What 301 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Hv

Yesterday March 25th 2026 I went to work and parked my 2017 Toyota RAV4 and about 30minutes later it was on fire in the parking lot. The fire happened around the battery area

NHTSA ODI 11727377

PCS brake has enormously engaged twice. 1. small branch fell off tree on a dirt road. brakes engaged and should not have and almost caused vehicle to slide off a 1000 foot cliff. 2. auto braked with my dog was in car and broke dogs' leg and cost a 2,000 dollar vet bill. brakes where not needed i could have easily just did a slight steering adjustment to avoid collusion. the braking prevented that and almost was also almost rearended overall, the autobrake can be disabled with a lot of work on various menus. but comes on when the car is restarted. I do this every time i restart the car. I suspect a glitch or a low voltage caused it to come back on. Also trying to always remember to do it is difficult to do. I consider this auto brake to be a huge safety risk and could cause loss of life. I am so scared by this and afraid to dive the car now. may have to take a total loss on the car I just bought. Toyota dealers said they cannot reprogram the car to prevent this serious safety risk

NHTSA ODI 11717895

I am the driver's husband and the driver was the only one in the car. I assist her to file this report The accident happened around 6 pm on 12.28.2025 My wife was involved in a single car accident in a parking lot. She made a left turn at the intersection of 192nd ave and 3rd st, and then entered into the parking lot from the north entrance. The car hit the curb as she entered the parking lot. Then the car (RAV4) started accelerating by itself, and was out of control. She cannot stop the car. To avoid going straight and hit the shops at the other end of the parking lot, she turned the wheel to one side. She hit a light post and then hit something else. The vehicle flipped over and landed on its roof. The vehicle was totaled. She was trapped inside the car unable to free herself until the ambulance, tow truck and the police arrived. By God's grace, she did not hit any other car or person and she only suffered minor injury. She was taken to the emergency room at Peace Health, examined and released after 3 hours. If you look at the RAV4, you cannot believe that she only suffered minor injury. Praise the Lord. She is still mentally shaken up by this traumatic event. Looking at the pictures of the damage to the vehicle, the car must have been traveling at a very high speed and there is no way that the driver stepped on the gas pedal intentionally. The insurance Company is Liberty Mutual Claim# [XXX] -XX The vehicle is considered total loss by the insurance company. EDR was inspected but data in the EDR was not collected. I suspect this incident was not caused by the driver, The data in the EDR will tell the true story. I asked Liberty Mutual to retrieve the data from the EDR to prove that the gas pedal was not depressed by the driver. If the car accelerated without the driver stepping on the gas pedal, then the vehicle has safety issues. I am waiting for Liberty Mutual to retrieve the data. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11710173

The contact owned a 2017 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while the contact's granddaughter was driving, smoke was coming from under the hood. The contact's daughter drove the vehicle to a nearby fire station. The contact stated the entire front of the vehicle was on fire, and the fire was extinguished. The vehicle was towed to the local tow yard. The vehicle was condemned as a total loss. The contact stated that all service appointments were provided by the dealer. In addition, the previous service appointment was performed by the dealer in June 2024. The contact's granddaughter sustained anxiety issues due to the failure. The contact stated that it was a very frightening situation for the granddaughter. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000(Electrical system); however, the contact stated the recall notification was received the day after the failure occurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 102,500.

NHTSA ODI 11668915

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the vehicle had been parked. The contact stated that upon returning from an errand, the contact noticed that flames and black smoke were coming out from underneath the front end of the vehicle. The contact called the fire department who arrived at the scene and extinguished the flames. A police report was filed. There was no injury sustained. There was no property damage. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The contact stated that the insurance company had referred him to the NHTSA Safety Hotline to report the incident because the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000(Electrical System), which involved a fire safety risk. The vehicle had not been declared a total loss by the insurance company. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. No further information was available. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

NHTSA ODI 11642575

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH he observed that smoke was emitting from under the hood. The contact stopped the vehicle and when he opened the hood he observed that the battery had fallen off of the battery platter and that the battery clamp was loose. The contact stated that he extinguished the flames with a towel that was in his vehicle. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drove to his residence. The contact replaced the battery, however he used the OEM battery clamp. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11635027

My Toyota RAV4 was involved in an accident. My vehicle was rear-ended on [XXX], at the corner of [XXX] and [XXX] in Tucson, AZ. Because it was during rush hour traffic, I moved my vehicle to an adjacent parking lot. It was while I was in this parking lot that I experienced brake failure and I was unable to stop my vehicle. As a result, my car hit a concrete pillar in the parking lot. This automatically stopped my vehicle and resulted in front end damage to my vehicle. 911 was dispatched and a sheriff was called to the accident scene. My car was towed to a tow yard before the Toyota collision center could begin work on estimating the amount of damages to my vehicle for the front-end and rear-end damage. My insurance company totaled my vehicle. I contacted Toyota to notify them of this brake failure. I was notified by a third party to contact you to report this incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11613612

As the driver was making a right hand turn, the dash lights came on and the vehicle lost power. The driver was able to get the vehicle to roll to a stop in the middle of the road after making the turn. As the driver exited the vehicle to check the engine, the passenger stated smoke could be smelled coming into the cabin. Before the hood could be disengaged, flames engulfed the engine compartment and began raising above the hood of the vehicle. The occupants of the vehicle activated 911 and emergency personnel extinguished the fire. The fire was contained to the engine compartment. The vehicle does have a recall for aftermarket batteries causing fires. The vehicle was purchased on December 13, 2023 at which time the recall wasn't communicated by the independent dealer. Currently, there isn't a known fix for the recall.

NHTSA ODI 11605730

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact had received notice of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System). The contact was aware that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle was losing forward momentum. The contact stated that he depressed the accelerator but the vehicle did not gain any forward momentum. The contact stated that all of the instrument cluster warning lights were illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the power steering failed and also noted that the brake pedal took more than normal force to depress the pedal. The contact stated that as he was pulling over he saw smoke being emitted from under the hood. The contact stated that he was able to stop the vehicle and when he opened the hood he saw that flames were coming from the location of the battery. The contact was able to extinguish the flames with his shirt. The contact had the vehicle towed to his residence. The contact had notified the manufacturer who sent an investigator to inspect the vehicle. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 11580940

The contact owned a 2017 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while his friend was driving at an undisclosed speed, a collision occurred ahead of her, and she was unable to avoid colliding with the rear end of another passenger vehicle. As a result, the engine compartment burst into flames, engulfing the entire vehicle within minutes. The contact was unsure if local fire emergency services were able to extinguish the flames or if the fire had exhausted itself. The air bags did deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. A fire report was not filed. A police report was filed, with no injuries reported. The vehicle was towed to a total yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System), and the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 97,000.

NHTSA ODI 11575579

I would like to report my safety concerns from the crash accident. Feb.14 Wednesday I drove my wife’s car 2017 Toyota RAV4 XLE. On intersection l stop completely on red stop lights.l was first, had no car up front of me.Than from behind other car Ford Focus fit me with a full speed 45. I was only in the car. On the hit my seat slid forward causing my knees to hit the dashboard. Then the seat flattened causing me to fall backward.Also the cover of moonroof got opened. While lying back on flat seat l saw sky.I was able to self extricate.l was in shock from what just happened.3 hours after the accident l had gradual onset neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain, and a generalized headache.After 5 hours l Went to ER on same day , than again ER next Monday , than l saw my primary care doctor a week later-next Wednesday. Now if l will have a child in baby seat or teenager or adult seating behind driver , for sure they will get hurt badly or injured or killed. I have reported this situation to Toyota HQ. They responded that this accident will be under investigation. P.S. Takata airbags did not blow out

NHTSA ODI 11573287

This vehicle was involved in a T-Bone crash, where the battery came out and the vehicle caught fire. The driver of this vehicle died at the scene. This involves NHTSA recall number 23V734 & Manufacturer Recall number 23TB13.

NHTSA ODI 11567168

--Battery terminal/wiring for negative terminal came into contact with the metal hold down clamp --Caused a two alarm structure fire and loss of two vehicles --Current recall in place but remedy of situation not available until 2024 --Current recall in place --Maintenance required light appeared and owner took vehicle in for service two weeks prior to the incident

NHTSA ODI 11563588

When the passenger front airbag deployed in an accident, a coil about 3 inches long and an inch wide was ejected from the airbag compartment and info the face of the occupant. Minor injuries sustained but was near the eye. The coil became embedded in the skin and the coil had to be removed.

NHTSA ODI 11560489

I have a 2017 RAV4 Hybrid XLE that I bought brand New. I have done all schedule maintenance on it. I was driving to an appointment on 15 November 2023 and the vehicle all the sudden jerked violently side to side throwing me off the road. I brought the car to the shop thinking an alignment or something. My whole rear subframe was cracked, and by the driver side rear wheel bolt it was broke straight through where the tow bar connects to the subframe. The mechanic said it was from rust from living in the Northeast, and the salt from the road during winter months. The Mechanic said Even though I took care of the vehicle this was going to happen anyways due to the subframe suspension parts that Toyota puts in the RAV4. Being flung into a ditch coming off a highway is a dangerous situation, and could of cost me my life because Toyota wants to save money and put in parts knowing that the rust problem will and could occur. I did my research, and found out this has been going on since 2007 and there have been recalls on models all the way up to 2012. If this is a known thing then why is Toyota being allowed to still make a weak subframe. Does someone have to die for this to be stoped. I’m am asking for a recall on all models of 2017 Rav4 hybrids and on to fix this problem. I am lucky to escape with minor injures, but maybe the next person isn’t. Something has to be done.

NHTSA ODI 11559969

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked. The contact stated that upon shifting to drive (D) and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle lurched, accelerated unintendedly, and crashed into the base of a lamp pole; however, the engine continued to rev loudly. The air bags did not deploy. The contact depressed the brake pedal and while attempting to reverse away from the lamp pole, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated and impacted a curb. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as needed. The contact then pulled into a parking space. The contact did not sustain any injury. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to an autobody repair shop, where the contact was informed that the vehicle was significantly damaged. The contact was referred to an auto collision center. The vehicle was towed to the auto collision center where repairs were made. The vehicle was the taken to the dealer, where the EDR crash data report was read. The manufacturer sent a letter to the contact, informing her that the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact followed up with the manufacturer, but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 24, 971.

NHTSA ODI 11554196

Related to a car accident when getting hit in the front my air bags didn’t deploy . Only the driver side was hit pretty bad . Another car accident related to a tree branch no air bag deploy . I was told that you have to be hit in a certain way to deploy the air bags . Hearing that makes me switch from a Toyota to a Kia . I have my toddler .

NHTSA ODI 11553312

The contact owned a 2017 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that upon arriving at her destination and returning to the vehicle a short time later, she found it engulfed in flames. A witness had already notified local emergency services, who were able to extinguish the fire. The fire marshal was unable to determine the origin of the fire but concluded that the cause was a non-suspicious mechanical failure with the vehicle. A police and fire report was filed, and no injuries were reported. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and declared a loss by insurance. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,000.

NHTSA ODI 11550162

The car was sitting in the driveway and caught fire around 11:29am. The car had not been driven or moved from the driveway for at least 2 days, and is up to date on all maintenance. The fire inspectors hypothesize the fire began from the battery and spread. After Googling, I have learned that Toyota Rav 4s from 2013 to 2018 had a large recall; 1.8 million vehicles taken because of the battery catching fire randomly. The remains of the vehicle are in the driveway of the residence. Both the police and fire department came to the scene. The safety of others was put at risk because it is only luck that nobody was in the car, or going to drive the vehicle as it caught fire randomly, bringing the residents of the home and owner of the car in extreme risk from both the fire and any explosions, damage to the house, and damage to others.

NHTSA ODI 11546441

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 mph, fire was detected near the engine and front of the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The fire department extinguished the fire. There were no reported injuries, crash,es or air bag deployment. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent towing lot. The contact called the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

NHTSA ODI 11543875

Side Airbag failure: (all air bags didn't deploy) As I was making a left hand turn, My vehicle was hit in my drivers rear quarter, just behind the gas cap. The impact spun the car over 90 degrees, causing me to hit the left side of my head against the side drivers window, causing a concussion and cervical strain. No airbags in the vehicle were deployed, yet the car was totaled. The car that hit me was traveling at a high rate of speed and the impact totally destroyed that vehicles front end displacing the engine. In my opinion the airbags malfunctioned due to the water damage caused by the rail leaks common to that vehicle (which I had the dealer fix previously). If the airbag in question was operational I would not have hit my head. (yes, I was wearing my seatbelt.)

NHTSA ODI 11537736

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the contact struck a sign on the side of the road causing front-end damages to the vehicle and the air bags did not deploy. The contact suffered a major injury to the chest from the seat belt and back pains where she was taken to the hospital and had to seek physical therapy. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer that stated that the damages were not severe for the air bags senor to deploy. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,408.

NHTSA ODI 11532765

I was slowing at a stop sign and the car suddenly accelerated. My foot was not on the gas pedal but it continued to accelerate causing and accident at an intersection.

NHTSA ODI 11531426

A fire occurred in the engine compartment of the vehicle while the vehicle was parked in a garage with the engine off. Fire patterns and physical evidence suggest the fire originated as a result of a high resistance connection between the positive battery terminal and conductor to the power distribution center. The battery is original. The vehicle has not had any repairs beyond normal maintenance. The vehicle was not involved in a crash.

NHTSA ODI 11514101

I WAS DRIVING COMING FROM THE STORE WITH MY GRAND KIDS AND MY TRUCK STALLED ON ME SO I TURNED IF OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON BUT IT KILLED ON ME AGAIN AND THIS POINT MY GRAND BABY SAID HE SMELLED SMOKE SO I LOOKED UP AND THE HODD WAS SMOKING SO I GOT MY BABIES AND MYSELF OUT THE TRUCK AND RAN TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET AND THERE I WATCHED MY TRUCK START A FIRE SO I CALL THE POLICE AND THE FIRE PEOPLE , MY TRUCK WAS TOTALED I CONTACTED TOYOTA MAIN OFFICE TO LET THEM KNOW THEY SENTED OUR THEIRE PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THE TRUCK AND DECIDED THAT IT WAS NOT THERE FAULT AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME , MY TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE I DID NOT SET IT ON MY FIRE MY GRAND KIDS WERE IN THAT TRUCK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPEN HAD HE NOT SMALLED SMOED AND IT DID NOT STALL BUT CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT . BUT NO ONE WAS TO DEAL WITH IT YOU WHETHER JUST WALK AWAY WHAT IF WAS SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY THEN WHAT

NHTSA ODI 11504621