2018 Toyota RAV4: complaints, problems and recalls

FROM A DEAD STOP WHEN ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SPEED UP IT ACTS LIKE ITS IN 6TH GEAR. TO GAIN CONTROL I NEED TO PUSH THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR & THEN IT SPEEDS UP ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLY. THIS HAPPEN AT 12 TIMES. SEE MY COMMENT BELOW THAT I SENT TO TOYOTA CORPORATE OFFICE. I HAVE WANT I CONSIDER A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY 2018 RAV4 ([XXX]). UPON ACCELERATING FROM A STOP THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SPEEDUP IT ACTS LIKE IT IS IN 6TH GEAR TO GET IT GOING I HAVE PUT THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AN THEN IT SOMETIME SHOOTS AHEAD ALMOST HITTING …

Owner-reported narrative. 3,150 miles reported. Look up ODI 11054484 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS DRIVING IN A FAST FOOD DRIVE THROUGH. IT WAS A STOP AND GO PACE BECAUSE THERE WERE AROUND 5 CARS BEFORE ME AND WAS TRAVELING APPROX 3 MPH. I BEGAN TO PROCEED BUT THIS TIME AS I WENT TO APPLY MY BRAKES THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I COULDN'T STOP THE CAR. IN ORDER TO AVOID THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME I TURNED MY WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND JUMPED THE CURB AND HIT A WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS 3 DAYS OLD.

Owner-reported narrative. 134 miles reported. Look up ODI 11056950 at NHTSA ↗

THE ILLUMINATION PROVIDED BY THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE 2018 RAV4 XLE I PURCHASED ON DECEMBER 28, 2017 IS DANGEROUSLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON UNLIT RURAL ROADS. SEE ATTACHED LETTER DATED JANUARY 6, 2017 AND PIC. I HAVE MORE PICS AND SEVERAL VIDEOS, IF NEEDED. *JS THE CONSUMER STATED THE HIGH AND LOW BEAMS, ON CURVES, NARROW, AND HILLY UNLIT ROADS, VISIBILITY WAS INADEQUATE. *JS *JS THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. *JS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11060925 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE'S LDA (LANE DEPARTURE ALERT) COULD NOT BE HEARD AND NO VOLUME ADJUST. DEALER WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT CLAIMING THERE IS NO STANDARD LOUDNESS REQUIRED. YET, THE LDA IS PART OF TOYOTA SAFETY SENSE AND MARKETED AS ALERT FOR SAFE DRIVING ASSIST. MY VEHICLE IS 2 WEEKS OLD AND MISSED THE WARNING TWICE ALREADY. FALSE ADVERTISING BY TOYOTA AS SAFETY ALERT WHEN IT COULD NOT BE HEARD. DANGEROUS TO DEPEND ON IT.01/29

Owner-reported narrative. 160 miles reported. Look up ODI 11071997 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND MY SUNROOF EXPLODED RIGHT OVER MY HEAD. I WAS NOT TRYING TO OPEN IT, NOTHING IMPACTED IT, IT JUST EXPLODED AND THE GLASS SHATTERED EVERYWHERE INTO MY CAR AND ON MY HEAD. THE INTERSTATE WAS NOT ROUGH ROAD AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE SUNNY AND 50 DEGREES. AGAIN NO IMPACT FROM AND KIND OF WEATHER OR DEBRIS

Owner-reported narrative. 2,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11073038 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN A DRIVEWAY FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS. AFTER PULLING AWAY FROM THE HOUSE, DASH PANEL INDICATORS WERE SHOWING MALFUNCTIONS ON BRAKE SYSTEMS, AWS, ETC. IT SHOWED THAT ALL COMPUTER SYSTEMS WERE MALFUNCTIONING. I DROVE IMMEDIATELY TO THE DEALER. INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE WIRE HARNESS ON THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN CHEWED APART, OFF, AND INSULATION HAD BEEN REMOVED. I INVESTIGATED THE INTERNET ON THIS PROBLEM AND IT SEEMS THAT SEVERAL VEHICLE MAKES AND MODELS WERE AFFECTED. IT SEEMS THAT THE MANUFACTURES WERE USING A FOOD BASE…

Owner-reported narrative. 980 miles reported. Look up ODI 11076389 at NHTSA ↗

I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED. I BOUGHT A RAV4 2018 IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, IT HAS ONLY 1,900 MILES AND IS ALREADY AT THE DEALER AFTER TAKING MY KIDS TO SCHOOL I WENT BACK HOME AND I USUALLY DO I ACTIVATE THE VEHICLE ALARM BUT IT DID NOT WORK. THE KEYS DOES NOT ACTIVATE OR DIS-ACTIVATE THE VEHICLE ALARM AND WHEN THE CAR IS ON THE TIRE PRESSURE SIGN STARTED TO BLINK. THE DEALER STAFF SAID THAT ONE OF THE COMPUTER IS NOT WORKING RIGHT. AT THIS MOMENT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON AND IRONICALLY IS NOT TIME FOR THE FIRST PAYMENT YET.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,980 miles reported. Look up ODI 11084991 at NHTSA ↗

THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AFTER BEING STRUCK BY A SMALL ROCK DURING NORMAL DRIVING AND THEN THE CRACK WENT ACROSS THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD RIGHT ACROSS MY FIELD OF VIEW AS A DRIVER. THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED ON JUNE 1ST AND I CONTACTED 4 GLASS REPLACEMENT COMPANIES AND WAS TOLD THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER 3 TO 8 WEEKS. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND TOYOTA AND I WAS TOLD THEY WILL ORDER THE PART. I GOT CONTACTED ON JUNE 26 BY JOHN FROM TOYOTA THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS IN AT COPELAND TOYOTA IN BROCKTON MA. I CONTACTED THE GLASS COMPANY …

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11104208 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2017-12-20 (December 20, 2017)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra, 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles. These vehicles may have incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Consequence: An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge. The recall began on January 23, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are H0Z for Toyota vehicles, and HLF for Lexus vehicles.

Reported: 2019-06-28 (June 28, 2019)

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Consequence: An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. SET's number for this recall is SET19A.

Reported: 2023-11-01 (November 1, 2023)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles. Certain replacement 12-volt batteries may not fit properly in the battery tray, allowing the battery to move and contact the hold-down bracket, possibly causing a short circuit.

Consequence: A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 27, 2024, to 2013-2014 RAV4 owners. Additional owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, phase 2 will begin on May 14, 2025, and phase 3 in late July 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 23TB13 and 23TA13.