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

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

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 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

On Saturday, May 14, 2022, my vehicle burned. and has since been totaled. The car had been trouble-free since I bought it in 2018. I was so pleased with it that I had just paid off the balance on the loan the week before because I wanted to keep it for 10 years. Prior to it burning, I had just driven it a couple miles for the first time in 2 weeks (it had been parked in a friend's garage). There were no warning lights visible during that time. I got out of the car for 3 minutes and was about to get back in when I noticed white smoke coming out of the hood. Within 30 seconds the hood had become engulfed in flames. The entire front and interior of the car was destroyed in the blaze, which the Fire Department had to extinguish. No one was injured, but two cars on either side were damaged by the fire. The car had last been serviced by Headquarter Toyota in Miami on January 22, 2022. They had not done the government-recommended inspection of the engine area during the servicing.

NHTSA ODI 11465496

2017 RAV 4 STRUCK A CONCRETE LIGHT POST IN PARKING LOT. CAR WAS MOVING FORWARD APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, IMPACTED DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT AND FENDER. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO COLLISION ALARM SOUNDED. ENTIRE FRONT PANEL DESTROYED, MAJOR ELECTRICAL SENSOR DAMAGE, DRIVER'S DOOR UNABLE TO OPEN. HOOD DAMAGED. SUSPENSION BENT. DRIVER SUFFERED MAJOR BRUISING AND CHEST PAIN. BOTH ELBOWS IMPACTED SOMETHING IN COLLISION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11321413

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT IN A LEFT HAND TURN LANE. A VEHICLE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ACCIDENTALLY DROVE HEAD FIRST INTO MY CAR. MY PASSENGER AND I HAD SEAT BELTS ON. THE APPROXIMATE SPEED OF THE OTHER CAR WAS GREATER THAN 10 MILES PER HOUR. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DESPITE CONSIDERABLE FRONT END DAMAGE. A MESSAGE ON THE DASHBOARD SAYS "SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. VISIT YOUR DEALER". I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE AIRBAGS WERE NOT DEFECTIVE. I HAVE READ THAT IF A VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND THE SEAT BELTS ARE ON IT MAY NOT ACTIVATE. THAT IS OK - JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IS THE INTENT.

NHTSA ODI 11309946

I WAS IN A CRASH, SIDE IMPACT, PRETTY BAD. INJURED. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I HIT MY HEAD AND SHOULDER AGAINST THE SIDE ON THE INTERIOR OF MY VEHICLE. TRAVELING ON FREEWAY 50-60MPH, HEARD SCREECHING BEHIND DRIVERS SIDE OF ME... HEARD CRASH THEN I WAS IMPACTED ON DRIVERSIDE AND EVENTUALLY REAR PASSENGER SIDE CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO BE AIRBORNE AND LAND UPRIGHT. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED!

NHTSA ODI 11132299

WHILE PULLING INTO TO A PARKING SPACE,MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND JUMPED THE CURB CAUSING THE CAR TO HIT A TREE,CAUSING ALL AIR BAGS TO GO OFF. I WAS ASKED IF I HIT THE GAS INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE. THIS HAPPENED SO FAST THAT I SUPPOSE ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE BUT I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED. IS THERE A WAY THAT THEY CAN TELL WHAT HAPPENEED?

NHTSA ODI 11005357