN, RADIATOR LEAKING AND GARAGE CABINET DESTROYED. INSURANCE COMPANY NOTIFIED. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE HAS 31,300 MILES. *TR
NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS MY CARS EPS LIGHT WILL COME ON AFTER PUTTING MY CAR INTO REVERSE THE CAR DOES NOT CONNECT AND GOES INTO NEUTRAL INSTEAD CAUSING THE CAR TO ROLL FORWARD CREATING HAZARDS BECAUSE IT HAPPENS ON HILLS AND FLAT AREAS. I THEN HAVE TO PUT MY CAR INTO PARK, TURN IT OFF AND RESTART THE CAR T…
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NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS MY CARS EPS LIGHT WILL COME ON AFTER PUTTING MY CAR INTO REVERSE THE CAR DOES NOT CONNECT AND GOES INTO NEUTRAL INSTEAD CAUSING THE CAR TO ROLL FORWARD CREATING HAZARDS BECAUSE IT HAPPENS ON HILLS AND FLAT AREAS. I THEN HAVE TO PUT MY CAR INTO PARK, TURN IT OFF AND RESTART THE CAR TO GET THE CAR TO GO INTO THE CORRECT GEAR. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO TOYOTA BUT THEY WON?T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE MY VIN IS NOT UNDER RECALL. STARTING IN 2019 I STARTED NOTICING FLAKES OF PAINT IN CRACKS OF DOORWAYS AND CREASES OF THE CAR. LAST MONTH A BIG PIECE OF PAINT STARTED COMING OFF THE TOP OF MY CAR IN FRONT OF MY SUNROOF. *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.