Complaint volume
864 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
2019 Toyota RAV4 Complaints
864 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2019 Toyota RAV4, grouped by component category.
864 Total complaints
25 Crash reports
2 Fire reports
16 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 fuel/propulsion system, engine, unknown or other. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 25 crash reports, 2 fire reports, 16 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 307 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 12,567 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to fuel/propulsion system, engine, unknown or other?
- 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 2019 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.
2019 Toyota RAV4
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2019 Toyota RAV4 complaints?
25 Crash
2 Fire
16 Injury
0 Fatality
22 Towed
11 Medical attention
What are the most common 2019 Toyota RAV4 complaint categories?
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 213
ENGINE 134
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 92
POWER TRAIN 46
STRUCTURE 45
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 26
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 15
SERVICE BRAKES 13
VISIBILITY/WIPER 12
AIR BAGS 10
864 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | The contact owns a 2019 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that the headlights failed to produce adequate lighting at night. While driving at 30 MPH in the dark with the headlights on, making a turn into her subdivision, she crashed into the stop sign, pedestrian crossing sign, and a street sign. There were no reported injuries, fire, or airbag deployment. A police report was filed. The local dealer was contacted, who informed her that the headlights were working as designed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000. The VIN was not available. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | 15,000 |
| Jan 2026 | POWER TRAIN | My 2019 Toyota RAV4 8 speed transmission has died. There are 105,000 miles on it. I’ve read that my year and model of car have deficient transmissions and multiple class action lawsuits on this issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Vehicle consistently accepts only approximately 9–10 gallons of fuel when the fuel gauge indicates empty, resulting in significantly reduced driving range. Issue has been widely reported by other Toyota RAV4 Hybrid owners and appears related to fuel tank design. Manufacturer declined assistance and referred responsibility to selling dealer despite known complaints. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | STRUCTURE | I began experiencing intermittent rear liftgate sensor issues on my 2019 Toyota RAV4 in late 2020. The power hatch would stop halfway while opening. On 3/24/2021, while the vehicle was under factory warranty, I brought it to a Toyota dealer for inspection. The dealer stated the issue could not be replicated and advised me to manually push the hatch upward. No repair was made. Over time, the condition worsened. The liftgate began intermittently stopping halfway while closing, using both the key fob and the interior dash button. In 2022, a rattling noise developed in the rear of the vehicle, later determined to be associated with progressive liftgate structural failure. By 2024, the rear liftgate became unsafe and largely inoperable. The hatch shifted significantly to the left, leaving an abnormally large gap at the top and driver’s side. I stopped using the liftgate due to concern it could fail unexpectedly or not close properly. I contacted Toyota Engagement Services multiple times, explaining that this issue is widely reported among 2019 RAV4 owners and presents a safety concern. On 11/18/2025, the vehicle was inspected at Crabtree Toyota. The inspection confirmed rear liftgate hinge failure. The dealer provided video documentation and a written repair estimate. The health inspection also noted a separated and broken passenger-side rear hatch pulse sensor requiring replacement. Toyota closed my case without repairing the defect. Toyota offered a “good faith” credit of approximately 75% of the repair cost that cannot be applied to the liftgate structural or sensor repair and is only usable for unrelated future service. This appears to be a known, progressive defect involving rear liftgate hinges and related sensors on 2019 Toyota RAV4 vehicles. The condition presents a safety risk, as the liftgate may fail to stay open, close unexpectedly, or malfunction electronically. My VIN has been provided. Photos, video, and repair documentation are available upon requ | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2026 | ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | This is another complaint with the same issue. Got gas on January 1, 2026, the truck did not how any indication that it was going to have any problems. Engine shut down and wouldn’t turn back on. This has happened twice after getting gas, no dealership knows the problem. This is casing me stress and putting myself and family in danger. Considering it stops out of no where | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Toyota RAV4 LE gas pump burst and caught fire leading to total fire damage along with major water damage from the firefighters putting out the fire. The vehicle was idle for hours at the time of explosion of the fuel pump. This was a major safety hazard/risk especially being that myself and two others were minutes away from going out to the vehicle before it all happened as I was getting ready to take a friend home for the night. A claim representative will look into this matter in coming days. | Crash: No Fire: Yes | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of motive power. No warning light was illuminated. The contact managed to push the vehicle over to the shoulder of the road, and the vehicle was towed to the residence. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 130,000 |
| Dec 2025 | POWER TRAIN | Safety issue: The vehicle experiences intermittent loss of acceleration and transmission “slip/rev” events, especially when cold, from a stop, or at low speed. At times, the vehicle revs as if in neutral, then re-engages. The driver sometimes must press the accelerator fully to gain speed. In one instance, the vehicle was driven slowly for several miles, pulled over, shut off, restarted, and the function temporarily improved. When it started: Symptoms began immediately after a routine service visit at a Toyota dealership ([XXX]). First noted deceleration going uphill with recovery. Next day, multiple warning indicators/messages appeared and vehicle was towed to the same dealership. Dealer response: Dealership advised transmission replacement based on diagnostic codes and quoted approximately $10,000, stating fluid check was not necessary. Second opinion: Independent shop found transmission fluid level extremely low (reported approx. 1/4 full). They refilled fluid; initially vehicle drove normally, but intermittent slipping/revving continued after pickup (worse when cold/low speed). No external leaks observed by second shop at that time. Current status: Vehicle continues to show intermittent loss of acceleration/slipping behavior, creating a safety risk in traffic. No current check engine light, but symptoms persist. Codes/records available: Codes: P07457F, P28167F, P088A7F, P27137F, C137BA2, C1241, C1280, U1117, B2227. Location: New York. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | my 2019 Toyota 8 speed transmission jerking in stop and go traffic | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact was unsure if the vehicle could be coasted to the side of the road. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a collision center. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 116,248. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 116,248 |
| Dec 2025 | SEATS | I am reporting a concern regarding the driver’s seat design in my Toyota RAV4. While driving this vehicle, I experience consistent back pain that can begin within approximately 15 minutes of driving and often persists for about two hours after driving has ended. The pain includes sharp discomfort in my mid-to-upper back and occurs despite adjusting the seat position and using aftermarket lumbar and seat supports. I do not experience similar pain when driving other vehicles for comparable durations, including a Toyota Highlander, Toyota Camry, Subaru Impreza, Ford Focus, Rivian truck, or a pickup truck. This strongly suggests the issue is related to the RAV4’s seat ergonomics rather than a preexisting condition. Because of this issue, I have begun avoiding driving my own vehicle when possible. I am submitting this report to document a potential seat design issue that may affect driver comfort and safety. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | While traveling back from out of state, the fuel sensor and fuel gauge failed causing me to run out of gas when the fuel gauge stated I had just a tick under a 1/4 tank of gas left and the app read 35 miles left. While driving on freeway at freeway speed, the car sputtered, bogged down and then stalled, placing me in a very dangerous situation broken down on the shoulder of the freeway in the desolate country at night with semi trucks and cars flying by at estimated between 70-80 mph. While stalled and waiting for help, all the lights except the hazard flashers went out. The Sheriff assisted and added 2 gallons of gas that finally got the car restarted and I was able to get to the gas station which was 1 mile ahead of where I had been stranded. I kept filling the gas tank not allowing it to go under 1/2 tank on the fuel gauge the remainder of the trip home. I took the car to Tansky Sawmill Toyota for service, who thought it was a fuel sensor in fuel tank, which had to be dropped, resulting in a tube from the fuel sender being disconnected and not taking fuel from the other side of the tank and corrosion was cleaned out. They had to go through electrical system to check the fuel gauge which had corrosion on the electrical harnesses and sensors not caused by water or rodents - still unknown cause - resulting in $6500.00 to replace both electrical harnesses 82152-0R370 wire FR Door LH and 82141-oRB80 wire Instrument Panel! Known Toyota defect as the 2019 Rav4 Hybrids have already been recalled. Issues of this type with the regular Rav4s are posted all over the online Toyota boards. My platinum extended warranty on my well cared for 2019 RAV4 with 45,131 miles (purchased at 3 year lease end) refused to all of the charges and the dealership did not budge, sticking me with 6 hours of diagnostic fees over what the warranty allowed in the sum of $1014.37. These harnesses need recalled so no one else is stranded in a very dangerous place on the side of the freeway! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | STEERING | Steering wheel is making a buzzing noise when you turn the wheel towards the left or right while you’re driving. It will make the noise in park doing the same back and forth. I’m afraid that my power steering will go out while driving. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Jerks during acceleration. Lurching sensation when acceleration from a stop or after slowing down for a turn. The engine control module (ECM) not communicating effectively with the transmission, leading to searching for gears, rough shifting and low speed hesitation. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Strong gas smell when the engine is turned on. I started feel this issue about 2 year ago, now the gas smell is more stronger every time engine is turned on. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | SEAT BELTS | Complaint Summary: Seatbelt failure on 2019 Toyota RAV4. Complaint Description: I own a 2019 Toyota RAV4, and the driver-side seatbelt has begun failing. The retractor and locking mechanism are not working reliably. Sometimes the belt won’t retract, sometimes it locks up randomly, and other times it doesn’t lock at all. This is a major safety hazard. I’ve owned many vehicles over my lifetime—older cars, newer cars, even vehicles over 50 years old—and I’ve never had a seatbelt go bad. This is the first time I’ve experienced a critical safety component failing like this. Toyota has issued seatbelt-related recalls on other RAV4 model years, but not on the 2019, even though the symptoms match what others have reported. This failure puts me at risk in the event of a crash, and it needs to be investigated. I am reporting this because I believe this is a safety defect, not normal wear, and it may affect more 2019 RAV4s than just mine. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | SEAT BELTS,STRUCTURE,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the rear hatch door failed to remain securely closed. The contact stated that the failure intermittently occurred and became more frequent over time. Additionally, the front driver’s side seat belt buckle and rear passenger’s side seat belt buckle failed to buckle and lock securely. They also stated that the front driver's side electronic reclining seat made grinding sounds while operating. The contact also stated that water was leaking into the vehicle from the rear passenger’s side quarter panel. The cause of the failures was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failures, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 32,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 32,000 |
