There are 6 stored owner reports matching the electrical system leading-label group for the 1999 Toyota RAV4 in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 6 of 6 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA RAV. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION IN THE EVENING, THE RADIO WAS ACTIVATED THE NEXT MORNING. ALSO, THE FAN IN THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED ON SOME OCCASIONS, BUT THE FAILURES RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REMOVED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURES RECURRED AND RENDERED THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 98V278000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.
1999 TOYOTA RAV4 CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD.*MR THE FIRE OCCURRED WHILE THE CONSUMER'S SON WAS DRIVING. SMOKE BEGAN TO FILL THE CABIN AND THE DRIVER NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH A TOWEL. AFTER THE FIRE THE TAILLIGHTS, DASH LIGHTS, INTERIOR LIGHTS NO LONGER WORKED. THE PASSENGERS SIDE FRONT HEADLIGHT AND WIRING WERE DESTROYED. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER BUT THEY REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE BECAUSE OF THE AGE AND MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE. *NM
COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. WHILE MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATION REGARDING THIS ISSUE, AND THEY HAD ME TAKE THE CAR TO A LOCAL DEALER. SO I TOOK IT TO MIDTOWN TOYOTA, WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN AUGUST OF 1999. I SPOKE WITH A JIM CHRISTENSEN ,773-622-6300 X 4911. HE IS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. AFTER A WEEK I WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE MY CAR WAS 6 YEARS OLD AND HAD 64,000 MILES ON IT THAT IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS NOT A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. BUT THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE, AND TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW, AND DOES NOT HAVE ANY AFTER MARKET INSTALLATIONS OF ANY KIND. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE THAT CAN MAILED UPON REQUEST. DAMAGE WAS CAUSED TO FRONT RIGHT SIDE, HEAD LIGHTS, WIRING BURNED AND WASHER RESERVOIR. THE BACK TAIL LIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS DON'T WORK ANY MORE. ALSO A FAN IN THE ENGINEER KEEPS RUNNING WHICH CAUSES MY BATTERY TO RUN DOWN. MY CAR WAS IN PREFECT RUNNING CONDITION UP UNTIL THIS HAPPENED. THE PERSON I SPOKE WITH @ TOYOTA REGARDING THIS INCIDENT IS TROY H. HIGA, 310-468-5638. I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GO ABOUT TROY, BUT WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE I COULD SPEAK TO REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE THIS INVESTIGATED. *AK
THE CONNECTION TO THE ALTERNATOR WAS HEAVILY BURNT CAUSING LOSS OF POWER TO THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER WAS TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE FOR 1/2 HOUR PRIOR TO THE POLICE DEPT. ARRIVING TO HELP THE CONSUMER OUT OF THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW THAT DID NOT ALLOW FOR THE CONSUMER TO EXIT VEHICLE UNDER POWER LOSS. *MJS
ENGINE FIRE DUE TO ELECTRICAL WIRING SHORT. MJS
VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 12 HOURS, FIRE STARTED UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DUE TO THE INSULATION BY THE FUSE BOX CATCHING ON FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#.*AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: May 4, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.