AI Damage2013 Toyota RAV4 EV: common problems
Owners of the 2013 Toyota RAV4 EV filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel/propulsion system and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel/propulsion system 60% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 20% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 20% of all complaints
- 4 Seat belts 20% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 20% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 20% of all complaints
- Fuel/propulsion system: 3 complaints (60% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Seat belts: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 5 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 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.
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.
Toyota of lake city (seattle, wa) refused to do, or even help with, the nhtsa recall no. 15v-577 for my toyota vehicle. Both the service adviser and the service manager told me that they can't and won't do the work for this national safety recall they did not call toyota corporate, they did not lift a finger to help…
The car just popped into netural with warning messages coming on the dash. It appears to be the same problem the recall addressed yet after 3 months, there is still no known fixes for it. Could you please help toyota into pushing a fix for it asap as the car isn't really safe.
Seat belt retrieval spring (weak). I have both models 2013 and 2014. Neither model has a strong retrieval spring, leaves the medal buckle loose and hanging in door jam, it gets slammed in the door. Will deform at some further point and not engage. Door locks.
While driving approximately 70 mph in the hov lane of the 405 fwy, an error message appeared stating that the car was in "neutral". I tried to shift it into "drive" but it would not respond.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 14,282 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).
On average one model year of the RAV4 EV has 7 complaints (3 years in the data). This year has 5, below average.
What to check before buying
- 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.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Toyota RAV4 EV?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel/propulsion system, electrical system, powertrain. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: door locks, latches, handles (20%), infotainment or screen glitches (20%), seat belts (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 Toyota RAV4 EV?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2013 Toyota RAV4 EV from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2013 models
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.