There are 15 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2017 Toyota RAV4in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The batter recall was not fixed till April 2024 as mentioned by Toyota.
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.
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.
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 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.
Vehicle experienced an unexplained acceleration while at a complete stop with foot on the brake. This has happened several times.
Vehicle surges when accelerating since it was new. Throttle goes dead where engine idles but now power at all. Does it from a standing start, does it on hills and when merging onto a freeway. Now it happens on cruise control, when set on 75 mph engine loses power and slows down to 45 for a few minutes then shutters and speeds back up to 75. This past month if you let the fuel get down to 1/4 of a tank it will happen all the time. On interstate this week it happened and slowed to 35 mph and wouldn't go any faster until more gas was added. No check engine light ever. Dealer has checked twice and says no codes found and can't get it to happen it's a intermittent problem. We almost got hit by a semi on the interstate this week week due to this happening and I was unable to get out of his way because I no throttle response at all.... But engine was idling that all. Had to turn the engine off for 45 minutes before it would have any throttle response at all. Drove down the emergency lane to the next exit and filled up with gas. Engine surged for next 60 miles home. This is a huge problem! I am going to my local Toyota dealer tomorrow to talk with them again about this problem. If they give me the run around again I am going to file a lawsuit against Toyota and the dealership!
The contact owned a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while the wife was driving approximately 35 MPH, the odor of smoke was present inside the vehicle. After stopping to inspect the vehicle, smoke and flames were seen coming from under the hood. The fire department was called to the scene to extinguish the flames. During the incident, the vehicle was destroyed and later towed away. A fire report was taken at the scene. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000.
The contact owned a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving at 10 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The contact saw smoke coming out from underneath the hood of the vehicle and immediately exited the vehicle. The contact then saw flames coming out from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. There were no injuries sustained. A fire department report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot where it was totaled. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.
FROM A STOP OR SLOW MOVE, SOMETIMES WHEN I HAVE TO PULL AHEAD QUICKLY, AS TO GO BEFORE AN ONCOMING CAR, THE ENGINE WILL LOSE POWER AND NOT ACCELERATE AS INTENDED.
AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES IN COLD WEATHER, WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPS AT RED LIGHT/STOP SIGNS RPM DROPS TO 400-500 RESULTING IN NOTICEABLE SHAKING LIKE THE ENGINE IS ABOUT TO STALL. I'M AFRAID THE VEHICLE MY STALL IN THE FUTURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER PARKING AND EXITING THE VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE THEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED IT TOTALED. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE DEALER JAY WOLFE TOYOTA OF WEST COUNTY ( 14700 MANCHESTER RD, BALLWIN, MO 63011) AND THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4 HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED, WARNING MESSAGES BEGAN TO DISPLAY ON THE DASH SCREEN; BEFORE WHITE SMOKE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. MOMENTS LATER FLAMES WERE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED AWAY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER LARRY MILLER TOYOTA (2465 48TH CT. BOULDER, CO 80301) WERE NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,500.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, TOXIC FUMES EMITTED FROM THE HEATER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. KOONS ARLINGTON TOYOTA IN ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ACKNOWLEDGED THE PRESENCE OF THE FUMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
ON THE EVENING OF SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2017, MY 88-YEAR-OLD FATHER, DIED OF ACCIDENTAL CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. HIS DEATH RESULTED FROM HIS NEW TOYOTA RAV4 KEYLESS CAR NOT TURNING OFF, ULTIMATELY FLOODING HIS APARTMENT WITH THE DEADLY GAS. HE WAS FOUND IN HIS BED, DEAD, ON SEPTEMBER 7TH, AROUND 10:25 A.M. HIS TWO CATS HAD ALSO EXPIRED. THE TOYOTA RAV4 WAS STILL RUNNING ' 14 HOURS FOLLOWING HIS RETURN HOME FROM A FAMILY DINNER. THE CARBON MONOXIDE READING INSIDE HIS CAR WAS 330. THE RESIDENCE REGISTERED AT 53. MORE THAN TWO HOURS AFTER DISCOVERING MY FATHER'S BODY, THE CARBON MONOXIDE LEVELS IN THE HOUSE WERE STILL 30. THIS AFTER DOORS AND WINDOWS WERE OPENED AND A LARGE FAN PROVIDED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS USED TO PUSH THE AIR THRU THE RESIDENCE. THE CARBON MONOXIDE TRAVELED TO THE NEIGHBOR'S ADJOINING GARAGE AND THRU HER APARTMENT WALLS. MORE THAN ONE HOUR AFTER MY FATHER WAS DISCOVERED, THE NEIGHBOR'S APARTMENT CARBON MONOXIDE LEVELS WERE STILL 40 ' REQUIRING A HOSPITAL VISIT. THE DETECTIVE ON THE SCENE FOUND THE TOYOTA KEY FOB ON THE DINING TABLE ' JUST YARDS FROM THE ATTACHED GARAGE WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED. THE CAR WAS LEASED IN JULY OF 2017. IT WAS DELIVERED IN MID-AUGUST 2017, BY TOYOTA DEALER. AT NO TIME DURING THE SALE OR UPON DELIVERY, WAS IT IMPRESSED UPON MY FATHER THAT THE KEYLESS CARS PRESENTED A CARBON MONOXIDE SAFETY CONCERN. AT NO TIME WAS MY FATHER OFFERED AN OPTION FOR A 'KEYED' CAR. THERE WERE NO WARNING SYSTEMS ON THE CAR TO SUGGEST THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. IT SEEMS INCOMPREHENSIBLE THAT TOYOTA HAS FAILED TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM WITH ADDITIONAL WARNING DEVICES FOR DRIVERS, AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF AFTER A SET TIME, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, BE REQUIRED TO EMPLOY A POLICY THAT SUGGESTS A KEY IGNITION WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR SENIOR DRIVERS. FYI: LOCAL POLICE/EMT RESPONDED TO THE SCENE. A REPORT WAS FILED. *TT *TR
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.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026