NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
331 reports4,200 miles · Mar 29, 2021
Air BagsCrashInjury
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 TOYOTA RAV-4. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE FAILED TO YIELD WHILE TURNING INTO THE LEFT LANE COLLIDING INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE CURTIN AIR BAG AND DRIVER FRONT AIR BAG FAILED TO D…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 TOYOTA RAV-4. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE FAILED TO YIELD WHILE TURNING INTO THE LEFT LANE COLLIDING INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE CURTIN AIR BAG AND DRIVER FRONT AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT HAD A FRACTURED A FINGER ON HER RIGHT HAND, CHEST CONTUSIONS AND RIGHT KNEE BRUISE. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED TOTAL LOSS HOWEVER THE EVALUATION WAS NOT COMPLETED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.
NHTSA ODI #11405343
14,500 miles · Mar 18, 2021
Electrical SystemExterior LightingService Brakes
STARTING LATE AUG2020 THE DASHBOARD STARTING TO SHOW WARNING LIGHTS RANDOMLY AND INCONSISTENTLY. ALL WARNING LIGHTS DO NOT COME AT THE SAME TIME BUT WHEN TURNING THE EXTERNAL LIGHTS ON OTHER WARNING LIGHTS TURN ON AND SO FAR THE CAR HAVE STALLED MORE THAN 4 TIMES WHILE DRIVING UNDER 40 MPH. THE LAST 3 TIMES THE CAR STARTED RIGHT…
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STARTING LATE AUG2020 THE DASHBOARD STARTING TO SHOW WARNING LIGHTS RANDOMLY AND INCONSISTENTLY. ALL WARNING LIGHTS DO NOT COME AT THE SAME TIME BUT WHEN TURNING THE EXTERNAL LIGHTS ON OTHER WARNING LIGHTS TURN ON AND SO FAR THE CAR HAVE STALLED MORE THAN 4 TIMES WHILE DRIVING UNDER 40 MPH. THE LAST 3 TIMES THE CAR STARTED RIGHT AFTER BEING PARKED AND BUT THIS LAST TIME IT DID NOT AND WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR A TOW ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT FROM BEHIND ME AS THE CAR THAT WAS COMING BEHIND ME STOPPED AND WAS HIT BY ANOTHER CAR BEHIND HIM. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY WOULD NOT TOUCH IT AND ALL THEY DID WAS DISCONNECT THE BATTERY SO THE WARRANTING LIGHTS TURN OFF AND SEND ME BACK OUT AND WITH IN 15 MIN ON THE ROAD THE LIGHTS STARTED TO COMEBACK ON AGAIN BUT THE CAR DID NOT DIE ON THE ROAD. THE CAR IS BARELY 3 YEARS OLD AND ONLY HAVE 14,500 MILES ON IT AND IT IS BECOMING VERY UNRELIABLE TO DRIVE.
NHTSA ODI #11403717
6,000 miles · Mar 14, 2021
Unknown Or OtherFire
THIS CAR STARTED A FIRE ON THE ROAD WHILE IT WAS IN MOTION, AND AFTER I DROVE IT OVER A MILE ON A CITY STREET ON APRIL 22ND, 2019. I STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED OFF THE CAR AFTER I SAW SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE HOOD IN FRONT OF DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD. I LEFT THE CAR IMMEDIATELY TO CALL FOR HELP. LESS THAN A MINUTE, AFTER I LEFT THE C…
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THIS CAR STARTED A FIRE ON THE ROAD WHILE IT WAS IN MOTION, AND AFTER I DROVE IT OVER A MILE ON A CITY STREET ON APRIL 22ND, 2019. I STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED OFF THE CAR AFTER I SAW SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE HOOD IN FRONT OF DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD. I LEFT THE CAR IMMEDIATELY TO CALL FOR HELP. LESS THAN A MINUTE, AFTER I LEFT THE CAR, THE FIRE STARTED, THE FLAMES WENT UP TO 10 FEET HIGH IN A SHORT 2 MINUTES, IN LESS THAN 10 MINUTES, BEFORE THE FIREMEN PUT FIRE OFF, THE CAR WAS BURNED TO THE FRAME WITH NOTHING LEFT INSIDE. THE CAR WAS DRIVEN A LITTLE OVER 6000 MILES AT THE TIME. TOYOTA HAS NOT COVERED ANY OF MY LOSS AND TAKEN THE RESPONSIBILITY.
NHTSA ODI #11402838
Mileage unknown · Mar 10, 2021
EngineService BrakesFire
WHILE DRIVING, THERE IS A LITTLE SHAKES ON THE CAR AND A MESSAGE APPEARED THAT THE ANTI LOCKING BRAKE FAILED. I STOP THE VEHICLE AND I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND TOOK THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. A FIRE START COMING OUT OF THE HOOD AND I TOLD MY WIFE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND I GET OUT AL…
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WHILE DRIVING, THERE IS A LITTLE SHAKES ON THE CAR AND A MESSAGE APPEARED THAT THE ANTI LOCKING BRAKE FAILED. I STOP THE VEHICLE AND I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND TOOK THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. A FIRE START COMING OUT OF THE HOOD AND I TOLD MY WIFE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND I GET OUT ALSO, THE DRIVER OF A VEHICLE BEHIND US CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND IN A FEW MINUTES THE FIRE FIGHTERS ARRIVED AND START EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE. THE FIRE ENGULF THE WHOLE VEHICLE.
NHTSA ODI #11400275
21,000 miles · Mar 8, 2021
EngineFuel/propulsion System
VEHICLE IN MOTION. I TRIED TO ACCELERATE TO PASS ON OTHER VEHICLE AND ACCELERATION STALLED OUT. THIS HASS OCCURED ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. BUT IT IS NOT CONSISTANT ON ALL OCCASIONS.
NHTSA ODI #11399839
30,000 miles · Mar 5, 2021
Electrical SystemFire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE SAW SMOKE EXIT THE HOOD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PARK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HER RESID…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE SAW SMOKE EXIT THE HOOD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PARK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HER RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT CALLED LOCAL DEALER EASTERN SHORE TOYOTA (29732 FREDERICK BLVD, DAPHNE, AL 36526: (251) 250-0161) AND WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.
NHTSA ODI #11399349
7,000 miles · Mar 4, 2021
Electrical System
CONSTANT BATTERY FAILURE ON 2018 RAV 4. REPLACED JAN 2020 AND AGAIN MARCH 2021. ALL THE LIGHTS LIT UP, BELLS & WHISTLES THEN DEAD. HAVE CALLED TRIPLE A SO MANY TIMES WE ARE OUT OF SERVICE UNLESS UPGRADE PLAN. DEALER STATES CAR NOT DRIVEN ENOUGH (DESPITE DRIVEN SEVERAL TIMES PER WEEK) BUT DEALER WOULD NOT STATE HOW MUCH CAR S…
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CONSTANT BATTERY FAILURE ON 2018 RAV 4. REPLACED JAN 2020 AND AGAIN MARCH 2021. ALL THE LIGHTS LIT UP, BELLS & WHISTLES THEN DEAD. HAVE CALLED TRIPLE A SO MANY TIMES WE ARE OUT OF SERVICE UNLESS UPGRADE PLAN. DEALER STATES CAR NOT DRIVEN ENOUGH (DESPITE DRIVEN SEVERAL TIMES PER WEEK) BUT DEALER WOULD NOT STATE HOW MUCH CAR SHOULD BE DRIVEN TO AVOID BATTERY FAILURE ISSUE. ALSO NOTED SQUIRREL HAD BUILT NEST UNDER THE HOOD WITH INSULATION. NOTIFIED DEALER OF ALL & THEY REPLACED BATTERY WHICH WAS NOT INCLUDED IN WARRANTY THAT IS ACTIVE. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. CONCERNED AS OTHERS HAVING SAME ISSUE AND SOME WITH BATTERY EXPLOSION/FIRE. MY MOM IS ELDERLY AND CONCERNED ABOUT HER BEING STRANDED OUT AND ABOUT OR WORSE FIRE HAZARD.
NHTSA ODI #11399097
51,000 miles · Feb 1, 2021
Visibility/wiper
1/30/2021 TRAVELING APPROX 74 MPH ON INTERSTATE IN LIGHT TRAFFIC AND LIGHT RAIN (HEAVY DRIZZLE) AND OUTSIDE TEMP AROUND 47 DEGREES. I WAS LISTENING TO AN AUDIOBOOK WHEN I HEARD A NOISE LIKE A POPPING SOUND AND THEN A ROAR AS WIND STARTED COMING IN THE CAR AND WHAT I NOW KNOW WAS THE SHATTERED GLASS FROM MY SUNROOF FALLING IN ON …
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1/30/2021 TRAVELING APPROX 74 MPH ON INTERSTATE IN LIGHT TRAFFIC AND LIGHT RAIN (HEAVY DRIZZLE) AND OUTSIDE TEMP AROUND 47 DEGREES. I WAS LISTENING TO AN AUDIOBOOK WHEN I HEARD A NOISE LIKE A POPPING SOUND AND THEN A ROAR AS WIND STARTED COMING IN THE CAR AND WHAT I NOW KNOW WAS THE SHATTERED GLASS FROM MY SUNROOF FALLING IN ON ME. SHATTERED GLASS FELL ON ME AND WHEN I MOVED IT WEDGED ITSELF BETWEEN ME AND MY SEAT MAKING IT UNCOMFORTABLE TO MOVE FOR FEAR OF BEING CUT BY THE GLASS. IT WAS NOT A ROCK THE SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED.
NHTSA ODI #11391044
61,000 miles · Jan 30, 2021
Forward Collision AvoidanceService BrakesCrash
TRAFFIC STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY CAR DIDN'T. THE AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM STARTED BUT IT DIDN'T STOP. ALMOST EVERY AIRBAG DEPLOYED EXCEPT THE PASSENGER, IT WAS OFF. MY DASH READ THAT ABS FAILED CONTACT DEALER.
NHTSA ODI #11390787
Mileage unknown · Jan 16, 2021
Steering
STEERING WARNING LIGHT COMING ON WITH WARNING SOUND, THE DEALER CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM TO REPAIR IT
NHTSA ODI #11388411
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.
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