2013 Toyota RAV4 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
257 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
20,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 161 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 66 of 257 complaints (25.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 39 | 15.2% |
| Braking behavior | 37 | 14.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 31 | 12.1% |
| Engine operation | 18 | 7.0% |
| Steering behavior | 18 | 7.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 1.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 66 |
| Unknown Or Other | 40 |
| Engine | 29 |
| Power Train | 28 |
| Service Brakes | 21 |
| Structure:Body | 18 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 17 |
| Air Bags | 13 |
Electrical System: 66; Unknown Or Other: 40; Engine: 29; Power Train: 28; Service Brakes: 21; Structure:Body: 18; Vehicle Speed Control: 17; Air Bags: 13
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 87 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 23 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 21 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 12 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 12 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 87; 25,000 to 49,999: 23; 50,000 to 74,999: 21; 75,000 to 99,999: 12; 100,000 to 149,999: 12; 150,000 and above: 6
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (87). 96 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 39 |
| 2014 | 30 |
| 2015 | 27 |
| 2016 | 17 |
| 2017 | 14 |
| 2018 | 12 |
| 2019 | 17 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 18 |
| 2022 | 14 |
| 2023 | 11 |
| 2024 | 23 |
| 2025 | 15 |
| 2026 | 7 |
2013: 39; 2014: 30; 2015: 27; 2016: 17; 2017: 14; 2018: 12; 2019: 17; 2020: 13; 2021: 18; 2022: 14; 2023: 11; 2024: 23; 2025: 15; 2026: 7
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 39 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 37 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 31 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10543963 · 2013-09-17 (September 17, 2013)
I LEASED A RAV4EV. WENT TO PICK IT UP ON THURSDAY (8/8/13) AND IT WOULDN'T START-- CHECK EV SYSTEM, ETC. DEALER GAVE ME A LOANER, IT SPENT THE DAY IN THE SERVICE DEPT, AND THEY WOUND UP UPDATING THE SOFTWARE & IT APPARENTLY WAS OK. BROUGHT THE CAR HOME ON FRIDAY. ON SUNDAY, 8/11/13, THE ENTIRE SYSTEM TURNED OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY-- ENGINE STOPPED, POWER STEERING STOPPED, AND I WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO NEGOTIATE ACROSS 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC AND GET OFF OF THE ROAD. CHECK EV SYSTEM MESSAGE ON SCREEN, BATTERY IS STILL HALF FULL. IT WAS…
Owner-reported narrative. 120 miles reported. Look up ODI 10543963 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10551702 · 2013-11-10 (November 10, 2013)
ENGINE CONTROL MODULE WIRING IS EXPOSED TO ELEMENTS. THIS IS A CRUCIAL PART AND IN CLIMATES WHERE SALT IS USED, LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO FAILED STABILITY CONTROL OR ENGINE PROBLEMS COULD RESULT. SEE PHOTOS AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM AT HTTP://WWW.YOBYOT.COM/CARS/WHY-TOYOTA-IS-LOSING-ITS-REPUTATION-FOR-QUALITY-AND-RELIABILITY/2013/11/10/ . *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10551702 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10545635 · 2013-09-27 (September 27, 2013)
THIS VEHICLE HAS A FAULTY BRAKE, IT MAKES A SOUND EVERY TIME YOU SQUEEZE THE RELEASE THE BRAKE. MOREOVER THE BRAKES DOES NOT GRIP AS TIGHT AS EXPECTED FROM A BRAND NEW CAR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 4 miles reported. Look up ODI 10545635 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10546071 · 2013-09-29 (September 29, 2013)
UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. I WAS PULLING INTO PARK AT WORK WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE (FORTUNATELY) AND THE RAV4 SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,825 miles reported. Look up ODI 10546071 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10512209 · 2013-05-15 (May 15, 2013)
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 55MPH,MY NEW 2013 TOYOTA RAV4 LIMITED SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR PROPERLY WHEN I ACCELERATED. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD ASAP AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. THEY HAVE DIAGNOSED TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THERE IS LESS THAN 600 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 530 miles reported. Look up ODI 10512209 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10521235 · 2013-06-22 (June 22, 2013)
WHILE ACCELERATING FROM APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, A JERK WAS FELT AND A NOISE WAS HEARD AS THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTING GEARS. (THIS VEHICLE IS AN AUTOMATIC.) THIS SAME INCIDENT OCCURRED AGAIN LATER THE SAME DAY. HOWEVER, AFTER THE SECOND INCIDENT, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT AND THE "TRACTION CONTROL" LIGHT CAME ON. THIS OCCURRED ON THE FIRST DAY OF OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE WITH ONLY 15 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THIS VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR A REPLACEMENT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 15 miles reported. Look up ODI 10521235 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10511223 · 2013-05-09 (May 9, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED THEN STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE, THE TRACTION CONTROL, AND THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC THAT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE CODE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,120.
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10511223 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10569105 · 2014-03-13 (March 13, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,600.
Owner-reported narrative. 8,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10569105 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10543196 · 2013-09-11 (September 11, 2013)
ON LOCAL ROAD, ACCELERATING FROM STOP. VEHICLE SUDDENLY "SHUT-OFF" GOING INTO NEUTRAL AND UNABLE TO PUT BACK INTO DRIVE. STEERING WENT "LIMP". VEHICLE DRIFTED RIGHT, POWER STEERING WAS EFFECTED, STEERING DIFFICULT. VEHICLE COASTED INTO PARKING LOT TO THE RIGHT, FORTUNATELY NO VEHICLES HAPPENED TO BE PASSING ON THE RIGHT AT THAT PRECISE MOMENT, THEREFORE NO ACCIDENTS. BUT THERE COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN ONE. ATTEMPTS AT RESTARTING VEHICLE RESULTED IN "TAKE EV TO NEAREST DEALERSHIP" MESSAGE AND SEVERAL WARNING INDICATORS ON DASH. VEHICLE WAS …
Owner-reported narrative. 258 miles reported. Look up ODI 10543196 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11362502 · 2020-10-03 (October 3, 2020)
DROVE THE CAR 8 BLOCKS ON CITY STREET TO THE FILLING STATION, WHILE TURNING INTO THE FILLING STATION FROM ACCESS ROAD THE CAR SHUT OFF AND THE DASH WENT COMPLETELY BLACK JUST SHORT OF FUEL PUMP. STOPPED THE CAR AND RESTARTED, DROVE 50 FT. TO FUEL PUMP. SHUT CAR OFF TO FILL WITH GAS. WENT INTO STATION TO PRE-PAY FOR FUEL. RETURNED TO THE CAR, FILLED WITH FUEL AND TRIED TO START. WHEN TRYING TO START THE CAR IT WAS COMPLETELY BLACK, NO ELECTRONICS AT ALL, CALLED MY WIFE TO GET A TOW TRUCK TO HAVE IT REMOVED FROM THE GAS STATION, THEN WENT IN…
Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11362502 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11427495 · 2021-08-02 (August 2, 2021)
The Fuel Pump entire system failed. I have a receipt of $731.50 to have it fixed. I was stranded coming off Belt Parkway in New York City, I feared for my car as the cars came flying off of the exit ramp. The Toyota Company has sent recalls on most of their Fuel Pumps except my 2013 Toyota Rav4. All of my alerts went on immediately but then the car just stopped and I managed to coast to the off the ramp. There were no warnings but when I looked up Toyota Recalls the main problem is their Fuel Pump Injectors in most of their cars and I had no …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11427495 at NHTSA ↗