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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.

About this comparison →

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

What owners actually said

634 reports
Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 2025
Electrical SystemEngine

Shorted Coolant Bypass Valve, only 14500 miles on my 2020 Rav4, Class action Suit and dealerships want you to pay $800-$1000 to fix problem with a leaky defective plastic poorly designed valve that eventually leaks into the electrical connectors and shorts circuits the valve. There is no recall for this fix and Toyota won't hono…

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Shorted Coolant Bypass Valve, only 14500 miles on my 2020 Rav4, Class action Suit and dealerships want you to pay $800-$1000 to fix problem with a leaky defective plastic poorly designed valve that eventually leaks into the electrical connectors and shorts circuits the valve. There is no recall for this fix and Toyota won't honor the repair. This is a common issue and Toyota Turns a Blind Eye. Error Message: Engine Maintenace Required Call Toyota Dealership. I Did and they give me a song and Dance stating there is no recall for this issue. If i run the heater in the car the message for a few a minutes, then shut off vehicle maintenance warning will reset, once I turn on the AC it will come back on. So, I guess I have to keep the heater on all summer.

NHTSA ODI #11683443

Mileage unknown · Aug 12, 2025
Structure

The hinges for the rear door/hatch broke. The door became unaligned and would not close and I had to drive my vehicle to a repair shop with the rear door ajar. This has not been inspected by manufacturer, no police or insurance inspection either. There is no reason these hinges should be worn and literally torn after 5 years.

NHTSA ODI #11680127

58,000 miles · Aug 11, 2025
Structure

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that during inclement weather, moisture entered the vehicle through the front passenger side and the rear driver side doors. The contact stated that upon opening both the front passenger’s and the rear driver’s side doors, there was a water swishing sound coming from inside…

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The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that during inclement weather, moisture entered the vehicle through the front passenger side and the rear driver side doors. The contact stated that upon opening both the front passenger’s and the rear driver’s side doors, there was a water swishing sound coming from inside the doors. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

NHTSA ODI #11679756

Mileage unknown · Aug 7, 2025
Seat Belts

Rear seat seat belt warning and chimes comes up even when no one sitting in the back and no stuff is put on the back seat. It start chiming randomly and even when all 3 seat belts are buckled the chime comes up. It is security risk as the sudden sound of warnings can distract drive when driving and can cause accident. This model…

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Rear seat seat belt warning and chimes comes up even when no one sitting in the back and no stuff is put on the back seat. It start chiming randomly and even when all 3 seat belts are buckled the chime comes up. It is security risk as the sudden sound of warnings can distract drive when driving and can cause accident. This model of Rav 4 does not have option to disable this feature, and cause lot of annoyance when random warning chimes start blaring through the vehicle without any reason and resolution. Toyota is refusing to do anything about it in spite of multiple forums reported this issue with various Toyota models. NHTSA need to take action on Toyota for this safety issue.

NHTSA ODI #11679002

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2025
Engine

Engine coolant bypass valve

NHTSA ODI #11676580

Mileage unknown · Jul 26, 2025
Engine

Engine maintenance message appeared on my dash. I took it to Big O's Tires and Service a car repair service provider. Upon connecting to the car and inspecting they told me it was a faulty possibly leaking engine coolant valve. The cost to repair is $916. This may cause the engine to overheat and possibly fail due to overheating…

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Engine maintenance message appeared on my dash. I took it to Big O's Tires and Service a car repair service provider. Upon connecting to the car and inspecting they told me it was a faulty possibly leaking engine coolant valve. The cost to repair is $916. This may cause the engine to overheat and possibly fail due to overheating. This can be very dangerous because it will happen if it does happen while driving which could cause an accident. I have not fixed the issue yet due to a lack of funds but will have to fix it as soon as a get paid because I drive my family in this car and cannot risk catastrophic engine failure. Please have Toyota recall this part as it is a very common failure amongst 2019-2023 Rav4s. A class action lawsuit is underway due to how often this issue arises. Thank you for your time.

NHTSA ODI #11676384

Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 2025
Air Bags

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manuf…

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The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI #11675993

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 2025
Forward Collision AvoidanceSteering

i cant use my cruise control its not going straight and everytime im turning i can hear a grinding noise its coming from power steering

NHTSA ODI #11673563

Mileage unknown · Jul 14, 2025
EngineSteering

I was driving the car with no issues on [XXX]- made two 30-minute trips with no issues the same day. During a 15-minute drive, the car was fine until I was at an intersection 12 minutes into the drive [XXX] and [XXX] ). I was stopped at the intersection for maybe a minute, and when the traffic light turned green, I released my…

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I was driving the car with no issues on [XXX]- made two 30-minute trips with no issues the same day. During a 15-minute drive, the car was fine until I was at an intersection 12 minutes into the drive [XXX] and [XXX] ). I was stopped at the intersection for maybe a minute, and when the traffic light turned green, I released my brake and went to accelerate when I got the following display message: "Engine Stopped Steering Power Low." The engine turned off, and I couldn't get the car to budge in drive or reverse. When I tried pressing on the gas pedal, it wouldn't budge and felt very stiff. I'm thankful this happened at a smaller intersection on a Sunday evening because my car wouldn't start back up and was stuck in the dead center of this intersection. Cars going East and South all had to drive around me. This put my safety at risk because I had to hop out of my car and redirect people around it until a kind passerby pulled over to help push my car to the right-side turning lane. I was standing in the middle of an intersection on a road with a 35-40 mph speed limit. After pushing the car to the curb and calling a few towing places (maybe 20 minutes later), I tried starting the car again, and it started with no issues whatsoever. I drove it the rest of the way back (for 3 minutes) with no problems, and I made another three 20-25 minute drives on it today. Nothing sounds wrong with the car; it's running with no issues. I would take my car to the dealership for a diagnostic, but I can't afford to right now. I will put my battery on a tender and use a multimeter to check the voltage within the next few days. Regular maintenance has been kept, and the car has never had this happen prior. I've never received the "Engine Stopped Steering Power Low" message prior to this incident. The car is available for inspection upon request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11673543

Mileage unknown · Jul 7, 2025
Engine

Coolant Bypass Valve failure at 40k miles - 2020 rav4. Replacement at dealership is costing over 800$.

NHTSA ODI #11671670

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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