What 134 owners told NHTSA about the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid

Rear lift gate hinge bent. No known cause other than hinge may be faulty

NHTSA ODI 11712892

My steering wheel has been peeling/flaking off and it’s only 3 years old and my USB plug in inconsistent and turns off or doesn’t work will cords.

NHTSA ODI 11710176

The infotainment screen and its buttons do not work. All I see when parked or driving is an unresponsive black screen. There was no warning prior to the screen not functioning.

NHTSA ODI 11707105

The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, and the front driver's and rear passenger's seat belt buckles and the other rear seat belt buckle, where a child was seated, failed to latch securely, causing his grandchild's rear passenger's side car seat to become loose. No warning light was illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that a diagnostic test was needed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11705106

The Panoramic Sunroof Shattered on its Own out of nowhere. It just made loud noise. we thought it was tire, but car did not make move, looking above we saw the panoramic section of sunroof shattered. I went to dealer, they said there is a point of contact (means something has hit the roof) and they told me i have to file with insurance company. Insurance company is asking a million questions. It seems they are both passing it to each other. TO my opinion it is manufacturing flaw. very unsafe!

NHTSA ODI 11700925

It was a rainy day and I had come home to pick up someone, didn’t turn my car off but had it in park. I went to reverse and pressed on gas, all of a sudden my engine started to aggressively shake/vibrate while showing on the dash that power steering was off, I couldn’t move my car anymore. I turned it off and same thing. Finally after 15 minutes, it started back up like normal. Scary to think others have been experiencing this with or without rain involved, and also while driving. Toyota is suppose to be reliable. Taking it in to Toyota service department tomorrow, but scared to drive it and just be told nothing is wrong like others have been told.

NHTSA ODI 11699722

At the car wash while slowly pulling (1mph) into a parking space to vacuum the vehicle the car unexpectedly accelerated. The brakes failed and the car continued to accelerate until forced into park and turning off the vehicle. During the acceleration there was a grinding noise. This acceleration caused the car to hit the front curb and cement pilings with poles supporting the roof and vacuum. There were no warnings or lights being presented. If not for the curb and being off the road anyone in the car would at the very least been injured and possibly hitting another auto. The dealer is claiming no none issues as described. The auto was towed to the body shop to inspect and repair. We were told by the body repair shop the front suspension failed. The auto was great prior to this incident. Afraid to drive for fear of a repeat especially due to others on the internet claiming the same issue has happened and often continued to have a repeat acceleration incident. No one has found resolution from Toyota. Approximately $7,000.00 worth of damage and our insurance has now gone up.

NHTSA ODI 11699459

Electric Power Steering Low indicator displayed while driving. It re-appeared several times over the past days. Called dealer and awaiting their response.

NHTSA ODI 11695753

After driving for 35 minutes (in the rain), I pulled up to work and let someone out. While car was sitting there in park, it bucked in the back, I then put it into park and almost immediately, it shut off with this on the display "Engine Off, Steering Power Low, Do Not Drive". My lights and windshield wipers remained on. I tried to turn it back and and it shut off again. I waited a few minutes, turned it on and went to pull out onto main road and the car shut off again with the same message. Thankfully I was turning onto the main road so close to shoulder and able to keep my car pretty close to side of the road. I called the Toyota dealer who told me not to drive it and it would need to be towed. I towed it to the closest dealer and when they checked the codes (the next day), they said there were no codes and they could not replicate the problem. As a note, the rain was off and on, nothing that was worse than anything I have driven in previously. I drive main roads and did not go through any large puddles or anything similar. This is a major safety issue and I am terrified that it could happen while driving on a highway where I may not have time to get out of the way of other traffic (car literally stopped with no option of continuing to coast). I am also shocked that there were NO codes triggered as there was obviously some event and that the car is only one month outside of warranty.

NHTSA ODI 11695910

Truck hits a car that car lose control and drive in front of my wife wile driving she crash and the only messege apear on dash panel was air bag system malfunction my car is a Rav4 2022, before the crash lights like tps control come on and off

NHTSA ODI 11692322

1.Airbag did not deploy but it did pop up from steringwheel and there is powder present. 2. Service at the dealership told me based on description that it is airbag failure and that there is no recalls for such on my car. 3.The vehicle is seating at the wrecker yard. UNKNOWN what if any inspections have been done. 4.No warning lights prior

NHTSA ODI 11688800

During a heavy rain period , the vehicle's forward collision warming sensor came on momentarily and after a few seconds it went off. This happen while driving on local roads and road was wet from the rain. And there were no cars ahead or behind me. Spoke about this with the service department at toyota dealer and they mentioned this was likely from from the rain blocking the sensor.

NHTSA ODI 11683492

I am filing this urgent complaint regarding a life-threatening defect in my 2022 Toyota RAV4 SUV that gravely endangers my family and the public. This is a desperate plea for intervention. For over a year, my vehicle has repeatedly displayed a terrifying, unreadable red alert and piercing buzzer, occurring 3-4 times without warning and not real collision threat. These incidents are terrifying precursors to catastrophic failure. The Toyota dealership dismissed my concerns, stating they "cannot do anything" without replicating the intermittent problem. This dangerous negligence compounds my frustration, especially after prior unaddressed issues like radio malfunctions and door water infiltration. Crucially, the dealer's own CAR DTC logs confirmed C14FE14: "steering angle sensor supply voltage circuit short to ground or open." This documented electrical failure directly impacts the steering system. Toyota's own webpage [XXX] ) also details similar warnings, confirming my fear of brake system activation. My paramount fear is a false Pre-Collision System activation. Imagine driving at high speed when the brakes violently engage or steering falters due to this electrical short. The unthinkable consequences could be a devastating collision, causing severe injury or death to my family and others. This is a documented defect, met with manufacturer and dealer refusal to act. I cannot feel secure driving this car, nor can I responsibly sell this ticking time bomb to another family. I implore the NHTSA to launch an immediate, comprehensive investigation into this critical safety defect. This is a public safety matter demanding urgent attention. Force Toyota to rectify this profound flaw before lives are lost. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11682683

