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What 234 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 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 (234)Crash / fire / injury (44)Electrical system (56)Brakes (45)Lights (28)Engine (24)Airbags (18)Visibility & wipers (16)Body & structure (14)Speed control (12)Transmission & drivetrain (11)Steering (10)

2 of 234 complaints match · Transmission & drivetrain · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Dec 10, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemBrakesCrash

While exiting slowly from the parking lot, the Toyota started to make a beeping alarm noise, then suddenly lurched forward. Applying the brake had no effect, and the car accelerated across the LRT tracks, climbed onto the passenger platform, and only stopped when it collided with an electrical box there.

NHTSA ODI 11559394

Jul 26, 2016Transmission & drivetrainCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND THE GEAR SHIFTER STICK WAS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY MOVED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO AN UNOCCUPIED PARKED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900.

NHTSA ODI 10888807

Working with the data? Download all 234 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 2016 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid verdict →