What 266 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid

WHEN PULLING MY 2012 TOYOTA RAV4 INTO A PARKING SPACE AT VERY LOW RATE OF SPEED, I TAPPED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY STARTED ROARING AND ACCELERATING OUT OF CONTROL. THE CAR JUMPED THE CURB THAT WAS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE PARKING SPOT, CROSSED THE ROAD, JUMPED ANOTHER CURB, AND LANDED IN A MUDDY RAVINE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO BE REPAIRED AND THE TECH COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO TOYOTA. THEY SENT AN INVESTIGATOR. THEY CLAIM THE EDR DETECTED NO DEFECTS IN THE VEHICLE AND BLAMED IT ON EITHER ME MISTAKING THE ACCELERATOR FOR THE BRAKES OR MY CUSTOM FITTED, LOCK-IN WEATHERTECH FLOOR MAT WHICH HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE DAY ONE OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE SINCE 2012. I HAD NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE BEFORE THIS AND I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED MY CAR BUT AM NOW TERRIFIED THAT IT WILL ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11331764

IN A PAVED PARKING LOT I ATTEMPTED TO PARK BY APPLYING THE BRAKES BUT THE CAR SURGED FORWARD. IT ONLY STOPPED BY GOING OVER A CURB AND HITTING A TREE AT THE PERIMETER OF THE PARKING SPACE.

NHTSA ODI 11301372

PULL INTO PARKING PLACE STEP ON THE BRAKES .THE CAR SEAM S IF THE GAS WAS ENGAGE

NHTSA ODI 11094002

WITHOUT CAUSE OR REASON, THE "BRAKE ACTUATOR" CIRCUIT MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE CRUISE CONTROL, ABS, ANTI-SKID AND SPORADIC TAIL LIGHT PROBLEMS (LIGHTS WILL STAY ON OR COME ON WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED). I BROUGHT IT TO MY TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT DAY, THE ROADS WERE SNOW COVERED AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION CAUSING THE CAR TO SKID INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER, AFTER THE BODY WAS REPAIRED, THEY LOCATED THE PROBLEM AND SAID IT WOULD COST $2900 TO REPLACE. BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED, THE WIRING CAUGHT FIRE, PROBABLY BECAUSE THE TAILLIGHTS CAME ON BY THEMSELVES DURING THE NIGHT, AS THEY OCCASIONALLY DID (WITHOUT A KEY IN THE IGNITION). THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER WHO ESTIMATES UPWARDS OF $10,000 FOR REPAIRS TO THE COMPUTER AND WIRING SYSTEM. THE TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER RECOMMENDS WE SELL THE $19,000 CAR FOR "WHOLESALE." INSURANCE WILL NOT COVER THE DAMAGE AS IT WAS A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. TOYOTA CORP. IN CALIFORNIA, CONSUMER EXPERIENCES DEPARTMENT, WILL NOT GIVE ME ANY HELP AS THE CAR IS 21,000 OVER THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. HOW OR WHERE CAN I GET A LAWYER OR CONSUMER ADVOCATE TO HELP ME?

NHTSA ODI 10726994

ON THURSDAY 18 DECEMBER, MY WIFE AND I LEFT SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI TO DALLAS, TEXAS TO VISIT OUR FAMILY FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. WE WERE DRIVING OUR RECENTLY PURCHASED 2012 RAV4 WITH APPROXIMATELY 33,000 MILES WHICH WE PURCHASED IN LATE SEPTEMBER 2014. WE STOPPED SEVERAL TIMES DURING OUR TRIP TO REFUEL AND ALLOW MY WIFE, WHO IS 6 MONTH PREGNANT, A CHANCE TO STRETCH HER LEGS. FOR MUCH OF THE TRIP, I USED CRUISE CONTROL WHEN POSSIBLE AT VARYING SPEEDS FROM 65 MPH (IN MISSOURI) TO 75 MPH (IN PARTS OF OKLAHOMA). AT APPROXIMATELY 4:30 PM, WHILE DRIVING THROUGH TUSHKA, OKLAHOMA WE APPROACHED A STOPLIGHT WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT DROPPED FROM 65 TO 45 MPH. THE LIGHT WAS RED, A SEMI WAS STOPPED AT THE LIGHT, AND I ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE CAR'S BRAKES. AS I DID SO, THE CAR FELT AS IF IT WAS FIGHTING MY ATTEMPTS TO STOP IT. I HAD TO KEEP BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL, AND I DO NOT KNOW IF THE CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGED. AS I APPROACHED THE SEMI, I PRESSED HARDER ON THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO STOP MY VEHICLE. FINALLY WITH LESS THAN A CAR LENGTH, MY CAR CAME TO A FULL STOP. WITH MY FOOT STILL PRESSED FIRMLY ON THE BRAKES, BOTH MY WIFE AND I HEARD THE CAR BEGIN TO MAKE A HIGH-PITCHED NOISE. I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE CAR INTO 'PARK,' AT WHICH POINT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV AND I SAW THAT THE RPM GAUGE ON THE CAR ROSE TO 7-8,000 RPM. AT THIS POINT, I TURNED THE CAR OFF AT THE IGNITION SWITCH. MY INTENT WAS TO RE-START THE CAR AND SAFELY PULL OVER AFTER WE PROCEEDED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. HOWEVER, AT THIS POINT THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND, AS I RESTARTED THE CAR, WE WERE HIT FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. ON FRIDAY, THE 19TH, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO TOYOTA OF LEWISVILLE (TX) WHERE THEY PROVED UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I WAS CONTACTED BY A REPRESENTATIVE ON 12/29/2014 WHO INFORMED ME THAT NOTHING WOULD BE DONE UNLESS THE EVENT "REPLICATED" OR SOMEONE HAD BEEN INJURED. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10669207

