2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: August 1, 2025 · Filed: August 12, 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the messages "Pre-Collision", "Braking Power Low", and "AWD System Malfunction" were displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on the previous two model years of the same vehicle, but no cause for the failure was found when the vehicle was taken to the local dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 52,700.

Incident: June 18, 2022 · Filed: June 18, 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated that while receiving an oil change by a certified mechanic, the contact was informed that there was no coolant in the coolant reservoir. The mechanic confirmed that the radiator, hoses, and thermostat had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. While the contact was checking the coolant levels, the coolant level was always lower than expected. The contact was continually adding coolant. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,500.

Incident: February 1, 2025 · Filed: February 14, 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated that the vehicle was difficult to start. The contact recharged the vehicle and the vehicle restarted. The vehicle was taken to Toyo Cars, where it was diagnosed with an auxiliary battery failure. The dealer was contacted to order the part, but the part was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the part was not available due to the global pandemic. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.

Incident: December 23, 2018 · Filed: May 27, 2019

WHILE DRIVING ON LONG TRIP GOING SOUTH ON HWY 101, VEHICLE STARTED BUCKING AND JERKING GOING 70ISH MPH. EV LIGHT WOULD COME ON LIKE IT WANTED TO SWITCH TO EV MODE. IT HAPPENED GOING DOWN A STEEP GRADE NEAR SAN LUIS OBISPO. IT STOPPED WHEN WE GOT TO FLAT GROUND. ABOUT 25 MILES LATER IT DID IT AGAIN AND I WAS ABLE TO RECORD A QUICK VIDEO OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. TOOK IT TO ONE TOYOTA IN OAKLAND CA AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE CONCERN. WIFE WAS DRIVING VEHICLE ON ANOTHER LONG TRIP A FEW MONTHS LATER AND IT HAPPENED TO HER FOR ABOUT 1 1/5 HOURS. SEEMS LIKE SYSTEM RESETS AFTER CYCLING IGNITION AND SHE WAS NOT AWARE OF THAT AT THAT TIME.

Incident: April 25, 2019 · Filed: April 26, 2019

I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT. IT WAS SLOPED BACKWARD. THE CAR WAS STOPPED COMPLETELY, AND SILENT. I WAS DISTRACTED BY A MINOR TASK, AND THEN EXITED THE CAR, INADVERTENTLY WITH THE POWER ON AND THE TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE, NOT PARK. WHEN I NOTICED THAT I COULD NOT LOCK THE CAR, AND REALIZED THAT THE CAR WAS STILL ENERGIZED, I REACHED OVER AND PRESSED THE ON BUTTON TO TURN-OFF THE CAR-- WHICH IT DID. AT WHICH POINT THE CARD IMMEDIATELY HEADED BACKWARDS, DOWNHILL, CROSSED A STREET WHILE I WAS TRYING TO SLOW THE CAR FROM OUTSIDE THE DRIVERS DOOR, AND FINALLY HIT A LAMP POST AND STOPPED WITH DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER. I TRIED TO REPRODUCE THE ISSUE, WITH THE SAME RESULT: THE CAR CAN APPEAR TO BE OFF AND IN PARK, WHEN ON AN UPWARD SLOPE, BUT WITH THE CAR ACTUALLY ENERGIZED AND IN DRIVE. AND THERE IS NOTHING TO PREVENT ONE FROM TURNING OFF THE CAR, AT WHICH POINT THERE IS NOTHING TO KEEP THE CAR FROM ROLLING BACKWARD. AS A COMPARISON, A COLLEAGUE HAD A CHRYSLER PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID, WE TRIED THE SAME AND THE CAR WILL DEMAND TO BE PUT INTO PARK BEFORE RE-ENERGIZING. THUS, THIS SEEMS TO BE A TOYOTA-SPECIFIC HAZARD. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT NO OTHER CARS WERE INVOLVED. I TWISTED MY KNEE TRYING DESPERATELY TO KEEP THE CAR FROM ROLLING-AWAY, BUT THE STRAIN WAS NOT NOTICEABLE BY THE NEXT DAY.

Incident: April 3, 2019 · Filed: April 7, 2019

WHILE ACTIVELY BRAKING AT LOW SPEED TO LINE UP TO A TICKET DISPENSER IN A PARKING GARAGE, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AS IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS FLOORED. I SLAMMED THE BRAKE AND THE CAR STOPPED AT ABOUT 10 FEET. THE PARKING ARM WENT OVER THE HOOD ABOUT HALFWAY. WHEN I TRIED TO REVERSE I SAW THE GEAR SHIFT HAD MOVED AND THE ENGINE WAS OFF.

Incident: February 21, 2019 · Filed: March 16, 2019

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WITH ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL ON. OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE, I SAW A VERTICAL RED LINE FLASH ONCE ON THE DASH DISPLAY. SUDDENLY THE CAR BRAKED AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THERE WAS ALSO A LOSS OF POWER AS I COULD NOT STEER THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. THERE WAS NOTHING IN FRONT OF ME AT THE TIME. THANKFULLY THE TRUCK BEHIND ME WAS ABLE TO SWERVE AND AVOID HITTING MY CAR. AFTER STOPPING, I SHIFTED THE CAR INTO A LOWER GEAR AND THEN BACK, AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AGAIN. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM.

Incident: January 12, 2019 · Filed: January 27, 2019

WE WERE DRIVING ON I 80 APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE WEST OF DIXON AT ABOUT 65MPH. THE DAY WAS SUNNY AND TEMPERATURE APPROXIMATELY 60F. THERE WAS NO OVERPASS NEARBY. WE THEN HEARD AN EXPLOSION LIKE A SHOTGUN BLAST AND GLASS CAME INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT THROUGH THE PARTIALLY OPEN SUNSHADE ON THE ROOF. NO ONE WAS INJURED. WE TOOK THE NEXT EXIT AND DISCOVERED THE MOON ROOF HAD EXPLODED. THE MAJORITY OF GLASS WAS GONE, INDICATING IT HAD GONE UP INTO THE AIR. THE CAR IS 7 MONTHS OLD. IT'S EXTREMELY UNLIKELY ANY OBJECT HIT THE MOON ROOF FROM ABOVE SO IT'S OUR OPINION THE GLASS WAS DEFECTIVE. TOYOTA HAS DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY UNDER ITS WARRANTY.

Incident: August 14, 2018 · Filed: October 3, 2018

THE BUZZER VOLUME ALERTING THE DRIVER OF CROSSING A LINE IN THE LANE DEPARTURE FEATURE IS SO LOW IT CANNOT ALWAYS BE HEARD. TOYOTA STATES THE VOLUME CANNOT BE INCREASED.

Incident: September 9, 2018 · Filed: September 10, 2018

TOYOTA LOST TRACK OF WHERE VIN IS AT, THEN WHO HAS KEYS ECT, HAVING LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATE