Complaints concentrate on the electrical system: 32% of the 321 on file. The top components are electrical system (104, of which 4 mention a crash, 15 a fire and 3 an injury), exterior lighting (28) and service brakes (27, of which 5 mention a crash and 2 an injury). Across all 321 reports, 34 describe a crash, 24 a fire, 24 at least one injury and 2 a death.
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Recent reports
15 complaints (5% of the total) were filed in the last 12 months, a slow but steady flow of new reports, most often about the electrical system (4).
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Changes from 2016
EPA lists the same engines, transmissions and drive types as 2016; four recall campaigns name one of the two years and not the other (equipment, service brakes and tires).
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Fuel economy and running cost
Its most efficient version (2.5-litre 4-cylinder hybrid) is rated 32 mpg combined, better than most for the 2017 SUVs we cover (median 24 mpg across 47 other EPA listings); the thirstiest version is rated 24 mpg. At 15,000 miles a year and the national average regular gasoline price of $4.28 (EIA, week of Oct 19, 2026), fuel would cost about $2,010 a year in the most efficient version and about $2,680 in the thirstiest.
Body class
SUV
Drive types
All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive
Complaint trends
321 complaints on file with NHTSA, by category.
Electrical104 (32%)
Other82 (26%)
Visibility & lighting39 (12%)
Brakes29 (9%)
Engine20 (6%)
Airbag17 (5%)
Drivetrain15 (5%)
Steering13 (4%)
Fuel system2 (1%)
Top components as NHTSA logged them:
Electrical system — 75 complaints (23%)
Unknown or other — 40 complaints (12%)
Exterior lighting — 24 complaints (7%)
Service brakes — 24 complaints (7%)
Engine — 11 complaints (3%)
Air bags — 10 complaints (3%)
What owners told NHTSA
Short excerpts from owner reports submitted to NHTSA. They are unverified and describe one vehicle each.
“Toyota ABS Actuator Accumulator shows problems after a while. Most common on hybrid vehicles. Signs comes up such ABS Malfunction, Pre-Collision Malfunction, Low Braking Power, and lose traction control.”
“The tail light assembly on these vehicles seems to be a reoccurring issue reported by other owners on online forums and unfortunately we seem to fall under the same category.”
“The brake system on my 2017 Toyota RAV4 LE has repeatedly failed to provide normal stopping power, even after the replacement of pads and rotors in July 2025.”
Recalls
3 campaigns on file. Check a specific car with our VIN recall check.
A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles. Certain replacement 12-volt batteries may not fit properly in the battery tray, allowing the battery to move and contact the hold-down bracket, possibly causing a short circuit.
Consequence: A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 27, 2024, to 2013-2014 RAV4 owners. Additional owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, phase 2 will begin on May 14, 2025, and phase 3 in late July 2025.
Equipment:other:labels· 19V503000 · 2019-06-28
An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Consequence: An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019.
A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated on the Tire Pressure Label.
Consequence: A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017.
Investigations
PE21005 (PE)Closed
Electrical system:12V/24V/48V battery
Opened 2021-02-25 · Closed 2024-08-12
NHTSA summary
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to understand the contributing factors and frequency of vehicle fires originating from the battery region of the engine compartment in Model Year (MY) 2013-2018 Toyota RAV4 vehicles on 25 February 2021. At the time of opening, ODI attributed eleven allegations and additional EWR events to this PE. PE21005 focused on replacement batteries installed in the subject vehicles. No reported fire event identified in PE21005 involved the originally supplied 12V battery. The reported fires took place in vehicles known to con…
Manufacturer communications
Service bulletins and other notices the manufacturer filed with NHTSA. They are not recalls.
Built from NHTSA, EPA (fueleconomy.gov) and EIA records with fixed rules; complaint counts reflect reporting, not defect rates. How we make CarTold · Methodology · Buyer guides
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