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
620 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2020 Toyota RAV4, grouped by component category.
Buyer interpretation
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
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.
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.
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 is available on 191 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 14,165 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
620 total complaints on record
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2020 | STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | AIR CONDITIONING STOPPED WORKING TWICE, FIRST TIME REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE AND NOW IT'S OUT AGAIN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS LATER. REPAIR WAS 1500.00 FIRST TIME. SECOND CONTINUES TO RATTLE FROM MIRRORS, FRONT END AND CARRYING RACK. MY RIGHT FRONT FOG LIGHT OUT AND SERVICE SAID FRONT END WAS VERY LOOSE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 9,000 |
| Dec 2020 | STEERING | STEERING IS TOO LOOSE TO CONTROL. I BROUGHT TO DEALER 3 TIMES THEY SAID IT OK EVERY TIMES. I FEEL ARE NOT SAFE, ESPECIALLY WHEN ON HIGH WAYS. LAST WEEK ALMOST SLICED FROM THE ROAD. WHAT SHOULD I DO? | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | BATTERY DIED LESS THAN 24 HOURS AFTER LAST USE. PARKED IN ENCLOSED GARAGE. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | I BOUGHT MY 2020 RAV4 LE VIN: [XXX] LAST JAN.2020 I NOTICED THE BACK DOOR GLASS HAS A LOT OF CIRCLES COMING FROM EFFECT OF SUCTION GLASS HANDLER THESE CIRCLES BECOME VERY VISIBLE WITH HUMIDITY AND CAUSE DECREASE IN MY VISION TO THE BACK OF MY CAR SPECIALTY AT NIGHT I CAN'T DECIDE HOW FAR IS CAR BEHIND ME AND TOTALLY UNSAFE. WHEN I TRIED TO COMPLAIN TO DEALER THEY ARE SO RUDE AND NOT COOPERATIVE, STORE MANAGER HIS NAME [XXX] SAID YOU CAN COMPLAIN TO TOYOTA NOT US INSISTING ON ITS NOT A DEFECT IN MY CAR . JUST FYI I RECORDED MY COMPLAIN AT DEALER OFFICE 2 TIMES. THEN I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY FILE CASE NUMBER [XXX] ASKING ME TO GIVE THEM TIME TO INVESTIGATE ON 12/11/ 2020 AT 6:20 PM EST I RECEIVED PHONE CALL FROM CASE MANAGER HER NAME IS [XXX] THE PHONE CALL IS RECORDED SHE SAID AFTER INVESTIGATIONS ALL RAV4 2020 HAS SAME PROBLEM OF CIRCLES IN HATCHBACK GLASS DOOR AND IT COMES FROM THE WAY HOW THE CAR BUILT AND THIS MAKES THE GLASS CONTAINS A LOT OF CIRCLES I TOLD HER THIS DEFECT IN THE CAR BECAUSE IT DECREASES MY VISION SHE SAID TOYOTA DOES NOT CONSIDER THESE CIRCLES A DEFECT ITS JUST BECAUSE THE WAY THE BUILT THE CAR. PLEASE HELP ME I PAID A LOT OF MONEY TO BUY BRAND NEW CAR THEN SURPRISED WITH THIS PROBLEM AND TOYOTA CONSIDER THIS NOT A PROBLEM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2020 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | WHEN I FILL MY GAS TANK, IT DOES NOT SHOW FULL. I BOUGHT THIS SUV 4/17/2020. ALSO, BURNS THROUGH GAS QUICKLY. I SEEM TO GO GET GAS OFTEN AS IT QUICKLY BURNS THROUGH HALF A TANK, THEN STAYS THERE FOR A WHILE THEN QUICKLY DOWN TO 1/4 TANK. I WAS SENT FROM TOYOTA THAT THEY KNEW THIS IS A PROBLEM BUT DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX. NOW WHEN I CALL THEM, THEY TELL ME THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. YET IN THEIR LETTER SAID DO NOT TOP OFF AND DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE FUEL LIGHT OR WILL RUN OUT OF GAS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 120 |
| Dec 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | THE VEHICLE SAT IN THE GARAGE 3 DAYS AND WHEN I TRIED TO START THERE WAS NO POWER TO THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. I TRIED TO JUMPSTART THE VEHICLE WITHOUT AVAIL. CALL TOYOTA THEY SENT SERVICE VEHICLE THAT JUMPSTART THE VEHICLE AND HAD IT RUN FOR @ 10 MINUTES. SHUT CAR OFF AND IT WOULD NOT RESTART. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. PER THE DEALERSHIP THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT WAS THE ISSUE. THE BATTERY IS BEING DRAINED BY SOME OTHER ISSUE. TOYOTA NEED TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND FIX THE ISSUE PROPERLY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,000 |
| Dec 2020 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | DRIVING DOWN I-40 IN OKLAHOMA AROUND 70-75 MPH ON 12/4/20 AROUND 1:00 PM CT, OUT OF NOWHERE, THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. MOST OF THE GLASS WENT OUT AND BEHIND THE CAR, BUT SOME GLASS ENDED UP ON DRIVER AND 2 PASSENGERS. THERE WAS NOT ANY OTHER CARS (IN FRONT OR BEHIND) AT THE TIME THIS OCCURRED. SOME GLASS DID NOT COME OFF AND YOU CAN SEE BY MY PICTURES THAT THE GLASS IS CURVED UP, SHOWING THE DIRECTION THE GLASS EXPLODED UPWARDS AND OUT OF THE CAR. THE ROOF OF THE CAR, YOU CAN SEE THE PAINT CHIPS CAUSED BY THE EXPLODING GLASS GOING BACKWARDS, PLEASE SEE INCLUDED PHOTO. I WAS HEADED TO ARLINGTON TX FOR A WEEKEND TRIP, SO I CALLED A TOYOTA DEALER IN ARLINGTON AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY SAID THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN. THEY CONTACTED THEIR TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE NOT SEEN AN EXPLODING SUNROOF BEFORE AND THAT IT HAD TO BE A ROCK HITTING THE SUNROOF. THIS DEALER DID GET A SUNROOF DELIVERED ON THE NEXT DAY AND WAS ABLE TO INSTALL ON SATURDAY 12/5/20. TOYOTA DID NOT BELIEVE THIS WAS DEFECTIVE SUNROOF, BUT I DO BELIEVE SOMETHING WAS DEFECTIVE, BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ANY VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED AND I DO NOT RECALL A ROCK HITTING THE SUNROOF PRIOR TO THE EVENT. THIS SEEMS ODD THAT THE SUNROOF WOULD JUST SUDDENLY EXPLODE AND SHATTER UPWARDS AND OUT OF THE CAR. PLEASE SEE ATTACHED PICTURES. VANDERGRIFF WAS ABLE TO GET IN A SUNROOF AND REPLACE IT, BUT IT WAS AT MY EXPENSE. PARTS AND LABOR $1,121.86 | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,400 |
| Dec 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | OUR 2020RAV4 HYBRID HAS FAILED TO START TWICE (5/5/2020 AND 12/5/2020) AFTER SITTING ONLY 1-2 DAYS IN OUR GARAGE. IT REQUIRED JUMPING TO BE RECHARGED. FROM THE CARGURUS SITE, THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH NO DEFINITE SOLUTION YET, PERHAPS A BAD BATCH OF BATTERIES, PERHAPS A SOFRWARE UPDATE NEEDED, OR SOMETHING ELSE? TOYOTA NEEDS TO FIGURE IT OUT AND FIX IT! WE DON'T FEEL LIKE A NEW, EXPENSIVE VEHICLE CAN BE DEPENDED ON. | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,600 |
| Dec 2020 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | THE 14.5-GALLON GAS TANK IN MY 2020 TOYOTA RAV4 HYBRID HAS A DEFECT THAT PREVENTS THE TANK FROM BEING FILLED TO CAPACITY. THIS DEFECT NOT ONLY FAILS TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL AND STATE GAS TANK REGULATIONS, WHICH PROHIBIT THE SALE OF VEHICLES THAT CANNOT FILL 90 PERCENT OR WITHIN TWO GALLONS OF THEIR NOMINAL GAS TANK CAPACITY, BUT SUFFER FROM A SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED DRIVING RANGE. THE FUEL TANK DEFECT PREVENTS ME FROM GETTING ANYWHERE NEAR THE VEHICLES' ADVERTISED 550-PLUS-MILE RANGE (I AVERAGE 400-425 GALLONS A TANK), WHICH WAS A MAJOR SELLING POINT AND FOR WHICH I PAID A PREMIUM PRICE FOR; THIS HAPPENS AT EVERY INTERVAL I HAVE TO FILL UP ON GAS. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS WELL, I MAY RUN OUT OF FUEL WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT OR LEAVE ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A BUSY OR DESERTED ROAD AND WITH A NY WINTER, IT IS JUST NOT SAFE TO BE STRANDED IN THE COUNTRYSIDE WHEN IT IS FREEZING COLD OUTSIDE. RUNNING OUT OF FUEL MAY ALSO DAMAGE MY VEHICLES FUEL SYSTEM TOO! THE OWNER'S MANUAL WARNS THAT IF MY VEHICLE RUNS OUT OF FUEL OR THE FUEL IS TOO LOW, THE HYBRID SYSTEM MAY NOT BE ABLE TO START. | Crash: No Fire: No | 200 |
| Dec 2020 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | THE FUEL TANK IS RATED AT 14.6 GAL BUT THE MOST I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT IS 11 GAL. THE ISSUE IS CONSISTENT ACROSS EVERY FUELING PERIODS AND AFTER TAKING IT TO THE SERVICE CENTER TWICE, THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED AND THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN THAT THE FUEL TANK HAS NO ISSUES. I HAVE SHOWN THE PROOFS TO THE SERVICE CENTER AND YET THEY DENY CLAIMS. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2020 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | I PURCHASED MY BRAND NEW 2020 RAV4 HYBRID ON 7/1/2020 AND WAS TOLD THE CAR IS IN PERFECT CONDITION WITHOUT ANY ISSUE. STARTED WITH 2ND TANK OF GAS FILL UP, I NOTICE THE METER READING IS NOT CORRECT. WHEN I DROVE THE CAR AWAY ON 7/1/2020, THE READING SHOW SOMETHING LIKE "520 MILES TO EMPTY". WITH THE 2ND TANK FILL UP, THE READING CHANGED TO "480 MILES TO EMPTY". WHEN COMES TO THE 4TH TANK FILL UP, THE READ IS NOW SHOWING "410 MILES TO EMPTY". ALSO, BASED ON THE CAR SPECIFICATIONS, THE TANK SIZE IS 14.5 GAL, BUT I CAN ONLY FILL UP AROUND 10 GALLONS OF GAS, THE TANK WOULD BE FULL. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT TODAY. I WAS JUST TOLD THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK ALONG WITH SOME OTHER PARTS ON THE ALMOST BRAND NEW CAR. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. TOYOTA SOLD THE CAR WITH MAJOR ISSUE TO ME AND WITHOUT DISCLOSE THE INFORMATION AT THE TIME OF THE SALE. THE ISSUE WAS LONG EXIST BEFORE I PURCHASE THE CAR AFTER GOOGLED THE ISSUE ONLINE. THEY SHOULD HAVE DISCLOSED THE FAULTY ISSUE OF THE CAR AT THE TIME OF THE PURCHASE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 8 |
| Nov 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | CAR WOULD NOT START AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT IN MY GARAGE. ONLY HAS 2,200 MILES ON IT. DASHBOARD LIGHTS FLICKERING SAYING PARKING BRAKE MALFUNCTION AND CHECK ENGINE/ OTHER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. SEEMS TO BE A HUGE ISSUE FROM OTHER REVIEWS. TOYOTA NEEDS A RECALL OR WE NEED TO FILE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT! UNACCEPTABLE. LOOKING INTO CA LEMON LAW. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,200 |
| Nov 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | CAR DID NOT START AFTER 2 DAYS OF NOT USING IT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,000 |
| Nov 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | CAR WOULD NOT START AFTER SITTING UNUSED FOR A FEW DAYS. BATTERY IS FINE; CAR COMPLETELY DEAD. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,700 |
| Nov 2020 | STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | TOYOTA'S CLAIM OF A 3,500 POUND TOW CAPACITY IS NOT TRUE. I CANNOT TOW A 3,000 POUND HOUSE TRAILER LEGALLY WITH THEIR OEM 4-PRONG WIRING HARNESS. A 7-BLADE PLUG IS REQUIRED TO PASS STATE INSPECTION AND TOYOTA DOES NOT AND WILL NOT PROVIDE THIS HARNESS. FALSE ADVERTISING AND SUCKER PROMOTION IS THE PROBLEM. BAIT AND SWITCH!!! SO SAD. VERY ANGRY! | Crash: No Fire: No | 30 |
| Nov 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | BATTERY ISN'T HOLDING A CHARGE. TEMPS OUTSIDE ARE GETTING COLDER BUT NOT THAT COLD. DON'T DRIVE IT ON SUNDAYS, BATTERY IS DEAD DEAD ON MONDAY MORNINGS. DRIVE AN AVERAGE OF 30 MILES PER DAY. BATTERY WAS REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP AND STILL SLOW TO START IN THE MORNINGS. NOW RUN IT IDLING FOR 20 MINUTES SUNDAY EVENING TO ENSURE IT STARTS MONDAY MORNING | Crash: No Fire: No | 8,500 |
| Nov 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | OUR CAR SAT FOR 2 DAYS WITHOUT BEING USED AND THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. READ ONLINE MANY OTHER RAV4 OWNERS HAVING SIMILIAR ISSUES, SOMETHING IS DRAINING THE BATTERY | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,000 |
| Nov 2020 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | FUEL TANK DOES NOT FILL COMPLETELY AND SHOWS INACCURATE READING ON THE DRIVER CONSOLE | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,000 |
| Nov 2020 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | WHEN THE EMPTY LIGHT ON THE GAS TANK OF MY TOYOTA RAV4 HYBRID LE TURNS ON, I AM ONLY ABLE TO FILL THE TANK WITH 10.5 GALLONS. TOYOTA SPECS STATES THAT THE FUEL TANK SHOULD HAVE A 14.5 GALLON CAPACITY, AND WHEN THE EMPTY LIGHT TURNS ON, THERE SHOULD BE 2.3 GALLONS LEFT OF FUEL IN THE TANK. I HAVE COMMUNICATED THIS TO TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS AND TO ROSEVILLE TOYOTA IN CALIFORNIA, BUT THEY STATE THAT MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT WITHIN THE LIST OF AFFECTED CARS, AND THEY REFUSE TO CHECK ON THE ISSUE TO CONFIRM MY COMPLAINT AND ADD MY VIN TO ANY PROGRAM OR SUPPORT THEY MIGHT HAVE. | Crash: No Fire: No | 440 |
| Nov 2020 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | CAR HAS APPROX 900 MILES AND HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES AND JUMP STARTED 3 TIMES. TOYOTA SVC DEPT IS UNABLE TO REPRODUCE OR IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM, I WAS TOLD I'M NOT DRIVING THE CAR ENOUGH AND THAT THEY CAN'T FIX A PROBLEM WHEN THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, I NEVER KNOW WHEN THE CAR WILL START OR NOT, VERY FRUSTRATING. | Crash: No Fire: No | 750 |
| Nov 2020 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | THE GAS TANK IS RATED AT 14.5 GALLONS. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET MORE THAN 10 GALLONS OF GAS AT FILL UP ONCE I HAVE GONE 30 MILES AFTER I HAVE 0 MILES REMAINING TO FILL UP. I CAN NOT GO ANYWHERE NEAR 580 MILES AS TOYOTA HAS STATED. I DO GET AROUND 43 MPG DRIVING IN CITY TRAFFIC ONLY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 1,500 |
| Nov 2020 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | REFUELING ALLOWS ONLY AROUND 10 GAL. BEFORE THE PUMP AUTOMATICALLY SHUTS OFF. THIS CAUSES SIGNIFICANT (100+ MILES) REDUCTION IN POSSIBLE MILEAGE COMPARED TO REPORTED DTE FROM TOYOTA, AND DOES NOT MATCH THE 14.5 GAL. FUEL CAPACITY REPORTED. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2020 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK IS LISTED BY TOYOTA COMPANY AS 14.5 GALLON CAPACITY AND, IN REALITY, THIS TANK'S SHAPE ONLY ALLOWS IT TO FILL TO APPROXIMATELY 9 GALLONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE FUEL GAUGES "MILES TO EMPTY" DOES NOT APPEAR TO READ THE AMOUNT CORRECTLY. I HAVE ALMOST RUN OUT OF FUEL ON THE HIGHWAY AS A RESULT OF THE VEHICLE'S IMPROPER READING. THE ACTUAL GAS IN THE TANK WAS MUCH LOWER THAN THE VEHICLE ITSELF TOLD ME. THE RANGE IS ADVERTISED BY THE MANUFACTURER AT APPROXIMATELY 500 MILES WHEN IN REALITY IT APPEARS TO BE UNDER 300 MILES DEPENDING ON DRIVING CONDITIONS. | Crash: No Fire: No | 600 |
| Oct 2020 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | NEW 2020 RAV4 HYBRID MAKES LOUD GRINDING NOISE SOMETIMES WHEN PLACED IN REVERSE AND EV MODE IS ENGAGED. APPEARS TO BE FAILURE OF SPRAG-TYPE DEVICE TO DISENGAGE ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION FROM ELECTRIC DRIVE SYSTEM. MULTIPLE MEMBERS OF FRANK TOYOTA SERVICE DECLARED IT TO BE NORMAL AND REFUSED TO MAKE ANY WRITTEN ENTRIES EVIDENCING THE COMPLAINT. THEY CLAIMED I WAS MISTAKEN WHEN I POINTED OUT THAT IT DID NOT BEGIN UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 600 MILES ON IT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 600 |
| Oct 2020 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | REFUELING FROM EMPTY ALLOWS ONLY AROUND 10 GAL. BEFORE THE PUMP AUTOMATICALLY SHUTS OFF. THIS CAUSES SIGNIFICANT (100+ MILES) REDUCTION IN POSSIBLE MILEAGE COMPARED TO REPORTED DTE FROM TOYOTA, AND DOES NOT MATCH THE 14.5 GAL. FUEL CAPACITY REPORTED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,500 |