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THERE WERE REPAIRS COMPLETED ON THE VEHICLE THAT WERE NOT RELATED TO THE BRAKES. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. UPDATED 01/15/15*LJ

NHTSA ODI 10597924

I CAN NOT GIVE THE INFO. THAT YOU ARE ASKING ME ABOUT THE DAMAGE OF MY VEHICLE IN THE ABOVE QUESTION ,BECAUSE IT KEEPS DELETING MY ANSWERS. ON THIS PAST 12/16/2013 AT 3:15PM I WAS PULLED OVER BEHIND A CHEVY,TRAILBLAIZER WAITING FOR A EMERGENCY VEHICLE TO PASS BY,SUDDENLY MY NEW RAV-4 DECIDED THAT IT WANTED TO GO FOR A FAST RIDE,WETHER I LIKED IT,OR NOT.I LOOKED DOWN AT MY FEET TO SEE WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AND I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. BY THE TIME I LOOKED BACK-UP,IT WAS TO LATE FOR ME TO PULL-UP ONTO THE EMERGENCY BRAKE,OR PUT INTO (N).THIS WAS MY THIRD INCEDENT WITH THIS HAPPENING,EVERY BODY KEEPS SAYING THAT THIS HAPPENED ON 12/19/2013,NOT SO ! ON 01/11/2013 I ALMOST KILLED A GIRL PUSHING A BABY CARRIAGE AND HOLDING HANDS WITH HER LITTLE BOY IN A CROSSWALK AT 12/30 PM.I REPORTED THIS TO TOYOTA AND THEY INVESTIGATED IT AND SAID,"ALL 14 ACCIDENTS WHERE MY FAULT ,BECAUSE OF THE MATTS ON MY FLOOR."I JUST HAD MY INSURANCE CO. INVESTIGATE IT THE OTHER DAY.I DON'T HAVE ALL THE RESULTS BACK YET! ROCKINGHAM TOYOTA AND SCION,NH. SOLD ME THIS CAR ,I GAVE THEM TWO TRADE-INS,A 2010 CAMARO SS,RS,AND MY 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA WHICH I BROUGHT TO THEM THAT NIGHT FOR A RECALL ON MY TRUCK,TO REPLACE THE ROTTED-OUT FRAME,AND ROTTED-OUT REAR BRAKES.THEY SAID NO TO FIXING MY BRAKES,AND I HAD THE RECALL LETTER TO SHOW THEM.DID NOT HELP! SO THEY SOLD ME THIS LEMMON,AND SENT ME A CHECK IN THE MAIL FOR $23,000.I GOT RIPPED-OFF,THEY CLOSED THE DEALERSHIP WHILE I WAS SIGNING PAPERS,AND THEY WOULD NOT LET ME NEAR MY TRUCK AND CAMARO.HE SAID "COME BACK TOMORROW TO GET YOUR BELONGINGS OUT OF THEM".I WENT BACK THE NEXT DAY ,AND WAS TOLD THAT I WAS TO LATE,THE AUTOS ARE ON A TRAIN WRITE NOW,HEADING TO WISSCONSIN.HELP ME PLEASE ! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10575532

I WAS SLOWLY MANEUVERING INTO A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE CAR REVVED UP, JUMPED OVER THE CONCRETE BARRIER, OVER THE CURB AND SIDEWALK. I WAS HEADED DIRECTLY TOWARD A BUILDING AND A LARGE PLATE GLASS WINDOW. THE BRAKES DID NOT STOP THE CAR, AND FELT SQUISHY WHEN I PUSHED THEM ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I SWERVED TO THE RIGHT, TURNED OFF THE KEY AND HIT A PARKED CAR IN ORDER TO STOP. I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE LIGHT WOULD COME ON ANY TIME I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OVER 50 MPH. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10545660

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA RAV-4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A CLICKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR A NEW VEHICLE TO MAKE NOISES BUT PROCEEDED TO REPLACE THE BRAKES PAD AND SHIM KIT. ADDITIONALLY, ALL OF THE BRAKE COMPONENTS WERE LUBRICATED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, SHE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THEY FAILED TO RESPOND. AS A RESULT, SHE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED WHIPLASH AND MINOR BURNS CAUSED BY THE SEAT BELT AND DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER OF THE SECOND VEHICLE WAS ALSO INJURED AND TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED OR INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,000.

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BRAKES FAILED TO WORK. WOULD NOT STOP. *TR

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MADE A RIGHT TURN AFTER STOPPED AT RED LITE. COMING UP TO LINE OF TRAFFIC STOPPED AT ANOTHER LITE I STEPPED ON BRAKE AND IT FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING DOWN THREE TIMES WHILE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. POLICE REPORT FILED. MY FRONT BUMPER WAS DAMAGED. TOOK CAR TO DEALER NEXT DAY THEY WOULD NOT LOOK AT IT AND WAS TOLD TO CALL THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO WOULD ARRANGE AN INDEPENDENT INSPECTION. THIS WAS DONE AND I'M WAITING FOR A CALL FROM THEM TO SET DATE FOR INSPECTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10501393

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ROLL THE VEHICLE FORWARD TO CLEAR A DOORWAY, THE VEHICLE JUMPED FORWARD ABOUT 6 FEET. AT THAT TIME I PULLED MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE STOPPED MOMENTARILY, THEN BEGAN TO ACCELERATE PICKING UP SPEED RAPIDLY AS EVIDENCED BY THE REVVING OF THE ENGINE. I CONTINUED TO PUMP THE BRAKE SINCE HOLDING IT TO THE FLOOR WAS DOING NOTHING. BY THIS TIME I HAD GONE THROUGH A CHAIN LINK FENCE, THROUGH A DITCH OVER A CURB AND CONTINUED TO PICK UP SPEED TO PASS THROUGH A CONCRETE BLOCK WALL AND INTO THE BACK OF A PARKED R.,THE VEHICLE IMPALING ITSELF ON THE STEEL PIPES OF A MOTORCYCLE CARRIER ATTACHED TO THE BACK OF THE R.V. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT MOVE ANY FURTHER BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL REVVING. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE RAV4 WAS TOTALED AND AMAZINGLY I SUFFERED ONLY MINOR BUMPS AND BRUISES. AT NO TIME DID ANY OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10494883

I WAS DRIVING WESTBOUND ON I-70 AROUND MP 129. THIS IS JUST BEFORE GLENWOOD CANYON. THERE WAS A FLASHING ICY ROAD SIGN AT WHICH TIME, I SIGNALED MY INTENTION TO MOVE TO THE RIGHT LANE WHICH I DID. I SLOWED DOWN AND PUT MY CAR IN 3RD. THIS WAS JUST BEFORE A CURVE TO THE RIGHT WHERE THE ROAD AND VISIBILITY NARROW. THE RIGHT LANE WAS COMPLETELY ICED OVER AS I REALIZED WHEN I GOT AROUND THE CURVE. IN FRONT OF ME, I SAW A PILEUP, BOTH LANES OF TRAFFIC WERE BLOCKED. I TAPPED MY BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN BUT BECAUSE OF THE ICE, I DID NOT STOP OR SLOW DOWN. I WENT AROUND ONE CAR STOPPED IN MY LANE TO AVOID HITTING IT FROM BEHIND. I WENT AROUND ON THE SHOULDER. I CONTINUED TO PUMP THE BRAKE. IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF ME WAS A SIERRA 4X 4 THAT WAS PERPENDICULAR TO THE LANE OF TRAFFIC AND IT WAS ALSO BLOCKING THE SHOULDER. I PLOWED INTO IT ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE TRUCK AT A RATE OF ANYWHERE OF 25 - 30 MPH. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY DOG AND I WERE BOTH RESTRAINED AND WE SUFFERED NO INJURIES. MY CAR IS IN ALL LIKELIHOOD TOTALED. *TR

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