What 328 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Phev

We were part of a 4 car collision on the freeway. A Ford Expedition that was slammed into then slammed into our RAV. The airbags never deployed and an error code came up saying fail for airbags.

NHTSA ODI 11745520

On October 27, 2025, I was housesitting and watching a friends' son and dropped him off at school. I returned to their house, shut off the car, went into the house, started cleaning home in preparation of returning to my home. I was in downstairs master suite on opposite end of home when I heard a car horn. I went to the door, looked out and saw fire emitting from under the driver’s side wheel well, front of engine, from under the engine hood and half way up the windshield of the RAV4. I called [XXX] and informed the dispatcher that my car was on fire. The [XXX] fire department responded and extinguished the vehicle. I called my insurance company and also reported the incident to Toyota BEC, they assigned the incident Liability Case# XXX. I had also received 2 recall notifications from Toyota (NHTSA# 23V734). The car had been serviced by Grappone Toyota (now known as McGovern Toytota) in [XXX] on August 14, 2025 and the recall was documented as fixed on that date. The vehicle was a total loss and towed to a Coparts Salvage Yard in Candia NH. An inspection was performed by an inspector assigned by Toyota. I later received a letter from Toyota stating that the cause of the fire could not be determined and Toyota assumes no reponsibility whatsoever. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11729761

3/4/2026 5:10 pm Vehicle (2018 RAV4) was sitting in backed up traffic waiting to exist highway and was hit from behind by a sedan travelling at 65+ mph, pushed into a pickup truck in front, then deflected left into a guardrail. SO, three separate impacts with extensive damage to the entire rear of the car, the front end, and right front quarter. Two occupants in the car, driver and front passenger, no airbags deployed. Driver's head contacted the steerring wheel (back eye, cut lip, swelling on forehead and around eye, headache), and legs and arms of driver and passenger contacted other portions of the interior of the vehicle and experienced severe whiplash, but no broken bones per initial ER xrays and scans. Vehicle towed and is currently available for inspection.

NHTSA ODI 11722494

I had just gotten off my vehicle, we were at a shopping center specifically Marshall’s, the employee announced a blue Toyota, I went outside and my car was in flames, the Fire Department said it was an electrical fire. I had never received a letter of a recall let alone Toyota calling me to tell my car was defective. Not only until after my vehicle was damaged I received a call from them which made it suspicious.

NHTSA ODI 11695777

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that upon entering her carport in an attempt to park(P), the vehicle surged forward without warning. The vehicle blew through the carport's back wall and crashed into her neighbor's fence before coming to an independent stop. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact did not seek medical attention but did sustain soreness in her neck, shoulders, and back. The carport's back wall, a bicycle, the neighbor's fence, and the hammock were all destroyed as a result of the accident. A police report was filed. The dealer was notified of the failure and immediately referred the contact to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The manufacturer informed the contact that an engineer could be sent to a nearby dealer or independent mechanic to perform an investigation into the defect. The vehicle had yet to be serviced or diagnosed for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 134,000

NHTSA ODI 11685349

The passenger side mirror and the collum that holds the windshield on the right side makes a complete blind spot that you can't see anything on that area. If you are turning you can't see even a whole car. The left side mirror and collum that holds the windshield is ok, but not the right one. I got into an accident with the fire hydrant at a parking lot in town because I could not see it. I was turning right into the street and hit the fire hydrant.

NHTSA ODI 11684154

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while at a stop at a traffic light, the vehicle independently accelerated and rear-ended another vehicle. The engine revved during the acceleration while the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle continued to accelerate for 20 feet. No warning lights illuminated. No air bags deployed. No injuries were sustained, and medical attention was not sought. A police report was not filed. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred while at a stop, and the vehicle traveled approximately 20 feet before coming to a complete stop while forcefully depressing the brake pedal. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,368.

NHTSA ODI 11676904

The contact owned a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving into a parking lot at a very low speed when the vehicles engine shut off, the contact proceeded to attempt to restart the vehicle however the engine would not start, and upon inspecting underneath the hood of the vehicle the contact noticed that a flame had began to arise from the battery. The contact immediately proceeded to extinguish the fire with a towel. The vehicle was unoccupied as soon as the fire was noticed. A fire department report was not filed. A police department report was not filed. The vehicle was not destroyed. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where the vehicle was diagnosed however, the contact was advised that further diagnosis was required in order to determine the cause for failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) as pthe robable cause for the failure experienced. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000.

NHTSA ODI 11666071

The vehicle's battery area caught fire. I was able to get out of the vehicle on time and call the fire department. Over 50% of the vehicle was consumed by the fire. Vehicle was my spouse's and she usually drives it alone with my [XXX] and she is [XXX]. Thankfully, I was driving it alone. NHTSA recall 23V734 came out on 11/2023 and they expected to have the fix by the end of 2024 but it never happened. The last vehicle maintenance by the dealer was in 02/15/2025. The vehicle has not been inspected yet but the insurance will make an appointment soon to do so. The preliminary findings of the fire department pinpointed the problem in the battery area. Prior to the fire, the vehicle shut down and the steering wheel locked. I turned it on and drove it out of the road and it did it again and when I came out of the vehicle, I saw smoke coming out of the hood and that's when I saw the fire. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11659003

I was on the freeway driving home and a vehicle cut me on the freeway which resulted in me breaking a little heavier than usual but wasn't abnormal and resulted in the vehicle shutting down due to the battery jumping around in the engine compartment and then instantaneously catching on fire with no way of steering or guiding myself to safety the highway did arrive on scene as well as ambulance and they only asked for registration and vehicle ownership which I hadn't presented but since a tow truck was on its way already they really had no reason to be there other than to make sure I was okay I do have case number and any other information needed for my vehicles abrupt explosion. This incident has been reported to Toyota of Anaheim as well as brand engagement been calling but haven't received helpful information on my loss

NHTSA ODI 11643058

On Dec 5, 2024, our 2018 Toyota Rav 4 caught fire in our garage. We had turned on the car for a few minutes and then turned it off. Shortly thereafter smoke came out of the passenger side of the front wheel well and then flames. It just happened that we came back out into the garage and were able to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher. If we had not returned to the garage, our house would have caught on fire and perhaps with us in the house. Toyota shows no concern for us. Wouldn’t consider paying for a loaner car. Have told us it will be 40-60 days to perhaps tell us what happened. They did send an inspector to look at the car Dec 26 2024. He sent us some information that we do not understand.

NHTSA ODI 11637384

My car caught on fire due to the battery shifting in February. I have all documentation of the process it took for Toyota to ever reach out just to tell me there was nothing they could do. I had to file a claim through insurance and pay some out of pocket for a fix. All for them to still have no remedy almost a year later. I can’t trade it in or else I’ll be under and have nearly 4-5k in negative equity since the car is now worth nothing due to the safety recall.

NHTSA ODI 11615112

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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 while driving approximately 60 MPH, the brake pedal had to be depressed with excessive force after being cut off by another vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled, the steering wheel seized, and the instrument cluster went black. The contact was able to pull off the roadway. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle and became aware that there was smoke coming from underneath the hood. The contact stated that there were flames coming from under the hood on the driver's side near the fire wall. The contact was able to smother the flames. The contact stated that the Fire Department arrived, and examined the engine compartment, and informed the contact that the battery was loosened, causing the cables to detach from the battery terminals, caused the short circuit and flames. The contact had the vehicle towed to the residence. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11606611

Basically the car keeps short circuiting and causing so many electric problems, it has caught a small flame. It randomly shut off on us while driving . I contacted my Toyota dealer and the manufacturer and i have not received any help. It is very dangerous to be driving my family in this vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11605930

I tried breaking and was on a hill with a small incline stopping behind a car as a pedestrian was crossing. When I pushed on the breaks lightly the car didn't break. So I pushed harder as the car in front of me was a few feet. When I pressed harder on the breaks the car actually accelerated and hit the car in front of me. The car made a strange noise and the warning that I was close to another car flashed on but the breaks failed to work at all. I had my breaks checked about 2 months ago when I had the tires changes and they said they were fine for now and just to have them looked at next tire rotation to evaluate. I've nver had issues with my breaks and my car took some damage. It was pretty terrifying.

NHTSA ODI 11589560

Airbags malfunctioned "SRS Airbag System Malfunction Visit Your Dealer" error message after head on collision. No warning lights before crash. Car is transferred ownership to progressive.

NHTSA ODI 11561017

My 2018 RAV4 caught fire and completely burned in a matter of minutes. I was sitting in traffic that had stalled because of road construction when I first smelled something hot. No dashboard lights or gauges indicated any issues. Then I saw smoke coming from underneath the hood. I immediately pulled the car over to the shoulder and got out to look under the hood. Flames already visible and fire too hot to raise hood. Vehicle was completely engulfed in minutes. Vehicle had 65000 miles and regularly serviced at a certified Toyota dealership. Original factory batteries still on vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11555798

The contact owned a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal odor of smoke detected from the vents. The contact pulled over and the vehicle caught fire. There were no warning lights illuminated. There were no reported injuries or air bag deployments. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The contact called the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ODI 11530077

On the morning of November 4, 2021, at 6:15 a.m., driver was driving to her job as a shuttle driver. She made no stops on her way to work. At approximately 6:30 a.m, drive exited South Padre Island Drive off of Nile Road in her silver 2018 Toyota RAV-4. As she exited the freeway, her car’s console screen went blank, all electricity to the car cut out, and the engine shut off. The car restarted once, cut out again, and then restarted again as she pulled into her employer's driveway. The car cut out once more, and coasted into the parking lot in front of employer. Driver smelled electrical burning and shortly thereafter saw black smoke coming out of the hood. She quickly got out of the car and called 911 after moving safely away from the vehicle and inside the building. A police patroller arrived first and was unable to put out the fire, and at about 6:45 a.m. the Fire Department came and put the fire out.

NHTSA ODI 11520116

We bought our Rav4 fresh of the lot in 2018, since then e we have replaced the headlight bulbs 43 times. Now our fog lights and license plate light are out. This time the bulb (installed by a professional) melting the actual socket and we have to built the entire thing out and replace it.

NHTSA ODI 11519723

My daughter and I were driving a Toyota RAV4 from 2018 just like any normal day, the car was working properly, no warnings lights were turned on. While taking a sharp right turn and passing an unevenness on the road the car lost complete power. My daughter couldn’t control the steering wheel of the car, it was stuck. As the car stopped completely, due to gravity, she tried to turn it back on but it didn’t work. A smoke started coming from the front left side of the car’s hood ( or the side of the driver) it was a white smoke. The car didn’t function in any way possible. We stayed inside the car and called roadside assistance. Meanwhile as the electronical gadgets started to turn back on (e.g. radio)the more smoke started coming out of the hood . We noticed that a red light with a car and lock symbol was flashing on top of the radio display monitor, later we learned it was the anti-theft system of the car. We got out of the car and noticed a the flames coming out of the car’s hood. My daughter tried to open the back doors and trunk of the car to save anything if possible, but they didn’t open. Many truckers tried to help us with using their extinguisher (severals) but unfortunately the front hood didn’t open ( was locked). The car ended up burning completely as we waited for firefighter to arrive. A police report was fill out 2023-6-13-6249.

NHTSA ODI 11519622

I only had possession of the vehicle for less than 3 weeks and it seemed to be running without problems. Besides driving the car on the date I picked it up, this was only the fifth time I had driven the car. On April 17, 2023, I was driving the car to an appointment when it stalled while in motion. It did restart without any problem (though I did detect a faint odor that I thought might be a rubbery smell, but now believe was probably an electrical smell), and I drove it the remaining approximately half mile to the appointment. When I got out of the car, I noticed what I thought might be steam (thinking the problem may be the radiator) coming from under the hood. I now know this to have been smoke. I went in the building, signed in, and looked back to the car to see flames coming from under the hood. The fire department was called to put out the fire, and a fire marshal came to investigate the cause. The fire marshal told me that the fire initiated at the battery. I have requested a copy of the investigation report, which he told me will be forwarded to me when it is completed. The car has since been towed to LKQ Pick Your Part salvage yard. Two other cars parked next to me were also damaged by the fire. My safety was at risk as I now know that I was in the car when the incident initiated and the fire began. Others in the area could also have been injured as the fire accelerated. The car was parked in a school parking lot, so had the car exploded, there could have been many injuries. No warnings (lamps or otherwise) appeared. I have since done some research, and have found that spontaneous fires such as these have happened to many other Rav4s year models 2013-2018, most particularly 2018. This was a 2018.

NHTSA ODI 11519105

The contact owns 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH a burning odor was present inside the vehicle and smoke and small flames was present coming from the dashboard and air vents. The vehicle was immediately driven to the local mechanic. After turning the vehicle off the flames and smoke continued. The mechanic unplugged the engine battery and the smoke and the smoke and flames extinguished. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet notified of the failure. The contact referenced that NHTSA Action Number PE21005. The failure mileage was 21,000.

NHTSA ODI 11514751

Police Report - 23-146OF

NHTSA ODI 11511970

During a turn... The steering locked up and a julting from all wheel drive system. No warning, slammed into road railing.

NHTSA ODI 11498691