Home · 2019 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid · Complaints

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

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (869)Crash / fire / injury (30)Fuel system (267)Engine (203)Electrical system (100)Body & structure (89)Transmission & drivetrain (80)Airbags (45)Brakes (35)Speed control (30)Steering (30)Visibility & wipers (21)

Newest first · 869 complaints · page 34 of 35

Sep 5, 2019Fuel system

FUEL PUMP AUTOMATICALLY SHUTS OFF BUT THE FUEL INDICATOR SHOWS 1 -2 BAR LESS THAN FULL . MAXIMUM POSSIBLE FUEL THAT I WAS ABLE TO FILL WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS NEAR EMPTY IS 10.2 GALLONS (ITS STILL 1 - 2 BARS BELOW FULL)

NHTSA ODI 11253503

Sep 5, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES CAR MAKES GRINDING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING PAST 2-30 MPH AND ANOTHER GRINDING NOISE WHILE DECELERATING BELOW 20-30MPH. WAS TOLD THAT REAR DRIVELINE DISCONNECT FEATURE IS CAUSING THE ISSUE. STARTED HAPPENING AROUND 3000MILES ODO AND BEEN GETTING LOUDER

NHTSA ODI 11253499

Aug 31, 2019Steering

APPROXIMATELY 30 DAYS AFTER PURCHASING MY 2019 TOYOTA RVA4, WHILE DRIVING TO WORK DURING THE WEEK OF AUGUST 1,2019 ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY MY VEHICLE SWERVED TO THE RIGHT ALMOST HITTING AN 18 WHEELER WITHOUT ME STEERING IN THAT DIRECTION. IT HAPPENED ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER SWERVING AGAIN TOWARDS THE RIGHT ALMOST HITTING A CAR. DURING THE WEEK OF AUGUST 5,2019 THE CAR DID THE SAME THING AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING HOME, THIS TIME THE STEERING WHEEL WARNING LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. I CHECKED THE OWNERS MANUAL AND IT STATED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY WHICH I DID. ON AUGUST 17TH I BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO BE CHECKED. INITIALLY A YOUNG SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR. I WAS PERSISTENT IN HAVING MY CAR CHECKED. AFTER THE YOUNG SERVICE MANAGER SPOKE TO A SENIOR SERVICE MANAGER, HE SUGGESTED TO THE YOUNG MANAGER THAT IF I AM BEING PERSISTENT THEN SHE NEEDS TO DO A CODE DIAGNOSTICS ON THE CAR. I WAS TOLD AN ISSUE WAS FOUND AND THEY HAD TO KEEP MY CAR. ON AUGUST 21,2019 I RECEIVED A CALL STATING MY CAR WAS READY. I ASKED WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR HAD TO BE RECALIBRATED. THE CAR WAS TESTED FOR 14 MILES WITH NO PROBLEMS, BUT I SHOULD KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ANY OTHER STEERING ISSUES. I MUST SAY I AM NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING A CAR WITH STEERING ISSUES. IT IS STILL SWERVING ON OCCASIONS,BUT NOT AS SEVERE.

NHTSA ODI 11252628

Aug 29, 2019Engine

UPDATE TO CLAIM #11233589: AFTER GOING BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP A SECOND TIME BECAUSE OIL CONTINUED TO CLIMB UP THE DIP STICK, THE SERVICE DEPT FOUND THAT YOU CANNOT PUT MORE THAN 4.6 QUARTS INTO THE RAV4. THE FACTORY PUT IN 5 QUARTS, AND THE DEALERSHIP ALSO PUT IN 5 QUARTS AT THE FIRST APPT. THE PROBLEM HAS NOW BEEN SOLVED SINCE THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF OIL IN NOW IN THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11252167

Aug 27, 2019Fuel system

WHEN FUELING, HOSE STOPS AND CLICKS, BUT TANK ONLY READS A LITTLE BIT OVER 3/4 FULL. WHEN TOPPING OFF MULTIPLE TIMES (WHICH THE GAS STATION ADVISES NOT TO DO), TANK READS UP TO 7/8 MAX. TANK FILLS LITTLE OVER 10 GALS, BUT MARKETED AT 14.5.

NHTSA ODI 11251850

Aug 26, 2019Visibility & wipers

DRIVER SIDE MIRROR PROBLEMS: 1. MIRROR DISTORTION: CAUSES IMAGES IN THE MIRROR TO BE BLURRY. ISSUE IS ESPECIALLY APPARENT IN SUNNY DAYS. 2. THE TRIM, ESPECIALLY THE SILVER ONE, AND THE A/C VENT EXCESSIVELY REFLECTS ONTO THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR. 3. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND SLIGHTLY ROUGH DRIVING SURFACES, THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR WOBBLES.

NHTSA ODI 11246480

Aug 23, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

WHEN ACCELERATING OR DECELERATING FROM 20 MPH TO 30 MPH THERE IS A FARTING/GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. I CAN FEEL IT THROUGH THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL ALSO.

NHTSA ODI 11246131

Aug 21, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

GRINDING NOISE FROM TRANSFER CASE WHEN ACCELERATING OR DECELERATING AROUND 20-40 MPH. VEHICLES HAS A DRIVELINE LINE DISCONNECT ASSEMBLY THAT SEEMS TO GRIND DUE TO IMPROPER CLEARANCES. WE ARE NOT SURE HOW LONG THIS DEFECTIVE DRIVELINE DISCONNECT WILL HOLD UP.

NHTSA ODI 11245608

Aug 19, 2019Transmission & drivetrainEngine

AT THIS TIME THERE AT LEAST 24 COMPLAINT ABOUT A "LURCHING" PROBLEM AT LOW SPEED AND RE ACCELERATION. A VERY SIGNIFICANT "LURCHING" ALMOST"STALLING" IS VERY APPARENT AS THE COMPLAINTS INDICATE. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION STARTS IN 4TH GEAR...NOT 1ST GEAR FROM A DEAD STOP. I WOULD CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE. HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FROM DAY 1 OF CAR PURCHASE. VEHICLE NOW HAS 5600 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ODI 11245080

Aug 16, 2019Brakes

FAULTY BRAKE ASSIST BOOSTER (PLASTIC BRUSH HOLDER MISSHAPEN) CAUSING DEACTIVATION OF VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM ON THE RAV4 XSE HYBRID. MY VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN DELIVERED FROM THE NEWARK, NEW JERSEY PORT OF ENTRY. IT HAS BEEN THERE SINCE JULY3, 2019 WITH NO EXPECTED DATE OF DELIVERY.I DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM WHEN GOOGLING RECALLS ON THE 2019 RAV4 HYBRID, USING THE VIN # SUPPLIED IN THIS TEXT.

NHTSA ODI 11244318

Aug 16, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

CLUNKING/THUD IS HEARD FROM THE REAR/UNDER CARRIAGE. TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE, IT MUST BE DRIVEN 30-40 MIN SO THAT DIFFERENTIAL OIL IS HOT AND DRIVE UP TO 30 MPH THEN SLOW DOWN TO BELOW 10 MPH TO CONFIRM THE ISSUE. THE ISSUE IS LIMITED TO 2019 RAV4 (WITH TORQUE VECTORING SYSTEM - ONLY ADVENTURE AND LIMITED TRIMS) NO KNOWN TSB TO FIX THE ISSUE. THE SOUND IS MORE LIKE A HEAVY OBJECT (LIKE A BOWLING BALL) IS DROPPED ON A CARPETED FLOOR AND LIKE A MUFFLED SOUND RATHER THAN A SHARP MECHANICAL GEAR ROTATING SOUND. THE NOISE IS MORE LIKE A THUD AND VERY PROMINENT ENOUGH TO DISTRACT DRIVING. IT HAPPENS AFTER AWD IS ENGAGED BY FALLING THE VEHICLE'S SPEED UNDER 20 MPH IN ECO OR NORMAL MODE. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN IN SPORT MODE WHERE AWD IS ENGAGED IN FULL-TIME.

