What 142 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 Toyota RAV4 Phev

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while driving at 46 MPH in heavy rain, a warning message indicating that the pre-collision sensor was blocked and needed to be cleared, was displayed temporarily, and the contact continued driving. The contact stated that the vehicle suddenly lost motive power shortly after, and the message "Steering power is low; please contact dealer" was displayed. The vehicle stalled and failed to restart.The following day, the contact's husband successfully restarted the vehicle, but the vehicle immediately stalled again, displaying a "Pre-collision malfunction; please call dealer" message. A local dealer was contacted, and the contact spoke with a receptionist regarding the battery, but the vehicle was neither diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer had not been made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,829.

NHTSA ODI 11748756

Odometer shows incorrect speed than actual.

NHTSA ODI 11748368

Vehicle was traveling straight approximately 70–80 mph in very light drizzle. No warning lights or messages before the event. Vehicle suddenly entered an uncontrolled spin multiple times. During the spin, I heard a grinding noise. After stopping, brake/parking brake system warnings appeared on the dash, video after the event recorded.

NHTSA ODI 11748288

Vehicle was traveling straight approximately 70–80 mph in very light drizzle. No warning lights or messages before the event. Vehicle suddenly entered an uncontrolled spin multiple times. During the spin, I heard a grinding noise. After stopping, brake/parking brake system warnings appeared on the dash, video after the event recorded.

NHTSA ODI 11748290

The front camera is known to overheat in weather that exceeds 70°F. Which disables the AEB, Cruise Control, Lane Keep, Automatic Headlights, and Automatic Wipers.

NHTSA ODI 11747538

The display goes black and then will restart. It foes this over and over. The navigation and other features can’t be used and it will not stay on long enough to try and update.

NHTSA ODI 11742009

My car has shut off for a second time without warning. This time was in a busy chic [XXX] drive through line in [XXX] . The car read “low power steering” and the battery and engine light came on. These have both been checked before in addition to the alternator and they cannot find an issue. I am having it taken back to the dealership tomorrow for further investigation. Given I purchased this vehicle with a little over 19k miles and the car now only has 22k miles on it. It should not have any significant issues such as cutting off while driving on the interstate or while sitting in a busy drive through lane waiting for food. Now I am wondering if the previous owner traded it in for this issue. I will say, both incidences it has been raining and the first time I could have been hit by oncoming traffic due to low visibility and I am wondering if heavy rain has something to do with this. The car has not been through any significant puddles or left out in the rain. It sits in the garage when not in use and has only been used as a work commute vehicle. Something is wrong. They need a recall! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11741686

The video display screen shuts off while driving. You end of trying to get it going again while driving and getting distracted. Ongoing issue over a dozen times in last 2 years.

NHTSA ODI 11741275

I have a limited service campaign from Toyota 25TD01 that my local authorized Toyota dealer refuses to repair. The dealer is Classic Toyota of Henderson

NHTSA ODI 11733218

Few days back got a message "voltage abnormality steering power low" a few times. Today, got a message saying the sensors indicated on the form are malfunctioning. Car is 2.5 yrs old with 23.5k miles on it.

NHTSA ODI 11721390

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V595000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the instrument panel failed to display critical safety information. 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 21,000.

NHTSA ODI 11713402

I purchased my 2023 Toyota RAV4 new back on March 13,2023. 10 days later on March 23 it was raining as I pulled into BJ’s parking lot, I parked and began fumbling around getting my bag and keys together when my car started shaking and sputtering eventually shutting down with an error message engine stopped steering power low. After a call to the salesman I was able to get my car restarted after 15minutes and many failed attempts. Car was bought back to service the following week and I was told car was not properly programmed at delivery, it was now programmed correctly and this should not happen again. April 17,2023 my son pulling into Tractor supply , raining out, pulls into spot and car again shakes, sputters and shuts off, same message engine stopped steering power low. After many attempts car restarts approximately 20 minutes later. Car serviced codes ARE FOUND and cleared, road tested and told car was ok. May 31,2025 I was driving down Rt 80, pouring rain when traffic comes to a complete stop due to accident ahead. Car starts shaking, sputtering and shuts down. Same message code as always. I turned the car completely off as not to kill battery and started to goggle the RAV4. I attempted to restart the car numerous times. Called for a tow, prayed that I didn’t get killed once traffic started to move. Finally 1-1/2 hours later it started. Traffic began moving 15 minutes after I got it started. Took in for service, charged $199.61 only to be told there were no codes. Problem could not be duplicated and in the future to always disable the start/stop button while using the vehicle. October30, 2025 raining, I stopped at Panera drive thru. Placed an order waiting in line and car shuts down, same error code, couldn’t restart car for 20 minutes. Took to Toyota November 5th same response no codes and cannot replicate issue, car is ok. Please help rectify this before someone gets killed!

NHTSA ODI 11701720

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side blind spot warning system located on the exterior side mirror failed to function as intended. The light flashed on the side mirror; however, the beeping sound was inaudible. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure had occurred the same month the vehicle was purchased. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20.

NHTSA ODI 11699895

While driving or idling, the pre-collusion, RSA malfunction, Headlight system malfunction, and LTA system malfunction will go off as well as my navigation on my screen. Its been going on and off for 7 months now. It works, then it doesn't. I don't want to take it in because I know they're famous for making me pay high dollar fees for anything and everything. Toyota is horrible for their services and just want the money. I never had any issues with my car until I got a nail in my tire that was an easy fix (that they also wanted to keep my car overnight for a patch).

NHTSA ODI 11698048

Faulty instrument panel keeps going on and off. It will reset itself and then do it again like it’s trying to fix itself. But then we’ll go on and off again it’s been doing it for about six months now we’ve been putting off by telling someone because we thought it might straighten up and when we keep looking up recalls, it says there’s no recall on it.

NHTSA ODI 11696044

Vehicle: 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Issue: Persistent brake noise, safety hazard, manufacturer negligence I leased a 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid from Clermont Toyota (Florida). Well before reaching 5,000 miles, the brakes began squealing and grinding, posing a potential safety hazard. Multiple service visits failed to correct the issue. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and its distributor, Southeast Toyota Distributors LLC, have long been aware of this defect, as documented in Technical Service Bulletin TSB-0001-22 and numerous NHTSA consumer reports describing similar brake failures and noises in 2019–2023 RAV4 models. Despite repeated notice, Toyota refused to repair or replace the defective vehicle and denied my Lemon Law claim through an arbitration panel connected to manufacturer counsel. This unresolved brake defect creates danger to the driver, passengers, and others on the road. Toyota’s continued sale and lease of vehicles with known braking issues constitute a serious public safety concern. I request that NHTSA investigate Toyota’s knowledge of these defects, evaluate the adequacy of its response, and consider a recall to protect consumers nationwide. Contact: [XXX] – [XXX] – [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11695950

While starting my rav4 prime, the instrument panel (gas gauge, speedometer, battery life, etc) went black. Took it to 3 different Toyota dealers; 2 sent me away and the 3rd said I can’t drive the car anymore. Service tech said it’s the 3rd one he’s seen with the instrument cluster black in the last year! They’re still running official diagnostics on it.

NHTSA ODI 11685598

For over month on multiple random events, the car shuts down while traveling at hwy speeds. The car light prompt to shift the vehicle into neutral and push the start button to re start the engine. We have had the car at the dealership 4 separate occasions and they can not find the issue because it does not cause an engine light to come on when this happens. They also supposedly can not get it to duplicate so they are refusing to go any further. We have video of this occurring at 50mph. This causes lost of steering and braking. We reported this to Toyota and opened a case. They to will not pursue fixing the issue as they are not getting a trouble code. I fear this is going to cause a major accident and this poses a severe safety risk as you loose control of the vehicle

NHTSA ODI 11683758

The vehicle's radio/ GPS navigation system shuts off and on and it is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others were put at risk because while in the middle of driving on a one-way street the radio/ GPS navigation system shut off in the middle of my trip and I was unaware of if I was going down the correct street because the navigation system completely shut off. I had almost crashed into another vehicle because the radio/GPS navigation system cut off in the middle of my turn so I was unaware of where I was supposed to be driving at the moment. The vehicle has been inspected by Toyota but has not fixed yet. There were no warning lamps but the radio/GPS navigation system did shut off a few times prior to this incident but it never occurred in a situation where I was in a time where I needed the GPS and feared for my life and the lives of others.

NHTSA ODI 11675500

My 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has had squeaky brakes for many months (from 4,000 miles onward and consistently continues to be an annoyance, nuisance, and safety hazard while intensifying in frequency), but despite taking the vehicle to the Toyota dealer more than 4 times, they have been unable to repair the issue. At least twice the air bag sensors have come on for the backseat when there was nobody seated in the backseat, distracting me from safely driving. Toyota has done nothing to right the wrong mechanically, refund me for the vehicle (a lease) or offer a replacement. I have a 14 page document filed with the Florida Attorney General Lemon Law Division thoroughly indicating why these ongoing mechanical failures, safety hazards, nuisances and distractions to me the driver substantially impair the use, value, and safety of the vehicle—fulfilling key criteria under Florida Statutes § 681.102 and § 681.104, which I am happy to provide all consumers and attorneys willing to launch a CLASS ACTION against Toyota. Florida law defines "impairment of value" not by market collapse, but by any reasonable reduction in consumer confidence. Consumer disclosure laws require honesty about defects. Florida Statute § 681.102(15) defines a “nonconformity” as a defect that “substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of the motor vehicle.” My vehicle has been subject to repair more than 4 times for the same defect within 24 months and thus qualifies for relief. The manufacturer’s failure to permanently correct the squeaky brakes—even after attempted repairs—demonstrates a pattern of unresolved nonconformity. The squeaky brake issue is not a cosmetic inconvenience—it affects the vehicle's functionality, resale integrity, and safety assurance. Toyota acknowledges the problem exists (via TSB) but has failed to provide a lasting solution. If unresolved, this defect would materially concern any reasonable consumer and diminish confidence in the vehicle’s reliability and safety.

NHTSA ODI 11670424

During a rain Storm water was able to leak into my air intake box causing my air filter to become soaked. This caused my car to malfunction, come to an abrupt stop, alerting me of a "engine and steering failure" shutting my car off and becoming stranded on the highway.

NHTSA ODI 11663790

I was driving down [XXX] The car was moving along fine then when I pushed the gas it would jerk back and shake. I pulled off the highway and was able to coast into a gas station, but the engine stopped working as I was driving while cars were coming behind me. I could have been stopped in the middle of traffic with no way to get out. The power steering light came on as well as a light that said the engine was cut off. We just bought the car used with 22k miles on it and put an additional 3k miles on. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11659981

Was sitting in my car in the rain and all of a sudden the engine cut off. The check engine light came on and the error message on the dashboard said " Engine Power Reduced". If I try to put it in anything but Park, it won't let me. I have never had this issue, or any issue with this car. If I had been driving, this would have run me off the road.

NHTSA ODI 11659158

While raining, noticed smoke coming from under the hood, engine seemed as if it didn’t have any power. Car shut off. While attempting to restart I seen a message in dashboard that said Engine stopped: steering power low. Took a while to get car cranked again after multiple attempts. Message in dashboard disappeared after multiple attempts to restart nor is there a message in remote application health status section.

NHTSA ODI 11659025

The multimedia screen powers on and off consistently.

NHTSA ODI 11657041