Car Defect Radar
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 22, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.

Recalls

0 total

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

No recalls on record for this model

No safety recalls were found in this dataset. It is still worth entering the exact VIN on NHTSA before purchase, since recalls can be added at any time.

Owner complaints by system

10 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Worth reading
2

Most reports here involve rollaway. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

rollaway 1unintended acceleration 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2025 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid. The contact stated that while attempting to shift from drive(D) to park(P) in a parking spot with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle…
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The contact owns a 2025 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid. The contact stated that while attempting to shift from drive(D) to park(P) in a parking spot with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated and struck a tree. The contact stated that the passenger simultaneously opened the passenger’s side door but still had the seat belt buckled. While attempting to exit the vehicle, the vehicle crashed into a tree, where it came to a stop. The passenger sustained head and shoulder injuries. Medical attention was required. A Police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and suggested that a technician would be sent to read the Event Data Recorder. The failure mileage was 75,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11754928 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
4

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 3
A recent report: After starting the RAV4, the Apple CarPlay quits unexpectedly both while stopped and while driving. Once it quits, the only way to reactivate Apple CarPlay is to stop the car, shut the engine off…
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After starting the RAV4, the Apple CarPlay quits unexpectedly both while stopped and while driving. Once it quits, the only way to reactivate Apple CarPlay is to stop the car, shut the engine off, then restart. This is extremely dangerous especially while using the map for guidance and it suddenly quits. The issue was reported several times to the local Toyota dealer, but they could not replicate the problem, even after leaving the car at the dealer overnight. The issue is not infrequent, and occurs almost every time the car is driven.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11745275 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
1

Most reports here involve unintended acceleration. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

unintended acceleration 1
A recent report: On XXX; I drove to [XXX] from [XXX], with a friend for a luncheon. I pulled into the restaurant parking lot to park my car. It was a sunny day and the parking lot was paved. I made a right turn into…
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On XXX; I drove to [XXX] from [XXX], with a friend for a luncheon. I pulled into the restaurant parking lot to park my car. It was a sunny day and the parking lot was paved. I made a right turn into a parking space, I was applying the brakes and coasting into the space. I was about 1/3 of the way into the space when I felt the loss of brake tension. Then the car revs loudly; suddenly and unexpectedly the car accelerates forward as I was still pressing down on the brakes. I pushed the brakes as hard as I could until the car stopped, but not until it had jumped a small curb, onto the dirt and bushes in front of the parking space. I stopped the car before it hit a fence behind the bushes. The impact bent my license plate but no other damage to the car was noted even though the front end of the car was more than halfway in the bushes. There were skid marks noted on the parking lot pavement from my car . I had held the steering wheel so tight that I tweaked my right wrist which is now sore. Had there been a solid wall facing us we could have been killed. I called SF Toyota to explain what had happened and to ask if they knew anything about the unexpected engine acceleration and brake failure. Their response was vague and they really didn't know. They did not ask that I bring the vehicle in for inspection; nor did they state that I should not drive it. After lunch, with much hesitation, I drove my friend and I back to [XXX]. The car was not driven again until the next morning when I took it to the Service Dept. of SF Toyota. On XXX SF Toyota advised they are awaiting vehicle inspection from a corporate Toyota representative. Toyota Corp. has assigned the incident Case Nos. XXX and XXX. I have asked both Toyota Corp. and SF Toyota for a free loaner. They will not grant this pending their investigation. No warning lamps, messages, etc. appeared. I do not know when Toyota Corp. will send their rep. No ETA for repairs. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11754205 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
1

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 1
A recent report: The contact owns a 2025 Toyota RAV4 equipped with Dunlop Tires, Tire Line: Grand Trek PT20, Tire Size: 225/60/R18, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH and…
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The contact owns a 2025 Toyota RAV4 equipped with Dunlop Tires, Tire Line: Grand Trek PT20, Tire Size: 225/60/R18, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the contact stated that there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the rear driver’s side tire. Upon inspecting the vehicle the following morning, the contact became aware that the tire was flat. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the tire was taken to a tire repair shop, and it was determined that the tire could not be repaired, and a stone was removed from inside of the tire. The tire was replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 800.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11670737 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
2

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 2
A recent report: Glass moonroof /sunroof on top of 2025 Rav4 sudden shattered under normal driving conditions on freeway. The noise sounded like a gunshot and could have caused distraction / an accident. No evidence…
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Glass moonroof /sunroof on top of 2025 Rav4 sudden shattered under normal driving conditions on freeway. The noise sounded like a gunshot and could have caused distraction / an accident. No evidence of impact from outside. No overpass that a rock could have come from. The dealer has not confirmed the issue, but it looks like there may be lawsuits underway for other model years. Car is currently with dealer. No warnings or messages ... it just suddenly happened while driving

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11723408 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 10 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2025 and 2026, roughly 7 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.