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2020 Toyota RAV4

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most RAV4 years

Owner complaints for the 2020 Toyota RAV4 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 258.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

195 reports with mileage · 439 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.

  • Engine. Review the 180 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 119 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 90 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

17 crash reports5 fire reports11 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

17 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jun 19, 2026
Service Brakes

The front brakes wear out too quickly. In the past 3 years, the front brakes and rotors have had to be replaced 5 times while the rear brakes only once. this is not normal. i have complained to the dealership but they have no answers.

NHTSA ODI #11745179

Mileage unknown · Dec 3, 2024
Electrical SystemEngineService Brakes

•August 19, 2022: All emergency/error code lights came on the dash while driving on highway. The vehicle was taken to Don McGill Toyota for service. In that time, all error codes came back and went away a few times on their own. Vehicle was taken on 08/20/2022 (please refer to service records) in which it was originally deemed t…

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•August 19, 2022: All emergency/error code lights came on the dash while driving on highway. The vehicle was taken to Don McGill Toyota for service. In that time, all error codes came back and went away a few times on their own. Vehicle was taken on 08/20/2022 (please refer to service records) in which it was originally deemed there were no issues with the vehicle. Toyota recommended that if the problem persists, bring the vehicle back in. •August 26, 2022: Vehicle emergency lights came back on while driving on the highway again. The vehicle was taken back to Don McGill Toyota for a service emergency. Was told the Vehicle needed a sensor replaced. Got the vehicle back on September 15, 2022. •September 6, 2023: Vehicle emergency lights come back on. The vehicle was taken to Don McGill Toyota. Another part was replaced (please refer to service records) and the vehicle was returned on September 9, 2023. •August 2024: Vehicle emergency lights come back on. The vehicle was taken to Don McGill Toyota for a break service as well as getting this emergency lights issue resolved. The vehicle was picked up 5 hours later, however upon driving a little in the dealership parking lot, emergency lights came back on. Immediately went back and brought it up to the service advisor, who then took the car back for another 1 hour and deemed the vehicle needed to be “recalibrated”. This recalibration was completed, then left the dealership. •September 3, 2024: Vehicle emergency lights come back on. This time the vehicle struggled to brake when the lights came on. The vehicle was taken into Don McGill Toyota for immediate service. Breaks were looked at and recalibration was completed. Vehicle returned on September 6, 2024. •September 14, 2024: Vehicle emergency lights come back on. The vehicle was taken to Don McGill Toyota for emergency service. Brakes were checked and the vehicle was driven around to bring the lights up. The vehicle was given back on October 1, 2024, after the ser

NHTSA ODI #11628641

Mileage unknown · Oct 7, 2024
Service BrakesSteeringSuspension

Since I've owned the vehicle it has made loud squeaking, scraping, popping, and clicking noises in the suspension and steering. When I first turn the vehicle on and use the brakes they are very loud as if they are worn. I've had the brakes checked and the dealer said the brakes are fine. When I turn the steering wheel it makes a…

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Since I've owned the vehicle it has made loud squeaking, scraping, popping, and clicking noises in the suspension and steering. When I first turn the vehicle on and use the brakes they are very loud as if they are worn. I've had the brakes checked and the dealer said the brakes are fine. When I turn the steering wheel it makes a loud crunching rubbing noise that I can feel in the floor board. My vehicle is less than 5 years old and less than 60,000 miles. I've never had a vehicle made so many noises and it's terrifying to wonder if something is just going to break off or stop working.

NHTSA ODI #11618398

Mileage unknown · Apr 15, 2024
Service Brakes

The ABS and brake booster systems failed, and my traction control was not working as intended. Every light related to the braking system came on all at once and the ability to break became slowed, could not stop if needed to at anything other than a slow decline in speed (wouldn’t be able to go to a full stop without ample plann…

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The ABS and brake booster systems failed, and my traction control was not working as intended. Every light related to the braking system came on all at once and the ability to break became slowed, could not stop if needed to at anything other than a slow decline in speed (wouldn’t be able to go to a full stop without ample planning or control - being cut off, too close to a red light or car needing to turn, or on the highway would’ve ended in an accident). Thankfully was on surface streets both times. Problem was recurrent. Toyota dealership confirmed issue and noted loss of braking power but noted the code was intermittent and failure not definitive, hard to reproduce. Attempted to repair issue, which temporarily worked but re-occurred 1 month later. End result - needed to replace battery, stroke position sensor, brake booster with master cylinder/ABS actuator, which was almost $4,000 in repairs, with no promise it would fix the issue. No warning lamps, signs, or notable symptoms before braking failure. Battery died twice before brakes situation, but attributed to a faulty update system sending data continuously.

NHTSA ODI #11583044

Mileage unknown · Feb 16, 2024
Service Brakes

When driving home two weeks ago, I got a message on my screen saying, "A Brake system malfunction was detected. Carefully find a safe place to park, and call dealer". I took it to an ASE certified mechanic, and he says it's a brake booster going bad. This car is my personal vehicle, and at this date has 33,152 miles on it. T…

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When driving home two weeks ago, I got a message on my screen saying, "A Brake system malfunction was detected. Carefully find a safe place to park, and call dealer". I took it to an ASE certified mechanic, and he says it's a brake booster going bad. This car is my personal vehicle, and at this date has 33,152 miles on it. The mechanic and I cannot find any recalls for my 2020 Rav4 . The mechanic said it's still drivable, and what I should look for when it goes completely out, however I'm afraid to go far as to not knowing when it will go. This is definitely a safety risk, for myself and others on the road.

NHTSA ODI #11572341

Mileage unknown · Mar 3, 2023
Forward Collision AvoidanceService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

On several occaisions the vehicle has incorrectly detected an impending collision, disconnected the adaptive speed control and applied the brakes forcefully. On one occasion, it happened while driving in heavy slushy snow. Speed control wouldn't reengage. The dealer suggested cleaning off the Toyota logo in front and that resol…

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On several occaisions the vehicle has incorrectly detected an impending collision, disconnected the adaptive speed control and applied the brakes forcefully. On one occasion, it happened while driving in heavy slushy snow. Speed control wouldn't reengage. The dealer suggested cleaning off the Toyota logo in front and that resolved the problem. The other times the problem occured, the vehicle was being drive in late afternoon daylight on I 80. The vehicle was in the left lane, going around a tight (for an Interstate) curve with another vehicle in the right lane and slightly ahead. It apparently thought that the other vehicle was in the same lane. i.e., the vehicle had inadequate knowledge of it's position relative to the roadway. Up to that point, it understood that it was in it's own lane. Each time this occurred, the road was (fortunately) relatively empty so no crash occurred.

NHTSA ODI #11510038

Mileage unknown · Dec 25, 2022
Service Brakes

Squealing noise when stopping or braking under 3 mph.

NHTSA ODI #11498812

Mileage unknown · Jun 3, 2022
Forward Collision AvoidanceService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

I was driving on an Interstate highway with th speed control on in extremely light traffic and very heavy, slushy snow when the brakes were applied full and the instrument panel flashed red. There were (fortunately) no other vehicles in front or behind me. Since there was no reason for stopping, I stepped on the accelerator an…

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I was driving on an Interstate highway with th speed control on in extremely light traffic and very heavy, slushy snow when the brakes were applied full and the instrument panel flashed red. There were (fortunately) no other vehicles in front or behind me. Since there was no reason for stopping, I stepped on the accelerator and the vehicle operated normally EXCEPT that I was no longer able to use the speed control. Calls to Toyota's 800 number were of no help, but a service advisor at Sunrise Toyota suggested cleaning slush off the Toyota logo on the grill. After cleaning the logo, the car operated normally. Toyota subsequently examined the car at the dealer and determined that it was operating as designed. I BELIEVE THAT THE VEHICLE'S SOFTWARE DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE AND MUST BE REDESIGNED.

NHTSA ODI #11467436

Mileage unknown · Apr 7, 2022
Service Brakes

My vehicle sometimes accelerate while breaking. Mostly while slowly coming to a stop.

NHTSA ODI #11460037

9,000 miles · Jan 14, 2022
Electrical SystemService BrakesVisibilityCrashInjury

The contact owned a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving 45 mph with the cruise control activated and while coming to a red light, the driver depressed the brake pedal and the braking system malfunctioned causing the vehicle to not stop. The vehicle drove through a red light causing a collision with a second v…

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The contact owned a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving 45 mph with the cruise control activated and while coming to a red light, the driver depressed the brake pedal and the braking system malfunctioned causing the vehicle to not stop. The vehicle drove through a red light causing a collision with a second vehicle. During the crash the driver sustained rib and torso injuries, the front passenger sustained injured ribs and fractured tailbone and the rear passenger side occupant sustained a fractured tailbone. No further information was available regarding the second vehicle. During the crash, the vehicle was destroyed. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The contact indicated that prior to the incident the vehicle had been examined at the dealer for a possible braking problem but no trouble was found. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the incident. In addition, the contact indicated that the backup camera audible alarm was inoperable. The failure mileage was 9,000.

NHTSA ODI #11447512

Official recalls

6

23V865000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification

Dec 20, 2023

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.

20V734000 · Air Bags:frontal; Steering:column

Nov 25, 2020

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Toyota Avalon and 2020 Avalon Hybrid, RAV4, and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles. Breakaway pins within the steering column, designed to absorb energy and reduce injury during a crash, could have been damaged during production, possibly affecting the performance of the driver's air bag in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not perform as designed can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering column, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB17/20TA17.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Air Bags:frontal

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Toyota Avalon and 2020 Avalon Hybrid, RAV4, and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles. Breakaway pins within the steering column, designed to absorb energy and reduce injury during a crash, could have been damaged during production, possibly affecting the performance of the driver's air bag in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence: In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not perform as designed can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering column, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB17/20TA17.

Steering:column

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Toyota Avalon and 2020 Avalon Hybrid, RAV4, and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles. Breakaway pins within the steering column, designed to absorb energy and reduce injury during a crash, could have been damaged during production, possibly affecting the performance of the driver's air bag in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence: In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not perform as designed can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering column, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB17/20TA17.

20V682000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Nov 4, 2020

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200, 2018-2019 Lexus NX300 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy parts should be available for all affected vehicles by late March 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-012. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA01.

20V373000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System

Jun 24, 2020

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019-2020 RAV4 and 2020 RAV4 Hybrid vehicles equipped with electric power steering (EPS). Water may enter through the steering gear box cover and cause a loss of electric power steering assist.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A loss of power steering assist could increase steering effort at low vehicle speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering gear box, free of charge. The recall began August 17, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB11 / 20TA11.

20V286000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm

May 20, 2020

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019-2020 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles. The front lower suspension arms may have cracks, which may result in the suspension arm separating from the front wheel assembly.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If a suspension control arm breaks, it can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front lower suspension arms, free of charge. This recall began August 10, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's interim numbers for this recall are 20TB08 / 20TA08.

20V064000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Feb 6, 2020

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Toyota Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid and Lexus ES300h and 2019-2020 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles equipped with 2.5L 4-Cylinder engines. Porosity in the engine castings may result in cracks than can allow coolant to leak internally and/or externally.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A coolant leak can cause the engine to overheat and cause a vehicle stall in conventional gasoline vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, for all involved vehicles, the engine may get damaged mechanically, possibly resulting in an engine oil leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the engine including the engine block, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 3, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA04. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA02.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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