2020 Toyota RAV4
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 635 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 26 RAV4 model years with reports.
Of the 2020 reports, 17 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 14 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, sensor, occupant classificationDec 20, 2023
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.
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
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 23V865000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontalNov 25, 2020
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."
In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not perform as designed can increase the risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 20V734000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpNov 4, 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200, 2018-2019 Lexus NX300 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
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 20V682000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, electric power assist systemJun 24, 2020
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.
A loss of power steering assist could increase steering effort at low vehicle speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
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 20V373000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, front, control arm, lower armMay 20, 2020
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.
If a suspension control arm breaks, it can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
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 20V286000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine coolingFeb 6, 2020
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 20V064000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
121 reports, newest first. Show all
Other or unspecified, Oct 24, 2023
2020 Toyota Rav4 - Cooling valve failure reported and is not covered under warranty or recalled. Car only has 35k miles. This is apparently a common issue as the dealer knew the problem before even doing any diagnosis. Once I told them the "Engine Maintenance Required" message was on, they said "Oh, thats usually the coolant bypass valve". If it is that common an issue it should be recalled. Toyota should take ownership of this issue and fix / reimburse people for the problem. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, Oct 23, 2023
I have a 2020 Toyota RAV4, two weeks ago the following display appear "Engine Maintenance Require, Visit Your Dealer". I attempted to clear it but it cannot be done. I check online for similar issues. I found that the 2019 Toyota RAV4, Camry, Avalon, and Lexus ES300H vehicles have similar issue with the 'coolant bypass valve'. Mine is also a 2.5L 4-Cylinder Engine. I purchase my Rav4 on Feb 24, 2020. My car only has 15,429 miles and a possible fire issue makes me nervous. I also notice than some preselected 2020 RAV4 were added to the recall, but not my RAV. Should I wait till my engine cracks or the cooling system fail?
Other or unspecified, Engine, Oct 13, 2023
RAV4 53,000 miles on and engine maintenance required prompt came on. No other warning lights on dash. Took it to dealership and it was a coolant bypass valve. Read up on it and it’s been happening to many more people. Was originally charged $900 but got a discount ended up being $825
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Oct 11, 2023
Got an engine maintenance required alert, took to Toyota and they advised the coolant bypass valve needs to be replaced at just 38,000 miles. Googled this and found out many 2020 RAV4 with the same issue at just under 40,000 miles. Also a common issue is the voltage being low and we already had to get the battery replaced once and still get alerts of it being low after replacement. Have to pay today $765 for the coolant bypass to be replaced, will have the receipt later in the day.
Other or unspecified, Oct 4, 2023
My Toyota Rav4 2020 had engane maintenance issue drive to dealer alert. I diagnosed the problem an it is the coolant bypass valve that is not working. As I researched, I came to find out that this is a common problem for 2018- 2023 Rav4, Camry, and Corolla. This should be recalled having so many malfunctions on the vehicle.
Other or unspecified, Sep 15, 2023
Not
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Sep 13, 2023
Coolant bypass valve failure my car has less than 50k Dealerships informed me that they fix around 10 a month for that part there is a defect regarding this pump
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Sep 5, 2023
On or about 8/21/23, we were driving from Vermont back to our home in New Jersey when the sound system started malfunctioning. First, we lost all sound (safety warnings, as well as radio). The sound returned and then cut out again repeatedly. Then, the speakers emitted loud (full volume) static and popping sounds despite the audio system being "off." At the time, we were driving at approximately 65 mph on a highway with our two young children. The noise was so loud that it was difficult to focus on driving. The static and popping sounds continued until we pulled over and shut the car off. These failures have continued and increased in frequency since that time. Our safety was put at risk in two ways: 1) all of the safety warnings were and are muted and ineffective and 2) a full-volume static/popping sound while driving at highway speeds could have caused an accident. Subsequently, we did the following: -Googled the issue and found a relevant Technical Service Bulletin published by Toyota in September 2020 that applies to our make/model and VIN. It is labeled T-SB-0086-20 and can be found here: [XXX] . This suggests the issue applies to multiple Toyotas. The Bulletin indicates the VIN number where the issued stopped -- suggesting Toyota took steps to fix it. There has been no recall related to this issue and we were never notified of this issue. The issue is apparently related to a defective amplifier. -Brought our vehicle to our local Toyota service center (Paul Miller Toyota of West Caldwell NJ). An employee there was able to reproduce and confirm the issue and recommended replacing the amplifier. -Called Toyota to report the problem and register a complaint given the safety issues, failure to notify us of the problem even though it was known to Toyota, and the cost of repair ($2640). There were no warnings, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure on or about 8/21/23. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, Sep 4, 2023
Toyota engine coolant bypass trouble code. Seems to be wide spread reports amongst customers with newer generation 5 Toyota vehicles. Dealer quotes the 20 minute repair will cost $700-900 USD & the part itself is on back order due to the increasing failure rate of the part. The faulty part seems to affect the cooling system of the car but due to the increasing amount of reports & failures of the same part, the dealer should be recalling & replacing the part for free rather than billing customers $700+ dollars. For reference, my vehicle is a model year 2020 & has 19,000 miles & the part has already failed.
Other or unspecified, Sep 2, 2023
Na
Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 27, 2023
Coolant value had to be replaced apparently this happens more than we realize and if it’s a repetitive issue for many I believe it should be looked into. Thanks
Other or unspecified, Aug 18, 2023
My Engine Maintenance Required light had appeared on dashboard and found out that is my coolant bypass valve that needed to be replaced. had on online, to find that this is a issue with Toyota, that people had to have this replaced. I had purchased my vehicle back in 2021, and just had this issue 2023. I took to the dealership and was told that it was that part. they are replacing the part going through the extended warranty insurance, but this is concerning, that if this OE part has a defect, that once my warranty expires that I will have this problem again and have no way on coverage.
Other or unspecified, Aug 15, 2023
The engine maintenance light came on to visit the dealer. It's because of the Coolant Bypass Valve.
Other or unspecified, Aug 11, 2023
A known issue that has been occurring to many people with the coolant bypass valve system going out very soon after purchasing. I bought a 2020 Toyota rav4 and my bypass coolant valve has malfunctioned and needs replaced and of course is outside of the warranty. Per many google searches this is a common issue and should be addressed.
Other or unspecified, Aug 2, 2023
Coolant bypass valve just gave out on car was informed by dealership that this is an ongoing problem with my make of car.
Other or unspecified, Jul 10, 2023
Coolant bypass valve required replacement due to faulty equipment, causing sensor to read “engine maintenance required”. Costs $650 to replace and dealership will not cover in warranty or admit fault. Many other Rav 4 owners are having same issue. This should not be on the customer, but rather Toyota for having faulty equipment in vehicle. Also “engine maintenance required” sensor will not go away. Since this is not an engine issue, this is unsafe, false alarming.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Jun 28, 2023
The Coolant Bypass Valve failed for my RAV4 at 59,210 miles. This was confirmed to me by Hoover Toyota. The part has not been inspected by the manufacture, police, insurance representatives, or any others. I had a message appear at 59,202 miles on my dashboard screen that said, "Engine Maintenance Required." I have already gotten Hoover Toyota to fix my part. My concern comes in part that reading through online forums, it appears this is a very regular/common problem for RAV4s (2019-2022) and seems to happen between 45,000 - 65,000 miles. If this is a known issue, I am curious as to why Toyota has not recalled this part since you wouldn't expect a car under 5 years old and driven less than 100,000 miles to have this kind of problem.
Other or unspecified, Jun 22, 2023
Per my research and talking with dealerships, the coolant bypass valve on this generation of RAV4’s is a known issue at 45,000 miles. Many users online and the dealership report seen many cars experiencing the same issue but it’s not currently under recall and would be a $1300 fix right now to drive my car safely without blowing up the engine.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jun 1, 2023
My Toyota 2020 RAV 4 Hybrid accelerates in REVERSE when in drive mode and parked on an incline. My car ran over me on 2 occasions while outside the vehicle. Both times I pulled into my driveway, came to a complete stop, and believed I was parked and the car engine was off. Once I exited, I realized my car was still on, reached inside my car to push the off engine button, and the car IMMEDIATELY ACCELERATED in reverse (while in DRIVE MODE/not REVERSE or PARK MODE), knocked me down and pulled me under the front driver side tire and ran over my legs/body. The fire dept and police arrived to transport me to UCI Trauma Center. The car accelerated so fast that it knocked me down/pulled me under/rolled over my body, then rolled down the driveway, across the street, popped the curb and landed in the neighbor’s lawn – all from the force of acceleration in reverse while in DRIVE mode. This happens whenever the car is in DRIVE mode and you push the OFF button, the car accelerates in reverse when parked on an incline. This happens in parking lots as well with an incline. Toyota Service REFUSES to let me show them this product design defect and how the car accelerates in reverse while in DRIVE MODE when the "on/off" engine button is pushed off and the car is on a slight incline. It is a major hazard to the driver, passengers and community, whoever is standing outside and behind the car. Toyota REFUSES to memorialize this design problem. Our other Toyota cars require the car to be in park before you can shut it off and DO NOT accelerate in reverse when in the drive mode, only when in reverse mode. Toyota maintenance staff told me they are not allowed to memorialize the problem in writing; they won't come to my house to see what happened or let me demonstrate at their service facilities. The police officer told me he has seen this happen before, and that we were lucky no kids in the street were run over, which he said has happened before. How many others were run over?
Other or unspecified, May 28, 2023
Our RAV4 was parked in an open lot (not under any trees or overhangs) and was no inclement weather. The glass sunroof spontaneously shattered— we were lucky the cover was closed (we have heard of many such instances with Toyota from other people and have kept the cover closed when not in use), no one was injured, thankfully.
Other or unspecified, Engine, May 2, 2023
Engine maintenance required notification came on. Car is only 3 years old. Dealership stated that the coolant bypass valve needs to be replaced and it could potentially cause a fire. Service professional at the dealership stated that this is a common issue and most of the time Toyota warranty doesn't want to repair it, also said that it should be recalled. I have also seen hundreds of people complain about this on Rav4 forums.
Other or unspecified, Apr 4, 2023
There is a class action lawsuit against toyota for known issues with leaks happening because of plastic being used in the roof racks of 2019-2020 Rav4 models https://www.motorbiscuit.com/lawsuit-alert-toyota-rav4-roof-leak-causes-water-damage-electronics-airbags/
Other or unspecified, Jan 3, 2023, fire
After 20 minutes of driving, the vehicle caught fire under the hood and was completely destroyed. When I first started driving the car that morning, I noticed an odd smell coming from the heater. It didn't smell like smoke or burning; I best equate it to the smell of a hair dryer. This is the first time I'd ever smelled that odor in this car. At this point there were no warning messages or alerts on the dashboard that would indicate an issue. After driving for around 20 minutes, I noticed smoke coming from under the hood. There were still no warning lights on the dashboard. I immediately pulled over into an open parallel parking spot on the side of the road (busy city street) and shut the car off. While I was assisting the other 2 passengers out of the car, flames became visible coming from under the hood. The source of the flames appeared to be the top driver's side under the hood (in front of steering wheel). We called 911 and stepped back to a safe distance. The fire was extremely aggressive and the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames in just a couple minutes. The fire was so intense that it caught the car parked in front on fire (which also became completely destroyed). The fire department responded after roughly 5 minutes and put out the fire. Fortunately, no injuries resulted from this incident. There was so much damage to the vehicle that the fire investigator was not able to offer a definitive opinion as to which specific engine/battery component likely started the fire. The remains of the car are currently in possession of GEICO. I was the original owner of the vehicle, which had no history of accidents, repairs, or modifications. It had been regularly serviced for routine maintenance at the local Toyota service department, most recently in early December 2022 (approximately 3 weeks prior to the fire).
Other or unspecified, Dec 28, 2022
-Windshield cowl not properly screened from manufacturer in order to protect from rodents entering . Mouse/rodent infestation found in various compartments, including nests, droppings, and "other material" that made its way into the engine and HVAC, and even a dead mouse in the main cabin- all resulting from entering through windshield Cowl. Service report available if needed -Breathing in mice droppings, urine, and decomposing animals is a major health risk that can cause severe illness. -Service department performed removal, cleaning, disinfecting, and replacements of components. Service Department stated this has been happening much more frequently with the newer Toyota's as the wires used attract these rodents. This one service department in particular has even created a "Rodent Pro Service" for rodent infestation which includes cleaning and disinfecting of affected areas, and also installing a steel mesh screen to avoid future entrance from windshield cowl -Only warning was a dead mouse found inside main cabin
Electrical system, Air bags, Other or unspecified, Dec 9, 2022
when car is subject to rain or car washed, the headliner gets saturated at the "A" pillar and the "C" pillar. This water seems to be coming from under the roof rails. I have tested sunroof drain and they are open leaving the only other area to leak at the insertion of the roof rails. I have never had anything attached to them to add excess weight but have also hearing and finding many other reports of this happening. My concern is having the headliner ruined AND malfunction of the airbags. This has been reported to my Toyota dealer twice and I have been told that they are unaware of any issues with the seals on the roof rails.