2017 Toyota RAV4
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 307 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 13th highest complaint count among 26 RAV4 model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 33 involved a crash and 24 involved a fire. 28 people were injured and 2 people died.
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
Equipment, other, labelsJun 28, 2019
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."
An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. SET's number for this recall is SET19A.
Campaign 19V503000 on NHTSA.gov
Tires, temporary/emergency spare tireMay 2, 2017
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.
A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074. Toyota's number for this recall is 17R2.
Campaign 17V295000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
62 reports, newest first. Show all
Other or unspecified, Jun 22, 2018
JACK SLIPS WILL NOT JACK UP CAR HI ENOUGH TO TAKE FLAT TIRE OFF WE WERE ON A COUNTY ROAD HAD TO GET A PIECE OF WOOD TO PUT JACK ON TO GET TIRE OFF
Other or unspecified, Jun 5, 2018, crash
WHEN STOPPED AT MY CLOSED DRIVEWAY GATES I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND SUDDENLY WITHOUT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL IT TOOK OFF IN (DRIVE) FORWARD. IT DROVE SO HARD IT SENT THE GATE FLYING AND BROKE THE METAL LOCK. I WAS IN SHOCK AND SLAMMED ON THE BRAKE. IT STOPPED BUT I WAS IN SHOCK. IT JUST TOOK OFF. IT DID IT AGAIN AFTER REPORTING IT TO MY DEALER AND INSURANCE COMPANY. THEY WANT TO SEE IT AFTER THE REPAIRS ARE DONE. ALSO THE FRONT DETECTOR WILL SUDDENLY STOP MY RAV4 2017 WHILE I'M DRIVING 55 MPH FOR SOMEONE PASSING ME IN A RIGHT TURN LANE. BOUGHT IT LAST SUMMER. IS THIS A LEMON AND DOES THE LEMON LAW APPLY.
Other or unspecified, May 4, 2018
INTERIOR TRIM PIECE UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND DIRECTLY OVER THE BRAKE PEDAL REPEATEDLY FALLS DOWN (JUST FRONT CLIPS RELEASE) ALLOWING THE TRIM TO HANG DOWN AND BLOCK ACCESS TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. I MANAGED TO GET THE TRIM OUT OF THE WAY, BUT IT FELL SEVERAL MORE TIMES BEFORE I COULD GET IT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. REPAIRS ARE UNDERWAY. I DON'T KNOW IF TOYOTA CAN CORRECT THIS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Dec 12, 2017
I STARTED IT AND NOTICED IMMEDIATELY SOMETHING WAS WRONG. VEHICLE STARTED MOVING AND I TRIED TO APPLY BRAKE. BRAKE WAS HARD INITIALLY AND VEHICLE CONTINUED MOVING. THEN I WAS ABLE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY BUT IT KEPT MOVING. WITH MY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR I GOT PANIC. I SWITCHED TO P AND VEHICLE KEPT GOING, THOUGH SLOWLY ON THE STREET. THEN I TURNED POWER OFF AND REMOVED THE KEY. AT THIS POINT ALL DASH BOARDS LIGHTS WERE ON AND IT WAS MAKING A LOUD, WIRED NOISE. IT LASTED SEVERAL SECONDS AND VEHICLE KEPT MOVING DURING THIS TIME. FINALLY IT CAME TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 4200 MILES. THE SCARY THING IS, BRAKE FAILED FOR NO REASON AND ALL DASH BOARD LIGHTS WERE ON EVEN AFTER THE KEY WAS REMOVED.
