What 869 owners told NHTSA about the 2019 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid

The hinges on the rear power lift gate are tearing off of the vehicle. This is the second time they have failed. The first time I was told it was due to a manufacturing defect in the hinges, but now they (the Toyota dealership) are saying it is because the gate struts are not strong enough to support the door. Toyota is refusing to fix the issue calling it "wear and tear". The issue began when my car had around 45,000 miles. It now has 100,000 miles, but I started noticing the symptoms of the issue at 85,000 (the dealership "couldn't reproduce" at that time). The initial symptoms were the door giving a loud, long beep and refusing to open more than 3 inches or to close. Then, it started to thump as it closed. Sometimes it simply wouldn't open or close. Now, the door sits askew, with a large gap on one side as there is a significant tear in one hinge with a smaller tear on the other.. This is a safety issue because the hinges could break, causing the door to collapse on a person or fall off the car while in motion, with items in the rear of the vehicle also potentially flying out. The weak struts could also fail and collapse the door, causing injury. There are hundreds of similar complaints on Reddit and in RAV4 forums.

NHTSA ODI 11574772

Engine maintenance light turned on. Found out the engine coolant bypass valve needed to be replaced. Many other reported cases for make and model of this car.

NHTSA ODI 11574107

"ENGINE MAINTENANCE REQUIRED, VISIT YOUR DEALER" Message came up on dash display. Took it to the dealership for diagnostic inspection. They informed me that the coolant bypass valve needed to be replaced. After much research, I found that this is a common occurance on newer model Rav 4s. If the component is not replaced, I was informed that it could cause overheating and other engine problems. Price to replace plus diagnostic check is around $650. I have read other complaints about this same issue on the NHTSA website. Will there be a recall issued on this component?

NHTSA ODI 11574112

The back hatch was misaligned and over time became unusable. Upon inspection from the body shop the hinge the keeps the hatch attached to the vehicle at the top had pulled lose- the power hatch had essentially pulled away from the frame causing the misalignment. The manager at the body shop did some investigation and found that this was an issue that resulted in a recall for the same RAV 4 for the 2013-2017 models but had yet to be applied to our model year. After contacting the toyota dealership it was confirmed that this has been an issue that they are seeing- in fact, after paying for the repairs (since toyota refused to do so)- the body shop manager said she has had another customer with the same problem in the last 48 hours. This is absolutely not related to any accident of any kind- there wasn't one- this is clearly a manufacturer's problem.

NHTSA ODI 11573277

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the two brackets that connect the rear automatic door cracked three-quarters of the way horizontally. The contact stated that the door was jiggled in place to remain closed. The vehicle was taken to a body shop where it was determined that both rear hinges needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

NHTSA ODI 11573339

The DCM failed. On 2/11/2024, a speaker was no longer working. On 2/15/2024, it was confirmed that the vehicle's microphone was not working. The vehicle was taken to a Toyota dealership on 2/16/2024. They confirmed that the speaker/microphone were not working. They identified a Toyota Service Bulletin for this issue, requiring DCM replacement at the cost of the consumer. Since there is a Toyota Service Bulletin, it seems that this is a known issue. Safety is at risk as the vehicle is no longer hands-free for communication. There were no warning signs of this failure.

NHTSA ODI 11572345

Coolant bypass valve

NHTSA ODI 11571873

Engine cooling issues can cause the engine to overheat and cause a vehicle stall. The vehicle displays "Engine Maintenance Required Visit Your Dealer" when the AC is turned on, and has been confirmed by Arlington Toyota (Jacksonville, FL) dealer as a known issue to the coolant bypass valve with potential safety risks at 2:22pm Eastern on [XXX]. The service department stated that this is common, and the valve is either stuck open or closed, and should be replaced as soon as possible to avoid failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11571702

When it rains, I have a puddle of water in the footboard of my backseats in the car.

NHTSA ODI 11571383

The vehicle was totaled due to a front end collision. The air bags did not deploy, the seat belt did not lock and the emergency alert when in an accident did not work. The driver was trapped in vehicle and unable to get door open, the vehicle was going about 40-45 mph at the time of the collision and the driver was flung forward causing whiplash and a concussion.

NHTSA ODI 11571200

Coolant bypass valve is faulty. Everyone is having this issue, please please recall!

NHTSA ODI 11570993

Major insurance companies have been refusing to insure my car because my car was affected by the natural disasters before I purchased the car. This information was fraudulently withheld by the dealership at the time of my purchase. Thus, I would like to have full refunds equal to my purchase price and repair costs.

NHTSA ODI 11564429

Have had issues with the power gate to the hatchback since the first year of ownership. Dealer could not replicate after numerous complaints. On Jan 1, 2024 the hatch would only ho partially up or down and would not close. Upon looking, the hinges holding the hatch were pulling away from the vehicle. No accident, no abuse, nothing done other than using the electronic open/shut. Googled for info and found MANY similar/same complaints. Body shop estimate to replace hinges around $700 plus more for a rental. Toyota says it's not warranteed but I intend this is a definite structural problem with the vehicle. In the meantime the issue of the problems with electronic hatch lift cant be addressed due to hinge issue. Im concerned driving car --will hatch fall off in traffic??Recall should be issued imo.

NHTSA ODI 11563453

Rainwater accumulates inside of doors. Drainage holes are easily blocked by dirt debris and unable to drain water from doors. Results in water sloshing around inside of door while driving.

NHTSA ODI 11562478

Sunroof shattered while driving down the interstate. A chunk of glass was missing & small pieces of glass fell into the car into my hair & into my clothes. Safety put at risk due to shock of event occurring while driving. It caught me off guard & I could not just stop on the highway to inspect what happened as cars were on the side & behind me. Increased anxiety while driving. Insurance claim filed with $500 deductible & without a car for an unknown period of time until glass is repaired. Car inspected by collision shop upon arrival.

NHTSA ODI 11560457

The vehicle is a 2019 Hertz rental RAV4 Hertz. On October 12, 2023, when I moved the gearstick to reverse the vehicle accelerated uncontrollable at extremely high speed and crashed into a wall. Braking did not stop the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11559958

Tailgate hinges ripping and tailgate will not close properly. no accident no abuse, this is something that is happening to a lot of Rav4's.

NHTSA ODI 11560004

The car's hesitation when I try to accelerate from a slow roll or lower gear. Resulting in lurches when I try to speed up. We got this car for my daughter she is a new driver and the hesitating and lurching is a problem.

NHTSA ODI 11558730

The available component that failed would be the liftgate hinge. My safety is put at risk because the powerlift gate is leaning toward the left side heavily and limiting away from the frame of the vehicle. Although this is latched down, others are a risk because if the liftgate detached from the vehicle, others could be seriously injured. The problem has been confirmed by the dealer. The vehicle has been reviewed by the dealer, as well as, a body shop. There were no warning lamps or messages for this problem. The problem was initially noticed when the trunk was gapping on one side and rubbing aggressively on the opposite side. The dealer said that it was with the hinge after I brought it to their attention. Toyota is not covering cost to have it repaired because they deemed it a “wear and tear” and a body shop deemed it a manufacturing issue. I am paying for said repair out of my own pocket which is not morally correct for a manufacturer issue.

NHTSA ODI 11558773

The vehicle does not get anywhere near the advertised fuel tank capacity. The fuel tank size IS 14.5, but when fueling it gets >10. Causing the vehicle to get nowhere near the maximum mileage until empty.

NHTSA ODI 11557256

All 4 of the doors on my 2019 Toyota RAV4 have been filling full of water whenever it rains ever since I bought it from the dealership. Then the rainwater leaks out into the interior ceiling fabric, as well as the sides of the vehicle, staining it b/c black mold is growing! Also, it sounds like a cooler full of water sounds whenever the car is moving! Weighs it down too of course...also it frequently smells like something is burning inside the cabin, but can't figure out where it's coming from.

NHTSA ODI 11556850

In line at a restaurant drive through around 2pm, raining, wipers on. engine cut off and power steering low message displayed. Car would not restart for several (30 minutes) Cause unknown. All battery, starter, alternator test came back fine.

NHTSA ODI 11556855

Coolant bypass valve failure - risk of engine overheating

NHTSA ODI 11556307

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, a message displayed reading "All Wheel Drive Malfunction”. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V064000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 123,000.

NHTSA ODI 11556348

In my Rav4, I had a message pop up that said "Engine Maintenance Required" and it wouldn't go away. I couldn't get rid of it. So I took it to the dealership and they immediately said that I needed my engine coolant bypass valve replaced. They also said it has been a constant issue with other Rav4 vehicles, but there has not been a recall yet. So I paid $650 to get the valve replaced and the continuous message taken off.

NHTSA ODI 11555878