2018 Toyota RAV4 Steering Problems

While picking up my son from school, my 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid suddenly experienced a complete steering failure. The steering wheel locked without warning and became impossible to move, making the vehicle inoperable and creating an immediate safety hazard. My son and I were stranded for over 7 hours in a public area. AAA was dispatched twice, but they were unable to resolve the issue. The vehicle ultimately had to be towed to a Toyota dealership. Toyota dealership diagnosed the car with a failed steering lock ECU, a critical safety component that should not malfunction under normal conditions. I was quoted over 2,000 for the repair. This issue aligns with multiple known recalls and technical service bulletins related to steering and electronic control failures in RAV4 Hybrid models, suggesting a potential manufacturer defect. This sudden steering failure placed me and my child at significant risk. There were no warning lights, no prior steering issues, and no indicators of malfunction before the event occurred. I am submitting this report because a steering lock ECU failure can lead to sudden loss of steering control, which poses a serious danger to vehicle occupants and others on the road.

During a turn... The steering locked up and a julting from all wheel drive system. No warning, slammed into road railing.

Power steering failed in April 2022, fixed by dealer in May 2022. Failed again in December 2022. Electric power steering system was replaced, contacting dealer today to have system checked. Very dangerous when steering goes out. It’s like manual steering from the old days.

The Electric Power System warning light came on for the first time and my car will not start.

I had been noticing since November 2020 a strange noise from the rear on the driver side anytime I parked the car, as it goes over a step about 2 inches in height when entering it. I took it to the dealer an explained them that it wasn't just the noise but that I could move with my hands the rear tire on the driver side back and forth. They told me NO PROBLEM FOUND. Also, that day I did have a wheel alignment done just in case. But I returned days later as it was not balance, the steering felt incorrect pulling right and left. And they tell me that the right front lower control arm needs replacement when the car has been driven 23,062 miles; I replaced it but the steering was still incorrect. I called TOYOTA (800) 331-4331 a case #210730001337 was opened. I was told to buy 3 new tires to correct the problem, I did it, yet the problem continues. I expected the dealer to do a wheel alignment after replacing the tires yet they lie about and they wanted me to drive away, I refused to do it and called TOYOTA and offered to pay for it and finally they agreed on doing it free and they found out that the rear alignment was off. Poor craftsmanship of the rear suspension parts for sure. That weird noise on the rear continues, the steering pulls right and left which increases risk of losing control and eventual crash and injury. I do trust the NHTSA to make things right do not be like BOEING and the FAA.

We were driving when I made a right turn and suddenly the steering wheel locked on me and at the same time various warning lights lit up on my dashboard. The car slowed and I was able to regain control of the steering wheel to pull over. After driving a few miles further we once again came to a right turn and everything happened as before except with greater intensity. We tried to straighten the steering wheel for control and were able to pull over into an empty parking lot. By the time we came to a stop, which took all of just one or two minutes, smoke was coming out from under our hood. We quickly got out of our car and opened the hood to see the battery in flames. I called 911 while my husband poured his cup of water over the flames. It stalled the fire but it continued to spark until help arrived. I am certain if we had not had water the whole car would have caught on fire. The car was towed to a Toyota dealership where we were told that their was an issue with battery installation. At present it is being worked on but I have lost confidence in this vehicle especially since we got no warning that there was a problem and we could have been badly injured or killed if the circumstances had been different and we had not been able to pull over and get out or have water with us. We have since learned that this is an issue for many people who own this 2018 RAV4 vehicle. I also learned there is no recall on this issue. I hope that Toyota isn't waiting for someone to be seriously injured or die before they fix this problem.

STEERING WARNING LIGHT COMING ON WITH WARNING SOUND, THE DEALER CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM TO REPAIR IT

THE LINE DEPARTURE ALERT / STEERING ASSIST BUZZER IS NOT WORKING OR NOT LOUD ENOUGH TO BE HEARD. OCCASIONALLY WHEN DRIVING FOR HOURS ON FREEWAYS I MAY GET DROWSY, SO I BOUGHT THE NEW RAV4 AND SPECIFICALLY CHOSE A MODEL WITH LDA/SA HOPING THAT IT ASSISTS ME. AFTER DRIVING OVER 1000 MILES BETWEEN THE CITIES, I AM COMPLETELY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS FEATURE. IT SUPPOSED TO ALERT ME WHEN THE CAR DRIVES OVER THE LINES WITH A BUZZER AND GENTLE NUDGE TO THE STEERING WHEEL. I CANNOT HEAR THE BUZZER AND FEEL ANY ACTION ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I WENT TO THE CULVER CITY TOYOTA DEALER TWO TIMES IN ATTEMPTING TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED. BOTH TIMES I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE SYSTEM WORKS AS DESIGNED. DURING A TEST DRIVE WITH THE MASTER TECHNICIAN, WITH RADIO OFF, AT SPEED LESS 50MPH, SO WITH THE MINIMAL ROAD NOISE, I COULD NOT HEAR THE BUZZER. I DO CLEARLY HEAR THE BUZZER OF THE PARKING SONAR OR PRE-COLLISION WARNING. SO THIS IS AT BEST USELESS FEATURE, AT WORST IT IS A DISTRACTION WHEN TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK AT A HIGHWAY.

SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED ON 11/25/2018, THE FRONT BRAKES CREAK WHILE ON DRIVE AND THE CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. THEY ASKED THAT I WAIT UNTILL 500 MILES TO LOOK AT THE ALIGNMENT. I TOOK IT IN AGAIN FOR THE BRAKES AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAT IN THE CAR AND HE HEARD THE BRAKE NOISE. HE RAN IT THROUGH TESTS AND SAID NOTHING WAS FOUND. HE WAS GOING TO WAIT FOR A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE TO COME AND THEN THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT BEFORE ANYTHING WAS DONE. IT IS NOW APRIL AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT ADDRESSED THE BRAKE ISSUE. THEY DID ADJUST THE ALIGNMENT DURING THE TIME, BUT IT STILL PULLS TO THE LEFT. AFTER THE ALIGNMENT, THERE WAS A SLIDING GRINDING NOISE ON THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE. THE NOISES OCCUR WHEN YOU COME TO A STOP AND RELEASE THE BRAKES. BOTH ISSUES HAVE BEEN PRESENT SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED HAVE NOT BEEN RESOLVED.

TAMARA RECALL. VEHICLE CONSTANTLY DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT SIDE. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS OF FIXING THE ISSUE HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE DEALERSHIP AND VEHICLE STILL CONTINUES TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. AT THIS POINT THE DEALERSHIPS DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX THE ISSUE. NO INJURIES HAVE BEEN SUSTAINED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM.