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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The Data Communication Module has failed in my vehicle. This causes several major distractions and increases the risk of an accident. The media screen in the center of the dashboard will send an alert message every 15 seconds saying that ‘the connected device is not compatible’. At night, this alert message is especially bright and distracting. The lights on the SOS button are constantly blinking. More significantly, the SOS button does not work anymore. The only known solution to this problem is either to disconnect the DCM, or to pay more than $1300 to replace it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2024 | AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | First the problem was the seat belt malfunction and I check it everything was ok do accident or damage and two week later passager side air bag malfunction I took it to toyota the see the problem they said there are no recall and i have pay out of my pocket to fix manufacture malfunction problem.. after there months later my suv would not drive faster is move very slow and now it not even 5 years now and my transmission went out I have replace it | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | The following information refers to recall notice 19V544000 "SERVICE BRAKES" and "ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL" (recall number same for both notices) by Toyota for the 2019 Rav 4 Hybrid: "In 2019, Toyota issued a recall for certain 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid vehicles due to a faulty brake assist system, specifically related to a potential issue with the brake booster pump which could lead to brake failure; the 2019 Toyota Prius was also included in this recall." The recall covered the manufacturing period 4/26/2019 - 6/3/2019 and a recall notice was issued on 7/24/2019 for the affected vehicles and owners were notified on 9/20/2019. We purchased our vehicle on 9/21/2019 with manufacture date August 2019 and on 12/19/2024 we suffered a brake failure causing damage to the vehicle and our garage. The Rav Hybrid Limited comes with sensors that will auto brake if it believes the speed/distance is insufficient and the brakes have not been applied. The brakes were self-applied at the time and no sensor action occurred. I believe the above recall should be extended to include August 2019 manufacture and should also include any sensors that involve the braking system and/or stability control system. Currently we are dealing with insurance and Toyota, no appraisal costs as yet | Crash: Yes Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2024 | POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Dear NHTSA, I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding a recurring issue with my 2019 Toyota RAV4, which I believe poses a significant safety concern. The check engine light on my vehicle frequently illuminates, resulting in the disablement of the all-wheel drive (AWD) system. I initially brought my vehicle to a Toyota dealership, where they replaced the charcoal canister (EVAP) three times based on the diagnostic code. Despite these repeated repairs, the problem persists. Suspecting that the issue might be related to the dealership's service, I sought a second opinion from another Toyota dealership. Unfortunately, they provided the same diagnosis and solution, which again failed to resolve the issue. Given that the AWD system is a critical safety feature, especially in adverse driving conditions, I believe this issue should be considered a safety concern and potentially covered by a recall. Further given that the EVAP system is directly tied to the fuel it also should be considered a safety concerns. The repeated failure to address the root cause of the problem not only undermines the reliability of the vehicle but also compromises the safety of its occupants. I kindly request that the NHTSA investigate this matter and consider issuing a recall to address this widespread issue. Your attention to this matter would be greatly appreciated, as it would ensure the safety and satisfaction of Toyota RAV4 owners. Thank you for your time and consideration. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2024 | LANE DEPARTURE | The contact owned a 2019 Toyota Rav4 XLE. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive lane assist efforts. The contact stated while driving at various speeds near a right turning lane, the lane assist engaged erroneously, causing the vehicle to jolt and pull towards the right turning lane. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times; however, the contact was informed that the lane assist was operating as designed. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH with cruise control mode a rainstorm suddenly started. The contact stated he disengaged the adaptive cruise control mode and allowed the vehicle to decelerate. The contact stated that the vehicle jolted to the right. The contact stated while attempting to correct the steering wheel, the vehicle hydroplaned. The vehicle veered off the road at 50-60 MPH and hit several trees, was stuck in the trees, and became crushed. The air bags deployed. The driver's side windshield was shattered. The contact was able to push the door open and to climb out of the vehicle. The contact also received assistance from bystanders. The ambulance examined the contact but was not immediately transported to the hospital due to cost. The contact later went to the hospital where he underwent a brain scan, but no brain damage was found. The contact sustained nerve damage in left arm, injured leg, left arm twitching, head trauma, back, neck, and heart injury. The contact also sustained significant PSTD. The contact stated that a branch that pierced the engine was initially pointing toward the driver's side cabin. A police report was filed but the contact was irate and could not provide the information over the phone. The vehicle was towed and totaled. The manufacturer was notified of the incident, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 11,386. | Crash: No Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | 11,386 |
| Dec 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE | I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding a manufacturing defect in my vehicle and the refusal by Toyota to honor its responsibilities for repair despite clear acknowledgment of the issue. In October 2024, I discovered a small water leak from the roof of my vehicle. I attempted to schedule an appointment with the nearest Toyota dealer, but the timing of their available appointments conflicted with my work schedule, and it was not possible for me to get a timely appointment. In an effort to mitigate the leak, I tried to fix it myself until I could get the vehicle to the dealership. Upon visiting the dealership, I was informed that the issue was a manufacturing defect, but they refused to repair my vehicle because I had attempted to fix the issue myself. This worsened the leak, as they did not return my vehicle to its original condition. I was then informed that I would have to bear the full cost of repairs. I had no prior knowledge of any recall associated with my vehicle. After conducting my own research, I discovered that Toyota had acknowledged the manufacturing defect affecting my vehicle model but had not notified me or issued a recall. I reached out to Toyota’s customer service, and they assured me that they would approve the repair through the dealership. However, after approximately a month of waiting, Toyota informed me that they would not cover the costs of the repair, and they declined to take any further responsibility. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | My car frame floods every time it rains. This flooding includes my sunroof drain clogging. As a result of the water retention in my car’s frame, my cars safety system controller units are being corroded and thus I DO NOT have any reliable safety monitoring system. I have looked into this and this a COMMON complaint for Toyota 2019-2021 Rav4 sunroof cars. I have had the sunroof drain cleared multiple times but the issue remains. So far it has impacted my tire pressure safety monitoring systems. This is a MAJOR safety issue as the electrical safety monitoring system controller units are NOT properly functioning as a result of poor water drainage. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2024 | AIR BAGS | The contact owned a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH and making a left turn at night, the contact did not watch the opposite direction and another driver that was driving 40-50 MPH crashed into the passenger's side of the vehicle, between the rear passenger's side door and the rear passenger's side wheel. The vehicle was propelled 2-3 feet in the air and landed 10 feet away from the collision location. The contact stated that the other vehicle was propelled more than 100 feet away. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact's wife was occupying the front passenger's side seat while the contact's daughter was in the booster seat in the rear passenger's side seat. The contact exited the vehicle. The contact did not sustain any injury. The contact's wife sustained soreness in the right leg. The contact stated that he was able to take his daughter out of the vehicle; however, the rear passenger's side door was significantly difficult to open. The contact stated that his daughter had hit her forehead against the rear passenger's side window during the incident and was crying significantly. The contact's friend transported the daughter to the hospital, where several tests were performed. The contact was informed that no internal injuries were found and that the pain would subside. The contact stated that his daughter sustained emotional trauma after the incident. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 34,111. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 2 Towed Medical attention | 34,111 |
| Dec 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Known DCM issue rendering emergency services button and all DCM services inoperable. Will not be able to activate emergency services in the event of collision. Toyota is aware of this design flaw and put out TSB011220, but they won't cover it outside of the warranty. Potential safety issue | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2024 | ENGINE | In September 2023 I kept getting a warning on my 2019 Toyota RAV4 saying “engine maintenance required”. My car had roughly 50,000 miles. I was not due for an oil change and I serviced my vehicle regularly. I tried to take it to autozone to read the code but nothing came up and they said I just needed an oil change which I knew wasn’t true. I finally took it to a local Toyota dealership on September 23, 2023 and the first thing the advisor said to me after I told her about the warning message was “I already know what’s wrong with it, you’re like the 4th car today with the same issue”. The issue was a defective coolant bypass valve. The advisor said the cars most affected were RAV4’s followed by corollas and it was happening at random mileages. I asked if there was a recall and there wasn’t, she advised me to call Toyota to make a complaint which I did and nothing happened. I had to pay around $1000 to get a defective part fixed that Toyota knew about and still hasn’t issued a recall. Theres a class action lawsuit currently involving 2019-2023 corollas and RAV4s, but I still don’t understand why there hasn’t been a recall. If I didn’t get it repaired, my engine could have overheated multiple times causing more issues. They are knowingly not recalling a defective piece of a equipment that has been installed in hundreds of thousands of cars. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Coolant leaked out of a vehicle’s closed-loop coolant system, harming its ability to properly regulate engine temperature. This can cause overheating, stalling, increased emissions, and total engine failure and also allows coolant to leak into and damage surrounding engine components, including a vehicle’s electrical system, the complaint relays. Coolant leak also corroded the sensor on the RAV4 coolant bypass valve, which can caused it to remain in the open or closed position and be unable to properly direct coolant throughout the engine. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2024 | AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Water leaking under passenger side visor and near passenger side window near the passenger side airbags | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | I have been told by the Toyota Arapahoe dealer that the DCM in the car is bad. All the services the DCM supposedly provides have NEVER worked on the car, leading me to believe it has been faulty from day one. These include all safety assistance features. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Initially thought a seal on the windshield was faulty, so contacted the business who replaced the windshield. Business owner came to owner’s house Mon, Nov 4, 2024. He did a thorough inspection of all areas where water was identified by owner (dash, under the dash, on the driver side floor) and confirmed it was not the windshield. He then inspected the roof rack and determined the roof rack was defective and leaking water from the ceiling of the vehicle, down into the dash, and ultimately onto the floor. He recommended contacting Toyota because this was a known issue. By 12pm on Mon, Nov 4, 2024 owner contacted Toyota alerting them to the issue. An appointment was made to bring the vehicle in for inspection on Mon, Nov 11, 2024. Owners do not have a garage or carport, so a canopy was pitched over the car in an effort to prevent any further water damage and moisture absorbing canisters were placed in the car. The vehicle was not driven in the rain during the period after first noticing the leak and bringing it in to the dealership. Evidence of Electrical Damage: On Friday, November 1, 2024 the driver side seat became extremely hot, to the point of needing to pull over and turn the car off. The seat heater was not turned on at any point during this time. On Saturday, Nov 9, 2024 and Nov 11, 2024 while driving on the highway, the car (normally driven in Eco Mode) unexpectedly switched into Mud&Sand mode and all safety features switched off. Owner was unable to manually override this occurrence. The “Normal” button did not work. After a few minutes, the vehicle switched into the default setting and owner was able to put it back into Eco Mode. On Nov 11, 2024 owner brought vehicle into Toyota for diagnostics. Owner requested that the electrical components also be inspected and was told it was not covered under the Customer Support Program. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2024 | ENGINE | Engine maintenance required when AC is turned on. This is an issue with the coolant by pass valve, many rav4 owners have reported but a recall has not been established | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2024 | ENGINE | My coolant bypass valve gave out and Toyota is insisting it’s not covered under warranty my 10 year warranty. Toyota knew there was a defect and didn’t tell consumers. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | A distracting message “a connected device is not supported” flashes on my console screen every 10 seconds. This occurs when there are no device or cable connected. It blocks the clock and driving directions if I am projecting them through CarPlay. The SOS emergency system lights flash back and forth from red to green. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2024 | ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | I was stopped at a red light. When the light turned green and I pressed the gas, the engine sputtered and almost shut off. Just before I came to a stop, the engine revved up and the vehicle accelerated. The uneven acceleration is concerning. I recently replaced the gas cap and serviced the fuel system, which leads me to believe there is a defect with the engine. Later in the day, the check engine light went on and AWD system, cruise control, and lane assist were disabled. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | A malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle, or automatic transmission has been detected. The car then ran hot and started jerking. I took it to autozone for them to look and could not find anything, I had a mechanic come over to look at it, and he couldn't find anything either. I sent it to Toyota Wolfchase in Memphis TN. Who has stated it will be two or three days before they can even look at it. This seems to be a common problem with Toyota cars yet there's no recall I have seen numerous complaints on Google Reddit, TikTok, and more. I called corporate to make a complaint and they said they don't see any complaints which I know is not true | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2024 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | Toyota has a coolant control valve problem on the RAV4 that it has known is a problem but will not issue a technical service bulletin or recall. It is only covered by the extended warranty. Any other is 800 dollars out of pocket. The warning ️ on the dash blocks the speed indicator and cannot be cleared until the fix is made. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2024 | ENGINE | In July of 2023 at only 23K miles but out of warranty coverage, I received the Engine Maintenance Required warning for the failure of the Coolant Bypass Valve. I took it to the dealership (Alamo Toyota in San Antonio, TX) and they said it needed to be replaced and would not be covered under warranty. They quoted over $850 to do the replacement but the part was on national backorder. After returning home I started doing research and found that this is happening at a very high rate and thus there is obviously a defect to this part. Toyota should be treating this is a defect, fixing the issue and providing the fix as a recall fix. I should not have to pay near $1000 to replace a defective part with another defective part that will most likely fail again. Since I am a very low mileage driver, from July 2023 to now I have only driven 4K miles, I have not replaced the part but continually monitor the engine temperature and for any coolant leakage. I know there is now a class action lawsuit but shouldn't the NHTSA get involved due to the number of failures on RAV4s and Corollas and the lack of responsibility being taken by Toyota? | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | When I was driving the car to work the automatic system (malfunction ) failed to restart in red light, i have to stop to restart (Awd malfunction } says to take to the dealer, I was driving back tothe dealership , they are saying car had zero coolant in syystem, raditor was leaking engine overheat to blow head gasket, a week before i was taking car dealership to state inspection and found only one issue that was back brake to change, no leak nothing they found, now i spent $7679 dollars to fix it i had all the proof what the dealerships try to say from the begining even I fixed, i am trying get rid of the vehicle now , it isonly 47454 miles when the incident happend. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | [XXX] - Driving my 2019 Rav4 Hybrid Se nearing [XXX] [XXX] traveling 25-30mph suddenly felt like car was moving faster, stop sign came up fast, slammed on brakes with 0 effect! Yelled [XXX]? as I shot across the highway, down the shoulder, coming to rest against a couple small trees. No air bag deployed, wearing seat belts of course, still bumped head on ceiling causing small laceration, neck trauma, and Dr found I had also suffered a Vitreous Detachment (eye). Did not lose consciousness. Vehicle damage appeared to be front left corner but enough underneath to total vehicle. Very fortunate no other vehicles involved and that debris brought car to a stop instead of a big tree or wall. Two witnesses heard brakes... INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Sep 2024 | ENGINE | The coolant bypass valve has leaked. It is available for inspection upon request, however this seems to be a larger ongoing problem across the country with this make, model and year. The check engine light did go on. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | The brake caliper remain stuck | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |