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
635 reports, newest first.
Engine, Jul 23, 2024
Recurring engine maintenance required alert due to a Heater coolant bypass valve fail issue at 58,100.
Engine, Jul 22, 2024
Engine coolant valve Malfunction
Engine, Jul 22, 2024
I got a message popup saying "Engine Maintenance Required" which is different from the oil change reminder. I cleared it thinking it was about an oil change (that isn't due yet), and it came right back. I took it to a mechanic who ran diagnostics and wasn't able to find the issue. After a few internet searches, I found that the coolant bypass valve is a known issue on certain years of this vehicle. I followed the suggested steps for resetting it (to turn on the vehicle with the heater on, then lower the AC temp without hitting the lowest temperature setting). It's currently working as a fix, but I'm concerned about any long-term situations that could arise.
Other or unspecified, Jul 20, 2024
I had a message on my dash for "engine maintenance required" but my check engine light was not on. Coolant bypass Valve failed, it is definitely a known issue and the dealership knew the likely issue before the car was seen by any technician.
Electrical system, Jul 18, 2024
PARASITIC BATTERY DRAIN DEFECT complaint: prior to 07/16/2024, I received a "low voltage" error on my Toyota RAV4 screen a few times. On 07/16/2024, I took it to the dealership. My battery tested "good" and the Toyota dealership charged me 39.95 to tell me that everything was working well on my vehicle. The very next day (24 hours later), 07/17/2024, my vehicle would not start and had to be towed to the dealership. The tow truck driver told me the battery was "dead" (based on his measurement) and leaking acid (based on a smell). Toyota charged me 272.52 to replace the battery on 07/18, that was supposedly "good" two days prior. This is a known issue to Toyota, part of a class action lawsuit referred to as "Parasitic Battery Drain Defect." This is dangerous since I was stranded with a car that would not start in a summer day of high heat, but could have been much worse in other circumstances. The tow truck driver told me that the battery acid could be dangerous. Toyota should be providing a fix and a recall, but they had no solution for me other than a new battery which is a "quick fix" (but not a real solution) as described in the Class Action lawsuit documents.
Engine, Jul 18, 2024
Premature Coolant bypass hose failure at 120k Very common according to online forums $1000 cost of repair
Engine, Jul 17, 2024
Coolant bypass value failure. 2020 with 32751 miles. There are many of this failures reported on-line. Example: [XXX] At the dealer, the service manager relayed that a mechanic stated they've replaced several of these and it should be a recall. Cost was $520 and not covered by warranty. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Visibility/wiper, Jul 17, 2024
Driving at highway speeds with no other vehicles around, sunroof closed but shade open, sunroof exploded. Edges of sunroof that didn't fall in were pushed up as if an over pressure condition had occurred. There was no evidence of anything striking the glass found upon inspection. Quick internet search confirms others with this same make/model have experienced the same issue.
Air bags, Jul 16, 2024
I received a notice in the mail from Toyota with Toyota Recall # 23TA15 or NHTSA Recall # 23V-865. The notice clearly states that they will notify consumers when the remedy is available. However, it also states that if your vehicle's supplemental restraint (SRS) warning light is illuminated, then your vehicle may be experiencing symptoms related to this safety call. Earlier this morning, 7/16/24, my car did show the SRS warning and told me to contact my dealership. I have tried discussing this issue with my local Toyota dealership located in North Austin TX. They have stated that the car is in fact not safe to keep driving, and the parts to fix the vehicle may take as long as 3 months to 6 months to come in. They are refusing to put me in a rental car until the vehicle can be fixed unless I agree to pay out of pocket up to $12 per day over the course of 3-6 months. I am already paying $450.00 a month for a vehicle that is unsafe to drive, but am being forced to pay additional out of pocket expenses that I am unable to afford in order to keep myself and my family safe. This is unreasonable considering that the recall is not the consumers fault. I hope photos of the SRS warning displaying on my car and proof of the Toyota dealership informing me that the vehicle is not safe to continue driving until the car is fixed.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 16, 2024
We replaced the original battery on May 27, 2024. A few weeks later, on June 15, 2024, an "Engine Maintenance Required" message appeared on the display screen. A local mechanic diagnosed the code and stated that the oil level was low so we added one quarter of motor oil. We also called the dealership, which stated that this code generally indicates a coolant bypass valve malfunction. We topped off the coolant fluid but the "Engine Maintenance Required" message still appeared (we were not able to clear it). A few days later, we took the vehicle to another mechanic, who informed us that the coolant bypass valve was broken and needed to be replaced. Given the 95-degree temperatures, we felt that we had no choice but to replace the broken valve because we did not want the engine to overheat. So we paid $570.28 for the mechanic to replace the coolant bypass hose and valve. The mechanic stated that this issue should not occur in any vehicle with only 38,000 miles, which means the valve was likely defective to begin with. It is suspicious that this issue occurred about two weeks after we replaced the battery and about 2,000 miles after we surpassed the factory warranty. Please investigate!
Structure, Jul 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the driver's side and passenger's side rear doors were retaining water. The water was sloshy inside the doors while driving. The contact had to drain the water from both doors. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 2,500.
Other or unspecified, Jul 14, 2024
Engine maintenance required message. Need to replace coolang bypass valve known to be common issue with rav4 2019 up models
Power train, Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jul 14, 2024
my 2020 RAV4 (48,000 miles), when I start the engine and turn on the A/C, the warning light comes on:Engine maintenance required.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 13, 2024
Bypass coolant valve needed to be replaced after engine maintenance required warning came on
Other or unspecified, Jul 11, 2024
Coolant bypass valve replacement has been happening to many new Toyotas and needs to be recalled
Electrical system, Engine, Jul 11, 2024
Coolant bypass valve needs to be replaced. Car under 60k miles and should be covered on the powertrain warranty but is being required to be repaired out of pocket otherwise will ruin engine
Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 10, 2024
Coolant bypass failed at 55,000 miles. This car has barely been used. This car is almost in mint condition and the coolant bypass has failed resulting the car not being able to be driven at all until fixed. The dealer is charging over $600 to repair. This is an ongoing issue with hundreds of Toyota RAV4 owners.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Jul 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the "Engine Maintenance Required" message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the coolant bypass control value needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000.
Electrical system, Engine, Jul 8, 2024
I currently own a 2020 Toyota Rav 4. About two weeks ago I got a notification on my car saying "Engine Maintenance Required" i had taken my car to Toyota wondering what the problem was. They informed me it it the coolant bypass valve without hesitation. This is going to cost me more money than I want to spend. To make the situation better the parts needed are on back order for almost two weeks. The fact this is a common problem right now and there is no Recall is unacceptable. You are causing thousands of customers to spend an unnecessary amount of money and wait weeks just to get the correct parts to fix the situation. There is currently a lawsuit against Toyota because of this issue. There needs to be a recall immediately.
Engine, Jun 25, 2024
Engine Maintenance Required indicator turned on at around 42K miles. My oil change was not due until 45K miles. I had my oil changed at around 43K miles and the indicator still remained on. Issue was the coolant bypass valve need to be replaced. Many other Rav4 owners have had the same issue. The faulty coolant bypass valve if failed while driving could of caused my car to overheat and possibly catch on fire depending on how sever the overheating is while I'm driving.
Engine, Jun 24, 2024
Engine maintenance required warning on dash that prevents me from seeing any dashboard information. It is not possible to turn off the warning. Dealership say it is due to faulty coolant bypass valve. There is a class action lawsuit regarding this part failing.
Electrical system, Jun 21, 2024
my car has barely 40,000 miles on it when I received an "engine maintenance required" sign. When I went to the dealership, they said its the coolant bypass. I went on reddit and many 2020 rav4 Toyotas are having the same issue. This should be recalled as the repair is too expensive - above $800.
Engine, Jun 21, 2024
Coolant Flow Valve failure at 89,000 miles. It was replaced at Toyota dealership so the faulty valve is not available. My safety was compromised by an impossible to delete dashboard message which obscured the speedometer. The only way to delete the message was to have Toyota dealership fix part and clear code. Other safety concerns would be further engine damage if this part, which is known to be extremely prone to failure, is not repaired. This Coolant Flow Valve failure was indeed confirmed by the Toyota Dealership who also stated it is a very common issue with these 2020 RAV4 models. After completion of the repair the Toyota Dealership did complete a passing inspection of my RAV4 vehicle. The aforementioned warning on the dash appeared around 89,000 miles, no prior problems or symptoms noted.
Engine, Jun 21, 2024
A message light is shown stating "Engine Maintenance Required. Visit your dealer." Upon inspection from the dealer, it is a problem with the coolant bypass valve. The service men expressed concern for the heat regulation of the engine and things related to the coolant. This seems to be an extremely common problem with other Toyota RAV4s after looking it up online. Given the extent of the issue, this seems warranted to issue a recall for this part.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 60-65 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering and the engine was overheating. The message "See Dealer for Maintenance" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the dealer determined that an unknown cooling system valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.