Complaint volume
620 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
2020 Toyota RAV4 Complaints
620 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2020 Toyota RAV4, grouped by component category.
620 Total complaints
16 Crash reports
5 Fire reports
10 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 engine, fuel/propulsion system, 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 16 crash reports, 5 fire reports, 10 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 191 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 14,165 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to engine, fuel/propulsion system, 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 2020 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.
2020 Toyota RAV4
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2020 Toyota RAV4 complaints?
16 Crash
5 Fire
10 Injury
0 Fatality
15 Towed
10 Medical attention
What are the most common 2020 Toyota RAV4 complaint categories?
ENGINE 119
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 78
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 69
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 62
STRUCTURE 41
AIR BAGS 39
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 20
POWER TRAIN 15
STEERING 15
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 12
620 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | The ABS and brake booster systems failed, and my traction control was not working as intended. Every light related to the braking system came on all at once and the ability to break became slowed, could not stop if needed to at anything other than a slow decline in speed (wouldn’t be able to go to a full stop without ample planning or control - being cut off, too close to a red light or car needing to turn, or on the highway would’ve ended in an accident). Thankfully was on surface streets both times. Problem was recurrent. Toyota dealership confirmed issue and noted loss of braking power but noted the code was intermittent and failure not definitive, hard to reproduce. Attempted to repair issue, which temporarily worked but re-occurred 1 month later. End result - needed to replace battery, stroke position sensor, brake booster with master cylinder/ABS actuator, which was almost $4,000 in repairs, with no promise it would fix the issue. No warning lamps, signs, or notable symptoms before braking failure. Battery died twice before brakes situation, but attributed to a faulty update system sending data continuously. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | ENGINE | Engine maintenance required see dealer | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | POWER TRAIN | My car is 55000 Miles and coolant by pass valf is broken. it is common issue for this engine . Toyota shoul fix this issue as recall. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | POWER TRAIN | “Engine maintenance required visit your dealer” appeared on screen. After searching for similar issues. The coolant bypass valve has malfunctioned or failed. The fact that hundreds if not thousands of others have had this issue and it has not yet been recalled coupled with the fact that this isn’t covered under powertrain warranty is just crazy. Considering when reporting this issue I had to select powertrain that showed coolant / hoses under the menu baffles me even kore that it wouldn’t even be considered covered under warranty. There needs to be a recall. $700+ to replace a sub $100 hose and sensor that has nothing to do with normal wear and tear. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle briefly lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the coolant temperature sensor, requiring that the coolant temperature sensor to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 40,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 40,000 |
| Mar 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,STRUCTURE | lift gate doesn’t open and close properly | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Engine maintenance required, visit your dealer. There are a lot of Toyota owners with this issue and they said it is the coolant bypass valve. Toyota needs to fix/recall this issue. They want to charge us 700 dlls but it should be free. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | A week prior to this incident, the 2020 RAV4 was taken to Toyota for its maintenance check where everything was checked, replaced and changed. However, the last two days an incessant message keeps popping up on the dash stating “engine maintenance required… Visit your dealer” taking up the entirety of the middle screen inhibiting my ability from seeing my speed, mileage, distance to empty , time, lane assist and other car information that I normally rely on. I have pressed the “arrow back” or “back” button numerous times but three seconds later the message pops again inhibiting me from being able to use necessary car controls to stay safe. The engine on the 2020 RAV4 needs to be recalled as my car only has 55,000 miles on it. I have talked to numerous professionals within the motor industry in which they state these engines have lower stability and life expectancy than PREVIOUS engines used in older RAV4 models. Not only the engine, but the messaging system within the RAV4 needs to be fixed immediately as the communication of maintenance WHILE driving is a hazard. If I cannot look at texts to even just simply read it, why is there is message bright and in the middle of my dashboard popping every 3 seconds with a bright red triangle stating that I need “engine maintenance required,visit a dealer”. This is a safety issue and one in which almost nearly cost me my life. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | STEERING | Electronic power steering failure. Upon starting the car, the steering wheel has no power steering. The steering wheel can still be turned but requires a lot of force. There were no warning lights or messages on the dashboard or infotainment system before or after the issue. Toyota has issued recalls for this issue but informed me that my car is not covered under the recall, despite having the exact same issue on the exact same model described in the recall. (NTSHA ID: 20V373000, Toyota ID: 20TB11 / 20TA11) This is dangerous as it could have failed while driving, leading to an accident. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ENGINE | I kept getting an engine maintenance message. The coolant bypass assembly failed. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ENGINE | Code P268115... Every time you start the vehicle a message will display a "Engine Maintenance Required" and it will never go away, I was driving off road and the message would get in the way of seeing how my AWD is performing. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I have 48,000 miles on my 2020 Toyota RAV4 XLE Premium, received an Engine warning system light on vehicle, I took the vehicle to my local Toyota dealer in Gastonia, NC, to be told it was a faulty coolant bypass valve. I have noticed online that this has been a reoccurring problem with 2019-2020 RAV4. They quoted me a price of $619.00 to fix. With my car being newer and only having 48,000 miles, I feel this is a fault of Toyota, not mine. Faulty equipment failure on their part. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ENGINE | I having the engine maintenance like tons of other people and it seems is a 800$ fix..... to many people having the same issue and it seems is the return valve hose for everyone | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | This is a known issue. Coolant Bypass Valve Issue Error on value says "Engine Maintenance Required, Visit Your Dealer." We have been waiting on the recall at 27,000 miles (brand new purchased). We are at 50,000 miles now and still no resolution and the error stays. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ENGINE | Check engine warning came on, dealer immediately knew it was coolant bypass valve since this is a very common incident with Rav4s recently. My valve was defective and leaking coolant so I had to get it replaced. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ENGINE | The engine coolant bypass valve has shorted and needs to be replaced. The dealer has confirmed the issue. First noticed when a message on the dash that said to see the dealer for an engine issue | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | AIR BAGS | The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was 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 | Carry Handle, Shell, Base | The shell latching mechanism is no longer latching and or latching to the base. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ENGINE | p/a engine coolant bypass valve and coolant, and connector with pigtail, pins are full of corrosion inside connector. Items need to be replaced | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | AIR BAGS | The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) 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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | ENGINE | Coolant bypass valve on all newer 2019 and up Rav4 models are known to cause issues or break at early mileage usually before 50k miles. It’s a known problem with Rav4 owners and is backed by many claims on social media websites and internet forums. The cost for diagnostic of “engine maintenance required” message on cars dash can range up to $150 and up for diagnostic fees only at Toyota Dealerships. Other independent mechanics cannot diagnose the problem message. Repair and replacement of $800 for parts and labor is ridiculous. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | STRUCTURE,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | The rear hatch liftgate hinges are not adequately structured to withhold pressure under normal use. Over varied short durations of time from the vehicle being new, the rear liftgate hinge's structure fails. The hinges split and crack. This damage occurs despite factory liftgate struts being in plate to assist in the opening of the liftgate. In my case this issue first appeared during and after a snowstorm. A multitude of similar complaints on forums. This has caused my liftgate to misalign and not close. I have had to turn off the auto liftgate and slowly close it despite it is now rubbing the right rear fender/quarter area. As of now I have to repair the issue with new hinges that have not been redesigned, that will again likely prematurely fail. You can view the complaints within Toyota Forums, all see February 2024 class action lawsuit, Hughes vs Toyota attached with the below photos | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | ENGINE | There seems to be a lot of folks online wanting a resolution from Toyota regarding a Coolant Bypass Valve that fails around 30k-60k miles on their 2020 Toyota Rav4's and other models. My Rav 4 just recently had the Engine Maintenance Required pop up on mine & I'm between 30k-40k. Some people had their issue a couple years ago and still nothing has been done about it. Toyota is charging close to $1000 for total repairs with labor for most of these instances. The community wants & needs a recall. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | ENGINE | My vehicle that's only 4 years old stopped moving forward or backwards when putting the car in gear. The car turns on perfectly fine never gave us a warning or driving issues until the day it stopped moving on a highway. I got the vehicle towed to Avondale Toyota in Arizona and they told me not a single professional technician was able to find anything wrong with the transmission. I think to myself "not one of these professionals can find an issue with a car that's 4 years old? That's odd to me. But they advised me they could fix the vehicle with a brand new transmission for $8,000 but that's my only option at this point. I live paycheck to paycheck and this isn't something that could have happened to me at a worst time expecting a child in the summer. Im hoping it could be just a solinod or something like a misfire. Please help. Sincerely a father in need. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | ENGINE | The coolant bypass valve failed on my RAV4 at 67,757 miles. There are multiple similar complaints online and I would like to bring it to the attention to the NHTSA. The engine service light cut on and the dealership replaced the valve to make it go away. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |