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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
4,911 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.

2019 Toyota RAV4 electrical problems

electrical problem

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2019 Toyota RAV4 Owner Comments (Page 3 of 4)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #34

Jul 052022

RAV4

  • miles

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

I received a notification of a malfunction in the intelligent clearance sonar system and a malfunction in the hybrid system. I made an appointment with the dealer but on the morning of the appointment the car was non-operational in the driveway and had to be towed. The diagnosis was corrosion of the wiring harness. This problem has been widely reported on Rav4 hybrid forums and appears to be an issue in regions of the country with snow/salt road treatments. I would appreciate an investigation.

- East Syracuse, NY, USA

problem #33

May 242022

RAV4

  • miles
Roof rail leak known to Toyota leading to potential compromise of SRS airbags and any other electrical wiring within anterior pillars. Long term water damage can lead to corrosion of components within that area. Toyota assessed and confirmed water intrusion due to roof rail leak. Leak became visible to owner due to water marks on headliner. Of note, Toyota refuses to accept blame for water intrusion and provide remedy.

- Avon, CT, USA

problem #32

May 192022

RAV4

  • miles
There is a leak coming from the top rails on the 2019 Toyota Rav4. Any time it rains the water runs down the side arm/airbag area which has gone into the electrical system and corroded the wires. In addition the corrosion, the water has caused organic growth to occur underneath the carpets. When it rains, the vehicle will not open without the physical key. Upon opening the door, the radio and all service lights are on. The speedometer goes awry, saying I'm at 9mph while I'm stopped at a red light. The acceleration of the vehicle tugs and takes awhile to get up to speed, which is dangerous. When I get out of the car, the car will not lock. It beeps as if I have left my key in the car. This is also dangerous at night time or in other areas that my car can easily be broken into. This issue occurs when it rains. I have taken it to a local toyota dealership and after numerous tests, figured out the problem is with the guide rails/racks on the tops of the car. They did this by running the car through the car wash. The estimated damage for a manufacturer defect is over 7K. The carpets need replaced due to organic growth and still water. The entire electrical system and board needs replaced.

- Greensboro, NC, USA

problem #31

May 202022

RAV4

  • miles

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

The terrain selection feature automatically engages "mud & sand" mode while driving. This feature turns off many safety features including, but not limited to traction control and parking collision system. It is very intermittent, and the Toyota dealership was unable to find the problem. The terrain selection features stops working after being turned on to normal again, until the vehicle is turned off for quite some time.

- Staten Island, NY, USA

problem #30

Apr 192022

RAV4

  • miles
As noted by many other 2019 thru 2021 Toyota Rav4 owners, there is significant water leakage intruding into the vehicle passenger compartment. I can confirm that the water intrusion that my vehicle has sustained is leaking through inadequately sealed holes for clips that are part of the Roof-rack side rails. And that this severe water intrusion is likely damaging the electrical system connectors associated with the vehicles Side Impact Air Bags and possibly the tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) connectors in the side body pillar areas. Our local Toyota Dealership Service Center is aware of this problem. They tell me that our standard and extended warranty will not cover the repairs, and that we should contact our auto insurance provider. I feel that should not be the case, and that this leak issue is going to cause severe injury or death due to the water leaks incapacitating the Side Impact Air Bag System and possibly other safety systems with electrical connection affected by the water intrusion.

- Bristow, VA, USA

problem #29

Apr 132022

RAV4

  • miles
On 12-April, I filed Report #11460592 regarding stuttering and uncontrollable acceleration of Toyota RAV4, 2019 model year, <22000 miles, incident occurred 11-April. Vehicle was taken to Toyota dealership service department on 12-April, returned that day as described in previous report. On 13-April, one day after repair, exact same issue occurred. Family (with 2 children) driving on road, 45MPH speed limit. Hybrid system malfunction alert occurred again. Speed limited drastically to approximately 15mph, with occasional reaccelerating uncontrollably. Vehicle exited as safely as possible and returned home. Vehicle then taken back to dealership for service. Full text of Report #114605 (11-April incident): Driving on 35MPH limit road. Vehicle began to stutter. Vehicle began to communicate warning lights - "PKSB Malfunction" and "Hybrid System Malfunction" and "Check Engine" and alerted to visit dealer. After stopping at red-light, received warning to pull over and stop driving. Vehicle could not exceed ~10mph no matter how much accelerator was depressed and received warning that vehicle had ~2.5 miles until it would cease being able to be driven. For rest of trip to home (approximately 2 miles), vehicle would alternate between 10mph limited state and returning to full acceleration which led to very unsafe driving conditions and abrupt changes in speed. Reached home and parked in drive way. After a few hours, returned to vehicle to take to dealer for service. All 3 error messages remained but no further limitation to 10mph or abrupt speed changes. Dropped off for service at dealership. Dealer notes: "Hybrid system malfunction, check engine light - SCAN FOR CODES, FOUND U010087 LOSS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PCW AND ECM / CLEAR CODES, UPDATE SYSTEM, OPERATING AS DESIGNED." Upon receipt from dealer, no further issues and drove home safely. Vehicle is a 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Limited, bought new in Jan. 2020. Approximately 23000 miles, no previous issues.

- Glenside, PA, USA

problem #28

Apr 112022

RAV4

  • miles

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

Driving on 35MPH limit road. Vehicle began to stutter. Vehicle began to communicate warning lights - "PKSB Malfunction" and "Hybrid System Malfunction" and "Check Engine" and alerted to visit dealer. After stopping at red-light, received warning to pull over and stop driving. Vehicle could not exceed ~10mph no matter how much accelerator was depressed and received warning that vehicle had ~2.5 miles until it would cease being able to be driven. For rest of trip to home (approximately 2 miles), vehicle would alternate between 10mph limited state and returning to full acceleration which led to very unsafe driving conditions and abrupt changes in speed. Reached home and parked in drive way. After a few hours, returned to vehicle to take to dealer for service. All 3 error messages remained but no further limitation to 10mph or abrupt speed changes. Dropped off for service at dealership. Dealer notes: "Hybrid system malfunction, check engine light - SCAN FOR CODES, FOUND U010087 LOSS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PCW AND ECM / CLEAR CODES, UPDATE SYSTEM, OPERATING AS DESIGNED." Upon receipt from dealer, no further issues and drove home safely. Vehicle is a 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Limited, bought new in Jan. 2020. Approximately 23000 miles, no previous issues. Has been maintained regularly (oil changes, etc. via Toyota Care).

- Glenside, PA, USA

problem #27

Dec 152021

RAV4

  • miles
I bought my vehicle new in August 2019, it currently has approximately 30,500 miles. A few months ago I noticed a water stain by the roof, right on the A pillar on the passenger side. I took it to Toyota and they determined it was from the sunroof, according to them one of the drains was clogged with leaves and dirt (prior to this I had NEVER opened/used the sunroof, not sure if leaves are able to get in there without ever opening the roof). They cleaned the water stain and sent me on my way, without checking for water damage. After doing some research online found out this was happening to quite a few frustrated people and seemed to happen in the 2019-2021 RAV4 vehicles, most people were told it was the sunroof but further research revealed the possibility that it was the roof rail that contained bad seals. The water is now pooling on both A pillars right where the airbags are housed. I feel there is a good possibility those airbags will not deploy properly in case of an accident. In addition, multiple customers have complaint of this issues causing electrical problems as well.

- Palmdale, CA, USA

problem #26

Jan 032022

RAV4

  • 34,000 miles
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled. The contact stated that an error electrical system warning message was displayed. The contact pulled over and had the vehicle towed to a local dealer where it was awaiting diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000. The VIN was not available.

- Sanger, CA, USA

problem #25

Dec 242021

RAV4

  • miles
The issue is the stock roof rack that comes with the vehicles. The clips that clip on to the body of the car have gaskets that deteriorate. Water leaks in through those holes and into the headliner of the car. The front SRS airbags are compromised and potentially rendered useless. The wiring that attaches to the airbags is also compromised because the water will eventually corrode it.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #24

Dec 022021

RAV4

  • miles

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

Around 2:30 pm on Thursday, December 2, 2021, my wife and I were on our way to the gym for a workout. I was pulling my auto out of my garage. It was in reverse when it stopped half way and did not finish backing out. I put it in drive and then in reverse and I was able to back out. Once out of my driveway, I backed out into the street in reverse. From reverse, I put my car in Drive to start driving on the street. At this point, the car spun out of control and I could not control its movements. The car turned around on the street and drove into my yard. It ran through the yard, spun around through some hedges, onto my driveway and continued back into the yard. At this time it hit a tree in the yard, went back on the road, turned into my driveway before coming to a stop. We got out and inspected the damage. The entire front bumper and the assembly was hanging from the body of the car. The damage was extensive. Thankfully, no one was on the road and the only damage was to my car and my yard. shrubs and tree. This car is a Limited Edition with cameras and braking functions that stop the car if an object comes in its way. The car kept accelerating and did not brake to avoid collision. Note: We bought this 2019 RAV4 in March 2019. It was brand new, full loaded with many safety features. In October of 2019, we heard sounds coming from the front of the car. We took it to Toyota dealership to have it diagnosed. They determined that the Electromagnetic Clutch Assembly needed to be replaced. The car had 7100 miles on the Odometer.

- Snohomish, WA, USA

problem #23

Nov 152021

RAV4

  • miles
After a recall repair order was issued, the repairs were made and now accelerating under load or uphill, the vehicle will accelerate and then bogs down or chokes (the vehicle then loses speed and no longer accelates). The issue has occurred several times while accelerating to freeway speeds on freeway on-ramps (it-??s a safety hazard). 1st attempt to repair by the dealer was made on 11/22/2021. 2nd attempt by the same dealership is pending for today 12/08/2021 at 1:30pm.

- Anaheim, CA, USA

problem #22

Jan 292019

RAV4

  • 3 miles
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle was making an abnormal humming and grinding sound. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received a recall notification for an unknown recall in regards to a humming sound coming from the transfer case of the vehicle; however, the dealer diagnosed that no issues were found and informed the contact that the recall repair did not need to be completed on the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving and he had been hearing abnormal bumping sounds from underneath of the vehicle. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 3.

- West Springfield, MA, USA

problem #21

Aug 152021

RAV4

  • miles
Roof rails water sealing failure - causing water to enter the vehicle on each side of the front A pillars of the vehicle and is reaching the airbag electrical connections which can lead to airbag failure during an accident due to corroded electrical connections. Vehicle taken to Toyota of North Charlotte to show dealership the damage to the headliner and request a resolution be completed. Dealership inspected vehicle - stated they believed it to be clogged sunroof drain lines and stated if it continues to notify them. Have reached back out to them as rain storm same night as service 8/15/2021 revealed that leak continues. No warning lights have appeared but symptoms are shown by the amount of water dripping into the cabin from these defective roof rails and running down the A Pillars into the dashboard.

- Salisbury, NC, USA

problem #20

Jun 252021

RAV4

  • miles
Seat heater turns on automatically and randomly and gets way too hot. I'm afraid it might burn me. I have an appointment with the Toyota dealership however it's my only mode of transportation and I work 3 hours away from home. This puts me at high risk of getting hurt. None of the lights or any indicators came on. There has been no indication that there might be an issue before today. Today is 6-25-2021.

- Elko, NV, USA

problem #19

Jun 012021

RAV4

  • miles
Roof rack seals failed, allowing water in above the A-pillar, which damages the headliner and could damage electrical and side airbags, compromising safety. In talking with other 2019 Rav4 owners, many have experienced the same issue as the sealing mechanism is poorly designed.

- Covington, OH, USA

problem #18

May 192021

RAV4

  • miles
The 2019 Rav4 models have an issue with the roof rack rails leaking water into the A pillar as well as the C pillar due to a failure in the materials the manufacturer used. Not only does this cause issues with the headliner of the vehicles but this could also endanger the occupants of the entire vehicle due to the leak affecting the airbags located in the A and C pillars. This leak has a potential to affect electrica as well as the main safety component located in the locations stated above. Not addressing the issue could result in death due to airbag failures and could then lead to class action lawsuits.

- Wylie, TX, USA

problem #17

Sep 182019

RAV4

  • miles
This is about outdoor thermometers on cars. If they aren't accurate, what good are they. They cause a serious safety issue. Here's why. On a cold day with precipitation, if it isn't accurate people could get a false sense of security. Mine in particular is this. Mine reads 4 degrees too warm. The problem. If it's raining and it reads 34 degrees, I'm 2 degrees above freezing I think, I'm safe, no ice when in fact it's 30, 2 degrees below freezing. Do you get my point. If a car is warm, it's a warm day, there is ambient heat on the road. I don't expect it to read accurately. If it's cold, cloudy, raining, there is no ambient heat. The dealership says there is nothing they can do to fix this and they just aren't that accurate anyway. If they aren't accurate, they should never be on a car in the first place. This could kill innocent people. Auto makers should be held to an exacting standard on these things or don't install them at all. This is a serious safety issue.

- Thomasville, NC, USA

problem #16

Feb 052021

RAV4

  • 59,000 miles
Car lost power twice, going up a steep grade. 'hybrid system malfunction' warning came on the screen, gas pedal did not work at all. I was unable to get to a safe place with children in the car, both times on the interstate. Driving up a steep mountain, about 50F weather.

- Lakeside, CA, USA

problem #15

Jan 152020

RAV4

  • miles
Battery goes dead and requires a jump start at least twice a week.energency brake does not always release first time.transmission clunks and grinds when shifting.has been to two different Toyota dealers who tell me everything is fine and I don't drive it enough.bought it new in 2019 and it now has 2901 miles on it.

- Clinton, MA, USA

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