AI DamageToyota RAV4 EV: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Toyota RAV4 EV across 3 model years: 21 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 43% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel/propulsion system 33% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 19% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 10% of all complaints
- 5 Seat belts 10% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 10% of all complaints
- 7 Visibility 10% of all complaints
- 8 Engine and cooling 5% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 9 complaints (43% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 7 complaints (33% of all).
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (19% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 2 complaints (10% of all).
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 21 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Other | 3 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
My 2012 rav4 ev has an unsafe condition where the electronic transmission does not actually engage from r to d, or d to r when stationary, even though the vehicle instrumentation indicates so. The vehicle instead moves inadvertently in the wrong direction.
I turned the vehicle into the spot and applied the brakes but the car surged over the curb, hit a tree, went over an embankment and crashed onto a parked car. (the airbag did not deploy, but there were no injuries.) the ignition would not turn off after repeated attempts.
Five days after the recall remedy was performed, the contact experienced unintended acceleration. While driving in a parking lot at 5 mph, the vehicle surged forward to a high speed without warning. The vehicle crashed over a median, a concrete barrier, and into a parked vehicle.
Sometimes when I step on the gas it does not respond and I have to lift my foot off of the pedal and press the gas pedal again. This is an ongoing problem.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 toyota rav4 electric vehicle. While driving 55 mph, the electric warning indicator illuminated and the vehicle decelerated. The contact stated that the vehicle continued to decelerate while the accelerator pedal was engaged.
The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 15v577000 (visibility/wiper) and 16v096000 (seat belts) however, the parts to do the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Other models of this make
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.