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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
1,936 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.

2020 Toyota RAV4 electrical problems

electrical problem

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2020 Toyota RAV4 Owner Comments (Page 1 of 5)

problem #98

Feb 012023

RAV4

  • 12,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start after several attempts. There was no warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where the battery was replaced. After the battery was replaced, the "Battery Charging" message would display on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the battery had been replaced several times due to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

- District Heights, MD, USA

problem #97

Aug 212024

RAV4

  • miles
The start and stop system malfunction error message came on and warning sound. Its the second time it happened

- Mesquite, TX, USA

problem #96

Aug 052024

RAV4

  • miles
I have had a Service Engine message on my dash that would return within seconds of my hitting the button to signal I received the message. When I took the vehicle to the dealership I was told it was a leaking coolant bypass valve and would need to be replaced. I was told the cost would be $215 plus three hours of labor. The final cost was $240 for the parts and $709 for the labor. The vehicle only has 31,209 miles on it. As I have researched the part, I have found numerous people have had the same issue within a similar range of mileage.

- Belle Isle, FL, USA

problem #95

Jul 292024

RAV4

  • miles

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

52,000 miles, and was just informed the coolant bypass valve has failed. This is apparently an issue with ALL 2019~2022 Toyota Rav4 vehicles. It was a known issue to Toyota, using substandard parts. It results in an error message that cant be turned off, masking all other messages, and can only be fixed by a dealer for over $1,000 in costs.

- Mclean, VA, USA

problem #94

Jul 172024

RAV4

  • miles
PARASITIC BATTERY DRAIN DEFECT complaint: prior to 07/16/2024, I received a "low voltage" error on my Toyota RAV4 screen a few times. On 07/16/2024, I took it to the dealership. My battery tested "good" and the Toyota dealership charged me $39.95 to tell me that everything was working well on my vehicle. The very next day (24 hours later), 07/17/2024, my vehicle would not start and had to be towed to the dealership. The tow truck driver told me the battery was "dead" (based on his measurement) and leaking acid (based on a smell). Toyota charged me $272.52 to replace the battery on 07/18, that was supposedly "good" two days prior. This is a known issue to Toyota, part of a class action lawsuit referred to as "Parasitic Battery Drain Defect." This is dangerous since I was stranded with a car that would not start in a summer day of high heat, but could have been much worse in other circumstances. The tow truck driver told me that the battery acid could be dangerous. Toyota should be providing a fix and a recall, but they had no solution for me other than a new battery which is a "quick fix" (but not a real solution) as described in the Class Action lawsuit documents.

- Stokesdale, NC, USA

problem #93

Jul 132024

RAV4

  • miles
my 2020 RAV4 (48,000 miles), when I start the engine and turn on the A/C, the warning light comes on:Engine maintenance required.

- Milpitas, CA, USA

problem #92

Jul 032024

RAV4

  • miles

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

Coolant bypass valve needs to be replaced. Car under 60k miles and should be covered on the powertrain warranty but is being required to be repaired out of pocket otherwise will ruin engine

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #91

Jul 092024

RAV4

  • miles
Coolant bypass failed at 55,000 miles. This car has barely been used. This car is almost in mint condition and the coolant bypass has failed resulting the car not being able to be driven at all until fixed. The dealer is charging over $600 to repair. This is an ongoing issue with hundreds of Toyota RAV4 owners.

- Lugoff , SC, USA

problem #90

Jun 232024

RAV4

  • miles
I currently own a 2020 Toyota Rav 4. About two weeks ago I got a notification on my car saying "Engine Maintenance Required" i had taken my car to Toyota wondering what the problem was. They informed me it it the coolant bypass valve without hesitation. This is going to cost me more money than I want to spend. To make the situation better the parts needed are on back order for almost two weeks. The fact this is a common problem right now and there is no Recall is unacceptable. You are causing thousands of customers to spend an unnecessary amount of money and wait weeks just to get the correct parts to fix the situation. There is currently a lawsuit against Toyota because of this issue. There needs to be a recall immediately.

