What 301 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid

WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020, I SMELLED SMOKE. I LOOKED AT THE TEMPERATURE ON THE DASHBOARD AND IT SHOWED THAT THE TEMPERATURE WAS A LITTLE BELOW THE MIDDLE LINE INDICATING THE VEHICLE WAS NOT HOT. I CONTINUED DRIVING FOR A COUPLE MORE BLOCKS AND CONTINUED TO SMELL SMOKE SO ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER INTO A PARKING LOT. WHEN I TRIED TO PULL OVER, THE VEHICLE STOPPED ON ITS OWN SO I WAS HALF WAY BETWEEN THE STREET AND PARKING LOT. I SAW SMOKE COME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. ABOUT TWO MINUTES LATER, FLAMES STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE.

NHTSA ODI 11317639

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL TRAVELED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT BRAKE IN A TIMELY MANNER. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. WHILE DRIVING 30 OR 50 MPH, THE RPMS ABRUPTLY INCREASED WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO JERK AND SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HUDSON TOYOTA (599 NJ-440, JERSEY CITY, NJ 07305, 201-713-5508) AND PAID TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT THE FRONT BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE REAR BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE CLEANED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ROUTE 22 TOYOTA (109 US-22, HILLSIDE, NJ 07205, 973-287-4741) WHERE THEY DID NOT HONOR HIS EXTENDED WARRANTY AND ATTEMPTED TO CHARGE $250 FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,500.*BF CONTACT STATED ENGINE CONTROL WAS REPLACED AND TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS REPAIRED.*JB

NHTSA ODI 11259053

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. IN ADDITION, THE TRACTION CONTROL AND CHARGING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND WAS TAKEN TO TOYOTA OF HOLLYWOOD (6000 HOLLYWOOD BLVD, HOLLYWOOD CA, 323-498-2260) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE RESULTS WERE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,220.

NHTSA ODI 11245340

ABOUT 1 YEAR AFTER I PURCHASED MY CAR BRAND NEW OFF OF THE LOT I STARTED TO NOTICE MY BRAKES STARTING TO RUB AND SQUEAK. IF I WAS GOING DOWN HILL THE FRONT OF MY CAR WOULD SHAKE. IT WAS TERRIFYING. I TOOK IT TO THE MAITA TOYOTA DELARSHIP IN SACRAMENTO. THEY TOLD ME NOTHING IS WRONG MY PADS ARE STILL GOOD. I BEGGED THEM TO FIX THEM THEY REPLACED MY FRONT ROTORS AND BREAK PADS. THIS DEALERSHIP ALSO PERFORMED A ENGINE CLEANING AND MULTIPLE OTHER THINGS THEY SAID MY CAR NEEDED AT THAT TIME RUNNING ME 795$ THIS BEING ON JULY 11TH 2018. THEN TODAY SEPT 6TH 2018. MY STARTER IS OUT MY CAR NO LONGER STARTS. WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY ALL OF THE INSIDE LIGHTS COME ON AND ALL YOU HEAR IS A CLICKING SOUND. MIND YOU I ALSO HAD A CHIP IN MY WINDSHIELD WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR INSPECTION IN JULY AND THEY PLACED GREEN CHECK MARK'S ON EVERYTHING INCLUDING MY WINDSHIELD BEING FREE FROM CHIPS. I NOW QUESTION THE INTEGRITY OF THIS DEALERSHIPS SERVICE DEPARTMENT. DO THEY TRULY INSPECT AND DO THE WORK ON YOUR CAR? BECAUSE FROM WHERE I AM SEEING THIS AT SITTING HERE WITH A YEAR OLD CAR IN MY PARKING LOT CURRENTLY NOT DRIVEABLE I BEGIN TO WONDER IF THEY DO. I SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THESE TYPES OF PROBLEMS WITH A 2017 TOYOTA CAR THAT WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW.

NHTSA ODI 11124761

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, TOXIC FUMES EMITTED FROM THE HEATER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. KOONS ARLINGTON TOYOTA IN ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ACKNOWLEDGED THE PRESENCE OF THE FUMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11055761

PURCHASED CAR FROM ST. CHARLES TOYOTA IL ON JULY4, 2017 VIN [XXX]. PURCHASED AND PICKED UP 2017 RAV4 LE FROM THEM ON JULY4TH (BETWEEN 11AM - 3PM). DROVE CAR FROM ST. CHARLES TO PEORIA IL. TODAY ON JULY6 RAV4 HAS 194 MILES. LATER CAME TO KNOW THAT THEIR SERVICE DEPT. WAS ACTUALLY CLOSED ON JULY 4TH. IDENTIFIED THREE PROBLEMS. WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE SWAYED LITTLE RIGHT FROM MIDDLE POSITION. WAS CURIOUS AND CHECKED DIPSTICK TODAY ON JULY6 AND FOUND ENGINE OIL DIP STICK AT ABNORMAL LOW LEVEL. PICTURE ATTACHED. BRAKE PEDAL FELT SPONGY, FELT A DRAG IN BRAKING WHEN I APPLY BRAKES. FOUND WATER DRIPPING DOWN ON GROUND WHILE A/C WAS RUNNING IN PARKED POSITION. WATER DRIPPED ON GROUND LITTLE OFF FROM FRONT AXLE. RECORDED WATER DRIPPING. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11003533