Complaint volume
324 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2018 Toyota RAV4 Complaints
324 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Toyota RAV4, grouped by component category.
324 Total complaints
30 Crash reports
32 Fire reports
13 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are electrical system, unknown or other, exterior lighting. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 30 crash reports, 32 fire reports, 13 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 143 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 25,416 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to electrical system, unknown or other, exterior lighting?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2018 Toyota RAV4?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2018 Toyota RAV4
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2018 Toyota RAV4 complaints?
30 Crash
32 Fire
13 Injury
0 Fatality
31 Towed
10 Medical attention
What are the most common 2018 Toyota RAV4 complaint categories?
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 84
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 47
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 17
SERVICE BRAKES 13
VISIBILITY/WIPER 13
POWER TRAIN 12
AIR BAGS 11
ENGINE 9
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 8
STRUCTURE 8
324 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | -Fuel leaks have been occurring since we purchased the car in April 2022. The previous owners never parked on an incline, so they never experienced the issue. -Fuel leaks when the car is parked on an incline when tank is between half full and full. -Leaks occur more often based on (1) the more full the tank is (we never top it off after the pump stops at gas station) and (2) when parked in direct sunlight. -In the photo and video from 12/15/23, it was a cool day (57 degrees), but the warmth from the sun, after previously being cloudy, caused expansion and the leak occurred with a half tank. -Leaks do not occur when parked with the nose facing downhill. -Safety: leaking gas is an inherent fire safety risk. Note the leak could occur while driving up a mountain. -No warning lamps or messages appear. -The car has been inspected by a Japanese car specialist and they were unable to identify the problem. -The car is available for inspection upon request. -I have a video of the fuel leaking, but that file type is not supported, so I uploaded it as a photo instead (3rd attachment). -Last photo shows difficulty of trying to clean up fuel. Permanent stains remain. Fuel breaks down the asphalt, which now has a hole in it and needs to be patched. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | ENGINE | Incident - [XXX] Car was not accelerating, started to lose power while driving on freeway approximately 70 mph, putting myself and other drivers in danger. Car finally stalled, was not turning on and AAA towed car to my local service shop - Downtown Toyota of Oakland 4145 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611. Downtown Toyota of Oakland quoted me for diagnostic, new battery, new alternator and labor. [XXX] Looked my vehicle up by VIN and discovered multiple recalls due to battery issues and electrical issues resulting in the risk of fire. [XXX] Downtown Toyota of Oakland replace battery due to failing battery test results. [XXX] Submitted Battery Reimbursement form through AAA because battery fell under warranty. Battery had been purchased through AAA on [XXX]. [XXX] My 2018 Toyota is on its third battery replacement and needing a new alternator after 5 years with under 55,000 miles. This to me, confirms my Toyota is experiencing battery/electrical issues outlined in the recalls and the costs incurred having to replace an alternator which typically get replaced on vehicles much older than mine with between 100,000 and 150,000 miles. [XXX] Take my Toyota into Downtown Toyota to be looked at because of recalls. I provided Toyota's numbers for this recall (23TB13 and 23TA13). They did not do an inspection or service because they said that they did not have a solution yet. [XXX] Recall displayed on your website for my vehicle's VIN number. [XXX] The message "No recalls are currently applicable to your vehicle" displayed through Downtown Toyota of Oakland's website under OEM Recalls section when provided my vehicle's VIN number. I am filing this complaint for two reasons: 1). Toyota is failing to remedy this safety recall on my vehicle in a timely manner. 2). Downtown Toyota of Oakland website not displaying the current recall information is misleading to consumers. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the engine, power steering, traction control, ABS, and battery warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle stalled. The contact also noticed white smoke coming from the engine area. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drove with the white smoke to the nearest independent mechanic and replace the battery. The failure had been recurring. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic who related the warning lights failure to an electrical failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no solution. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was 180,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | 180,000 |
| Apr 2024 | Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | The hip strap is fraying like several others have stated unclaimed. The clip that goes into the crotch buckle has plastic that pokes out a bit, and it’s not smooth where the hip tether passes through which which I believe is the cause for the fraying on the belt. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while attempting to enter the truck, she became aware that the trunk had failed to close properly, after which the contact was unable to open the trunk. The door ajar warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the trunk hinges. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 35,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 35,000 |
