2014 Toyota RAV4
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 197 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 19th highest complaint count among 26 RAV4 model years with reports.
Of the 2014 reports, 20 involved a crash and 25 involved a fire. 22 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Electrical system, 12v/24v/48v batteryNov 1, 2023
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.
A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
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. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 23TB13 and 23TA13.
Campaign 23V734000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, electric power assist systemMar 13, 2015
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2015 Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid, and 2014-2015 Rav4 vehicles. A component of the electric power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may have been damaged during the manufacturing process. Over time, this damage may result in failure of the electric power steering system.
An unexpected loss of power steering increases the risk of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number of the EPS ECU or steering column assembly. If the number is within the affected range, the EPS ECU will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on May 7, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
Campaign 15V144000 on NHTSA.gov
Trailer hitchesJan 16, 2015
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Toyota Rav4 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2013, to December 29, 2014, and equipped with an accessory trailer light module. The software within the module may incorrectly detect an electrical short and preventively turn off the electrical current and the trailer lights.
If the system incorrectly detects an electrical short and turns off the trailer lights while the trailer is being towed at night, there is an increased risk of a crash.
SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer light module with a new unit with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-15A.
Campaign 15V011000 on NHTSA.gov
EquipmentDec 30, 2014
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner, Tacoma, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, RAV4, Scion FRS, and XB vehicles. The affected vehicles may have accessories installed by SET, such as running boards or other items, that were incorrectly installed. The accessory attaching fasteners were not tightened with the proper torque, possibly causing the accessory to detach from the vehicle.
Accessories that detach from a vehicle may result in a vehicle crash and/or personal injury.
SET will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the affected bolts, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-14B.
Campaign 14V828000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
197 reports, newest first.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Nov 5, 2023
At least three time this happened while driving upon stopping at a stop sign or traffic light I was proceeding while making a turn after getting the clearance to do so. However the engine shut down and I was perplexed as to what was happening. I discovered the car had shut down and I had to restart the car. Additionally this occurred at a stop sign, while trying to make a sharp turn the car once again shut off and I was in the middle of intresection and other cars were behind me, and other coming towards me and I realized this SUV had stopped running again, putting me in direct harms way.
Steering, Electrical system, Sep 20, 2023, fire
My daughter was exiting the the freeway on off ramp and turning right. The car lost electrical power without any warnings on dash or notification. When she tried to turn the steering wheel she was unable to due to loss of power steering. She ended up crossing a median and was able to turn the wheel enough to pull into the suicide lane. She noticed the hood was smoking so she shut off the car and exited the vehicle. Soon the car engine area was in flames. Fire department put out the fire and police made and incident report. The car is unusable.
Power train, Sep 7, 2023, fire
The contact owned a 2014 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, it was noticed that there was smoke coming from under the hood of the vehicle, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact arrived at the residence and the vehicle burst into flames causing the rear of another vehicle to melt. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. A police report was filed. No one was injured. The vehicle was not towed or diagnosed. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Power train, Aug 31, 2023
WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THIS USED CAR WITH AROUND 90000 MILES IT STARTED VIBRATING WHICH LED TO DISCOVERING DRIVE SHAFT REPLACEMENT. ONE YEAR LATER IT NEEDS ANOTHER DRIVE SHAFT AT 118000. DOESNT GET DRIVEN MUCH IN WINTER. NOTICED CAR SHIFTED INTO A LOWER GEAR WHILE DESCENDING DOWN A STEEP HILL WHILE I WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGHER RATE AND HAD TO APPLY BRAKES QUICKLY TO MATCH THE LOWER GEAR. I FELT THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A PROBLEM IN CAR HANDLING OR DRIVE TRAIN REPAIR. THE REPAIR IS EXPECTED TO COST $550 TO REPLACE THIS SECOND DRIVE SHAFT. PARTS DEALER SAID HE SOLD LOTS OF THESE. I THINK SOMETHING IS WRONG
Electrical system, Engine, Aug 4, 2023, fire
Parked my vehicle 2014 Rav4 at work, went to my office and security called that my Toyota rav4 burst into flames. All caught on video. Sprinklers went off and fire department called. Fire started under the hood. Entire Engine compartment burned. Vehicle totaled.
