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2017 Toyota RAV4

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2017 Toyota RAV4 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 258.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

162 reports with mileage · 145 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 108 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

33 crash reports24 fire reports22 injury reports

Power Train complaints

16 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 18, 2025
Power TrainSteeringUnknown Or Other

While driving on or around 6/5/25, an active recall on my vehicle caused damage to my battery connections causing my vehicle to completely shut off while driving on an highway exit ramp. I almost lost complete control of the vehicle. Thankfully, the vehicle turned back on and I was able to get the vehicle to safety. I had to get…

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While driving on or around 6/5/25, an active recall on my vehicle caused damage to my battery connections causing my vehicle to completely shut off while driving on an highway exit ramp. I almost lost complete control of the vehicle. Thankfully, the vehicle turned back on and I was able to get the vehicle to safety. I had to get the car towed and repaired. The repair was directly related to the damage from an active recall issue being open without remedy for over 3 years on my vehicle. When I asked Toyota for reimbursement of under $200 they refused. This is a safety issue beyond the recall and I am concerned this is going to happen to someone else and there are going to be deaths. Toyota needs to stand by their recall too and may the financial aspect correct with me. Other members of the public need to be aware of the issues beyond their recall that can affect their cars and that Toyota is requiring them to be responsible for the damage that was caused while waiting on a remedy to the recall.

NHTSA ODI #11681378

98,000 miles · Apr 14, 2025
Electrical SystemPower Train

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving 20-25 MPH, the vehicle shuddered while the transmission was shifting into the next gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that upon scanning the vehicle with an OBD II code reader, the contact retrieved diagnostic trouble codes i…

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The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving 20-25 MPH, the vehicle shuddered while the transmission was shifting into the next gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that upon scanning the vehicle with an OBD II code reader, the contact retrieved diagnostic trouble codes indicating a starter failure. However, upon investigating the failure online, the contact related the failure to Toyota Warranty Bulletin Number: POL17-06. The contact stated that a preventative service was previously performed on the vehicle, however, the failure occurred. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under the warranty. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

NHTSA ODI #11654479

Mileage unknown · Feb 13, 2025
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

All wheel drive disengages while driving. It has disengaged several times while driving up a steep hill in the rain resulting in loss of control of vehicle. First time car skidded into a ditch. Warning on dash said return vehicle to dealer. Vehicle has been returned 3 times. They blame the problem on a defect in the emission con…

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All wheel drive disengages while driving. It has disengaged several times while driving up a steep hill in the rain resulting in loss of control of vehicle. First time car skidded into a ditch. Warning on dash said return vehicle to dealer. Vehicle has been returned 3 times. They blame the problem on a defect in the emission control system which turns off the AWD system when a leak in the vapor control system is detected. Dealer first replaced the fuel filler cap. That worked for a couple of weeks, then something under the hood which worked a few days. Now the car is scheduled for a gasket on the fuel tank to be replaced for $1,500! I am all for controlling emissions to the environment, but it should not be at the cost of safety. A fix is needed to separate the AWD from the emission control system. SAFETY FIRST!

NHTSA ODI #11642427

Mileage unknown · Apr 29, 2024
Power Train

Vehicle has less than 50,000 miles. We purchased this vehicle new. Both inner CV Axles are leaking grease. I expected, for a Toyota brand, for these parts to last much longer. It is difficult to know how long these have been leaking, but suspect for quite some time. Meaning these parts have been quite defective for possibly ov…

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Vehicle has less than 50,000 miles. We purchased this vehicle new. Both inner CV Axles are leaking grease. I expected, for a Toyota brand, for these parts to last much longer. It is difficult to know how long these have been leaking, but suspect for quite some time. Meaning these parts have been quite defective for possibly over a year or two. If these were to dry out without knowing, the CV could completely lock up--very dangerous.

NHTSA ODI #11585909

Mileage unknown · May 8, 2023
Fuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

la transmisión de mi vehículo presenta ruidos extraños y ala ves se escucha un zumbido qué es bien molestoso perdió fuerza y velocidad también el consumo de combustible es demasiado mi rav 4 solo tiene 40,400 millas corridas es frustrante porqué la marca no a hecho nada para corregir el problema tengo muchos conocidos qué frecue…

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la transmisión de mi vehículo presenta ruidos extraños y ala ves se escucha un zumbido qué es bien molestoso perdió fuerza y velocidad también el consumo de combustible es demasiado mi rav 4 solo tiene 40,400 millas corridas es frustrante porqué la marca no a hecho nada para corregir el problema tengo muchos conocidos qué frecuentan el mismo problema

NHTSA ODI #11521058

Mileage unknown · Jan 31, 2023
Power Train

Vehicle suddenly started to develop shuddering episodes that lasted 2-3 seconds, while driving at low speeds 20-50 MPH and between 1000-2000 RPM. Condition is intermittent, usually when the engine is hot and increasingly becoming worse and frequent. Took vehicle to local Toyota dealer and they diagnosed it with a malfunctioning …

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Vehicle suddenly started to develop shuddering episodes that lasted 2-3 seconds, while driving at low speeds 20-50 MPH and between 1000-2000 RPM. Condition is intermittent, usually when the engine is hot and increasingly becoming worse and frequent. Took vehicle to local Toyota dealer and they diagnosed it with a malfunctioning Torque Converter and recommended replacement. No codes were reported during diagnosis. Toyota dealer mechanic promptly recognized problem as he encountered similar problems with other vehicles of same model. Mechanic reported of a known recall for models from 2009 to 2015, but not for later models. Transmission Control Module was reset by dealer's mechanic and condition improved but not resolved. Owner contemplating replacement of malfunctioning part to avoid catastrophic damages to vehicle's transmission and potential uncontrollable vehicle's behavior while driving.

NHTSA ODI #11504687

94,000 miles · Mar 25, 2022
Power Train

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving at 55 MPH, the vehicle started making a rumbling sound and was also shuddering. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who test drove the vehicle, and the tires wer…

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The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving at 55 MPH, the vehicle started making a rumbling sound and was also shuddering. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who test drove the vehicle, and the tires were balanced and rotated; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine block stabilizers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had become significantly worse while driving between 25-30 MPH and 45-50 MPH. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

NHTSA ODI #11458367

Mileage unknown · Aug 9, 2021
Power Train

While driving around 70-75 mph, I took my foot off gas pedal to coast, the "EV" light came on and off for about "1/2 - 1" second several times. I experienced a strong shaking, vibration, and a feeling that the car may be broken out by itself. It was very noticeable and troubling. If I waited the second for the light to go off wh…

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While driving around 70-75 mph, I took my foot off gas pedal to coast, the "EV" light came on and off for about "1/2 - 1" second several times. I experienced a strong shaking, vibration, and a feeling that the car may be broken out by itself. It was very noticeable and troubling. If I waited the second for the light to go off while coasting, then no problems. It is not easy to recreate it constantly, so when I tried to show the problem to some mechanics. It could not appear. I have found many same complaints online from many years ago. But it seems no solutions yet. Dealers usually says if they cannot see/experience it, they cannot consider it is an issue. So it seems no one takes any actions to try to solve this issue.

NHTSA ODI #11428393

Mileage unknown · May 31, 2021
EnginePower Train

Recurring Problems with AWD Malfunction, Engine Light On. Contacted Toyota two month ago, No reply from Toyota; Description of Complaints: On March 19, 2021, I was driving my Rav4 (VIN[XXX] ) to go to Toledo Ohio. During the driving, the AWD System Malfunction/2WD Mode Engaged and the Engine Light came on (see attached). Intere…

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Recurring Problems with AWD Malfunction, Engine Light On. Contacted Toyota two month ago, No reply from Toyota; Description of Complaints: On March 19, 2021, I was driving my Rav4 (VIN[XXX] ) to go to Toledo Ohio. During the driving, the AWD System Malfunction/2WD Mode Engaged and the Engine Light came on (see attached). Interestingly, the warning lights came on and off three to four times and each time I felt a drag/hesitation as if the gear was changed from 4WD to 2WD (Exhibit 1) . It advised me to visit the Toyota Dealer. After arriving Toledo, OH I visited Jim White Toyota Dealer next morning and explained the situation. The dealership was very cordial and helpful. Unfortunately, they did not record any malfunctioning Code (Exhibit 2). While returning home on March 21, 2021, the AWD warning light did not come on. A few days later, these warning lights came on again, and that forced me to visit the local Toyota Dealer, Fitzgerald, for inspection again. They diagnosed the problem to Code P0456 (Exhibits 3-4). This code refers to “…that there is a small leak in the evaporative emission control system.” Today (05/31/2021), after two repairs at Fitzgerald Toyota, Gaithersburg, The "AWD malfunction came back on with the engine light on again. The code reads: P043Eand F;P2401,P2402 and P2419. Please ask Toyota to address this problem and make it as part of recall to fix this problem. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI #11419086

39,000 miles · Apr 22, 2021
Power Train

VEHICLE ONCE STATIONERY PUT BACK IN DRIVE AND TRY GOING AHEAD MAKES A NOISE FROM THE FRONT RIGHT CV AXLE HAD TAKEN IT TO STEVEN TOYOTA VA, THEY CAME BACK SAYING IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE THROUGH TOYOTA

NHTSA ODI #11413315

Official recalls

3

23V734000 · 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.

19V503000 · Equipment:other:labels

Jun 28, 2019

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. SET's number for this recall is SET19A.

17V295000 · Tires:temporary/emergency Spare Tire

May 2, 2017

Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated on the Tire Pressure Label.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074. Toyota's number for this recall is 17R2.

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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