| Apr 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2018 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 and confirmed the 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | Had issue with intermittant engine light and all warning lights going on with certain maneuvers. When lights on, car would turn off, while driving, if washers turned on. Dealer replaced alternator and thermostat, supposedly fixing, however, 3 days later same problem recurred and car turned off while traveling 70+ mph on major highway. Luckily, despite harrowing "near death" experience, we were able to maneuver off the road to await a tow. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2018 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 confirm parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that after entering the vehicle, she became aware that the front passenger’s side seat was wet. The contact stated that it was raining, and she thought that she had left the front passenger’s side window slightly open. The contact stated that as she was drying the front passenger’s side seat and became aware that water was leaking from the where the passenger’s side handle attached to roof of the vehicle. The contact stated that water had saturated the pillar and the front passenger’s side door covering. The contact was concerned that using the door or locking the door could result in a short circuit. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 75,000 |
| Jan 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | I have recently attempted to exchange my current vehicle for another. However, I have discovered through a thorough examination of the carfax report that there is a recall on this particular vehicle. Unfortunately, no solution has been provided for this issue. As a result, the value of my car has been significantly impacted and the offer I have been given is considerably lower than its true value. In an effort to address this matter, I have reached out to Toyota and was informed that they are unable to take any action on this vehicle at the present time. This car is regularly used by my wife to transport our daughter to school, thus its safety and reliability are of utmost importance. Consequently, I am in urgent need of replacing this vehicle with a suitable alternative. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | ENGINE | The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle was transmitting heat and a foul odor. The contact stated that the heat and odor entered the cabin of the vehicle even though the air condition was not activated. The contact stated that the heat was coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 55,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 55,000 |
| Dec 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2018 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 drove the vehicle to the residence and while attempting to leave, the vehicle had no electrical power. The contact took the battery to be tested and the battery tested to be in proper working order. The battery was replaced in the vehicle and the contact became aware that the wires were damaged. The vehicle was diagnosed but not repaired due to parts not being available. The contact stated that the wires should be replaced after seeing sparks coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | 136,000 |
| Dec 2023 | AIR BAGS | Airbags malfunctioned "SRS Airbag System Malfunction Visit Your Dealer" error message after head on collision. No warning lights before crash. Car is transferred ownership to progressive. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 2 Medical attention | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2018 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | My 2018 RAV4 caught fire and completely burned in a matter of minutes. I was sitting in traffic that had stalled because of road construction when I first smelled something hot. No dashboard lights or gauges indicated any issues. Then I saw smoke coming from underneath the hood. I immediately pulled the car over to the shoulder and got out to look under the hood. Flames already visible and fire too hot to raise hood. Vehicle was completely engulfed in minutes. Vehicle had 65000 miles and regularly serviced at a certified Toyota dealership. Original factory batteries still on vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: Yes | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1. It is not clear what component or system failed. While driving at around 70 mph, after 2-3 hours of driving, there is an audible "clunk" sound from below the car. Typically this is followed by a shuddering of the engine/transmission/power train. The car momentarily looses acceleration/speed. There are typically one or two "clunks" alternating with one to four "shudders." There is no action when depressing the accellerator. At this point I typically pull over to a rest stop or side of the highway to let the vehicle rest, and then re-start the vehicle, which causes the issue to not re-occur when the vehicle is driven again. Yes the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. 2. My safety and others' safety was put at risk by the vehicle not being able to accelerate when the accelerator is depressed. 3. The vehicle has been inspected by multiple Toyota dealers, including Watertown Toyota, Wellesley Toyota, and Wesboro Toyota (all in MA). The dealers all say they cannot duplicate the issue during test-driving an so they therefore cannot fix the issue. 