2018 Toyota RAV4
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 331 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 9th highest complaint count among 26 RAV4 model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 31 involved a crash and 32 involved a fire. 18 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
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
Equipment, other, labelsDec 20, 2017
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra, 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles. These vehicles may have incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels. 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 load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge. The recall began on January 23, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are H0Z for Toyota vehicles, and HLF for Lexus vehicles.
Campaign 17V831000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
331 reports, newest first.
Electrical system, Mar 5, 2018
THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN A DRIVEWAY FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS. AFTER PULLING AWAY FROM THE HOUSE, DASH PANEL INDICATORS WERE SHOWING MALFUNCTIONS ON BRAKE SYSTEMS, AWS, ETC. IT SHOWED THAT ALL COMPUTER SYSTEMS WERE MALFUNCTIONING. I DROVE IMMEDIATELY TO THE DEALER. INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE WIRE HARNESS ON THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN CHEWED APART, OFF, AND INSULATION HAD BEEN REMOVED. I INVESTIGATED THE INTERNET ON THIS PROBLEM AND IT SEEMS THAT SEVERAL VEHICLE MAKES AND MODELS WERE AFFECTED. IT SEEMS THAT THE MANUFACTURES WERE USING A FOOD BASED INGREDIENT IN THE INSULATION OF THE WIRES, (SOY). THIS IS ATTRACTING RODENTS, (SQUIRRELS) TO THIS FOR FOOD. IT COULD HAPPEN ANYWHERE, PARKED AT THE POST OFFICE, GROCERY STORE, YOUR FRIENDS HOUSE, ETC. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 980 MILES. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS BEFORE. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE WIRES CATCH ON FIRE OR YOUR CAR STOPS ON THE FREEWAY BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. CAN THIS BE INVESTIGATED? AT THIS POINT, WHAT'S GOING TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. WE'VE HAD SEVERAL TOYOTA VEHICLES IN THE PAST AND DID NOT HAVE ANY WIRE HARNESS PROBLEMS.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Feb 15, 2018
I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND MY SUNROOF EXPLODED RIGHT OVER MY HEAD. I WAS NOT TRYING TO OPEN IT, NOTHING IMPACTED IT, IT JUST EXPLODED AND THE GLASS SHATTERED EVERYWHERE INTO MY CAR AND ON MY HEAD. THE INTERSTATE WAS NOT ROUGH ROAD AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE SUNNY AND 50 DEGREES. AGAIN NO IMPACT FROM AND KIND OF WEATHER OR DEBRIS
Other or unspecified, Feb 9, 2018
VEHICLE'S LDA (LANE DEPARTURE ALERT) COULD NOT BE HEARD AND NO VOLUME ADJUST. DEALER WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT CLAIMING THERE IS NO STANDARD LOUDNESS REQUIRED. YET, THE LDA IS PART OF TOYOTA SAFETY SENSE AND MARKETED AS ALERT FOR SAFE DRIVING ASSIST. MY VEHICLE IS 2 WEEKS OLD AND MISSED THE WARNING TWICE ALREADY. FALSE ADVERTISING BY TOYOTA AS SAFETY ALERT WHEN IT COULD NOT BE HEARD. DANGEROUS TO DEPEND ON IT.01/29
Exterior lighting, Jan 6, 2018
THE ILLUMINATION PROVIDED BY THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE 2018 RAV4 XLE I PURCHASED ON DECEMBER 28, 2017 IS DANGEROUSLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON UNLIT RURAL ROADS. SEE ATTACHED LETTER DATED JANUARY 6, 2017 AND PIC. I HAVE MORE PICS AND SEVERAL VIDEOS, IF NEEDED. *JS THE CONSUMER STATED THE HIGH AND LOW BEAMS, ON CURVES, NARROW, AND HILLY UNLIT ROADS, VISIBILITY WAS INADEQUATE. *JS *JS THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. *JS
Service brakes, Dec 27, 2017, crash
I WAS DRIVING IN A FAST FOOD DRIVE THROUGH. IT WAS A STOP AND GO PACE BECAUSE THERE WERE AROUND 5 CARS BEFORE ME AND WAS TRAVELING APPROX 3 MPH. I BEGAN TO PROCEED BUT THIS TIME AS I WENT TO APPLY MY BRAKES THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I COULDN'T STOP THE CAR. IN ORDER TO AVOID THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME I TURNED MY WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND JUMPED THE CURB AND HIT A WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS 3 DAYS OLD.
Power train, Dec 13, 2017
FROM A DEAD STOP WHEN ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SPEED UP IT ACTS LIKE ITS IN 6TH GEAR. TO GAIN CONTROL I NEED TO PUSH THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR & THEN IT SPEEDS UP ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLY. THIS HAPPEN AT 12 TIMES. SEE MY COMMENT BELOW THAT I SENT TO TOYOTA CORPORATE OFFICE. I HAVE WANT I CONSIDER A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY 2018 RAV4 ([XXX]). UPON ACCELERATING FROM A STOP THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SPEEDUP IT ACTS LIKE IT IS IN 6TH GEAR TO GET IT GOING I HAVE PUT THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AN THEN IT SOMETIME SHOOTS AHEAD ALMOST HITTING A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. RECENTLY IT HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN A ROW TWICE I GOT IT TO RECOVER BUT THE THIRD TIME I NEEDED TO PULL OF THE HIGHWAY & RESTART THE ENGINE. THIS HAS HAPPEN AT LEAST 10 TIMES. PHILLIPS TOYOTA SERVICE SAID IT IS A FLY BY WIRE PROBLEM (COMPUTER CONTROLLED). MY FIRST VISIT PHILLIPS DID NOT EVEN WRITE A SERVICE REQUEST ON THE SECOND VISIT THEY DID, BUT ON 12/04/2017 THEY DID NOT AGAIN. THIS GOING TO CAUSE EITHER A REAR END OR FRONT ACCIDENT. WHEN ACCIDENTS HAPPEN LITIGATION USUALLY FOLLOWS. LETS GET THIS FIXED. PHILLIP TOYOTA SAID OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS SAME CONCERN. 12/04/201 [XXX] CC: CONSUMER PROTECTION AGENCY NATIONAL SAFETY CONSUL INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR