What 254 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid

Car started cutting on and off then battery caught fire while driving. The battery is still in the vehicle. Car was inspected by Victory Toyota of Brook Park. There were no warning lamps or messages before the incident occurred.

NHTSA ODI 11647656

The contact's husband owns a  2013 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while the husband was driving at approximately 35 MPH, smoke was coming from under the hood. The contact's husband managed to pull into a parking lot to inspect the vehicle where it was noticed that the battery compartment caught on fire. The contact's husband managed to extinguish the fire by hand. The contact's husband had sustained slight burns however, no medical attention was sought. No police report was filed. The vehicle was left at a Home Depot parking lot which was the initial destination. The local dealer was contacted and advised that the vehicle would have to be towed out of pocket for diagnoses to decide if it was recall-related however if it was determined to be recall-related the parts were not available. The contact was concerned that the vehicle could not be towed since it failed to shift into neutral. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11626625

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Rav 4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System) 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 contact stated while the vehicle was parked and turned on there was smoke coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the 12-volt battery located in the engine compartment had caught on fire. The fire was extinguished by the contact. A fire report was not filed, and a police report was not filed. The 12-volt battery had been replaced by the contact. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11625345

I had a 2013 Rav4, while i was driving the car the car started a fire under the hood and burn completely up. Im trying to file a complaint or talk to someone discussing this matter. Toyota says I need to file a bad faith complaint.

NHTSA ODI 11592405

After driving vehicle, noticed smoke coming from under hood. Upon further inspection battery was on fire.

NHTSA ODI 11523052

I was driving back home with my kids on 12/31/22 as usual, car suddenly turned off. The engine then caught fire within 2 min of turning off, the whole car was on fire within 8 min.

NHTSA ODI 11499684

The battery caught on fire while driving causing a loss of power. I could pull over and a driver passing by jumped out and extinguished the fire.

NHTSA ODI 11495582

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated when she attempted to start the vehicle, it hesitated to start, once the vehicle started the contact noticed smoking was coming from under the hood. The contact was able to shut down the vehicle. The contact stated that more smoke was coming from under the hood of the vehicle turning into flames causing the vehicle to burn. The fire department was contacted, and they were able to extinguish the fire. No police report was filed. No one was injured. The vehicle was not towed. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 45,000.

NHTSA ODI 11494908

I turned the key and started the RAV4 parked in my driveway. It immediately made unusual noices (gurgling, spitting, etc.). Within a minute, there was a loud "BOOM" under the hood and fire began coming out from underneath the car. I got out of the car and got a safe distance from it. My neighbors came running over as they heard subsequent explosions and saw black smoke billowing from my direction. Within a matter of a few minutes, the entire car was engulfed in flames. The fire department came and extinguished it. There is nothing left! BTW, I am 91 years old. This could have had a very different and sad outcome!

NHTSA ODI 11462559

The battery on my 2013 Toyota Rav4 burst into flames while the engine was going and I was at a traffic stop/intersection. The electrical system failed, car died in place, luckily while at a stop and smoke from the engine compartment filled the car. I had just pulled off the highway and had come to an intersection in a residential neighborhood of a densely populated city center. Residents came from the street to help put the engine compartment fire out. Driver and passenger (a dog) were able to get out safely, police and fire department came to the scene and asked people to move away from the vehicle in case of explosion. Fire was extinguished. Car was towed to local Toyota dealership, Car insurance agent has done preliminary inspection as well as dealership service manager. Both state that the battery did catch on fire. Battery installed was correct size as per service technician's initial report. At this time, total damage to the car is unclear, as a full inspection of the vehicle and electrical system has not been done. two or three times sporadically over the two days prior, the lights on the dashboard flickered on momentarily as though there was some kind of electrical short circuit happening somewhere. At present the vehicle remains at the dealership awaiting full Toyota inspection, since as a result of this office's investigation of numerous battery fires, Toyota has issued a Consumer safety recall.

NHTSA ODI 11451539

DROVE THE CAR 8 BLOCKS ON CITY STREET TO THE FILLING STATION, WHILE TURNING INTO THE FILLING STATION FROM ACCESS ROAD THE CAR SHUT OFF AND THE DASH WENT COMPLETELY BLACK JUST SHORT OF FUEL PUMP. STOPPED THE CAR AND RESTARTED, DROVE 50 FT. TO FUEL PUMP. SHUT CAR OFF TO FILL WITH GAS. WENT INTO STATION TO PRE-PAY FOR FUEL. RETURNED TO THE CAR, FILLED WITH FUEL AND TRIED TO START. WHEN TRYING TO START THE CAR IT WAS COMPLETELY BLACK, NO ELECTRONICS AT ALL, CALLED MY WIFE TO GET A TOW TRUCK TO HAVE IT REMOVED FROM THE GAS STATION, THEN WENT IN TO STATION TO TELL ATTENDANT THE SITUATION. WHILE EXITING THE STORE I NOTICED SPARKS AND GLOWING EMBERS DROPPING TO THE GROUND FROM INSIDE THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL AREA. I TURNED BACK AND ASKED THE STATION ATTENDANT FOR A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, RETURNED TO CAR, WITH 5 LB EXTINGUISHER, HOOD WOULD NOT RELEASE SO SPRAYED EXTINGUISHER UP UNDER WHEEL, AROUND HOOD CRACKS, AND BY THIS TIME THE HEAD LIGHT HAD A HOLE WHERE THE FLAMES WERE SHOOTING OUT, SO SPRAYED FIRE REPELLENT INTO THE HOLE. AFTER ABOUT 10 SEC EXTINGUISHER WAS EMPTY. TOLD GAS STATION ATTENDANT TO CALL FIRE DEPARTMENT AS THE VEHICLE WAS GOING UP IN FLAMES. APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES LATER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES.

NHTSA ODI 11362502

I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD. AS I TURNED INTO THE PARKING LOT OF A STORE, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND SMOKE AND FUMES BEGAN TO FILL THE CABIN. I PULLED TO THE SIDE,GOT OUT OF THE CAR, AND RAISED THE HOOD. THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE AREA OF THE BATTERY. A PERSON NEARBY NOTICED THE FIRE AND CAME TO PUT IT OUT BEFORE THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED. LOCAL POLICE AND FIRE ALSO RESPONDED.

NHTSA ODI 11316999

THE ENGINE STARTED ON FIRE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE CAR WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENT. THE RAV4 LIMITED WAS TOTALED. IT WAS LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD AND HAD 17,500 MILES ON IT. THE CAR WAS SERVICED REGULARLY BY TOYOTA. THE LAST SERVICE WAS ABOUT 4 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FIRE. TOYOTA HAS NOT HONORED THEIR 3YR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY COVERAGE ON THE CAR. TOYOTA HAS NOT OFFERED A REPLACEMENT CAR, RENTAL OR ANYTHING. EVERY TIME WE CALL OUR TOYOTA CASE MANAGER OR LEGAL DEPARTMENT MANAGERS, WE HAVE TO LEAVE A MESSAGE AND THEY NEVER RETURN OUR CALLS.

NHTSA ODI 10860544