- Lexington, KY, USA

problem #89

Jun 212024

RAV4

  • miles
my car has barely 40,000 miles on it when I received an "engine maintenance required" sign. When I went to the dealership, they said its the coolant bypass. I went on reddit and many 2020 rav4 Toyotas are having the same issue. This should be recalled as the repair is too expensive - above $800.

- Piscataway, NJ, USA

problem #88

Jan 132024

RAV4

  • miles

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

Trunk lift gate unable to close or open properly due to faulty lift gate shock and strut supports as diagnosed by dealership in January 2024. As of then there is was no ETA on parts to complete repair and was blamed on Toyota not supplying enough parts beyond new vehicles and warranties vehicles. Only resolution was to not use the trunk, or as little as possible and told that I was added to a 700+ person waiting list.

- Minneapolis, MN, USA

problem #87

May 282024

RAV4

  • miles
on 5/28/24 the vehicle air bag lights and front passenger seat light was flashing and an alarm continuously went off with a message to visit a dealer for service. On 5/29/24 the vehicle was brought in for inspection to a Toyota dealer. I was told an electrical wiring needed to be replaced. Dealership did that but it did not correct the issue. Codes were not resetting. They are now saying it is a wiring/electrical issue under passenger seat and saying they have been communicating with Toyota. We do not have a Toyota extended warranty but vehicle has 32K miles and are told by dealership Toyota should be covering. I am submitting this to have this on record as we have warning lights, messages, etc. occurring which is a safety issue under NHTSA. Dealership keeps increasing charges for parts and labor and states our 3rd party warranty may or may not cover charges. They are trying to determine the issue and if Toyota will cover and resolve.

- Mount Prospect, IL, USA

problem #86

May 022024

RAV4

  • miles
Coolant bypass valve

- Clarkesville , GA, USA

problem #85

Apr 292024

RAV4

  • miles
Coolant bypass value failure 1000$ to replace on a vehicle that-??s only a few years old Toyota refuses to fix

- Glendora, CA, USA

problem #84

Apr 012024

RAV4

  • miles
My name is [XXX] and I would like to file a complaint against Toyota. I purchased my RAV4 XLE in 2020 after returning home from military training. This was my dream car and I was filled with joy to be able to purchase it. In the four years I have had it, I have had minimal issues, nothing to note other than normal wear and tear, until recently. The "Engine Maintenance Required" light came on roughly 3 weeks ago. I deemed it to be my oil change notification and reset it knowing when my next oil change was due. The notification came back on to which I started investigating further. I typed in "2020 RAV4 Engine Maintenance Required" into Google and was surprised at how many car forums and complaints popped up for this exact problem. It was an astronomical number of complaints made by loyal Toyota owners. I scrolled for an hour reading everyone's story, which was almost identical to mine. I made an appointment at my nearest Toyota in Bountiful, UT to get a diagnostic test done. Not to my surprise, the code that was tripping the system was for the 'coolant bypass valve.' I was quoted $660 for the parts and labor. After getting a price breakdown and verbally stating how frustrated I was with this issue due to how many others online had the same issue and there not being a recall, I felt like my only option was to pay it and suppress my anger. I am not upset with the Toyota dealership I went to. I am upset that this is a very known issue that even the mechanic verbally stated knowing about, and that Toyota as a large corporation is not doing right by the people who swear by owning Toyota's and their reputable reputation. I called two private mechanics about the issue and they both stated that they have worked on several RAV4's with this issue. It is not cosmetic, it is a critical issue that needs to be fixed. I hope this complaint makes it to the right hands and a solution is implemented so people can enjoy their car without these worries. Thank you. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOI

- Farmington , UT, USA

problem #83

Mar 252024

RAV4

  • miles
A week prior to this incident, the 2020 RAV4 was taken to Toyota for its maintenance check where everything was checked, replaced and changed. However, the last two days an incessant message keeps popping up on the dash stating -??engine maintenance required-?? Visit your dealer-?? taking up the entirety of the middle screen inhibiting my ability from seeing my speed, mileage, distance to empty, time, lane assist and other car information that I normally rely on. I have pressed the -??arrow back-?? or -??back-?? button numerous times but three seconds later the message pops again inhibiting me from being able to use necessary car controls to stay safe. The engine on the 2020 RAV4 needs to be recalled as my car only has 55,000 miles on it. I have talked to numerous professionals within the motor industry in which they state these engines have lower stability and life expectancy than PREVIOUS engines used in older RAV4 models. Not only the engine, but the messaging system within the RAV4 needs to be fixed immediately as the communication of maintenance WHILE driving is a hazard. If I cannot look at texts to even just simply read it, why is there is message bright and in the middle of my dashboard popping every 3 seconds with a bright red triangle stating that I need -??engine maintenance required, visit a dealer-??. This is a safety issue and one in which almost nearly cost me my life.

- Alpharetta, GA, USA

problem #82

Feb 042022

RAV4

  • miles
This is a known issue. Coolant Bypass Valve Issue Error on value says "Engine Maintenance Required, Visit Your Dealer." We have been waiting on the recall at 27,000 miles (brand new purchased). We are at 50,000 miles now and still no resolution and the error stays.

- Greenville, SC, USA

problem #81

Feb 152024

RAV4

  • miles
* Coolant Bypass Valve * This problem costs $800 to fix at the Toyota Dealership. car is a 2020 Rav4 with only 32k miles on it. * After reading thousands of complaints on websites from other 2020 Rav4 owners with the exact same problem, I think there should be a recall as this can be a dangerous issue if the engine overheats. I am shocked that nothing has been done about this yet. only warning was a routine maintence light that comes on every 5,000 miles.

- Fairhope, AL, USA

problem #80

Dec 182023

RAV4

  • miles
The following is an issue involving my 2020 RAV4 Toyota battery manufacturing defects that ended the life of my RAV4 battery. The mentioned event occurred on [XXX], and a report was created and recorded by a Toyota representative on [XXX], via (800) 331-4331 phone call, with the reference report number [XXX]. The nature of the issue was that my 2020 RAV4 battery parts came loose from the inside, and the metals were rubbing with each other, causing the smoke and the battery to overheat, ending its life due to the mentioned manufacturing defects. Based on the dangerous, alarming issue of overheating and dense heavy smoke from the battery, I left it at the dealer for service to prevent any toxic fumes, fire, or explosion. I told the dealer adviser that those manufacturing defects are a serious safety concern that should be reported in the public-??s best interest to avoid any possible tragedies. I noticed when I picked up my car from the dealer that the battery manufacture defect was not recorded in the paperwork I had received; the manager and the advisor didn-??t show any sense of urgency to the matter, so I filed a report to Toyota Motor North America Headquarters, Plano Texas. Report number: [XXX] The dashboard panel never displayed any safety hazard warnings or any symbols indicating the conditions of the smoke and battery overheating were jeopardizing my life and my family aboard while I drove with them. I paid $ $552.55 for the battery and a diagnostic service; management did not want to acknowledge that a manufacturing defect ended the battery life. Customers should not be responsible for replacement costs when the event is caused by manufacturing imperfection -??even though the warranty is over.-?? The dealer advisor and management know that these manufacturing battery defects happen. Still, nobody ever informed me to be mindful of the dangerous state of faulty battery defects when I purchased my 2020 RAV4. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Moreno Valley, CA, USA

problem #79

Jan 162024

RAV4

  • miles
Car operating as normal in the morning, few hours later went to start up car again and had message saying -??hybrid system malfunction-??. Drove it around for a few minutes then other lights started flashing, lane departure, traction control, crash detection. They all went away and except the hybrid malfunction warning.

- Sterling, IL, USA

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