2023 Toyota RAV4
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 157 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 21st highest complaint count among 26 RAV4 model years with reports.
Of the 2023 reports, 19 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 15 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Back over prevention, display functionOct 30, 2025
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE25.
Campaign 25V744000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, instrument cluster/panelSep 11, 2025
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry, RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and 4 Runner vehicles. Due to an error in the instrument panel software at vehicle startup, the instrument panel may fail to display vehicle speed, brake system, and tire pressure warning lights.
An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will update the instrument panel software over-the-air (OTA) for non-PHEV vehicles, free of charge. For PHEV vehicles, dealers will inspect the instrument panel assembly, and either replace it, or update the software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 5, 2025. Additional letters will be sent, anticipated in May 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB08 and 25TA08. Lexus' numbers for this recall are 25LB05 and 25LA05.
Campaign 25V595000 on NHTSA.gov
Tires, valveJul 11, 2023
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota RAV4 vehicles equipped with 17" black alloy accessory wheels. During installation of the alloy wheels, the tire valve stem may have been improperly installed or damaged. In addition, the load carrying capacity label may state the incorrect weight. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
A damaged or improperly installed valve stem may allow air to leak and/or the tires to be underinflated, increasing the risk of tire failure and a crash.
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the wheel valve stems and replace the load carrying capacity modification labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 18, 2023. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 23R1.
Campaign 23V485000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: steering
27 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Lane departure, Sep 28, 2026, crash
1. System Failure & Availability: Vehicle's automated driver-assist (Lane Tracing/Keeping Assist) and steering modules failed. The vehicle is intact and available for inspection under a strict spoliation hold at an independent facility. 2. Safety Risk & Injuries: On a curve at ~50 mph, the automated steering suffered a violent uncommanded intervention, overrode human control, and jerked the wheel out of the driver's hands, causing a head-on collision with a tree. Injuries required immediate ambulance transport. Diagnoses include a concussion, a severe large left leg hematoma with extreme swelling, open wounds, and deep tissue trauma causing foot numbness. This required a secondary ER return and an active orthopedic referral from a specialized Wound Care Center. 3. Problem Reproduction: The vehicle was rendered a total loss and is non-operational, preventing physical test-driving. The defect is expected to be confirmed forensically via electronic diagnostics. Onboard modules contain recorded Pre-Crash Steering Torque Discrepancies and Vehicle Control History (VCH) metrics showing the automation overrode manual input. 4. Inspections Conducted: The manufacturer's corporate liability division opened an accident investigation. A signed Imaging Authorization form is executed; corporate technicians have contacted the driver to finalize the date to download Event Data Recorder (EDR) logs at the yard. The auto insurer explicitly refused to inspect the vehicle or download data, citing a 4-month policy lapse. 5. Prior Warning Symptoms: No dashboard warning indicators occurred immediately preceding the crash. Intermittently, vehicle logs from April 2025 show an electronic control malfunction alert and master warning directing a dealership visit for safety module failure. Manufacturing data confirms a known defect loop where lane-assist features toggle back on automatically, overriding active driver deactivation.
Steering, Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 7, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while driving at 46 MPH in heavy rain, a warning message indicating that the pre-collision sensor was blocked and needed to be cleared, was displayed temporarily, and the contact continued driving. The contact stated that the vehicle suddenly lost motive power shortly after, and the message "Steering power is low; please contact dealer" was displayed. The vehicle stalled and failed to restart.The following day, the contact's husband successfully restarted the vehicle, but the vehicle immediately stalled again, displaying a "Pre-collision malfunction; please call dealer" message. A local dealer was contacted, and the contact spoke with a receptionist regarding the battery, but the vehicle was neither diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer had not been made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,829.
Steering, Apr 30, 2026
During the day after driving in rain in a 2023 Rav 4 LE AWD with 19000 miles car turned off. I was parked with it idling and with no warning stalled. I turned on multiple times and it kept stalling out. Finally a message appeared on dash "power steering low". After inspecting under hood and seeing all fluids ok I tried car again (maybe 10 min) and it started. Drove around parking lot it was fine. Drove to my mechanic. No error codes, battery was in good shape. This is very concerning. Suspect water in a hard rain somehow got in car. I was on major roads prior to parking, no huge puddles. Others online have mentioned this issue with no real answer and fears this will occur again while driving. NEEDS A RECAL.
Steering, Power train, Service brakes, Mar 19, 2026
The 2023 Toyota RAV4 8-speed transmission is catastrophically defective and poses an immediate safety hazard. It exhibits severe hesitation, slipping, and lurching when accelerating from a stop or low speed, and when attempting to merge into high-speed traffic (I-15/Las Vegas), creating a high risk of rear-end collisions. During these events, the RPMs spike and fall rapidly but the vehicle fails to accelerate. Furthermore, the vehicle lunges forward while the brakes are applied. The engine actively fights the braking system, requiring extreme physical force to stop the car and prevent front-end collisions. This lunging has repeatedly triggered the Pre-Collision System, causing the seatbelts to lock and tension against the driver’s body. Additionally, the vehicle exhibits steering resistance and feedback during turns, making it difficult to maneuver safely. The local dealership (AutoNation Toyota Las Vegas) inspected the vehicle and claimed these life-threatening behaviors are "normal" for this model.
Steering, Suspension, Mar 16, 2026
Had safety inspection done when having oil changed on 3/5/26. was informed by dealer that it needed both outer tie rod ends replaced has play in it. this came to a cost of 735.00 with alignment. Of course not covered by vehicle warranty which is useless at this point. I have never had this problem on any vehicles I have owned since starting to drive in 1975. This is a safety and quality issue and I should be reimbursed. I will seriously think about about an American owned company in the future. Having Friend at another dealership TCO 3/18/26 I was away last week and SUV parked in garage.
Steering, Engine, Mar 4, 2026
On a rainy day after driving on the interstate, I pulled into a drive thru. Once there and idling for a few minutes, I tried moving forward and the car rough idled, shows message on dash "Engine Stopped, Power Stering Low" and had reduced engine power and no power steering and then stalls out. I tried turning it back on and it stays on for less than 3 seconds and shuts off. I had it towed to the dealer and they say there are no codes. After reading online, multiple other users experienced the exact same thing when its raining, wipers were on and they were idling after a trip on the interstate. If this would have occurred on the interstate and I lost engine power and reduced steering, it would cause major safety concerns. There were no warning lights prior to the issue and the only thing that flashed for a second when the engine stalled was the power steering, check engine and battery light. Toyota checked the battery and said its at 100%. Dealer cannot identify and issue, but I couldnt drive, had no power steering and had to have the car towed.
Steering, Engine, May 21, 2025
Was driving in heavy rain after about a 35 mile commute and put the car in park. After about 5 minutes of sitting in park the car turned completely off by itself for a couple of seconds and restarted. Warning message “engine stopped steering power low” popped up on dash and was visible smoke coming from under the hood with a slight burning smell. This is a first incident for the car as it has been driven for about 2 years with a little over 35,100 miles on it.
Steering, Engine, Visibility/wiper, May 21, 2025
My Toyota RAV 4 the power steering light comes on and says low & it always happens when it’s heavy raining and my wipers are on. The car just stops & wont start again for about 20 mins. This is super dangerous and has happened 4 times now
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, May 9, 2025
I was driving down [XXX] The car was moving along fine then when I pushed the gas it would jerk back and shake. I pulled off the highway and was able to coast into a gas station, but the engine stopped working as I was driving while cars were coming behind me. I could have been stopped in the middle of traffic with no way to get out. The power steering light came on as well as a light that said the engine was cut off. We just bought the car used with 22k miles on it and put an additional 3k miles on. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Steering, Suspension, Wheels, May 8, 2025
After routine service at South Coast Toyota in Costa Mesa, CA, I unknowingly drove my 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid for over a week with two missing lug nuts and one extremely loose lug nut on the front passenger wheel. The service performed on April 5, 2025, included an oil change, tire rotation, and full inspection. No issues were reported to me at pickup. Over the next several days, I heard increasing thumping and metallic noises from the front right wheel area, especially at highway speeds. On [XXX], while driving with children in the car, the vehicle made loud metal screeching noises and the steering became impaired—I could not complete a basic turn. I limped the car home at 4 mph. Upon inspection, I found two lug nuts missing and one so loose I could unscrew it by hand. I had the car towed back to South Coast Toyota on April 18. The dealership admitted two lug nuts were missing but failed to apologize or fully document the issue. I was told via text that the only action needed was replacing the missing lug nuts. I received no formal inspection report or confirmation that the vehicle was safe. I paid out of pocket for a third-party inspection at a separate Toyota dealership, which confirmed that the previously recommended sway bar replacement was unnecessary and that my tires and components were in better condition than initially claimed. This was a clear service-related safety failure that could have led to wheel detachment and a serious accident. I drove over 200 miles on freeways with children in the vehicle. The dealership failed to follow basic safety protocols and has not taken responsibility. I am reporting this to NHTSA in the interest of safety and accountability. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Steering, Engine, May 5, 2025
UNKNOWN: It happened during a heavy storm on my 40 miles to work and all the symbols lights suddenly lit up on the dashboard. The car died and the steering wheel got heavy when I tried to pull to the emergency lane. Luckily I was able to pull over, but it almost caused an accident as I was in the middle lane. I tried to start up the car again, but it would crank up, but died instantly and the dash would show "Ignition on" on the top left and "Engine Stopped: Power Steering Low". I called the dealership and talked to the service department and the service advisor think it was the battery, but he told me to try starting it after 5-10 minutes, if not, to call the tow company and tow the car to dealership for further inspection. I let it sit for 10 minutes and was able to start it back up and drove it straight to the nearest Toyota Dealership. While driving to the dealership, the car kept choking/stalling when pressing on the gas after braking. They examined with their scanners and the battery was in good condition and my car has gas (about 3/4 tank full) and they said the scans reported no issues. This is a concerning issue as I could had lost my life or possibly cause major accident and involve other people life.
Steering, Engine, May 2, 2025
It’s pouring rain and my engine stopped and a message popped up saying “engine stopped power steering low”
Steering, Apr 28, 2025
My engine shut off (would not turn back on!) and displayed message: “Engine Stopped. Steering Power Low”. I brought it to the dealership the next morning. I was told that the power steering was electric, they could not duplicate the message, and to bring it back if it does it again. I’m concerned because what happens if it occurs again while I’m driving on the interstate?
Steering, Apr 24, 2025
Was driving to work, pulled in put the car in gear. The car turns off staying low power steering fluid. Couldn’t get it to start. I go in work my shift have my brother meet me. The car starts after sitting 9 hrs and I took it to Toyota. I have only had this car a month and it does this. Low power steering shouldn’t cut an engine off. If anything it should just be hard to steer. These new cars need to be tweaked. If Toyota can’t fix this they will not get any more business from me.
Steering, Apr 24, 2025
I was sitting in a drive trough getting breakfast, I go to pull off and my car cuts off. Couldn’t get it to restart. Had to push it out of the way. Power steering low. Granted this cat is just 2 years old. It’s done this before last year after having it one full year same thing. Luckily after letting it sit for 20-30 minutes it started and I got it to Toyota. Low power steering shouldn’t cut an engine off. If anything just be hard to drive. These new cars need to be tweaked. If Toyota can’t fix this they will not get any more business from me.
Steering, Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 19, 2025
I went to start my car , the engine turned off stating power steering low engine off . Then tried again and got more errors likes brake engaged power off also the lane monitor was not working.
Steering, Electrical system, Lane departure, Apr 9, 2025
This vehicle is going to kill someone. Not only does it have this unintentional steering issue, but the electrical system keeps going out. The dash has been replaced and there are still issues. The adaptive cruise control used to hard brake now it pulsates when lane changing which isn’t cool if you’re passing people because then you’re turn in front of them and braking right away. The radio requires the vehicle to be turned completely off, wait, and then turn back on. The unintended steering will take you into incoming traffic, in the opposite lane, or even off-roading even when there is nothing in front of you. The compass randomly disappears. The Tim roof literally exploded while we were doing 80mph down the interstate. The curtain was closed or we would have had glass all over. The window blew out and up. If something hit the window it would have blown in and down. I have reported these safety issues to Toyota and they keep telling me that nothing is wrong. The steering issue has happened at least 7 times since I owned it. I have provided Toyota with pictures and videos showing these things and they’re still telling me that nothing is wrong but they even have a form that talks about the “unintended steering” issue.
Steering, Structure, Service brakes, Apr 7, 2025, crash, fire
I was driving over 120 MPH and my car slid and hit the front car. My car later caught fire and ruptured shortly after. The FD extinguished it and it was a total loss. I have no clue as to where it was taken after the accident. Sorry :(
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, Mar 13, 2025
I came to a stop on the highway due to a law enforcement traffic slowage. As I began moving again with the rest of traffic, my car suddenly started shaking and struggling to stay on. My check engine light came on and an alert popped up for “Engine stopped, steering power low” “pre collision system malfunction” and “parking brake malfunction”. I felt fearful for my safety as I was unsure if my car would safely allow me to brake and move over to the shoulder of the road. I was really scared and had so much anxiety that I wouldn’t be able to make it out safely. The dealer was not able to find any record of these codes popping up and could not recreate the check engine. I have pictures showing the codes to support my claim.
Steering, Feb 23, 2025
Car shut off while driving because warning light for the power steering came on p.451stating check power steering fluid level. Vehicle has either a sealed power steering system or its electric. It was raining at the time that this happened. This is a big risk factor that could have led to a wreck but thank god that it did not was able to get out of traffic and stop. It took an hour of waiting before the vehicle would start back up and run properly. Unable to reproduce the problem at this time.
Steering, Other or unspecified, Engine, Feb 1, 2025
Car had error on dashboard of Engine stopped power steering low, car is available for inspection. Car would not start in the middle of the night while raining, had smoke coming out the front. Problem not reproduced at dealership. No other warnings were shown beforehand.
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, Dec 30, 2024
This happened on [XXX] in Oakland CA, it was a rainy day. I drove off the freeway and then parked the vehicle in the parking lot. The car was in idle mode. After about 10 minutes the engine started to stall, and then shut off completely. I tried to restart the engine but it failed. The dashboard showed an error message "Engine Stopped, Steering Power Low". I suspected that rainwater entered into the engine from the air intake. After waiting for about 2 hours, I was able to restart the vehicle, and then everything seemed to be normal. Toyota should announce a recall for this problem as this is very dangerous to operate the vehicle on the freeway on rainy days. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, Aug 19, 2024
UNKNOWN. I drove my car off the dealership lot and not even 10 minutes into my ride home, as I pulled of the highway, I noticed that the RPM of the vehicle was slowing down. I pressed down harder on the gas to get it to accelerate but it just kept jerking and slowing down. Eventually I tried to get off to the side of the road and the car stopped in the middle of two lanes. The Check Engine, Battery warning and Electric Power Steering lights all came on the dashboard. There was also another error message: Engine Stopped Steering Power Low. I called the dealership and they came and towed the car. Not sure what the issue is but saw on some forums that this has happened to other RAV4 owners on used and brand new cars as well. Someone encouraged users to report it to the NHTSA so Toyota is aware of the issue.
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, May 2, 2024
Toyota RAV4 2023 , had it not even a whole year bought it from the dealer 0miles. Today while running errands parked on the side of the road, car started to vibrate weirdly and then it shut off. I try starting the vehicle again and it just keep showing the same message “Engine Stopped Steering Power Low” with the check engine light and steering wheel light on. After 30minutes I let it sit and when I tried turning the car on again, it ran perfectly but I wasn’t risking it happening again. So I had to call Toyota roadside to tow it since the warranty still covers it. And now I gotta wait to see what’s going on. I did my research on google and a lot of people have the same problem going on with RAV4s.
Steering, Engine, Apr 13, 2024
I was sitting in line at a drive-thru with my wiper blades on the intermittent setting when suddenly the engine shut off and I got an error message that said “engine shut off steering power low”. The check engine light, battery, and steering light all came on. I turned the car off and then on again. It rumbled and then shut off again with the same message. I had to shift to neutral and push into a parking spot.