NHTSA ODI 11244357

Aug 16, 2019Visibility & wipers

SIDE MIRRORS HAVE A VIBRATION THAT AFFECT YOUR DRIVING FOCUS AT THE TIME YOU LOOK AT THEM. GENERATE A BLURRY VISION AND DIZZINESS. THIS WAS NOTIFIED TO THE DEALER AND VERIFIED, BUT THEY SAID IT WAS A DESIGN ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11244363

Aug 16, 2019SuspensionTransmission & drivetrainEngine

1. TRANSMISSION SUDDEN JERKING/SHIFTING WHEN SLOWING DOWN IN CITY AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS THEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE ANYWHERE FROM 5-10 MPH WILL THEN JERK BACKWARDS THEN FORWARDS MAKING THE CAR JUMP ABOUT 10 INCHES FORWARD. CAN BE REPLICATED AT ANY TIME. 2. CARS FRONT END SUSPENSION SEEMS TO SQUEAK/GROAN WILL PULLING INTO MY BANK OR DRIVE WAY, ALMOST ANY UNLEVELED PAVEMENT. THIS HAPPENS AT LOWER SPEEDS WHEN I CAN HEAR IT WITH VERY LITTLE WIND NOISE. 3. MY SEAT IN THE VEHICLE BROKE AT 7,000 MILES. 4. MY BRAKES SOUND AS IF THE ROTORS ARE BENT WITH SLIGHT VIBRATION IN THE BRAKE PEDAL. 5. NO FIX FOR TRANSMISSION. TODAY THEY ARE REFLASHING THE PCM - POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE. WE'LL SEE IF THAT WILL FIX THE ISSUE BUT I HIGHLY DOUBT IT FROM THE DAMAGE THAT HAS ALREADY OCCURRED. I AM WORKING WITH TOYOTA CORPORATE WITH THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11244389

Aug 12, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

MAKE INTERMITTENT SOFT GRINDING NOISE (THINK RASPBERRY) WHEN MOVING. MAKES NOISE IN ECO AND STANDARD MODE BUT NOT IN SPORT MODE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEY COULD REPLACE THE WHOLE DRIVE TRAIN AND IT MIGHT MAKE THE NOISE.

NHTSA ODI 11243201

Aug 11, 2019Fuel system

THE ENGINE IS NON-RESPONSIVE WHEN MAKING RIGHT HAND & UP HILL TURNS. I CAN DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL THREE TIMES BEFORE THE CAR STARTS TO ACCELERATE. THIS IS DANGEROUS! WHAT IS GOING ON?

NHTSA ODI 11243128

Aug 9, 2019

PRECOLLISION WARNING SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING. COMPLAINED TO DEALER BUT NO ACTION DONE. ALMOST HIT A COUPLE TIMES PEDESTRIANS. IT LOOKS LIKE RADAR SENSORS LN FRONT ARE NOT WORKING. FRONT CAMERA IS WORKING.

NHTSA ODI 11242874

Aug 8, 2019Fuel system

FUEL TANK DOES NOT PROPERLY FILL, AND OFTEN RESULTS IN GAS SPILLING OUT OF THE VEHICLE AS A OWNER IS FORCED TO MANUALLY "TOP OFF" THE VEHICLE TO FILL THE TANK. OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS SAME ISSUE: HTTPS://WWW.RAV4WORLD.COM/THREADS/DIFFICULTY-WITH-GETTING-FUEL-TANK-FULL.298909/

NHTSA ODI 11242443

Aug 1, 2019Fuel system

I CAN NEVER GET A FULL TANK OF GAS. THE MOST I'VE EVER BEEN ABLE TO PUT IN STILL LEAVES ME SEVERAL NOTCHES BELOW FULL. I GET ABOUT 400 MILES PER TANK WHEREAS IT WAS AT LEAST 430 AFTER THE DEALER FILLED IT.

NHTSA ODI 11241170

Jul 30, 2019Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING AND/OR STOPPING THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL SCRATCHING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ORLAND TOYOTA (8505 W 159TH ST, TINLEY PARK, IL 60487, (708) 336-7288) AND OAK LAWN TOYOTA (4320 95TH ST, OAK LAWN, IL 60453, (708) 423-5200) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500.

