What 301 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hv

I bought my Rav4 in September of 2017 brand new and within 6 months I had a dead battery needing replacement so I replaced it via AAA. Since then, I have had the battery replaced an additional 3 times! I always serviced my car at the dealer and took very good care of it. Then after 50k miles, I started having odd lighting issues…both headlight bulbs had to be replaced within 3 weeks of each other and one high beam bulb, and then my tail lights went out! Then I would occasionally have trouble starting the car and with a natural gas smell, rotten eggs. Which could be a catalytic converter or fuel pump issue but can also be the battery. Well, my Rav was in the driveway with a dead battery and with no tail lights and had been sitting there for a month since I mainly drive our Sienna.My Rav just caught on fire and was completely destroyed. No one was hurt but if the Sienna had been out there it would’ve caught on fire and it burned the garage door…Rav totaled! I also had a very expensive brake job last year and think those are faulty too. But this fire….was bad and I can’t get a car of equal value with what i received for the total loss. What is Toyota doing about this? Less than 4 yr old well taken cared of Rav 4 XLE that I paid cash for and now can’t even replace with a Corolla! There were no warning lights ever, not even for the dead battery’s. And less than 6 months prior to the fire, it was serviced at my Toyota dealer and they said all was good. The firemen that came also told me that Rav4 fires have increased and I searched on Consumer Reports and sure enough…what was explained was a carbon copy of my experiences. Thank god no one was in it when it started, but the house could’ve caught fire as well. Toyota needs to do something for those of us who had their cars totaled due to fire…just the time invested finding a replacement is worth something….not to mention the time vested researching vehicles before I bought the Rav4. plus the depreciation, etc….

NHTSA ODI 11420682

Recurring Problems with AWD Malfunction, Engine Light On. Contacted Toyota two month ago, No reply from Toyota; Description of Complaints: On March 19, 2021, I was driving my Rav4 (VIN[XXX] ) to go to Toledo Ohio. During the driving, the AWD System Malfunction/2WD Mode Engaged and the Engine Light came on (see attached). Interestingly, the warning lights came on and off three to four times and each time I felt a drag/hesitation as if the gear was changed from 4WD to 2WD (Exhibit 1) . It advised me to visit the Toyota Dealer. After arriving Toledo, OH I visited Jim White Toyota Dealer next morning and explained the situation. The dealership was very cordial and helpful. Unfortunately, they did not record any malfunctioning Code (Exhibit 2). While returning home on March 21, 2021, the AWD warning light did not come on. A few days later, these warning lights came on again, and that forced me to visit the local Toyota Dealer, Fitzgerald, for inspection again. They diagnosed the problem to Code P0456 (Exhibits 3-4). This code refers to “…that there is a small leak in the evaporative emission control system.” Today (05/31/2021), after two repairs at Fitzgerald Toyota, Gaithersburg, The "AWD malfunction came back on with the engine light on again. The code reads: P043Eand F;P2401,P2402 and P2419. Please ask Toyota to address this problem and make it as part of recall to fix this problem. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11419086

We purchased this Toyota RAV4 car new in 2017, for our daughter. It has driven problem free, until the car was 3 years and 3 months old. At 3 years and 3 months from purchase, in October, 2020, my daughter took it into the Toyota dealership, in the morning, for a routine oil change. She hasn't had any problems with the car, and has only had it serviced at the Toyota dealership. She drove it in, and got a ride home, and was waiting for the call to come pick up her car. In the afternoon, the dealership called to say her 2017 RAV4 have severe engine damage from the batter exploding, while it had been sitting at the dealership. They told her it was 3 months past the warranty, and Toyota wouldn't pay for any repairs. It sat at Toyota for a week, until our auto insurance representative went and looked. He called us to say that: " he had never seen soo much engine damage." He told us that our auto insurance was -- "totaling the car, that the engine was unrepairable, and that they were going to take it to the auto dump." Our insurance company hauled it away, and determined its remaining value and paid us, in October, 2020. My daughter chose a new car, we purchased it for her, with the insurance money, covering part of the purchase. It cost us thousands more, to cover the cost of the new replacement car. I told my daughter that we had bought her a "dud of a gift", and would pay for the new car. Our auto insurance confirmed what the dealership said, that the battery had exploded.