Steering, Jun 6, 2023
I purchased a 2014 RAV4 this past April from a private owner in Daytona Beach, Fla. Everything seemed to be fine and checked out on the test drive both me and my husband took for a spin. I noticed once I got it on the road and onto the highway the sterling wheel seemed very stiff, and I could hear a slight clicking noise. My husband thought it needed new tires since the ones on vehicle were pretty worn. Well, we replaced four tires, and the problem is still there. As I drove the car, I realized it was difficult to drive and keep in a lane. I feel the car as it is is dangerous to drive and it is NOT a comfortable car to drive. I have owned three other Toyota's two Camry's and a Rav 4. I would still be driving my Rav 4 if it weren't for an elderly man hitting my car and it was totaled by the insurance. I looked at several vehicles before I came across this Rav 4. I wish I never did, big mistake.. I always praised Toyota because of the dependability of the vehicles' I don't feel that way anymore. I have been in touch with Toyota Motor Corp., and they offered me NOTHING. I don't qualify for a Recall or extended warranty even though it is a safety issue. What the Toyota dealer here in Florida offered me was a repair bill for $3.000.00 which I cannot afford to have fixed right now. So now I'm stuck with a car that I'm afraid to drive because it has a mind of its own and I am afraid I could end up in a ditch. Thank You Toyota I will never buy again. I am very disappointed in Toyota and the lack of support from Toyota Corp. This has definitely changed my mind about Toyota. I should have bought American, and it would have cost less. Very unhappy Customer not that Toyota cares.
Electrical system, May 24, 2023
The multimedia screen has been stuck in a powering up/loading cycle but would not able to complete the loading cycle, so none of the multimedia functions (radio, DVD Player, Bluetooth, GPS, etc.) would be able to function. This happened to me in early 2023. Over the past months, I have searched similar issues and possible fixes on the internet, but seems no easy fixes, while reported dealer repair estimates for $800+. A Google search shows many similar problems with RAV4 from their 2013 model year on. One Youtube viedeo "Rav4 radio stuck in boot loop" has had 10,000 views as of today, May 23, 2023.
Other or unspecified, Feb 24, 2023, fire
i have just driven the car for about 15 minutes and pulled in a driveway to wait for someone. My car was in park but running, and white smoke started to come out from under the hood. I turned the car off and got out. I walked around to the front of the car and it immediately went up in flames. I called 911 and a police car just happened to be going by and called the fire department. They block off the street and put out the fire but the car was completely trashed.
Other or unspecified, Feb 16, 2023
My car was glitching and stuttering, then one day the transmission did not engage and the car would not move forward or in reverse. This only happened one time, we were told it is not the transmission, it is the torque converter. I checked on this NTHSA site and found that many Rav4s throughout the years have had torque converter problems and that the warranty has been extended.
Equipment, Feb 9, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the infotainment system started to reset independently. The contact pulled over, turned off, and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle operated normally. The dealer was contacted and stated that there was no recall on the VIN for the failure. The manufacturer was contacted and also stated that there was no recall on the VIN for the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
Other or unspecified, Feb 2, 2023
I left to go to work, and the transmission would not engage. I pulled out of the garage, the engine was revving but the car just slowly rolled. I thought it would warm up, but it did not. I was in the street, and I was able to slowly rev and roll the car back into the garage. It was very frightening and dangerous. My husband drove the car, the transmission worked, but sometimes it is still slipping. I'm afraid to drive it. It is only 8 years old and has 126k miles and we maintain it very well. I am so disappointed, we have been driving Toyotas for over 30 years, never had a big problem like this.
Steering, Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Oct 31, 2022
As I drive the multimedia system reboots on its own. Also as I was exiting the freeway coming off a curvy ramp, the car shut down as I was driving and the steering wheel locked for a second and then it came back to life. As this happened the dashboard lit up as if it was in accessory mode. Luckily there was not a lot of traffic on the ramp. Also about 5 months ago i had it repaired at the dealer because of a torque converter extended recall
Power train, Oct 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop at 10-15 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the vehicle started shuddering, jerking, hesitated and responded in a surging manner. The contact stated that the failure stopped while driving above 25 MPH. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring increasingly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the torque converter needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that she would need to pay a repair fee as Toyota Technical Service Bulletin Number: POL17-06 had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Electrical system, Sep 14, 2022, fire
The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undetermined speed, an unknown vehicle crashed into the driver's side front quarter panel. There were no warning indicator lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent body shop. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic for tires who stated the battery was losing power and surging and not working efficiently. While at the mechanic's, they noticed smoke underneath the hood and the vehicle caught fire. The battery bar compartment was burnt. They were able to extinguish the fire. There were no reported injuries or police reports filed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact had previously affixed a group 35 sticker on the battery. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 87,000.
Suspension, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 3, 2022
The engine make noise and it leaks under the car inside the car by your passenger side
Structure, Aug 25, 2022
Power lift rear hatch shocks. It's no longer available for inspection because I had the parts replaced on Aug. 24, 2022. Date of first incident UNKNOWN. Before the pandemic began, the rear hatch became inconsistent on opening and closing. When I took it to the dealership, they would reset it. I also took it on 2 occasions to another dealership with the same results. In a day or in a few days, it wouldn't open or close. I was doing grocery pick up so it could have been a hazard not only to me but to the grocery store staff. I couldn't rely on it. I'm a senior citizen. 50% of the reason I bought the SUV was for the power lift hatch. I could have injured my shoulders or my back trying to force it open or closed. Or I could have been injured loading and unloading groceries onto the floorboards behind the front seats. On Aug. 23, 2022 I spoke with the Service Advisor at the dealership and said I need it to be repaired. Do you have the parts? They did the repair the next day. These parts didn't have lamps or messages that were available to the driver. I don't know if there were any for the service technicians. Service Advisor said they have replaced power lift rear hatch shocks on other vehicles.
Steering, Electrical system, Service brakes, Aug 18, 2022, fire
Steering and brakes quit working while driving. Able to safely get off road. Took to Toyota Service Department. Per invoice "improperly installed battery caused everything to melt" battery installed by AAA in March 2020. Size 35 battery. Extensive damage.
Structure, Jul 9, 2022, crash
Color stricken
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 6, 2022, fire
Our 2014 Rav4 LE with 37k miles caught on fire while parked in a shopping plaza parking lot. The fire department says I was lucky that I wasn't driving the car or I wasn't in the car with children, pets, or elderly parents or we could have died. If my car was parked next to others this fire could have spread and been absolutely catastrophic. We've had our car fully inspected once within the last 6 months, and a limited inspection during an oil change within the last 3 months. I believe the fire started with the battery, we think we were affected by this... https://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/toyota-rav4-under-investigation-due-to-battery-fire-concerns-a8630737173/ Our battery was inspected recently during an oil change and it was fine. The car has very low miles. Prior to parking the car I noticed a sulfuric rotten egg smell which I thought was coming from one of the nearby restaurants in this plaza. I turned the engine off, rolled up the windows, and put the in-car ventilation on at which point I noticed the smell coming from the vents. I rolled the windows down and was going to pop the hood to investigate but I decided to wait a few minutes for the car to cool down. There were no check engine lights or attention lights on the dashboard. As I got out of the car to walk to the plaza I noticed a small amount of steam coming from between the cracks of the hood. About 45 seconds later when I walked to a nearby storefront I noticed a flame coming from between the windshield and hood. I promptly called 911 and the Skokie fire department arrived on the scene about 5 minutes later. They put out the car fire in about 3 - 4 minutes, but the car was a complete loss.
Service brakes, Apr 6, 2022, crash
Driver [XXX] was driving down roadway and entire dashboard lite up. Attempted to apply brakes to stop vehicle, but the brakes wouldn't operate causing the vehicle to rear end another vehicle around 25 mph. The vehicle was deemed a total loss and is now with Copart PA-Pittsburgh North 2200 River Rd. Ellwood City, PA 16117. Phone number: 724-758-0480 INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Mar 31, 2022
Audio System, Navigation. Cannot enter and use set up Menu for Radio, CD. The Panel continuously displays the screen of the software, hardware, Entune starting and restarting.
Seats, Feb 3, 2022
I have been experiencing a strange burning smell in my RAV4 for the past week but was unable to locate the source. No warning lights were active on the dash and the vehicle was functioning properly. Because I live in a colder climate I generally use the heated seat function daily, but would like to clarify that the use of my vehicle amounts to less than an hour a day with my combined morning and afternoon commute. Today I noted that there is a sizeable hole in my driver seat that is burned and melted from the heated seat function. I have not turned the heated seat function back on for fear of a fire.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Dec 5, 2021
Shortly after I purchased the vehicle, the Entune application began sending “movement alerts” and frequently showed that it was in a different location. The dealership said that an update was required, but that did not fix the problem. About a year later, it began to drain batteries repeatedly (4 in one year). The Toyota dealership could not find a problem. After the last battery replacement, I noticed that the Entune app shows that I have over 960,000,000 miles on the vehicle (when the odometer isn’t even at 85,000) and the battery voltage was 14.6 volts! My car was broken into and the front window was broken, but the app failed to inform me of that! About a month ago, I left home and all of the lights on the dash started flashing. The engine temperature was rising (according to the temperature gauge), and then the gauges stopped functioning. The tachometer showed 0 RPMs and I was unable to see the odometer, temperature, or even my speed. After disconnecting and reconnecting the battery cables, it appeared to solve the problem. I am afraid of what may happen next and would trade it in if I could afford to.
Air bags, Nov 16, 2021, crash
My 2014 Toyota RAV4 had an accident (front end collision) No air bags deploy
Other or unspecified, Nov 15, 2021
Vehicles transmission torque converter has issues and makes entire vehicle shake while driving. It causes issues when going up and down hills and shifting gears to maintain appropriate speeds. Vehicle shakes aggressively when at high speeds making highway travel impossible and unsafe. Toyota dealerships quote $3000 in repairs to replace defective part.