NHTSA ODI 11240605

Jul 29, 2019Fuel system

MY 2019 TOYOTA RAV4 HYBRID HAS A 14.5 GALLON FUEL TANK. I BOUGHT IT NEW TWO MONTHS AGO AND HAVE ALMOST 5,000 MILES ON IT. IN THE TWO MONTHS SINCE I'VE OWNED IT, THE FUEL TANK HAS NEVER ALLOWED ME TO FILL IT MORE THAN 11 GALLONS. IF I TRY TO TOP IT OFF, IT WILL JUST CONTINUALLY CLICK OFF EVERY COUPLE CENTS. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM, NOT A ONE TIME EVENT.

NHTSA ODI 11240389

Jul 29, 2019Fuel system

I PURCHASED A 2019 RAV4 HYBRID IN APRIL OF 2019. ONE ISSUE WITH THE CAR THAT I HAVE NOT GOTTEN A RESOLUTION FOR IS THAT THE FUEL GAUGE IS INACCURATE. ON FILLING THE TANK, IT ONLY SHOWS ABOUT 7/8 FULL. THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT TOTALLY FULL IS TO 'TOP IT OFF' WHICH IS ILLEGAL IN OREGON WHERE I LIVE. THE FUEL TANK HOLDS 14.5 GALLONS. ON THE WAY BACK FROM A RECENT TRIP, I LET THE FUEL GAUGE GO DOWN UNTIL THE DASH BOARD SCREEN SAID I HAD 13 MILES LEFT UNTIL I WAS GOING TO BE OUT OF FUEL. I TOLD THE GAS STATION ATTENDANT HELP ME THIS ONE TIME BY 'TOPPING OFF' THE TANK TO CHECK THE GALLONS NEEDED. THE TANK WAS FULL AFTER ADDING JUST 12 GALLONS. THAT MEANS I HAD 2.5 GALLONS LEFT IN THE TANK WHEN THE DASH BOARD FUEL WARNING SAID I HAD 13 MILES TO GO BEFORE I WAS OUT OF GAS. THIS VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY GETS 40-45 MPG. I FEEL IT IS DANGEROUS NOT TO HAVE THE CORRECT FUEL TOTAL AVAILABLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO MY TOYOTA DEALER (LITHIA TOYOTA OF SPRINGFIELD, OREGON) IN MAY OF 2019 TO HAVE THIS ISSUE CHECKED OUT. THE DEALER SAID THE DID A THOROUGH CHECK OF THE SYSTEMS THAT MAY BE INVOLVED, BUT COULD FIND NO PROBLEM. I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY RECALLS BY TOYOTA CONCERNING THIS MATTER.

NHTSA ODI 11240415

Jul 29, 2019Fuel system

THERE IS NO INDICATOR OR LOW FUEL WARNING WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS EMPTY. PLUS WHEN FILLING FROM EMPTY TO FULL AND THE GASOLINE STATION FUEL PUMP KICKS OFF, ONLY 8 TO 9 GALLONS OF GASOLINE (THE TANK CAPACITY IS 14.5 GALLONS) IS PUT INTO THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK AND THE FUEL TANK INDICATOR ONLY READS 7/8 OF A TANK.

NHTSA ODI 11240432

Jul 26, 2019Fuel system

TANK WILL NOT FILL TO FULL. SEVERAL GALLONS LESS. APPROXIMATELY 3/4 A TANK IS ALL THAT IT WILL ACCEPT.

NHTSA ODI 11235113

Jul 25, 2019Electrical system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS UNABLE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WITHOUT WARNING. TOYOTA VACAVILLE (500 ORANGE DR, VACAVILLE, CA 95687, (707) 446-7000) WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE EXITED WITH THE KEY STILL IN THE IGNITION, WHICH WAS A SAFETY RISK TO THE CONTACT WHEN THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE SECURED AND SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED, BUT THE KEY STILL WOULD NOT EJECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11234851

Jul 20, 2019

DASH HAS BEEN CRACKING ON BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVERS SIDE, THE CRACK ON PASSENGER SIDE IS APPROXIMATELY 1.5 INCHES IN LENGTH AND STOPS BY AIRBAG PANEL ON DASH. THE DRIVERS SIDE CRACK IS ROUGHLY TEN INCHES AND IS CONTINUING UP TOWARDS INSTRUMENT PANEL (STILL CRACKING). NO ACCIDENTS, CRACKS GET BIGGER WITH TIME AND DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11233586

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Working with the data? Download all 869 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 21, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2019 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid verdict →