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What 302 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (302)Crash / fire / injury (80)Electrical system (84)Steering (45)Engine (37)Brakes (31)Body & structure (30)Transmission & drivetrain (25)Speed control (21)Airbags (15)Fuel system (13)Visibility & wipers (8)

30 of 302 complaints match · Body & structure · clear filters · page 2 of 2

Jul 5, 2015Body & structure

YESTERDAY, WHILE I WAS PARKED AT A SECURE LOCATION THE BACK GLASS OF MY 2015 TOYOTA RAV4 BROKE UNEXPECTEDLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THERE APPEARED TO BE NO POINT OF IMPACT AND THE GLASS APPEARED TO HAVE EXPLODED OUTWARDS. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE CAR THAT WENT THROUGH THE WINDOW AND THERE WAS NOTHING AROUND THE CAR THAT MAY HAVE HIT THE WINDOW. OTHER THAN TWO SMALL AREAS WHERE THE GLASS FELL OUTWARD THE WINDOW WAS SHATTERED BUT TOGETHER. HOWEVER WHEN I GOT IN MY CAR AND MOVED IT ALL THE GLASS CRUMBLED AND FELL INTO THE TRUCK AREA.

NHTSA ODI 10732002

Jun 2, 2015Body & structure

LOUD BUFFETING WIND NOISE AND VIBRATION WHEN ANY REAR WINDOW IS PARTIALLY LOWERED OR OPEN. WILL DIMINISH OR GO AWAY IF EITHER FRONT WINDOW IS OPEN PARTIALLY OR ALL THE WAY. VIBRATING DRONING NOISE IS SO LOUD YOU CAN HEAR NOTHING ELSE. NOISE INCREASES WITH SPEED STARTING AT ABOUT 20 MPH AND UP. DESIGN FLAW OR IS A REPAIR AVAILABLE? DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE IN MY OPINION. NATURE OF THE VEHICLE? HOPE NOT.

NHTSA ODI 10722906

Apr 15, 2015Body & structure

SIGHT LINES - AGAIN. NO ONE UNDER APROX. 5'9" CAN SAFELY OPERATE THIS VEHICLE. I (AT 5'7") CAN NOT SEE THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE OR DETERMINE WHERE THE FRONT WHEELS ARE BECAUSE OF THE POOR DRIVER POSITION. THE REAL DANGER HAPPENS AT NIGHT AT UNLIGHTED INTERSECTIONS. TURNS ARE MISSED BECAUSE THE DRIVER CAN'T DETERMINE WHERE THE FRONT WHEELS ARE. I KNOW THIS DOESN'T SOUND DANGEROUS, BUT MARK MY WORDS, THERE ARE GOING MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THIS VEHICLE'S POOR DESIGN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10705773

Apr 12, 2015Body & structure

FROM THE DRIVERS POSITION THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE CAN'T BE SEEN. I MISSED THREE CORNERS AT NIGHT BECAUSE I CAN'T DETERMINE WHERE THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE IS AND I WILL NO LONGER DRIVE IT AT NIGHT. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A LETHALLY DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW AND DEMAND THAT THE 2015 RAV4 BE REMOVED FROM THE ROADS UNTIL TOYOTA REDESIGNS THE FRONT HOOD, LIGHTS AND DASH AREAS SO THE DRIVER CAN SEE WHERE THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE IS. PS. I'M 5'7" TALL AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THE FRONT OF ANY VEHICLE I'M DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10705169

Dec 30, 2014Body & structure

THE ARMREST ABOVE THE CENTER COMPARTMENT BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER HAS A LIGHT RESISTANCE TO PRESSURE. I WAS DRIVE WITH MY RIGHT ARM RESTING ON THIS AND MY WIFE NEEDED TO ADJUST HER POSITION IN HER SEAT. SHE LEANED ON THE ARMREST AND THE ARMREST WENT SLIDING TO THE FRONT AND STARTLED ME. I HAD A 2014 AVALON THAT HAD THE SAME TYPE ARMREST AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM. THE DEALER LOOKED AT THIS AND SAID ALL THE RAV4'S ARE LIKE THIS AND THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING. THE INDENTS FOR THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE ARMREST SHOULD BE STRONGER AND NOT SO TEMPERAMENTAL. THERE SHOULD BE A PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT BULLETIN TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10668994

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Working with the data? Download all 302 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 21, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2015 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid verdict →