NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Toyota RAV4. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
As the driver was making a right hand turn, the dash lights came on and the vehicle lost power. The driver was able to get the vehicle to roll to a stop in the middle of the road after making the turn. As the driver exited the vehicle to check the engine, the passenger stated smoke could be smelled coming into the cabin. Before the hood could be disengaged, flames engulfed the engine compartment and began raising above the hood of the vehicle. The occupants of the vehicle activated 911 and emergency personnel extinguished the fire. The fire was contained to the engine compartment. The vehicle does have a recall for aftermarket batteries causing fires. The vehicle was purchased on December 13, 2023 at which time the recall wasn't communicated by the independent dealer. Currently, there isn't a known fix for the recall.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000(Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced the failure. The VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to shake violently, prompting her to pull to the shoulder of the roadway. After a visual inspection, the contact observed smoke coming from the battery. The battery warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the battery. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System), and the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The failure mileage was 90,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Vehicle has less than 50,000 miles. We purchased this vehicle new. Both inner CV Axles are leaking grease. I expected, for a Toyota brand, for these parts to last much longer. It is difficult to know how long these have been leaking, but suspect for quite some time. Meaning these parts have been quite defective for possibly over a year or two. If these were to dry out without knowing, the CV could completely lock up--very dangerous.
The batter recall was not fixed till April 2024 as mentioned by Toyota.
Toyota RAV4 sunroof shattered for no reason. Car was sitting all day under my carport. I opened driver door. Needed to go back in the house. I closed the driver door. Sunroof shattered. If I had been in the car, or driving, it could have caused very serious cuts, or a deadly accident. No warning signs at all. Car is presently at Clearwater Toyota being fixed. Insurance (State Farm) has been contacted and is taking care of my claim.
Driving along, and all of sudden engine shuts down. Message indicated a malfunction, showed picture of battery, and indicated to put vehicle in park, and restart engine. Did so, and engine started. Dangerous situation, but luckily traffic was light.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED IN JULY OF 2023. THERE HAD BEEN A PERSISTANT CLUNKING NOISE IN THE REAR WHEN THE ROAD IS BUMPY ALONG WITH SOME STABILTY OR SWAYING FEELING. I HAD IT INSPECTED BY INDEPENDANT MECHANICAL SHOPS. I WAS ADVISED TO REPLACE THE SHOCK ABSORBERS AND THE STABILIZER LINKS WHICH I DID. THE RT REAR SHOCK ABOSBORBER WAS BAD. MARCH OF 2024 I TOOK A ROAD TRIP TO FLORIDA. FIRST LONG TRIP SINCE REPLACING THE PARTS. ON THE DRIVE DOWN I WAS BY MYSELF AND FELT AS THOUGH THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS SWAYING BACK AND FORTH A LOT WORSE THAN BEFORE CHANGING THE PARTS LISTED ABOVE. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS THE CONDITION OF THE ROADS. ON THE WAY HOME MY SON WAS FOLLOWING ME IN HIS VEHCLE. HE HAD TOLD ME THAT WHEN THE "SWAYING" FEELING IS HAPPENING THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE IS MOVING SEPARATE TO THE FRONT. THE CLUNKING SOUND IS STILL THERE AND THAT STABILITY ISSUE SEEMS TO HAVE WORSEN SINCE CHANGING THE SUSPENSION PARTS PREVIOUSLY LISTED. THERE WAS A POINT IN DRIVING HOME IN THE RAIN WHERE I DEFINITELY FELT THE ABITLITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS. I WILL BE TAKING THE VEHICLE TO BE INSPECTED FURTHER. I'VE READ INFORMATION ON A TOYOTA FORUM THAT THERE ARE OTHER OWNERS EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE. I DO HAVE VIDIO AND YOU CAN SEE MY BODY ROCKING BACK AND FORTH IN THE DRIVER SEAT WHILE IT'S HAPPENING AND THE HOOD SWAYING BUT AM UNABLE TO UPLOAD IT.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact had received notice of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System). The contact was aware that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle was losing forward momentum. The contact stated that he depressed the accelerator but the vehicle did not gain any forward momentum. The contact stated that all of the instrument cluster warning lights were illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the power steering failed and also noted that the brake pedal took more than normal force to depress the pedal. The contact stated that as he was pulling over he saw smoke being emitted from under the hood. The contact stated that he was able to stop the vehicle and when he opened the hood he saw that flames were coming from the location of the battery. The contact was able to extinguish the flames with his shirt. The contact had the vehicle towed to his residence. The contact had notified the manufacturer who sent an investigator to inspect the vehicle. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
About two months ago (March 2024), a smell started to appear in the vehicle cabin whenever the vehicle is being driven. It became stronger over time and is particularly strong when the HVAC system was being used. I took the vehicle to a reputed independent repair shop who diagnosed the problem as leaking AC coolant within the passenger cabin. They gave a printed diagnosis that I then shared with Toyota because the vehicle mileage is under 35,000, for assistance in fixing this problem. However, Toyota North America manager Michael from their Corporate Headquarters in Plano, Texas informed me today (May 24, 2024) that Toyota does not want to help me with the repair because I had been using an independent repair shop instead of the Toyota dealership for regular maintenance on my vehicle. I am stuck with a vehicle that cannot be used due to a strong odor of AC coolant which is potentially hazardous. An internet search reveals numerous others who have experienced similar issues with their RAV4 vehicles, so it would be in the interests of the general public to report this to the NHTSA so that action can be taken if this problem is found to be widespread.
