Toyota RAV4 recalls & complaint record (MY 2017–2025)

By Ivan H., EVCostIQ · reviewed against our public methodology · every source dated on this page

As of July 10, 2026, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lists 18 recall campaigns and 2,996 consumer complaints for the Toyota RAV4 (MY 2017–2025). The most-reported complaint areas are Electrical System, Engine, Fuel/Propulsion System. Every recall is a free remedy — an open recall is repaired at no cost — so a recall adds nothing to what the RAV4 costs to own.

Every Toyota RAV4 recall campaign, by year

All 18 NHTSA recall campaigns on file for the RAV4 (MY 2017–2025), newest first. A recall is a free remedy — the manufacturer repairs the defect at no cost. Source: NHTSA (nhtsa.gov), data as of July 10, 2026.

2026 — 1 campaign

Seats26V256000 · April 22, 2026 · about 4 vehicles
Risk: Improperly welded seat brackets can prevent the seat from adequately restraining an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the seat bracket welds as necessary, free of charge.

2025 — 2 campaigns

Back Over Prevention25V744000 · October 30, 2025 · about 1,024,407 vehicles
Risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge.
Electrical System25V595000 · September 11, 2025 · about 591,377 vehicles
Risk: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will update the instrument panel software over-the-air (OTA) for non-PHEV vehicles, free of charge.

2024 — 1 campaign

Service Brakes24V911000 · December 5, 2024 · about 70 vehicles
Risk: A damaged brake line can cause a brake fluid leak, reducing brake performance and increasing the distance required to stop the vehicle.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the front brake caliper mounting bracket and hub bearing bolts, as necessary, free of charge.

2023 — 3 campaigns

Air Bags23V865000 · December 20, 2023 · about 999,901 vehicles
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge.
Electrical System23V734000 · November 1, 2023 · about 1,853,568 vehicles
Risk: A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge.
Tires23V485000 · July 11, 2023 · about 195 vehicles
Risk: A damaged or improperly installed valve stem may allow air to leak and/or the tires to be underinflated, increasing the risk of tire failure and a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the wheel valve stems and replace the load carrying capacity modification labels, free of charge.

2022 — 1 campaign

Air Bags22V519000 · July 21, 2022 · about 3,533 vehicles
Risk: Incorrect detection of an occupant may result in improper air bag deployment during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the front passenger seat, as necessary, free of charge.

2020 — 5 campaigns

Air Bags20V734000 · November 25, 2020 · about 161 vehicles
Risk: In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not perform as designed can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering column, free of charge.
Fuel System20V682000 · November 4, 2020 · about 1,525,742 vehicles
Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge.
Steering20V373000 · June 24, 2020 · about 46 vehicles
Risk: A loss of power steering assist could increase steering effort at low vehicle speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering gear box, free of charge.
Suspension20V286000 · May 20, 2020 · about 9,502 vehicles
Risk: If a suspension control arm breaks, it can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front lower suspension arms, free of charge.
Engine And Engine Cooling20V064000 · February 6, 2020 · about 44,191 vehicles
Risk: A coolant leak can cause the engine to overheat and cause a vehicle stall in conventional gasoline vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the engine including the engine block, as necessary, free of charge.

2019 — 3 campaigns

Back Over Prevention19V576000 · August 6, 2019 · about 14,215 vehicles
Risk: If the backup camera system does not activate and the driver does not check his/her surroundings while reversing, there is an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the back-up camera system and replace the audio display unit, if necessary, free of charge.
Equipment19V503000 · June 28, 2019 · about 1,325 vehicles
Risk: An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge.
Equipment19V244000 · March 27, 2019 · about 3,634 vehicles
Risk: If the driver cannot read the label, they may unknowingly overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GST will notify owners, and dealers will provide corrected load carrying capacity modification labels, free of charge.

2017 — 2 campaigns

Equipment17V831000 · December 20, 2017 · about 649 vehicles
Risk: An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge.
Tires17V295000 · May 2, 2017 · about 409 vehicles
Risk: A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge.

Where the RAV4’s recalls and complaints cluster

Recalls by component (18 campaigns total): Air Bags (3), Equipment (3), Back Over Prevention (2), Electrical System (2), Tires (2), Seats (1), Service Brakes (1), Fuel System (1), and 3 other components.

Complaints by reported area (2,996 total; a single complaint can cite more than one area): Electrical System (611), Engine (574), Fuel/Propulsion System (413), Air Bags (290), Structure (246), Power Train (209).

Recall counts are NHTSA campaign records; complaint counts are consumer reports. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA.

Crash, fire, injury and death reports

Across those consumer complaints, NHTSA’s records for the RAV4 (MY 2017–2025) include 213 crash reports, 71 fire reports, 178 injury reports and 4 reports of a death. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA.

Do recalls affect what the RAV4 costs to own?

No direct cost. A recall is a free remedy: the manufacturer must repair the defect at no charge, so an open or completed recall adds nothing to the 5-year cost of ownership.
Resale is the one caveat. An unrepaired recall can make a used RAV4 harder to sell or trade in — a buyer or dealer may want it fixed first — but the fix itself is still free, and completing it removes that friction.
How our totals treat it. Our 5-year cost-of-ownership totals use market-level depreciation estimates; they are not adjusted per recall campaign. See the honest 5-year cost to own: Toyota RAV4 LE (gas) cost to own → · Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid SE cost to own → · Toyota RAV4 Hybrid LE cost to own →.

Recalls & complaints — FAQ

How many recalls does the Toyota RAV4 have?

As of July 10, 2026, NHTSA lists 18 recall campaigns for the Toyota RAV4 (MY 2017–2025). Each is a free remedy — the manufacturer repairs the defect at no cost. The full dated campaign list is above.

What is the most serious RAV4 recall?

The largest by scale is campaign 23V734000 (November 1, 2023, Electrical System), affecting about 1,853,568 vehicles: A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire. The remedy is free of charge.

How do I check if my RAV4 has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s free recall lookup, nhtsa.gov/recalls. It shows any open (unrepaired) recall for your exact vehicle, and recall repairs are always free at a franchised dealer.

Do recalls make the RAV4 cheaper or more expensive to own?

Neither, directly — recall repairs are free, so they add nothing to the cost of ownership. An unrepaired recall can make a used one harder to resell, but our 5-year cost totals use market-level depreciation and are not adjusted per campaign. See the RAV4 cost to own.

About this data

All powertrains and trims. Figures cover all powertrains and trims sold under the RAV4 nameplate for the model years shown (MY 2017–2025).
A recall is a free fix. A recall means the manufacturer must remedy a safety defect free of charge; it is not the same as a breakdown or a repair bill.
Complaints are unverified. Consumer complaints are unverified reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA — a signal of what owners report, not confirmed defects.

Source: NHTSA (nhtsa.gov), data as of July 10, 2026.