NHTSA ODI 11418253

ON RAINY DAYS, WHEN I AM STANDING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, AND STARTING TO GET OUT OF THE GREEN LIGHT, MY CAR BECOMES UNSTABLE, AS IF IT WERE GOING TO SKID. THIS HAPPENS WHENEVER THE STREET IS WET. REPORT THIS PROBLEM FROM THE FIRST INSPECTION OF THE CAR. AT THAT TIME THEY CHANGED AN AXIS, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS

NHTSA ODI 11416062

VEHICLE ONCE STATIONERY PUT BACK IN DRIVE AND TRY GOING AHEAD MAKES A NOISE FROM THE FRONT RIGHT CV AXLE HAD TAKEN IT TO STEVEN TOYOTA VA, THEY CAME BACK SAYING IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE THROUGH TOYOTA

NHTSA ODI 11413315

THE VEHICLE IS MAKING A LOUD NOISE. WHEN I GO TO TURN IT MAKES A CRACKING NOISE.

NHTSA ODI 11412989

TOOK MY 2017 RAV4 LE TO TOYOTA FOR SHAKING/VIBRATING AT STOPLIGHT WHEN FULLY WARMED UP. IT DOES THIS EVERY TIME I STOP AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. THEY CANNOT FIND ANY FAULTS OR CODES RELATED TO THE ISSUE AND CLAIM EVERYTHING IS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE FEELS LIKE IT WILL STALL AT EVERY LIGHT. HOWEVER THEY DID TELL ME THEY WERE ABLE TO REPLICATE THE ISSUE ON ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE LOT WITH SIMILAR MILEAGE, BUT THEY TELL ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. SEEMS TO BE ON ALL 2017 RAV4 LE'S NOT JUST MINE.

NHTSA ODI 11413115

THREE DAYS AGO, I PARKED MY 2017 RAV4 LIMITED IN MY DRIVEWAY, STOPPED THE ENGINE, GOT OUT, LOCKED THE DOOR AND WENT IN TO MY HOUSE. SEVERAL HOURS LATER I WENT OUTSIDE AND FOUND MY RAV4 RUNNING. FOR HOW LONG I DON'T KNOW. I THOUGHT I MAY HAVE DONE SOMETHING INCORRECT. NOW BEING VERY CAREFUL ABOUT SHUT DOWN PROCEDURE, YESTERDAY I PARKED THE RAV4 IN THE SAME DRIVEWAY. TWO HOURS LATER, I WENT OUSIDE TO CHECK AND AGAIN FOUND THE RAV4 RUNNING, WITH THE LIGHTS ON. I FOUND SEVERAL REPORTS ON-LINE ABOUT OTHERS HAVING THE SAME EXPERIENCE WITH THEIR RAV4S. I CALLED SEVERAL TOYOTA DEALERS TO REPORT THE INCIDENT AND SEE IF THEY HAD EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WITH OTHER CUSTOMERS. NONE DID. IT APPEARS THAT I CAN'T BE CONFIDENT THAT MY RAV4 WILL BE WHEREVER I PARKED IT WHEN I RETURN TO IT.

NHTSA ODI 11407895

WHILE STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT, MY RAV4 COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND THE DASHBOARD FLASHED THE WARNING "CHARGING MALFUNCTION; SEE OWNER'S MANUAL". I TOOK MY RAV4 TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY RAN A FULL INSPECTION AND FOUND ZERO ISSUES. IT HAS HAPPENED ONCE SINCE, AS WELL. I BELIEVE IT TO BE RELATED TO THE OVERARCHING TOYOTA RAV4 BATTERY/ELECTRICAL ISSUE AS LISTED IN OTHER COMPLAINTS.

NHTSA ODI 11405821

ALL EXTERIOR LIGHTS: HEADLIGHTS, FOG LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS TURN SIGNALS ETC. HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST TWICE IN LESS THAN 4 YEARS AND 75K MILES OF USE. I WAS TOLD THAT PERHAPS THE PROBMEM IS THAT THE AREA AROUND TBE BULBS IS TOO SMALL CAUSING THEM TO OVER HEAT, WHICH COULD BE DANGEROUS

NHTSA ODI 11403425

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER PARKING AND EXITING THE VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE THEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED IT TOTALED. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE DEALER JAY WOLFE TOYOTA OF WEST COUNTY ( 14700 MANCHESTER RD, BALLWIN, MO 63011) AND THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 11400228

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND SUDDENLY THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. I COULD NOT STEER OR MOVE. AFTER A MOMENT I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND PROCEED HOME. THAT WAS THE ONLY TIME IT HAS HAPPENED AND IT OCCURRED IN OCTOBER OF 2020. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC A FEW DAYS LATER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. INVOICE IS ATTACHED.

NHTSA ODI 11399310

WHILE I WAS AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP THEY LET ME KNOW MY BATTERY KEPT COMING BACK WEAK . I HAVE ALSO NOTICED HOW MY CAR SEEMS TO ALMOST STALL OUT SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING . IT HASN'T BUT THIS MAKES ME VERY NERVOUS WHILE DRIVING

NHTSA ODI 11399365

PLEASE SEE ATTACHED SHEET FOR ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY 2 TIMES IN 3 YEARS AS WELL. I HAVE NEW BATTERY AND IT BECAME CORRODED FAST. MY CAR KEPT TELLING ME THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND ALL OF THE FAILS LED TO THE TRANSMISSION ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI 11398650

MY CAR WAS JUMPED STARTED BY AAA MY CAR SPARKED MY FUSR BOX WAS BLOWN OUT HAVE TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP MY FUSE BOX WAS BLOWN AND MY HEATER AND AIR BLOWER WAS NOT WORKING IT WAS AT MY RESIDENCE

NHTSA ODI 11398655

VEHICLE HAS BOTH EXTREMELY POOR DOWNROAD AND SIDEROAD ILLUMINATION. VERY HARD TO SEE ANIMALS STANDING BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT NIGHT, RESULTING IN SEVERAL NEAR MISSES WITH LARGE DEER. UPGRADING THE FACTORY BULBS MADE LITTLE TO NO DIFFERENCE.

NHTSA ODI 11396165

THE 2017 RAV4 THAT I OWN BEGAN HAVING FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEMS IN JULY OF 2017. THE CAR WOULD STALL WHEN IT CAME TO A STOP OR IT WOULD STALL SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING AND THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR WOULD THEN SMELL OF GASOLINE. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER 3 TIMES TO TRY AND RESOLVE THE ISSUE. FIRST THE DEALER CLEANED THE FUEL INJECTORS AND THROTTLE BODY AND A FEW WEEKS LATER THE PROBLEM RETURNED. ON THE SECOND VISIT TO THE DEALER I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS FUEL IN THE CHARCOAL CANISTER. THE CANISTER WAS REPLACE AND LESS THAN A MONTH LATER THE PROBLEM RETURNED. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER IN OCTOBER OF 2020 AGAIN AND THEY SAID THE CHARCOAL CANISTER AGAIN HAS GASOLINE IN IT. THIS TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL TANK AND CHARCOAL CANISTER. SINCE OCTOBER OF 2020 THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN ABOUT 1600 MILES AND THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN ON FEBRUARY 7, 2021. AGAIN THE DEALER FOUND GASOLINE IN THE CHARCOAL CANISTER. ON FEBRUARY 9, 2021 TOYOTA CORPORATE INSTRUCTED THEM TO AGAIN REPLACE THE FUEL TANK, CHARCOAL CANISTER ALONG WITH THE FUEL GAGE AND OTHER RELATED PARTS. I WAS ASKED BY THE DEALER IF WE WERE OVERFILLING THE FUEL TANK, I ASSURED THEM THAT WE WERE NOT AS WE DISCONTINUE ADDING FUEL WHEN THE PUMP SHUTS OFF AUTOMATICALLY. I WAS ALSO ASKED IF WE PARK THE CAR ON A SLOPE TO THIS I SAID YES BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A HILLY AREA. WE PURCHASED THE CAR IN JANUARY 2017 AND PARKING THE CAR ON A HILLY STREET WAS NEVER A PROBLEM. AT PRESENT WE ARE WAITING ON PARTS FROM TOYOTA.

NHTSA ODI 11395988

MY CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW ON JUNE 24, 2017. IT HAD TWO TIMES SERIOUS GAS LEAKAGES. 4/29/2019, 1ST. TIME, MILEAGE WAS 9,967, I PAID $837.72, FOR REPLACING THE 'CHARCOAL CANISTER' AND I WAS TOLD IT'S NOT UNDER TOYOTA FACTORY WARRANTY BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP & HEADQUARTERS CENTER IN DALLAS, TX. 7/01/2019, 2ND. TIME GAS LEAKAGE, MILEAGE WAS 10,691, MY CAR WAS TOWED TO THE SAME TOYOTA SERVICE FOR THE SAME GAS LEAKAGE ISSUE AGAIN... FINALLY, TOYOTA REPLACED 'CHARCOAL CANISTER' FOR THE 2ND. TIME, AND OTHER SYSTEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE GAS LEAKAGE WITH NO CHARGE. BOTH GAS LEAKAGE ARE ALL THE SAME, 60 DAYS APART, WERE ALL FROM THE REAR, BOTTOM, DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR, THERE WAS A GAS PUDDLE ON MY INCLINED DRIVEWAY. AFTER I CHECKED TOYOTA OWNER'S WARRANTY RIGHTS NOTIFICATION BOOKLETS - FEDERAL EMISSION CONTROL WARRANTY ' 'CHARCOAL CANISTER' IS CLEARLY UNDER TOYOTA WARRANTY PARTS LIST ' WITHIN 3 YEARS OR 36,000 MILES. APPARENTLY, TOYOTA RAV4 HYBRID MODEL -'GAS LEAKAGE' CAUSED BY DEFECTED EVAPORATIVE SYSTEM, CAN'T PARKING ON INCLINED OR UPHILL DRIVEWAY WITH MORE THAN HALF TANK OF GAS. I CALLED AND SENT TWO CLAIM LETTERS DATED ON 6/25/2019 AND 8/26/2019, REQUEST TOYOTA REFUND MY $837.72 ' FOR 1ST. TIME REPAIRED COST THAT PAID ON 5/7/2019. TOYOTA HAS DECLINED MY CLAIMS, REFUSED REFUNDING MY PAYMENT OF $837.72, WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH TOYOTA'S UNETHICAL, FRAUD NOTES ON THE INVOICE ' SO CALLED 'GAS IS OVERFILLED'. TOYOTA SHIRKS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CUSTOMER IN ORDER NOT COVER THE VEHICLE DEFECTIVE. INTENTIONALLY VIOLATE THEIR WARRANTY POLICY. WE HAVE BEEN WRONGLY, UNFAIRLY TREATED. SO WE ASK THE NHTSA, PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER, MONITOR THE TOYOTA CORRECT THEIR MISTAKE, AND REFUND MY $837.72 ASAP. THERE ARE SOME OTHER SIMILAR GAS LEAKAGE CLAIM CASES OF THE RAV4 HYBRID MODEL. IT'S VERY DANGER TO DRIVE WITH THE GAS LEAKAGE, CAN GET FIRE. JUSTICE IS MATTERS.

NHTSA ODI 11395334

LAST SPRING HAD $700.00 BRAKE JOB ON MY DAUGHTERS CAR AT TOYOTA DEALER WE HAVE DELT WITH FOR YEARS.I HAPPEN TO DRIVE IT ONE DAY AND FOUND BRAKES SPONGY AND WENT WITHIN ONE INCH OF FLOOR TO STOP. JUST DROVE AGAIN AND SAME PROBLEM !. IS THIS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH MASTER CYLINDER !

NHTSA ODI 11394858

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN ON A GREEN LIGHT AT AN INTERSECTION, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO HIS VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE WAS CONTACTED FOR THE OTHER INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT FROM UNKNOWN INJURIES. THE CONTACT HAD NOT SOUGHT MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION SHOP BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. T MOSES TOYOTA (1433 MACCORKLE AVE, SAINT ALBANS, WV 25177, (304) 727-7777) WAS CONTACTED REGARDING THE FAILURE HOWEVER, INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO THE NHTSA AND THE MANUFACTURER FOR ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 68,240.

NHTSA ODI 11394421

FROM A STOP OR SLOW MOVE, SOMETIMES WHEN I HAVE TO PULL AHEAD QUICKLY, AS TO GO BEFORE AN ONCOMING CAR, THE ENGINE WILL LOSE POWER AND NOT ACCELERATE AS INTENDED.

NHTSA ODI 11389554

BACK HATCH IS FROZEN AND WILL NOT OPEN. AT FIRST IT OPENED A FEW INCHES, NOW IT DOESN'T OPEN AT ALL. JUST PURCHASED THIS USED VEHICLE IN JUNE! VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR.*JB

NHTSA ODI 11388262

I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING TO THE DEALER SINCE BUYING THE VEHICLE AND WHILE UNDER WARRANTY ABOUT THE BRAKES. I ALMOST GOT MYSELF KILL ON HIGHWAY I25 BECAUSE THE BRAKES FAILED TOTALLY HAVING TO RESORT TO PULLING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I HAD TO WAIT FOR THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME FOR THE REPAIR WHEN I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING FOR MONTHS. IF I DIE, TOYOTA WILL BE THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY, I LEFT MY CART AT LARRY MILLER TOYOTA AND WILL ACQUIRE A LAWYER. I AM THE WIDOW OF A DECORATED MILITARY MEMBER. IF HE WAS HERE, NONE OF THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING. I LIVE ON A FIXED INCOME.

NHTSA ODI 11386320

2017 TOYOTA RAV4 LE ISSUES. THERE IS QUITE A LOT OF ROAD NOISE ESPECIALLY DURING HIGHWAY TRAVEL. THE VEHICLE COULD BE INSULATED BETTER. THE PRIMARY ISSUE IS WITH THE WIPERS. THE SPEED SETTINGS ARE NOT REFINED ENOUGH. THE SETTING CAUSE THE WIPERS TO EITHER BE TOO FAST OR SLOW DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF RAIN EXPERIENCE. ALSO, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND WIPERS THAT DO NOT CAUSE THE ANNOYING LOUD STUTTER/RUBBNG NOISE. I HAVE TRIED ALL THE DIFFERENT TOP OF THE LINE BRANDS WITH NO SUCCESS. RAINX, MICHELIN, BOSCH, AND TRICO.

NHTSA ODI 11376034

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, HE HAD REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES WITH ALL SEASON TIRES. HE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ON A RAINY DAY, A TRUCK BEGAN TO MERGE INTO HIS LANE. AS THE CONTACT BEGAN TO VEER TO THE RIGHT, THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY WHICH CAUSED HIS VEHICLE TO VEER INTO THE LEFT LANE AND HIT THE REAR OF THE TRUCK. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NEITHER HIMSELF OR THE OTHER DRIVER SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD RECENTLY STARTED TO EXPERIENCE PAIN IN HIS RIGHT CHEST. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AT THE SCENE. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT TOW YARD WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE FAULTY ABS SYSTEM WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 67,000.

NHTSA ODI 11374530