4. No other warning lamps, messages, or symptoms appear prior to the failure. The most recent date this incident occurred was November 12, 2023. However this issue has been occurring a few times a year since approximately 35,000 miles. At approximately 55,000 miles I tried to get Wellesley Toyota to address the issue prior to the powertrain coming out of warranty at 60,000 miles. I reported this issue to Toyota recalls on Monday November 13, 2023. Toyota's case number for this issue is 231113002026. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2018 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, upon attempting to slow the vehicle, she heard an abnormal sound emanating from the front of the vehicle, and the brake pedal required an excessive amount of force to slow the vehicle. The contact also stated that later, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost all motive power. She was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be jumpstarted. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the braking system but did not provide a diagnosis in regards to the vehicle's loss of power. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 40,000 |
| Nov 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | Approximately mid May 2023, 5:15 PM +/_, while stopped at a red light while leaving the work parking structure, the engine revved up and wanted to move forward. Forcing the driver to apply heavy pressure on the brakes to avoid being forced into the intersection. An opening presented itself, the brakes were released and the car entered the intersection. Once moving forward the "unintended acceleration" stopped and the car performed as normal.There were no check engine, need service lights or indicators on the dash. With none of the above present we didn't expect a dealership to take our word of the incident. Then, on Oct 19th, app 5:30 PM the unintended acceleration happened again. While in town driving and stopped at a red light the engine revved up and the unintended acceleration was trying to force the car forward. Excessive pressure was needed on the brakes to hold the car in place and the transmission was put into park. Once in park the revving stopped. With a foot on the brake the car was put into drive and it performed normally. The driver was upset with a high level of anxiety of not knowing if or when it could happen again. The potential of hitting a pedestrian, another vehicle or being T-boned was very high in both incidents. An appointment was made at the dealership t next day and couldn't get it in until 10-31-23, 7:20 PM. Before taking it to the dealership we tried to replicate the unintended acceleration. After 8 miles and 30 minutes we were not successful. The dealership could not reproduce the event but acknowledged with documentation that this is a known problem. I am in possession of a Toyota Dealer UA Process Flow chart specific to these events. After the dealer went into the vehicle history they are saying there is nothing wrong with the car and the cause is driver error. The dealer can not give me a specific date of the event they claim was driver error. We have driven the car for almost 4 years, majority driven by one person with no incident. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2023 | POWER TRAIN | Last week my transmission suddenly and completely failed while driving on the interstate, creating a major safety concern. I was stranded on the interstate for three hours until I could be towed off. The car only has 56,000 miles on it and there were no warnings that there was any problem with the transmission. The transmission previously failed at 7,000 miles and was found to be defective and replaced at the time. How can a car with 56,000 miles on it already have had TWO transmission failures? | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Door lock actuator had to be replaced. $500 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | roof leaks,elecktrical connections problems | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | POWER TRAIN | Transmission failure at high speed on the freeway during a non shifting period. Transmission automatically downshifted to 3rd gear at speed on freeway and would not reengage properly to higher gears resulting in immediate red line and sudden slow down in free flowing freeway traffic | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Unknown I didn’t have any accidents | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES | This is 2 times now my brakes give me trouble since i bought the vehicle, the 1st time the brakes died n i had to keep pumping for it to work, the 2nd time it stuck to the floor n i had to use my hand brakes on the freeway. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The torque converter on my 2018 Toyota Rav4 failed and needed to be replaced according to the Toyota dealership. As an experienced driver, I became aware that something was not right with the drivetrain which prompted a service appointment at my local dealership. The problem was detected early and the torque converter was replaced by the dealer at a cost to me of $3,300. If I had not noticed this problem early, it could have resulted in a complete loss of power to the drivetrain even while driving. In addition, although my vehicle is a 2018 model, Toyota acknowledged and addressed this same problem with 2013-2015 models and offered enhanced warranty protection to cover the cost of repairs as documented by Toyota's Warranty Policy Bulletin, No. POL17-06. I contacted Toyota customer service to alert them to this issue but was told there had not been any incidents reported for model years outside of 2013-2015. My concern and the reason for my writing is that Toyota's torque converter problems might exist beyond the 2013-2015 model years. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |