17 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
Toyota found that some 2025 RAV4 vehicles left the factory with bad welds on the metal brackets that hold the front seats to their rails. Those brackets are what keep your seat anchored to the floor. If the welds are weak, a front seat may not hold you firmly in place during a crash, so you could be thrown around or hit part of the car. Dealers will look at the welds and fix them if needed.
These vehicles have a Panoramic View Monitor system that shows what is behind and around you. A software error can make the backup camera image freeze or go completely blank when you shift into reverse. That means you may not see a child, a pet or an object behind the vehicle. Federal rules require a working rear view. A dealer will update the parking assist software at no cost; it is a software fix, not a part replacement.
When these Toyota and Lexus vehicles start up, a software error can leave the instrument panel, the display behind the steering wheel, missing important information. Your speed may not appear, and the warning lights for the brake system and for low tire pressure may not light up. That means you would not know how fast you are going, or that the brakes or tires need attention. Most vehicles get a free software update sent to the car wirelessly.
On some 2024 RAV4 and 2025 Lexus NX vehicles, bolts holding the front brake caliper and the wheel hub bearing may not be tight enough. Loose bolts can rub against and damage the rubber hose that carries brake fluid to the caliper, or in the worst case let a wheel come off the vehicle. A leaking brake hose means weaker brakes and a longer distance to stop. A dealer will check and tighten the bolts and replace anything damaged, at no cost.
These Toyota and Lexus vehicles have a sensor in the front passenger seat that tells the airbag system whether someone is sitting there. A short circuit can develop inside that sensor. If it does, the front passenger airbag may not inflate during a crash, so whoever is riding in that seat could be hurt worse than they otherwise would be. The dealer will inspect the sensor and replace it if needed, free of charge. Owner letters are being mailed in stages.
If the 12-volt battery in these RAV4s was replaced with one that does not fit the tray properly, it can slide around while you drive. A loose battery can touch the metal clamp that holds it down, which can cause a short circuit and start a fire under the hood. Dealers replace the battery clamp, the tray it sits in, and the cover over the positive terminal so the battery stays put.
Some 2023 RAV4 vehicles were fitted with 17-inch black alloy accessory wheels. When those wheels were put on, the valve stem, the small part you use to add air to a tire, may have been installed wrong or damaged. A bad valve stem can let air slowly leak out, leaving a tire low on air. An underinflated tire is more likely to fail. The sticker listing how much weight the vehicle can carry may also show the wrong number.
The front passenger seat may have been put together with parts rubbing against each other inside. That interference can confuse the sensor that decides whether someone is sitting in that seat and how large they are. If the sensor reads it wrong, the front passenger airbag may not behave correctly in a crash, meaning it could fail to inflate when it should or inflate when it should not. Either outcome raises the chance of injury. Dealers will inspect and repair the seat free of charge.
Inside the steering column are small pins designed to break in a crash so the column can collapse and absorb some of the impact. On these vehicles those pins may have been damaged while the vehicle was being built. If they are damaged, the driver's airbag may not perform the way it was designed to in a crash, which raises the chance of injury. These vehicles also fail a federal crash protection rule. Dealers replace the entire steering column.
The fuel pump sits inside the gas tank and pushes gasoline to the engine. On these vehicles that pump can fail. If it does, the engine can stall — shut off — while you are driving, including in traffic or at highway speed. The recall covers a long list of Toyota and Lexus cars, trucks, vans and SUVs. Your dealer will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved version, free of charge.
Water can get in through the cover on the steering gear box and damage the electric power steering. If that happens, the steering assist can quit and the wheel becomes much harder to turn, especially at low speeds like parking or pulling into a driveway. You can still steer, but it takes a lot more muscle and can catch you by surprise. A dealer will replace the power steering gear box at no cost.
The metal arms that connect each front wheel to your RAV4's body may have cracks in them. If one of those arms breaks, the wheel it holds can come loose from the rest of the suspension. That could make you lose control of the vehicle while driving. Toyota dealers will replace both front lower arms, the left one and the right one, with new parts at no cost to you.
The engine block on these 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines can have tiny holes left over from casting, and cracks can form there. Coolant — the liquid that keeps the engine from overheating — can then leak, either inside the engine or onto the ground. Low coolant can let the engine overheat, and a gas model can stall while you are driving. The engine can also be damaged badly enough to leak oil, which can start a fire. Dealers inspect and replace the engine if needed.
On certain 2019 Toyota RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles, a damaged electrical connector can keep the backup camera from switching on when you shift into reverse. Instead of the rear view, the screen may stay blank, so you get no picture of what is behind you. Because of this, the vehicles do not meet the federal rear-visibility rule. Dealers will inspect the camera system and, if needed, replace the audio display unit for free.
These Toyotas came with factory-installed floor mats, and the sticker that lists how much weight the vehicle can safely carry with those mats in place may show the wrong numbers. If you go by that sticker when loading people and cargo, you could put more weight in the vehicle than it is built to handle. An overloaded vehicle is harder to control. The fix is a corrected sticker, provided free, that you place over the wrong one.
Every vehicle has a sticker, usually in the driver's door opening, that tells you how much weight it can safely carry, including passengers and cargo. On these vehicles the printing on that sticker can fade until you cannot read it. If you cannot see those numbers, you may load the vehicle heavier than it was built to handle, which can affect how it steers, brakes, and wears its tires. The dealer will give you a corrected replacement label.
These trucks and SUVs left the factory with an incorrect sticker showing how much weight the vehicle can safely carry. The label itself does not break anything, but if you trust the wrong number you could put in too many people, too much cargo, or too heavy a load. An overloaded vehicle is harder to steer and stop and puts extra strain on the tires, which raises the chance of a crash. Toyota is mailing owners corrected labels free of charge.
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the Toyota RAV4. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 331 | 31 | 32 | 18 |
| 2019 | 876 | 25 | 2 | 21 |
| 2020 | 634 | 17 | 5 | 14 |
| 2021 | 385 | 46 | 7 | 49 |
| 2022 | 144 | 14 | 0 | 12 |
| 2023 | 153 | 18 | 1 | 14 |
| 2024 | 173 | 28 | 0 | 21 |
| 2025 | 85 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: