2018 Toyota Rav4: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 426 complaints
426
Total Complaints
10,610mi
Median Mileage
Electrical System
Top Issue
52
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
4,700
25th Percentile
10,610
Median Mileage
35,000
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Electrical System
121
Unknown Or Other
68
Engine
32
Service Brakes
28
Power Train
25
Exterior Lighting
21
Vehicle Speed Control
19
Visibility/Wiper
17
Air Bags
14
Fuel/Propulsion System
12
Severity Assessment
52
Crashes
48
Fires
29
Injuries
0
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"FROM A DEAD STOP WHEN ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SPEED UP IT ACTS LIKE ITS IN 6TH GEAR. TO GAIN CONTROL I NEED TO PUSH THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR & THEN IT SPEEDS UP ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLY. THIS HAPPEN AT 12 TIMES. SEE MY COMMENT BELOW THAT I SENT TO TOYOTA CORPORATE OFFICE. I HAVE WANT I ..."
"I WAS DRIVING IN A FAST FOOD DRIVE THROUGH. IT WAS A STOP AND GO PACE BECAUSE THERE WERE AROUND 5 CARS BEFORE ME AND WAS TRAVELING APPROX 3 MPH. I BEGAN TO PROCEED BUT THIS TIME AS I WENT TO APPLY MY BRAKES THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I COULDN'T STOP THE CAR. IN ORDER TO AVOID THE CAR IN FRONT OF ..."
"THE ILLUMINATION PROVIDED BY THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE 2018 RAV4 XLE I PURCHASED ON DECEMBER 28, 2017 IS DANGEROUSLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON UNLIT RURAL ROADS. SEE ATTACHED LETTER DATED JANUARY 6, 2017 AND PIC. I HAVE MORE PICS AND SEVERAL VIDEOS, IF NEEDED. *JS THE CONSUMER STATED THE HIGH AND LOW BEAM..."
Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.
When Were Complaints Filed?
Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.
When Does Each Component Fail?
Median mileage at complaint for top components.
Electrical System
121 complaints
25th: 6,812 mi
Median: 15,250 mi
75th: 48,700 mi
Unknown Or Other
68 complaints
25th: 160 mi
Median: 5,625 mi
75th: 14,875 mi
Engine
32 complaints
25th: 8,652 mi
Median: 48,000 mi
75th: 66,000 mi
Service Brakes
28 complaints
25th: 3,263 mi
Median: 10,000 mi
75th: 18,000 mi
Power Train
25 complaints
25th: 8,940 mi
Median: 9,470 mi
75th: 34,563 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
CA: 61
FL: 32
TX: 30
MA: 29
VA: 24
NY: 24
GA: 19
WA: 18
NJ: 17
IL: 15
Who Files Complaints?
2.6%
Original Owners
97.4%
Second+ Owners
Toyota Rav4 — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
Active Recalls (3)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Labels
Campaign 19V503000 | 28/06/2019
An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. SET's number for this recall is SET19A.
Labels
Campaign 17V831000 | 20/12/2017
An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge. The recall began on January 23, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are H0Z for Toyota vehicles, and HLF for Lexus vehicles.
12V/24V/48V Battery
Campaign 23V734000 | 01/11/2023
A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 27, 2024, to 2013-2014 RAV4 owners. Additional owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, phase 2 will begin on May 14, 2025, and phase 3 in
Maintain Your Electrical System
Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.
- Clean battery terminals annually with baking soda and water
- Replace the battery every 3-5 years before it leaves you stranded
- Don't leave accessories running with the engine off
- Check for corroded ground connections if you have intermittent electrical issues
- Replace dim headlights promptly — they're a safety issue and a wiring symptom
Compare Toyota Rav4
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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.
Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.
Data through: 2026-03-28