2020 Toyota RAV4: Common Problems, Recalls and Vehicle Data
Check the 2020 Toyota RAV4 records before a viewing: recall campaigns,
owner-reported symptoms, investigations, service bulletins and EPA fuel economy.
The 2020 RAV4's six recall campaigns are notable mainly for how spread out they are: air bags account for two campaigns, while engine and engine cooling, suspension, steering, and the gasoline fuel system each account for one. That breadth means the recall record points to several distinct systems rather than one recurring trouble spot. None of these campaigns are repeat repairs — there's no indication in the public data that any earlier recall fix had to be redone.
There is no open investigation tied to this model year in the data reviewed here.
Among the 642 complaints on file, the largest category is labeled "other" at 229 reports, followed by engine-related complaints at 150 and electrical complaints at 113. The "other" label covers issues that don't fit NHTSA's standard system categories, so it doesn't point to a single identifiable component the way the engine and electrical figures do.
Toyota's service bulletins for this model year show a concentration in equipment, with 44 of 267 bulletins, followed by 32 covering the electrical system. Bulletins are guidance to dealers for addressing symptoms, not recalls or admissions of a defect, but this pattern indicates where dealer-facing repair guidance was most frequently issued.
As with any complaint database, these counts reflect how many owners reported an issue to NHTSA, not a rate of failure across all vehicles on the road.
Body class
SUV
Drive types
All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive
Combined MPG
27–40
Recall campaigns
6
Check the VIN to find out whether a recall applies to this car. Complaint counts describe reports on
file; differences in time on the road, sales and reporting prevent a direct comparison of failure odds.
Read our methodology.
Complaint trends
646 complaints on file with NHTSA's
Office of Defects Investigation, grouped into CarTold's broad component categories.
Other232 (36%)
Engine150 (23%)
Electrical113 (17%)
Airbag53 (8%)
Drivetrain37 (6%)
Steering28 (4%)
Visibility & lighting18 (3%)
Brakes15 (2%)
Most frequently reported, by the specific component NHTSA logged each complaint
under (not CarTold's category groupings above):
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
Consequence: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.
Campaign 20V7340002020-11-25
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Toyota Avalon and 2020 Avalon Hybrid, RAV4, and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles. Breakaway pins within the steering column, designed to absorb energy and reduce injury during a crash, could have been damaged during production, possibly affecting the performance of the driver's air bag in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not perform as designed can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering column, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB17/20TA17.
Consequence: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy parts should be available for all affected vehicles by late March 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-012. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA01.
Campaign 20V3730002020-06-24
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019-2020 RAV4 and 2020 RAV4 Hybrid vehicles equipped with electric power steering (EPS). Water may enter through the steering gear box cover and cause a loss of electric power steering assist.
Consequence: A loss of power steering assist could increase steering effort at low vehicle speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering gear box, free of charge. The recall began August 17, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB11 / 20TA11.
Campaign 20V2860002020-05-20
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019-2020 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles. The front lower suspension arms may have cracks, which may result in the suspension arm separating from the front wheel assembly.
Consequence: If a suspension control arm breaks, it can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front lower suspension arms, free of charge. This recall began August 10, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's interim numbers for this recall are 20TB08 / 20TA08.
Campaign 20V0640002020-02-06
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Toyota Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid and Lexus ES300h and 2019-2020 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles equipped with 2.5L 4-Cylinder engines. Porosity in the engine castings may result in cracks than can allow coolant to leak internally and/or externally.
Consequence: A coolant leak can cause the engine to overheat and cause a vehicle stall in conventional gasoline vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, for all involved vehicles, the engine may get damaged mechanically, possibly resulting in an engine oil leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the engine including the engine block, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 3, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA04. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA02.
A model-year recall does not mean every vehicle is affected. Look up a specific car with our
recall check — paste a VIN and it lists every campaign covering that
vehicle. Whether the work was actually done needs
nhtsa.gov/recalls or the
manufacturer; our guide explains
what each of its answers means.
Investigations
No NHTSA investigations on file for this model year.
Manufacturer communications
Expand a component group to read the service bulletins and other communications
manufacturers filed with NHTSA. Use the document number to ask a dealer whether the instructions apply to
this car and whether any repair is covered. A bulletin alone does not establish payment eligibility.
How these records differ from recalls and investigations.
NHTSA crash-tests each body-style/drivetrain configuration separately, so ratings can
differ by variant — shown as tested, not averaged. See
how the 5-star ratings work, including why an
overall score isn't the average of the three category scores.