| Dec 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | My 2019 Toyota RAV4 experienced a dangerous electrical and transmission failure that ultimately caused the vehicle to stall while driving and made me lose control. For several weeks before the incident, the vehicle showed subtle hesitation when accelerating but no warning lights. After the car stalled and spun out coming off the Ben Franklin Bridge onto I-76 near downtown Camden, police responded, confirmed the vehicle had unexpectedly shut off, and verified there was no crash damage. I later brought the car to the Toyota dealership, where they discovered corrosion on the battery cable, failed ABS sensors, and a weak battery. I paid $668 for a new battery, new cable, and ABS sensor repairs. At that time, the dealership did not inform me of any transmission issues and released the vehicle back to me. I made it only a short distance up the road before realizing the vehicle could not accelerate past 40 mph and was still malfunctioning, so I immediately returned it. The next day, the dealership initially claimed there was nothing wrong with the vehicle, but after I insisted they re-evaluate the car, they then informed me that the transmission was failing and needed replacement. This sequence of electrical instability, combined with the transmission malfunction, ultimately led to the earlier stall where I lost all power steering and braking assist and spun out into the median. The vehicle, diagnostic records, and replaced components are available for inspection. The sudden loss of power and control created a major safety risk to me and other drivers in a high-traffic area. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | STRUCTURE | Rear door liftgate hinges defective. They are too week combined with electric power struts. They are being pulled away from body of vehicle and become misshapen (bent, deformed,etc) and causes door/liftgate to be unbalanced and and stick out too far away from body. Now the door/liftgate can not close and be secured | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2025 | ENGINE | Was insinuating engine was over heating even in -4° weather has no hot air plenty of coolant. This is causing the vehicle to "buck" amd having to have to pull over and waiting several minutes to let the engine "cool off" I can make it about 3 miles in-between pull overs. After some research I feel like the issue falls under a current lawsuit against Toyota regarding the coolant valve based on reading other issues and what my rav is doing. It is a several thousand dollar fix through a dealership and one my family can not afford especially if it is a poorly manufactured part of the car. It is one of two vehicles we have and need to daily living especially having a child and no means yo offered another safe vehicle at this time. The coolant pump itself | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The design of some Rav4 grilles (particularly 2019-2024 models) allows rocks and road debris to easily pass through and damage the vulnerable A/C condenser, or radiator behind it, which leads to very expensive repairs. This is what happened to my 2019 Toyota Rav 4. Now I have to pay 1300.00 to get it repaired. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | STRUCTURE | Lift cylinders of power liftgate are operating at different times causing gate to twist. Liftgate fails to open and close automatically, causing prolonged beeping while liftgate is open. Hinges holding liftgate in place have started to bend and crack apart from the body of the car. An independent auto body shop inspected this issue and recreated the tailgate failure. Quote to repair included replacing hinges, lift cylinders and to recheck electronic connections. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | My 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (VIN: [XXX] ) suffered sudden engine failure due to coolant intrusion. On Nov 20, 2025, Johnstons Toyota in Harriman, NY (RO#XXX) diagnosed the issue and recorded DTCs P26CA31 and P26CB, which indicate failure of the coolant flow control/bypass valve. The dealer confirmed heavy white smoke from the exhaust with a strong coolant smell and advised the engine had failed, recommending a replacement. This vehicle is part of the early 2019 Japan-built batch widely known for premature electric water pump and coolant-flow system failures. Internal impeller swelling, seal leakage, and bearing seizure can cause coolant pressure spikes and ultimately head-gasket failure with coolant entering the cylinders. This defect has been reported by thousands of RAV4 Hybrid owners (2019–2021). Toyota has addressed it quietly through internal TSBs such as XXX and XXX but no public recall has been issued. The safety risk is severe: the engine began emitting thick white smoke and ran roughly, risking sudden power loss, overheating, or engine seizure while driving. A stall at highway speed could easily cause a collision. Toyota USA opened Case #XXX but declined assistance despite the defect being well documented. This failure was sudden, with no warning lights prior to the incident. Given the widespread nature of this defect and its clear safety implications, I request that NHTSA open a formal investigation into the electric water pump/coolant system failures in 2019–2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrids and consider requiring a safety recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | UNKNOWN | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2025 | STEERING,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Stopped for gas on 11/6/2025 immediately after getting gas the truck shook twice, the power steering light and engine shut down light came on and the truck turned off. Waited for a few minutes to turn the engine again it wouldn’t start. Got it towed to my nearest dealership who kept it for a day. Said there was nothing wrong with the truck, there was no code showing and they couldn’t determine the cause of the problem. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |