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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 7
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
6,803 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2018 Toyota RAV4 miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2018 Toyota RAV4 Owner Comments (Page 2 of 3)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #30

Nov 232021

RAV4

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving and heard a loud noise like ice cracking from the roof. The shade covering the moonroof started to vibrate. When I was able to safely pull over, I saw that the moonroof glass had exploded. There was no object that struck the car, but the glass was completely shattered. Pieces of glass flew off the roof before I was able to pull over, putting other drivers at risk. If the shade had not been closed, pieces of glass would have fallen on me. In doing research, it looks like this has happened to many other Rav4 owners. The vehicle passed its state inspection in June and had an oil change at an auto repair shop less than a month ago, and no warnings were given. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms, and I had not tried to operate the moonroof while driving--the glass just exploded.

- Burlington, MA, USA

problem #29

Nov 142021

RAV4

  • miles
One day, after the car was sitting in my garage for a week, I drove it and found that the driver side rear wheel stopped turning. I noticed grease on the inside wall of the rim of this wheel. The rim of the other wheels are clean. I tried a few more times wiggling it back and forth and the wheel was still stuck. Two days later a tow truck driver came and he tried a few more times and was able to get the wheel freed. But then when driving it, there is noise from the wheel.

- Coral Springs, FL, USA

problem #28

Aug 212021

RAV4

  • miles
Back up camera fills with Water. when it rains and cannot see from it til it dries out a few days after rain and even then it-??s cloudy probsbly due to rain getting into

- Mays Landing, NJ, USA

problem #27

Apr 112021

RAV4

  • 47,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Car started stalling whole in motion yesterday. I haven't thought too much about it. Today in my 3rd drive of the day after I stop at a restaurant, I start the car to the surprise it just stalled and give me charging system malfunction I try to start it again with no luck. I'm far from home I call the local dealership and is closed. I will have to wait tomorrow morning to tow the car to them. I wasn't expecting this to happen in a Toyota vehicle only 3 year older. Last year they change the battery because it let me stranded something wrong with the electric system for sure.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #26

Apr 222019

RAV4

  • 6,000 miles
This car started a fire on the road while it was in motion, and after I drove it over a mile on a city street on April 22nd, 2019. I stopped the car and turned off the car after I saw smoke came out of the hood in front of driver side windshield. I left the car immediately to call for help. Less than a minute, after I left the car, the fire started, the flames went up to 10 feet high in a short 2 minutes, in less than 10 minutes, before the firemen put fire off, the car was burned to the frame with nothing left inside. The car was driven a little over 6000 miles at the time. Toyota has not covered any of my loss and taken the responsibility.

- Lenox, MA, USA

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problem #25

Nov 182020

RAV4

  • miles
I stopped the vehicle on a small incline while the gear shift was in drive. I hit the power button (while the brake was pressed) without putting the car into park. With the vehicle still in drive, and not properly turned off, when I removed my foot from the brake, my vehicle rolled backwards six feet. Later that day I tried to recreate the same scenario and it happened again. If you press the power button to turn off your vehicle while it is still in drive and you take your foot off of the brake, the car will act as though it is in neutral and roll downhill. I have not tried with the car facing downhill/rolling forwards.

- Iowa City, IA, USA

problem #24

Nov 032020

RAV4

  • 13,800 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While in reverse with foot on brake (stopped) the vehicle was rear ended. While foot still on brake the vehicle had uncommanded forward acceleration (engine revved up like foot floored the gas pedal). Vehicle accelerated forward ~25 ft and hit the front of another vehicle (foot on brake pedal entire time). Upon impact, the vehicle had uncommanded acceleration in reverse (foot on brake pedal still). Was able to turn of ignition and pull the emergency brake to stop the vehicle after moving ~25ft in reverse. At final stop, the vehicle's transmission lever was in the drive position. Note: Tow truck driver started vehicle to go in reverse a few feet for positioning. With engine running, vehicle was put in reverse and gas pedal pressed gently. Vehicle went in reverse (< 2mph) as it should. Foot applied to brake and vehicle put in park in one motion. Vehicle in park and foot on brake the engine began to rev up again. Key was turn off. Vehicle towed.

- Broomall, PA, USA

problem #23

Oct 202020

RAV4

  • 9,200 miles
My car is a Toyota Rav4 2018. On October 20, 2020, I was driving my car around 60 mph with my son on a bright, sunny day in about 80 degree weather on highway 605N just past highway 60. Out of nowhere, we we heard a loud bursting noise that sounded like a gunshot. There weren't many cars on the highway and I was driving on the third lane from the outer edge. When I pulled over, I noticed the sunroof had completely shattered. We hadn't tried to open the sunroof at the time of the incident nor did it appear that a rock or other object hit the sunroof. On October 22, 2020, I took my car to the Toyota dealership in westminster. The dealership said that they were not responsible for the damage but would contact Toyota directly to see if Toyota manufacturer would cover the costs. A few days later, I was told that Toyota manufacturer would not take responsibility for the shattered sunroof. I would need to pay for parts and labor to get the sunroof repaired even though the incident was no fault of my own. My car has less than 10,000 miles because I barely drive it. My car spends most of the time parked inside my covered garage. I take extremely good care of my car that it doesn't even have any scratches on it. Upon searching the web, I noticed there were other reported incidents from people who experienced shattered sunroofs from their Toyota cars. These types of incidents pose a serious safety issue. And what surprised me even more is that Toyota is not taking responsibility for recalling the cars these defeats. I truly believe that Toyota should be responsible for covering the cost for repairs for my sunroof and other cars that have had similar types of defeats.

- Cerritos, CA, USA

problem #22

Jun 132019

RAV4

  • miles
Not soon after I leased my Rav4 the brakes started grinding as if I needed new brakes & everytime I went in for maintenance they said nothing is wrong with them & they look fine. The rotors are rusted just on the inner part on both rear rotors & my car is garaged so there isnt any reason why they should be grinding or squealing. It makes the noise when I'm in motion. Also the radio stations are complete static & I have had 2 different Toyota dealers look at it & they say nothing is wrong with the wiring but can't figure out why all my stations come in statically.

- Haverhill, MA, USA

problem #21

Apr 142020

RAV4 4-cyl

  • 17,300 miles
I had been using the adaptive cruise control at highway speed on the westbound ca 134 in glendale/burbank, ca. I had to merge into traffic from the hov lane disengaging the cruise control. I then used the auto transmission to shift to a lower gear to gain more torque in changing lanes when the car went into a stall and lost all power. Consequently we were rear-ended by another car. Our car went into a lockout and had to be pushed to the shoulder by the California highway patrol. I don't know if this was a random event or a glitch in the on-board computer.or something else totally unrelated.

- San Dimas, CA, USA

problem #20

Mar 232020

RAV4

  • 14,500 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Lane departure warning, seat belt warning, pedestrian warning and other auditory safety feature warnings are not adjustable and therefore may be inadequate in providing the intended safety function. The manufacturer should retrofit a control that makes it possible to adjust the safety function to the individual needs of the driver.

- Oconomowoc, WI, USA

problem #19

Jan 162020

RAV4

  • 1,500 miles
I purchased my 2018 Rav4 in November 2019. I had the car for about 3 months when I drove to work, the car acted sluggish, was pressing on the gas pedal but wasn't going faster. Then I had to go to bank, my car wouldn't move the rpms went up to 5 but car didnt move, finally car jumped so I pressed on gas an it tried to stall so I let off, then car acted like it had power again the car did this all the way to bank. It sat ideal while I was at the bank I noticed the car smelled gassy, then it did the same all the way back to work. When I got back to work I call the dealership in enid where I got it and he even said I may be my fuel pump. Later that day my car seemed fine. Now it feels like it will jump, sluggish, or stalls like it doesn't get gas when I have a full tank. I had great gas mileage now it takes 20 buck for 20 miles no joke. I called the Toyota dealership in amarillo tx 4 days ago about changing my pump, so shows I had issues long before I got sent the recall message from a friend. I call Toyota dealership in enid ok where I got the car and have plans to take it in on the 19th to be looked at.

- Balko, OK, USA

problem #18

Aug 272019

RAV4

  • miles
I went to the dealership for another reason but I happened to tell the salesperson that I was very dissatisfied with the fuel savings. My in-town average is 18.3 and the interstate fuel economy is 22.4 mpg. He told me I should be getting 30 miles per gallon. Not happening!!! I bought this SUV for traveling. That's not an option with this fuel mileage!

- Antioch, TN, USA

problem #17

May 232018

RAV4

  • 160 miles
Next day after I bought the vehicle, I brought the SUV back to the dealer (centennial Toyota of las vegas ) with problem on the gate opener. Dealer replaced the control module in the rear view mirror but the problem did not get resolved. Brought it back to the dealer again and the technician came with me to reprogram the control but cant resolved the problem. I was told that I need to buy a remote control for the gate compatible with the SUV control systems. We have two gates which means T I have to buy the controls. I tried to return the vehicle but the next day I found the vehicle in my drive way, with a note saying the problem was on the gate. Still further made the complain to the main Toyota manufacturers office to no avail, still insisting that the problem was in the gate control. However the control button for the garage work properly. Still the problem is unresolved at this moment.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #16

Jan 132020

RAV4

  • 31,064 miles
I was driving on the turnpike from ft. Lauderdale, fl to ocala, fl, when I reach the kissimmee area, the driver side door opened by itself. I held the door while continuing to drive to a save area. This was a construction area, so I drove for approximately 1 mile or 1-1/2 mile and enter between the construction drums to park and properly close and lock the door. It was a very frightening and tense moment.

- Summerfield, FL, USA

problem #15

Dec 172019

RAV4

  • 29,400 miles
I was alone around 630pm driving straight East on I10 twin spans in the left lane going 70ish mph when I heard a loud pop sound. Overhead I could hear a little whistling and rattling coming from the sunroof shade that was closed. I quickly got into the right lane and slowed to about 50 mph. I immediately stopped at the Toyota dealership for them to review the vehicle. They claim a rock hit the glass, however, there was no one in front of me to throw up a rock. It was not raining. It was slightly windy. This occurred on Tuesday, December 17, 2019.

- Slidell, LA, USA

problem #14

Dec 012019

RAV4

  • 16,000 miles
The lane departure warning system works intermittently at night on a wet roadway. The vehicle was on a four lane road with two lanes in each direction. Speed was around 45mph. Lane departure warning works above approximately 32mph. The system would not recognize the white shoulder line on the right hand side of the vehicle or the dotted white line on the left hand side of the lane. This was the second time this had happened to me. The other time was approximately a month ago.

- Cranberry Township, PA, USA

problem #13

Oct 102018

RAV4

  • 10 miles
Dashboard lighting is inadequate!!!! unable to read speedometer and other info in bright ambient daylight

- Yakima, WA, USA

problem #12

Jul 152019

RAV4

  • 6 miles
Sudden sunroof explosion driving about 10 or 15 min. Just entered I75 North, when loud explosion heard something rollin on the roof looked around no person on the highway and no cars or trucks near me and realized what had occured off at next exit went directly to my Toyota dealer

- Naples, FL, USA

problem #11

Jun 072019

RAV4

  • 12,400 miles
The sun roof suddenly exploded, while we were driving 55 miles an hour, straight, on the highway. Luckily we had the inner roof shield closed, otherwise the broken glass would have fallen into the car and onto the driver / passenger, putting us at serious risk of an accident. There was no sign of anything hitting the roof... and after we pulled over to safety, we noticed that the broken glass that was still attached to the roof was bent outwards (see attached pictures). When it exploded, we weren't opening any windows, it wasn't raining, and the outside temperature was about 70 degrees. The failure happened out of the blue.

- Lake Oswego, OR, USA

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