Complaint volume
625 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
625 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2020 Toyota RAV4, grouped by component category.
625 Total complaints
17 Crash reports
5 Fire reports
11 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 17 crash reports, 5 fire reports, 11 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 194 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 15,183 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?
17 Crash
5 Fire
11 Injury
0 Fatality
16 Towed
10 Medical attention
What are the most common 2020 Toyota RAV4 complaint categories?
ENGINE 135
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 83
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 81
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 77
AIR BAGS 47
STRUCTURE 39
STEERING 20
POWER TRAIN 19
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 12
SERVICE BRAKES 10
625 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2025 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | Shortly after having vehicle serviced at Toyota the engine maintenance light came on. Imagine my surprise at learning that many other Rav4 owners have the same exact issue right around the 65,000 mile mark. But regardless I toke it to the Toyota dealer to have them diagnose the issue and under the advisement of the technician opt in for the repair so that my car “wouldn’t have more serious problems as a result [of not fixing the coolant bypass valve].” So now I have to pay $1000 for repair when I have had the car just the tiniest bit over 4 years (which is how long the warranty lasted). | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ENGINE | The coolant valve is malfunctioning and causing an engine safety light to be on constantly | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ENGINE | Coolant bypass valve failure | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The wiring harness to the lithium battery is corroded, and it is unregulated. My repair shop said the car is unsafe to drive because of the amount of unregulated electricity in the battery. Also, the cruise control doesn't work. My repair shop says this is happening to other vehicles. Parts and labor total almost $7,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | STEERING | After 4 to 5 years vehicle has begun to sporadically upon the first 10 minutes of driving to show a low power steering error message. The error message turns on and turns off within one second many people have been reporting the same issue with even their newer model RAV4’s. This is not acceptable. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | AIR BAGS | Recall has been available with no fix since 2023 They are not providing a repair time I feel unsafe driving the car | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ENGINE | Warning light: Engine Maintenance Required Coolant Bypass Valve | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | ENGINE | Continuous Warning light display : Engine Maintenance Required Visit Your Dealer. The OBD diagnostic scanner lists the faulty system as follows: Code P268115. Engine coolant bypass valve circuit short to battery or open circuit. This appears to be a common fault on certain Toyota RAV4 years. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal amount of white smoke and an abnormal odor coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced due to coolant intrusion. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V064000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) as a possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 100,000 |
| Mar 2025 | STRUCTURE | Liftgate hinges on my 2020 RAV4 hybrid XSE failed, causing misalignment so the liftgate/tailgate does not close properly or completely. Liftgate hinges are made of materials that are not strong enough for consistent and safe operation. Toyota has not issued a recall or provided safety warnings or notifications, nor is the company providing replacement hinges. RAV4 owners are left to pay for the replacement of these hinges when it’s a quality issue that can impact the safe operation of 2020 Toyota RAV4s. Toyota recently settled a lawsuit brought by an individual because of this issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | ENGINE | at only 55k miles my 2020 toyota rav4 has shown an “engine maintenance required” sign. not to be mistaken with general maintenance. apparently this is a widely common issue where brand new toyotas are having cooling bypass valve issue. however concerningly so, because there are no recalls for this problem yet seemingly every rav4 has this problem? how is there no recall, everyone is paying out of pocket for essentially poor manufacturing, its outrageous, also considering the part itself is under $100 but some dealers are charging anywhere to $600-$1300. it’s predatory and outright wrong. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | ENGINE | The coolant bypass valve has been failed prematurely therefor engine heat up and there is a warning on my dashboard that say "engine maintenance required" | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Hybrid System Malfunction. The warning lights came on notifying of an issue with the hybrid system. A certified Toyota service center inspected the vehicle and found the hybrid floor wire traction cable/wiring harness corroded. Issue started 3/1/25, car was inspected on 3/3/25. This is a known issue with Toyota. Vehicle will no longer start and could have shut off while driving without warning. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | AIR BAGS | I filed a complaint with Toyota to replace my vehicle and they said they denied my claim. They promised a fix by 2024 and it is already 2025 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | STRUCTURE | Power lift gate not opening and shutting then noted that the mount on the passenger side is partially sheared off the car bracket and starting to separate on the drivers side. Was unable to close the hitch all the way, and beeping continuously while driving so brought to a toyota dealer service who ordered replacement pistons, in the mean time battery died due to being unable to close back. Once piston parts were obtained by toyota service center, had to have the car towed due to battery not able to be charged, then they noticed the bolts starting to shear off. Stated they have never seen anything like this but when looked online, found this has been a common problem and a class action suit has been filed for this exact reason | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | 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 unavailable. 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 |
| Feb 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I am told my DCM is not functioning properly. I learned this when my remote start function was no longer working. The dealership ran a diagnostics then wanted me to pay almost another $200 to restart the DCM with no guarantee that would work. If that didn’t work then I would have to pay another $300 for them to do a more involved process. I declined because I feel this should not be a problem that I have to pay to fix. They indicated that my key fobs could eventually stop working at which point I decided to submit this complaint. The DCM seems like a pretty core function that should not have problems at this point (5 year old car) and if it does, it seems like something the manufacturer should be responsible for repairing. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Engine maintnance light came on dashboard. Was not aware of this issue until doing research. Parts that needs replace - Cooling Bypass Valve | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | It's been a year that this situation is still under a recall and there is no remedy. Keep receiving constant notices and every time I call its something new and yet they still don't have a remedy. I was told last year not to have anyone sit in my passenger seat until a remedy is found. I feel unsafe and have been financing my Toyota RAV4 since August 2020. My recent call they wont have a remedy June 2025 which I told believe being when I called last year I was told that the remedy would be September 2024. So basically they are telling me that if I were in an accident that the airbags will not go off is someone is sitting in my passengers seat being that what needs to be fixed is the airbag sensor. To be told that I shouldnt have anyone in my passenger seat until this is fixed is insane. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2025 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact inspected the vehicle and became aware that the hinges on the rear liftgate were bent, and the liftgate was misaligned. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was informed that there was no recall on the VIN for the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 22,500. | Crash: No Fire: No | 22,500 |
| Jan 2025 | STRUCTURE | right rear hinge for hatchback failed and making my hatchback unusable. I have been on several websites and this common issue it seems for Rav 4. Toyota will not fix it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2024 | ENGINE | Check engine light came on and noted a malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle or transmission. When taken to the dealer they found code P012807 related to engine cooling and suggested a replacement of the thermostat. This part should have a life of 100k or 8-10 years and car currently has less than 60k miles and 4 years old. Asked the dealership about known recall 20TA04 - for engine cooling recall but they insisted my car was not impacted. This is a safety issue as it could result in overheating of the engine leading to fire hazards. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2024 | ENGINE | What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The Engine Coolant Bypass Valve B failed. The check engine light comes on and disables All-Wheel-Drive, Radar Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist and interrupts functionality of the infortainment system. I am also worried that it could have a negative effect on the operation of the engine. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My safety or the safety of others was not put at risk. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. The problem has been confirmed by an independent service center. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2024 | POWER TRAIN | Coolant bypass valve needs to be replaced per Toyota. Many people are having this problem. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2024 | AIR BAGS | This recall has been in place for over a year and Toyota cannot tell us when there will be a remedy for it meanwhile, driving a passenger in my only vehicle is unsafe. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |