NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
20 reportsClear category filter13,800 miles · Nov 6, 2020
Service BrakesUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury
WHILE IN REVERSE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE (STOPPED) THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED. WHILE FOOT STILL ON BRAKE THE VEHICLE HAD UNCOMMANDED FORWARD ACCELERATION (ENGINE REVVED UP LIKE FOOT FLOORED THE GAS PEDAL). VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD ~25 FT AND HIT THE FRONT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE (FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL ENTIRE TIME). UPON IMPACT, THE VEHIC…
Read full complaint
WHILE IN REVERSE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE (STOPPED) THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED. WHILE FOOT STILL ON BRAKE THE VEHICLE HAD UNCOMMANDED FORWARD ACCELERATION (ENGINE REVVED UP LIKE FOOT FLOORED THE GAS PEDAL). VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD ~25 FT AND HIT THE FRONT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE (FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL ENTIRE TIME). UPON IMPACT, THE VEHICLE HAD UNCOMMANDED ACCELERATION IN REVERSE (FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL STILL). WAS ABLE TO TURN OF IGNITION AND PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AFTER MOVING ~25FT IN REVERSE. AT FINAL STOP, THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION LEVER WAS IN THE DRIVE POSITION. NOTE: TOW TRUCK DRIVER STARTED VEHICLE TO GO IN REVERSE A FEW FEET FOR POSITIONING. WITH ENGINE RUNNING, VEHICLE WAS PUT IN REVERSE AND GAS PEDAL PRESSED GENTLY. VEHICLE WENT IN REVERSE (< 2MPH) AS IT SHOULD. FOOT APPLIED TO BRAKE AND VEHICLE PUT IN PARK IN ONE MOTION. VEHICLE IN PARK AND FOOT ON BRAKE THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV UP AGAIN. KEY WAS TURN OFF. VEHICLE TOWED.
NHTSA ODI #11373424
66,000 miles · Sep 8, 2020
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control
CAR IS FAILING TO SPEED UP PAST 60 UNLESS USING CRUISE CONTROL THEN THE CAR USED A LOT MORE GAS THEN NORMAL. I ALSO TRIED TO PASS A CAR TO GET UP TO HIGHWAY SPEED AND WAS UNABLE TO, VERY DANGEROUS ON THE HIGHWAY. THEN THE CAR WOULD NOT GO PAST 40 I TRIED TO SWITCH FROM ECO TO SPORT TO NORMAL THINKING THAT MAYBE THE COMPUTER WAS…
Read full complaint
CAR IS FAILING TO SPEED UP PAST 60 UNLESS USING CRUISE CONTROL THEN THE CAR USED A LOT MORE GAS THEN NORMAL. I ALSO TRIED TO PASS A CAR TO GET UP TO HIGHWAY SPEED AND WAS UNABLE TO, VERY DANGEROUS ON THE HIGHWAY. THEN THE CAR WOULD NOT GO PAST 40 I TRIED TO SWITCH FROM ECO TO SPORT TO NORMAL THINKING THAT MAYBE THE COMPUTER WAS CONFUSED BUT THAT DID NOTHING. SO AFTER TRYING TO SPEED UP MULTIPLE TIMES I GOT A HYBRID MALFUNCTION LIGHT AND TOLD TO PULL OVER. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME IN THE PAST AS WELL. TOYOTA DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE ANY ISSUES WITH IT AND JUST RESET THE COMPUTER.
NHTSA ODI #11353870
15,000 miles · Jul 8, 2020
StructureSuspensionVehicle Speed ControlCrash
ON 7/3/20 AT ABOUT 3 PM EDT I WAS PREPARING TO TURN LEFT AND EXIT MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I WAS STOPPED. I PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED STRAIGHT AHEAD AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I TRAVELLED ABOUT 100 TO 150 FEET, CLIMBED AN ENBANKMENT AND LANDED IN A SMALL WOODED RAVI…
Read full complaint
ON 7/3/20 AT ABOUT 3 PM EDT I WAS PREPARING TO TURN LEFT AND EXIT MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I WAS STOPPED. I PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED STRAIGHT AHEAD AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I TRAVELLED ABOUT 100 TO 150 FEET, CLIMBED AN ENBANKMENT AND LANDED IN A SMALL WOODED RAVINE. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO EXIT MY NEIGHBORHOOD ONTO A PAVED ROAD.
NHTSA ODI #11338142
47,800 miles · Jun 14, 2020
Electrical SystemEngineVehicle Speed ControlCrash
PULLED INTO DRIVEWAY AND HAD FOOT ON BREAK. GOING VERY SLOW TO PARK . WENT TO PUT CAR INTO PARK AND CAR LUNGED FORWARD AND HIT GARAGE. BACKED UP AND CAR WENT VERY FAST SO HAD TO MOVE FORWARD AGAIN OUT OF ROAD. PUT CAR INTO DRIVE AND CAT SURGED FORWARD AND OUT OF CONTROL. ABLE TO AVOID GARAGE BUT CAR WENT BESIDE GARAGE, AND INTO …
Read full complaint
PULLED INTO DRIVEWAY AND HAD FOOT ON BREAK. GOING VERY SLOW TO PARK . WENT TO PUT CAR INTO PARK AND CAR LUNGED FORWARD AND HIT GARAGE. BACKED UP AND CAR WENT VERY FAST SO HAD TO MOVE FORWARD AGAIN OUT OF ROAD. PUT CAR INTO DRIVE AND CAT SURGED FORWARD AND OUT OF CONTROL. ABLE TO AVOID GARAGE BUT CAR WENT BESIDE GARAGE, AND INTO SLIGHT DROP OFF. I WAS ABLE TO STOP CAR BY FLOORING BREAK AND PUTTING INTO PARK. CALLED POLICE THEY MADE REPORT, CALLED ROADSIDE SERVICE AND TOWED TO DOWNEAST TOYOTA IN BREWER MAINE. IT'S NOW GOING TO HAVE INFORMATION PULLED AND RESEARCHED TO DETERMINE WHAT HAPPENED. NO PICTURES. A LOT OF DAMAGE TO FRONT AND MAYBE UNDERNEATH. CAR WENT OVER A CEMENT BLOCK.
NHTSA ODI #11328730
13,000 miles · Jun 12, 2020
Vehicle Speed Control
MY 2018 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS 13,000 MILES. DRIVING AT 20 MPH ON A ONE-LANE SECONDARY ROAD WHEN VEHICLE SPEED INCREASED ON ITS OWN. STEPPING ON FOOT BRAKE HAD NO EFFECT. ACCELERATION WAS CONSTANT AND NON-STOP. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER, CAR SLOWED AS THOUGH MY FOOT HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE ACCELERATOR. THE PROBLEM WAS - MY FOOT HAD…
Read full complaint
MY 2018 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS 13,000 MILES. DRIVING AT 20 MPH ON A ONE-LANE SECONDARY ROAD WHEN VEHICLE SPEED INCREASED ON ITS OWN. STEPPING ON FOOT BRAKE HAD NO EFFECT. ACCELERATION WAS CONSTANT AND NON-STOP. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER, CAR SLOWED AS THOUGH MY FOOT HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE ACCELERATOR. THE PROBLEM WAS - MY FOOT HAD BEEN CONSTANTLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION HAS HAPPENED ONLY ONCE BUT I ONLY DROVE IT TO GET HOME. NOTE: FLOOR MATS WERE PROPERLY ANCHORED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #11328545
20,000 miles · Dec 12, 2019
Vehicle Speed Control
IN THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASE JANUARY 16TH, 2018, THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL HAS LOST TRACK OF AN SUV IN FRONT OF ME AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. DRIVER HAD TO INTERVENE. FIRST INSTANCE WAS A BROWN PONTIAC AZTEC IN CLEAR WEATHER DAYTIME. SECOND OCCURRENCE WAS A BLUE CHEVY ENCORE IN CLEAR WEATHER DAYTIME. THIRD OCCU…
Read full complaint
IN THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASE JANUARY 16TH, 2018, THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL HAS LOST TRACK OF AN SUV IN FRONT OF ME AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. DRIVER HAD TO INTERVENE. FIRST INSTANCE WAS A BROWN PONTIAC AZTEC IN CLEAR WEATHER DAYTIME. SECOND OCCURRENCE WAS A BLUE CHEVY ENCORE IN CLEAR WEATHER DAYTIME. THIRD OCCURRENCE WAS A BLACK ESCALADE IN CLEAR WEATHER AT NIGHT. VEHICLE CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET TO 70-80 MPH WITH THE CLOSEST DISTANCE SETTING.
NHTSA ODI #11288606
500 miles · Jul 15, 2019
Vehicle Speed Control
SAME PROBLEM I HAD WITH THE 2014 RAV4 IS NOW HAPPENING WITH THE 2018 RAV4 STARTING FROM A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR MAKING A TURN THE CAR FAILS TO MOVE FOR MOMENT AS IF YOU DID NOT STEP ON THE GAS AND I AM NOW AFRAID TO MAKE TURNS UNLESS AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT.
NHTSA ODI #11232077
25,000 miles · Feb 21, 2019
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Vehicle Speed Control
IF YOU DRIFT AWAY FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE OR OBSTACLE (PEDESTRIAN, BICYCLE, ETC) THAT IS ALSO DRIFTING INTO YOUR LANE, THE LDA SYSTEM (LANE DEPARTURE ASSIST, WHICH IS TOUTED AS A SAFETY FEATURE) WILL PULL YOU BACK TOWARDS THE OBSTACLE YOU ARE TRYING TO AVOID. CLEARLY THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE REMOVED AS A "FEATURE" FROM…
Read full complaint
IF YOU DRIFT AWAY FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE OR OBSTACLE (PEDESTRIAN, BICYCLE, ETC) THAT IS ALSO DRIFTING INTO YOUR LANE, THE LDA SYSTEM (LANE DEPARTURE ASSIST, WHICH IS TOUTED AS A SAFETY FEATURE) WILL PULL YOU BACK TOWARDS THE OBSTACLE YOU ARE TRYING TO AVOID. CLEARLY THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE REMOVED AS A "FEATURE" FROM THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA SHOULD ALSO STOP CALLING THIS A SAFETY FEATURE. SECONDLY, THE RADAR ASSISTED CRUISE CONTROL WILL START BRAKING IF IT SEES THE VEHICLE IN FRONT IS SLOWING DOWN. HOWEVER, IF THE SYSTEM THEN THINKS AN ACCIDENT IS IMMINENT, THE CRASH WARNING SHOWS UP AND THE CRUISE CONTROLLED BRAKING IS THEN DISABLED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP THE BRAKING PROCESS, AND THEREBY CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD SINCE THE CAR WILL NOW COAST INTO THE OBSTACLE. AGAIN, THIS IS A SURPRISING AND TERRIBLE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SYSTEM THAT SHOULD BE REMOVED OR FIXED.
NHTSA ODI #11181533
5,000 miles · Jan 30, 2019
Air BagsService BrakesVehicle Speed ControlCrash
VEHICLE WAS IN A PARKING SPACE; FOOT ON BRAKE. WENT TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND IT ACCELERATED INTO THE GLASS / BUILDING I WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
NHTSA ODI #11173003
5,000 miles · Sep 24, 2018
Vehicle Speed Control
TOYOTA RAV 4 ACCELERATES ON IT'S OWN WHILE DRIVING I BROUGHT IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE COMPUTER SHOWS THAT IT DIDN'T ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN. IT HAS HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES THE LATEST WAS TODAY SEPT 24. I AM AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND OTHER DRIVER BECAUSE ONCE IT TOOK ME THR A RED LIG…
Read full complaint
TOYOTA RAV 4 ACCELERATES ON IT'S OWN WHILE DRIVING I BROUGHT IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE COMPUTER SHOWS THAT IT DIDN'T ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN. IT HAS HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES THE LATEST WAS TODAY SEPT 24. I AM AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND OTHER DRIVER BECAUSE ONCE IT TOOK ME THR A RED LIGHT A D TODAY I ALMOST HIT A TREE.
NHTSA ODI #11131090
Official recalls
3Nov 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.
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.
Dec 20, 2017
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra, 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles. These vehicles may have incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels. 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 load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge. The recall began on January 23, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are H0Z for Toyota vehicles, and HLF for Lexus vehicles.
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.
Illustration