While getting gas the car was running and I got a warning that said engine stopped power steering low. I started the car and everything was fine and was able to drive with no issues and haven't seen the warning. I know sometimes dealerships have reminders for maintenance and not sure if this was just a glitch. After reviewing forums this seems like a known issue on Toyota but the vehicle hasn't been recalled some users have said car was fine while others say battery or alternator. This should be looked into. Thank you.

NHTSA ODI 11680679

Broken Accelerator Pedal – 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Vehicle Information: •Year/Make/Model: 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid •Mileage at Incident: [53000] Incident Date: [August 10, 2025] Description of the Problem: While driving my 2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, the physical accelerator pedal broke under normal driving conditions. The pedal construction is extremely flimsy and failed suddenly, rendering the vehicle unsafe to operate. If this failure had occurred during a high-speed maneuver, while merging into traffic, or while avoiding an obstacle, it could have caused a serious collision. I was fortunate that traffic conditions allowed me to safely pull over. There are no recalls or technical service bulletins publicly listed for this issue, yet this is a critical safety defect. A broken gas pedal can result in complete loss of acceleration control, which could cause injury or death. Steps Taken: •Stopped driving the vehicle immediately. •Documented the defect with photos. •Contacted Toyota and my local dealership for inspection. •Reporting this defect to NHTSA so it can be investigated and tracked. Safety Risk: Loss of accelerator function can cause sudden loss of power in traffic, preventing safe maneuvering and significantly increasing the risk of an accident.

NHTSA ODI 11679709

After driving for approximately 30-minutes in the rain I pulled over and the automatic engine shutoff feature activated while I was waiting to pick somebody up. When attempting to restart the car, the engine would not turn over and I got a low power steering warning message on my dash. The problem persisted for approximately 15-20 minutes. Eventually after about 15 attempts to restart the engine, the car started back up and drove fine the rest of the way home. The dealership was unable to find anything wrong with my car, but I have heard of this happening to many other RAV4s and it causes me concerning, especially when I need to drive my car in the rain.

NHTSA ODI 11669416

Engine shuts off with exposure to rain.

NHTSA ODI 11665547

The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds and accelerating, the transmission momentarily shifted into 2nd gear and then into neutral(N), causing the vehicle to start coasting. The contact released and then depressed the accelerator pedal and instantaneously and the vehicle accelerated normally. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the transmission fluid was checked but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.

NHTSA ODI 11664517

When it rains, the water goes inside the door. So I have lots of water in my door. Toyota didn’t properly seal the outside of the door.

NHTSA ODI 11664036

I drove my car yesterday it was raining, pulled in the parking lot and the engine died out. I then got a warning message stating “Engine stopped, steering power low,” and the car will not start. 2022 Rav4 XLE 15k miles.

NHTSA ODI 11663281

I was sitting in my driveway 5 minutes after getting home from work and the car engine turned over and message on the screen said “engine stopped, power steering low”. I tried turning it back on and it turned over again with the same messsge.

NHTSA ODI 11662882

Vehicle Information: Year/Make/Model: 2022 Toyota RAV4 LE VIN: [XXX] Owner: [XXX] Summary of Problem: Water is building up inside the doors of my 2022 Toyota RAV4 LE. I purchased this vehicle brand new, and I’ve had several problems back-to-back. When I took the car to the Toyota dealership, the service technician told me this is a known issue with RAV4 models and may be caused by clogged drain holes inside the doors. This is a serious concern because the trapped water can lead to rust, mold, and electrical damage. I bought a Platinum extended warranty, but the dealership said this issue is not covered. I’m very frustrated because I maintain this car properly and expect better quality from Toyota, especially when the defect is known. Toyota has a Technical Service Bulletin (T-SB-0084-21 Rev1) about this problem, but no recall has been issued. I believe this is a design flaw and could turn into a safety hazard if the water affects electronics or mold forms inside the car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11662534

The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that after heavy rainfall, there was a swishing sound coming from the passenger’s side rear door. The contact stated that when the vehicle was parked, the contact inspected the vehicle, and became aware of water build-up in the passenger’s side rear door. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 9,512.

NHTSA ODI 11659680

Every time it rains our Rav 4 gets water in the back doors. It sloshes around and you have to manually pull the seal back to drain. It happens every time. my understanding is this is a known issue.

NHTSA ODI 11658516

The contact owns a 2022 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that a sudden complete stop on a major roadway was necessary due to a turtle crossing, and the vehicle in front was at a complete stop and exited the vehicle in their attempt to remove the turtle from the road. A third vehicle coming from the rear failed to slow down and was driving at 55 MPH, crashed into the rear of the contact. As a result, the contact rear-ended the vehicle in front, which was unoccupied due to the attempt of a turtle removal from the roadway. The contact mentioned that the seat belt did not retract during the impact. No air bags deployed.  The vehicle was towed to Copart Collision Center pending the insurance company's inspection of the vehicle. The contact stated that she sustained a head injury that required medical attention. A police report was filed, but the police report number was unknown. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 36,098.

NHTSA ODI 11654978