I received this recall notice several months ago, and the letter stated that the remedy would be available in middle of 2024. I have had an inspection that confirmed I have a replacement battery, not an original. If there is a potential that the vehicle could catch on fire, it seems as though waiting until the middle of 2024 is an unreasonable amount of time.
The contact owned a 2017 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while his friend was driving at an undisclosed speed, a collision occurred ahead of her, and she was unable to avoid colliding with the rear end of another passenger vehicle. As a result, the engine compartment burst into flames, engulfing the entire vehicle within minutes. The contact was unsure if local fire emergency services were able to extinguish the flames or if the fire had exhausted itself. The air bags did deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. A fire report was not filed. A police report was filed, with no injuries reported. The vehicle was towed to a total yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System), and the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 97,000.
I would like to report my safety concerns from the crash accident. Feb.14 Wednesday I drove my wife’s car 2017 Toyota RAV4 XLE. On intersection l stop completely on red stop lights.l was first, had no car up front of me.Than from behind other car Ford Focus fit me with a full speed 45. I was only in the car. On the hit my seat slid forward causing my knees to hit the dashboard. Then the seat flattened causing me to fall backward.Also the cover of moonroof got opened. While lying back on flat seat l saw sky.I was able to self extricate.l was in shock from what just happened.3 hours after the accident l had gradual onset neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain, and a generalized headache.After 5 hours l Went to ER on same day , than again ER next Monday , than l saw my primary care doctor a week later-next Wednesday. Now if l will have a child in baby seat or teenager or adult seating behind driver , for sure they will get hurt badly or injured or killed. I have reported this situation to Toyota HQ. They responded that this accident will be under investigation. P.S. Takata airbags did not blow out
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
While we were driving in the mountains, the wiring harness shorted and fried all 4 of our front bulbs, causing us to have no visibility while driving on unlit back roads in Colorado. Toyota has a known TSB for this issue but claims it's not a safety issue, and has a kit to repair the issue, charging us $500 to install the kit. When asking about this 2 different employees explained it was a design issue with the car. Why is this not a recall? How is frying all my headlights not a safety issue?
This vehicle was involved in a T-Bone crash, where the battery came out and the vehicle caught fire. The driver of this vehicle died at the scene. This involves NHTSA recall number 23V734 & Manufacturer Recall number 23TB13.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Summary Some replacement 12-volt batteries of the size specified for the subject vehicles have smaller top dimensions than others. If a small-top battery is used for replacement and the hold-down clamp is not tightened correctly, the battery could move when the vehicle is driven with forceful turns. Safety Risk The movement could cause the positive battery terminal to contact the hold-down clamp and short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fuel pump has small leak causing evaporative emissions codes and fuel to accumulate on top of the pump. This is the same concern which there is a recall for the 2018 models and beyond. They equipment is the same between the years and 2017 should be included in the recall as well.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact was notified of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
--Battery terminal/wiring for negative terminal came into contact with the metal hold down clamp --Caused a two alarm structure fire and loss of two vehicles --Current recall in place but remedy of situation not available until 2024 --Current recall in place --Maintenance required light appeared and owner took vehicle in for service two weeks prior to the incident
When the passenger front airbag deployed in an accident, a coil about 3 inches long and an inch wide was ejected from the airbag compartment and info the face of the occupant. Minor injuries sustained but was near the eye. The coil became embedded in the skin and the coil had to be removed.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start up after several attempts. There was no warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer where a diagnostic test discovered that the fuel pump had failed to operate as needed. Upon further inspection, the dealer discovered that the plastic canister inside the fuel tank had become hot and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle had been repaired. The failure mileage was 114,837.
I was driving my car when no warning lights came on the car started stalling and turning off and then sparks started to come out from the hood. I was able to get the car in a parking lot and when the hood was opened the battery clamp part came off and welded itself to the hood of the car. I had it towed to Price Toyota where they said the battery was fine and that the bolt was missing. They put the same clamp back on and presumed someone tampered with it. The only place that ever touched the battery was them back in June of 2022 when the first recall came out and they said it was fine. I do not feel safe driving this car, especially on a highway if the car stalled like that, I would have been killed. A bolt just doesn't come loose and fall off. Something caused it to loosen and in turn put my life and my kids at risk.
I have a 2017 RAV4 Hybrid XLE that I bought brand New. I have done all schedule maintenance on it. I was driving to an appointment on 15 November 2023 and the vehicle all the sudden jerked violently side to side throwing me off the road. I brought the car to the shop thinking an alignment or something. My whole rear subframe was cracked, and by the driver side rear wheel bolt it was broke straight through where the tow bar connects to the subframe. The mechanic said it was from rust from living in the Northeast, and the salt from the road during winter months. The Mechanic said Even though I took care of the vehicle this was going to happen anyways due to the subframe suspension parts that Toyota puts in the RAV4. Being flung into a ditch coming off a highway is a dangerous situation, and could of cost me my life because Toyota wants to save money and put in parts knowing that the rust problem will and could occur. I did my research, and found out this has been going on since 2007 and there have been recalls on models all the way up to 2012. If this is a known thing then why is Toyota being allowed to still make a weak subframe. Does someone have to die for this to be stoped. I’m am asking for a recall on all models of 2017 Rav4 hybrids and on to fix this problem. I am lucky to escape with minor injures, but maybe the next person isn’t. Something has to be done.
It has ben 9 months since the recall was issued. But still no remedy ready.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that condensation was present inside the vehicle causing the carpet to become moist and damp. The contact stated that the front and rear carpets on the driver's and passenger's sides of the vehicle were moldy. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted, and a service appointment was scheduled. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
There has been a recall on my vehicle (2017 Toyota Rav 4) since November 2023. It is now August 2024. I have not been able to drive my vehicle this entire time and Toyota had done nothing to help me. There is a safety concern with the battery catching on fire, so I fear that this will happen while driving it, so I decided to pay for a rental car while I wait for a remedy. I have been paying for a rental car since November 2023 and Toyota still has not found a remedy. Please help.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
11/1/23 recall for battery safety. Hold down clamp issue. I received an interim recall notification in 2023. I have called Toyota twice and they still don’t have a remedy. It’s been over a year and this is a safety/fire hazard. It’s unacceptable they have not arranged for a remedy over a year later.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had experienced a failure, causing the vehicle to stall while driving, and the back over prevention camera and collision warning features were inoperable. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Toyota has had this open recall for well over a year and has not implemented a fix which is far outside the NHTSA guidelines for a quick remedy. Please use your authority to motivate Toyota to do the correct thing.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owned a 2017 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that upon arriving at her destination and returning to the vehicle a short time later, she found it engulfed in flames. A witness had already notified local emergency services, who were able to extinguish the fire. The fire marshal was unable to determine the origin of the fire but concluded that the cause was a non-suspicious mechanical failure with the vehicle. A police and fire report was filed, and no injuries were reported. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and declared a loss by insurance. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The car was sitting in the driveway and caught fire around 11:29am. The car had not been driven or moved from the driveway for at least 2 days, and is up to date on all maintenance. The fire inspectors hypothesize the fire began from the battery and spread. After Googling, I have learned that Toyota Rav 4s from 2013 to 2018 had a large recall; 1.8 million vehicles taken because of the battery catching fire randomly. The remains of the vehicle are in the driveway of the residence. Both the police and fire department came to the scene. The safety of others was put at risk because it is only luck that nobody was in the car, or going to drive the vehicle as it caught fire randomly, bringing the residents of the home and owner of the car in extreme risk from both the fire and any explosions, damage to the house, and damage to others.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 mph, fire was detected near the engine and front of the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The fire department extinguished the fire. There were no reported injuries, crash,es or air bag deployment. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent towing lot. The contact called the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
Multiple times when coming to a stop the vehicle is stopped and then the brake pedal depresses further on its own while at the same time the engine roars and the vehicle lunges forward about 4 feet. It almost put me in front of oncoming traffic. Also I felt like I had no control over the brakes. It happened 4 times and also did this while I was parallel parking and almost slammed into the parked car ahead of me. It was in the shop last month. The brake calipers were cleaned and the brake lines were bled. This vehicle only has 40000 miles on it. I took it back to Toyota again today to see if they can once again try to figure out what is causing this. When it surges forward it sounds like if your foot was on gas in park, only my foot was on the brake Im afraid to drive it.
POWER STEERING IS LOCKING UP, NOT WANTING TO TURN.
Side Airbag failure: (all air bags didn't deploy) As I was making a left hand turn, My vehicle was hit in my drivers rear quarter, just behind the gas cap. The impact spun the car over 90 degrees, causing me to hit the left side of my head against the side drivers window, causing a concussion and cervical strain. No airbags in the vehicle were deployed, yet the car was totaled. The car that hit me was traveling at a high rate of speed and the impact totally destroyed that vehicles front end displacing the engine. In my opinion the airbags malfunctioned due to the water damage caused by the rail leaks common to that vehicle (which I had the dealer fix previously). If the airbag in question was operational I would not have hit my head. (yes, I was wearing my seatbelt.)
Vehicle experienced an unexplained acceleration while at a complete stop with foot on the brake. This has happened several times.
I was in the third, leftmost, lane on an urban highway coming out of a gentle turn going about 40-45 miles an hour. There was a loud metallic clank or bang and the vehicle pulled sharply to the right. I hit the brakes hard, the vehicle crossed two lanes and came to rest on the shoulder about 18 inches from the concrete barrier, having turned about 170 degrees. There was very little traffic and so there was no accident or injuries but had there been normal traffic it would have been a disaster. There were no indicator lights showing any problem, I examined the tires and underside and could not see any damage. I was able to drive away from the site. I took the car in to my regular Toyota dealer (Toyota of Lincoln Park, they perform all my service) and they test drove it, examined it closely, checked the computer, and could find nothing wrong. No other parties have examined the car. However, I would be afraid to drive it and need to dispose of the car without exposing anyone else to what might happen.
I was slowing at a stop sign and the car suddenly accelerated. My foot was not on the gas pedal but it continued to accelerate causing and accident at an intersection.
225/65R17. I purchased 4 new tires on 02/24/23. On 6/27/23, I found my driver's rear tire was completely flat. I had the 'donut' put on and took to the dealers. There was a 'bubble' around the rim and the tire was replaced. The dealer explained it was likely due to hitting a curb or pothole which I took exception to as I had done neither. On 7/31/23, my passenger-side rear tire was almost flat and there was again a bubble near the rim. As well the front passenger tire looked mis-shapen. This time, I called a tow truck. The dealer refused to acknowledged that was a manufacturing issue and not a road hazard. Although many Continental tires were recalled, they said this wasn't one of them. They did not contact Continental only their service provider for road hazard. Replacing only the passenger rear tire was not a reasonable option. I chose to replace all 4 tires of another brand rather than fool around with what could be an exploding tire on the highway. Needless to say, no more continental tires for me and I will not use that Toyota dealership again either.
Even when properly aimed, with new headlight bulbs, visibility is poor at night. I recently had an incident while driving in town at less than 25 miles hour where I almost hit a deer that I could see on the side of the street, and this is actually not the first of many such incidents. I feel unsafe driving the vehicle at night due to the poor amount of light put out by the headlights. Toyota should offer to retrofit these with LEDS for people with issues. It's downrigtht scary, especially on poor lit streets or driving on the highway.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked. The contact stated that upon shifting to drive (D) and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle lurched, accelerated unintendedly, and crashed into the base of a lamp pole; however, the engine continued to rev loudly. The air bags did not deploy. The contact depressed the brake pedal and while attempting to reverse away from the lamp pole, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated and impacted a curb. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as needed. The contact then pulled into a parking space. The contact did not sustain any injury. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to an autobody repair shop, where the contact was informed that the vehicle was significantly damaged. The contact was referred to an auto collision center. The vehicle was towed to the auto collision center where repairs were made. The vehicle was the taken to the dealer, where the EDR crash data report was read. The manufacturer sent a letter to the contact, informing her that the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact followed up with the manufacturer, but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 24, 971.