Other or unspecified, Nov 15, 2017
2017 TOYOTA RAV 4 HAS LANE DEPARTURE WARNING, AUDIBLE SOUND. IT IS TO MUTED TO HEAR, EVEN IF THE RADIO IS OFF. SECOND RAV 4. MY 2015 RAV4 LANE DEPARTURE WAS LOUD. TOYOTA STATES THAT THEY CAN'T INCREASE THE VOLUME. THIS TO ME, IS A SAFETY DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. NO RECOURSE WAS OFFERED BY TOYOTA ON MY LEASED VEHICLE. BOTTOM LINE, IF I ACCIDENTALLY CROSS OVER A WHITE LINE I GET A LOW ALMOST MUTED SOUND, WHICH IF I HAVE THE RADIO ON I CAN NOT HEAR. TOYOTA NEEDS TO GO BACK TO THE TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY USED FOR THIS ON THE 2015 MODEL, TO MAKE IT ACTUALLY WORK!
Air bags, Structure, Other or unspecified, Jul 14, 2017, crash
WHILE PULLING INTO TO A PARKING SPACE,MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND JUMPED THE CURB CAUSING THE CAR TO HIT A TREE,CAUSING ALL AIR BAGS TO GO OFF. I WAS ASKED IF I HIT THE GAS INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE. THIS HAPPENED SO FAST THAT I SUPPOSE ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE BUT I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED. IS THERE A WAY THAT THEY CAN TELL WHAT HAPPENEED?
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, May 3, 2017
THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS WITH STRANGE LETTERS AND IMAGERY.
Other or unspecified, Apr 28, 2017
THE SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED IN HIGH WINDS. NO OBJECT OR DEBRIS STRUCK THE VEHICLE. THE SUNROOF SIMPLY EXPLODED, LIKELY FROM AN UNDETECTABLE DEFECT IN THE GLASS AND AIR PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL, COUPLED WITH TORSIONAL OR AIR PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL FORCES CAUSED BY THE WIND. THE GLASS OF THE SUNROOF EXPLODED OUTWARD, WITH MOST OF THE GLASS BEING THROWN OUT AND BEHIND THE VEHICLE, AND SOME LANDING ON THE SLIDING SUNSHADE THAT COVERS THE SUNROOF, THAT WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME. THE GLASS CLEARLY SHATTERED OUTWARD, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE IMAGES TAKEN IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARD, ATTACHED.
Other or unspecified, Apr 13, 2017
THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK. HAS NEVER WORKED SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON APRIL 1, 2017.
Other or unspecified, Mar 6, 2017
WAS DRIVING AND THE PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM PICKED UP A CAR IN THE LEFT HAND TURNING LANE WHEN I WAS GOING STRAIGHT AND BROUGHT MY CAR TO A DEAD STOP. HAPPENED A SECOND TIME- SAME TRIP, DIFFERENT LOCATION. NO PRE-BRAKE OR WARNING, JUST BROUGHT MY CAR TO A DEAD STOP WHEN PASSING A CAR IN A TURNING LANE TO MY LEFT AND THERE WERE NO VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME EITHER TIME- MY CAR WAS IN MOTION. 55MPH THE FIRST TIME, 45 MPH THE SECOND. BOTH TIMES GOING STRAIGHT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAD A SAFETY INSPECTOR FROM TOYOTA COME OUT AND RUN TESTS- THEY GAVE ME MY CAR BACK AND SAID I WOULD HAVE THE RESULTS OF THE TEST WITHIN 30 DAYS. MY CONCERN IS WHY THIS HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE AND WHAT WAS DONE TO ENSURE IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. I BOUGHT THE CAR ON 2/4/2017.
Other or unspecified, Feb 7, 2017
UNABLE TO HEAR LANE DEPARTURE ALERT MOST OF THE TIME. DEALER SAYS IT CANNOT BE ADJUSTED, CONFIRMED BY TOYOTA.COM.
Other or unspecified, Dec 19, 2016
LANE DEVIATION WARNING IS NOT AUDIBLE WHEN VEERING EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT AT SPEEDS OVER 32 MILES PER HOUR AS STATED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. OUR 2015 TOYOTA RAV 4 LANE DEVIATION WARNING WAS LOUD AND CLEAR.