NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine complaints
29 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Sep 13, 2021
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train
Note: This is a fully electric vehicle. It was made by Toyota, but the drive train (electric motor, battery, etc.) is made by Tesla. Earlier this summer (Around June 2021) while starting the vehicle from a stop, the vehicle either shifted to neutral (halfway through an intersection) or stalled. The vehicle displays a message sa…
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Note: This is a fully electric vehicle. It was made by Toyota, but the drive train (electric motor, battery, etc.) is made by Tesla. Earlier this summer (Around June 2021) while starting the vehicle from a stop, the vehicle either shifted to neutral (halfway through an intersection) or stalled. The vehicle displays a message saying "Check EV System". We have since taken it to two Toyota dealerships. The first (Toyota of Tacoma in Tacoma WA) said the 12V battery needed to be replaced, but the issue happened again almost immediately after we took the vehicle off the lot and completely stalled in the middle of a busy intersection. We brought it back to the same dealership who then said nothing was wrong with the vehicle. We also took the vehicle to a local auto repair shop that specializes in electric vehicles where they were able to recreate the issue but unfortunately were unable to work on the car as Tesla had locked the codes needed to diagnose the issues. The second dealership (Titus Will Toyota in Tacoma WA) was able to reproduce the issue, but they didn't have the equipment to work on the vehicle. They said that they spoke to the Toyota engineering team who told them that the speed sensor had moisture on it, and the coolant on the right side was low which indicates that coolant was leaking into the electric motor and the vehicle needed a new drive train. Toyota said that since the drive train was made by Tesla, they are unable to work on the vehicle and we would need to figure out how to get the vehicle from Washington to California to find a shop that could service the vehicle and completely replace the entire drive train - a diagnosis made and given over the phone. We purchased the vehicle just over a year ago in Washington and now it has a dangerous safety issue that neither Toyota nor Tesla is wanting anything to do with and that local repair shops cannot address.
NHTSA ODI #11432802
75,000 miles · Apr 7, 2021
EngineFire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA RAV-4. THE CONTACT STATED THE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT STATED THEY NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT GOT OUT THE VEHICLE AND CALLED 911. THE VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND NO ONE WAS INJURED DURING THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTI…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA RAV-4. THE CONTACT STATED THE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT STATED THEY NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT GOT OUT THE VEHICLE AND CALLED 911. THE VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND NO ONE WAS INJURED DURING THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR DIAGNOSED BY INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
NHTSA ODI #11406921
39,187 miles · Mar 15, 2021
EngineFire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 TOYOTA RAV-4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING SPACE WHEN SHE SHIFTED THE GEAR SHIFTER INTO REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED ITSELF. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE AROUND THE CORNER AND THE VEHICLE STALLED ONCE MORE. THE CONTACT LOOKED UP AND SAW GRAY SMO…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 TOYOTA RAV-4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING SPACE WHEN SHE SHIFTED THE GEAR SHIFTER INTO REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED ITSELF. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE AROUND THE CORNER AND THE VEHICLE STALLED ONCE MORE. THE CONTACT LOOKED UP AND SAW GRAY SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE WHEN SHE SAW GRAY SMOKE BILLOWING AND WITHIN SECONDS OF EXITING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE POLICE AND FIRE RESCUE WERE ON THE SCENE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOT AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED IT TOTALED, BUT COULDN'T DIAGNOSE WHAT THE FAILURE WAS SINCE THE VEHICLE'S EXTERIOR FRAMES WERE ONLY LEFT. THE CONTACT INFORMED CHARLES MAUND TOYOTA (8400 RESEARCH BLVD, AUSTIN, TX 78758) OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CLAIM, HOWEVER THEY LATER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE CLAIM WAS DENIED SINCE THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT A DEFECT CAUSED THE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT UPON INSPECTION, THE J HOOK WAS MISSING AND THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE WAS WELDED TO THE BATTERY HOLD DOWN BRACKET AS THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE SAW A NEWS ARTICLE THAT NHTSA WAS PROBING ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE FOR 2013-2018 TOYOTA RAV4, AND BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS RELATED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,187. *BF*LN
NHTSA ODI #11403048
101,000 miles · Mar 1, 2021
Electrical SystemEngineService Brakes
I SAW ARTICLE IN USA TODAY. EXACT SAME THING WAS HAPPENING TO MY RAV4 A MONTH AGO. I BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER AND THEY CHANGED THE BATTERY- BUT I PAID FOR IT.
NHTSA ODI #11398466
42,000 miles · Sep 26, 2020
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train
DRIVING MY 2013 TOYOTA RAV4EV WHEN THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND WOULD NOT SHIFT BACK TO DRIVE AND LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 70 MPH. LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. THERE WAS A MESSAGE IN THE DISPLAY OF "CHECK EV SYSTEM. HAVE YOUR VEHICLE CHECKED BY DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY"
NHTSA ODI #11361268
95,000 miles · Jul 13, 2020
Electrical SystemEngine
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING WITH ALL LIGHTS COMING ON ON THE DASH BOARD. IT CUTS ON WHEN YOU PUT CAR BACK IN PARK THEN TURN THE KEY, BUT STILL TURNS OFF AGAIN WHEN YOU TAKE IT PAST A CERTAIN SPEED OR WHEN STOPPING TO HARD.
NHTSA ODI #11339049
60,000 miles · Sep 15, 2018
Engine
THE RAV4 2013 IS NOT EVEN 5 YEARS OLD YET. THE CAR DOES NOT SPEED UP WHEN PRESSING GAS AND JERKS SUDDENLY. PER DEALER, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER CONNECTED TO THE TRANSMISSION AND HAD A LOT OF CUSTOMERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.
NHTSA ODI #11129680
30,000 miles · Jan 4, 2017
Electrical SystemEngineSteering
WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING, AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE RADIO AND HEADLIGHTS REMAINED ON. THIS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE WITHIN 6 WEEKS.
NHTSA ODI #10939782
17,450 miles · Apr 20, 2016
Electrical SystemEngineStructureFire
THE ENGINE STARTED ON FIRE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE CAR WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENT. THE RAV4 LIMITED WAS TOTALED. IT WAS LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD AND HAD 17,500 MILES ON IT. THE CAR WAS SERVICED REGULARLY BY TOYOTA. THE LAST SERVICE WAS ABOUT 4 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FIRE. TOYOTA HAS NOT HONORED THEIR 3YR/36,00…
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THE ENGINE STARTED ON FIRE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE CAR WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENT. THE RAV4 LIMITED WAS TOTALED. IT WAS LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD AND HAD 17,500 MILES ON IT. THE CAR WAS SERVICED REGULARLY BY TOYOTA. THE LAST SERVICE WAS ABOUT 4 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FIRE. TOYOTA HAS NOT HONORED THEIR 3YR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY COVERAGE ON THE CAR. TOYOTA HAS NOT OFFERED A REPLACEMENT CAR, RENTAL OR ANYTHING. EVERY TIME WE CALL OUR TOYOTA CASE MANAGER OR LEGAL DEPARTMENT MANAGERS, WE HAVE TO LEAVE A MESSAGE AND THEY NEVER RETURN OUR CALLS.
NHTSA ODI #10860544
17,000 miles · Feb 22, 2016
Engine
OUR TOYOTA 2013 RAV4 HAD A SUDDEN ACCELERATION. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE GAS PEDDLE SUDDENLY DROPPED TO THE FLOOR, AND THE RPM'S WENT FROM 3-8 INSTANTLY. UPON BRAKING, THE ACCELERATOR WENT BACK TO NORMAL, BUT AS SOON AS THE BRAKE WAS RELEASED, THE PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY HAPPENED AGAIN. AT THIS POINT, THE BRAKES WERE APPL…
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OUR TOYOTA 2013 RAV4 HAD A SUDDEN ACCELERATION. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE GAS PEDDLE SUDDENLY DROPPED TO THE FLOOR, AND THE RPM'S WENT FROM 3-8 INSTANTLY. UPON BRAKING, THE ACCELERATOR WENT BACK TO NORMAL, BUT AS SOON AS THE BRAKE WAS RELEASED, THE PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY HAPPENED AGAIN. AT THIS POINT, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AGAIN, AND THE CAR WAS PULLED OVER. THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF, THEN RESTARTED. AT THIS POINT THE CAR DROVE NORMAL FROM THEN ON.
NHTSA ODI #10837455
NHTSA investigations
1PE21005 · Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events
Opened Feb 25, 2021 · Closed Aug 12, 2024
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to understand the contributing factors and frequency of vehicle fires originating from the battery region of the engine compartment in Model Year (MY) 2013-2018 Toyota RAV4 vehicles on 25 February 2021. At the time of opening, ODI attributed eleven allegations and additional EWR events to this PE. PE21005 focused on replacement batteries installed in the subject vehicles. No reported fire event identified in PE21005 involved the originally supplied 12V battery. The reported fires took place in vehicles known to contain aftermarket batteries or whose age exceeded the expected life of the original equipment battery. ODI identified battery dimensioning as it relates to the battery retention system (hold down bracket, radiator support bolt, J-hook, and battery tray) as the main factor set in the contact between the battery hold down bracket contacting the positive terminal of the 12V battery. The subject vehicles carried over the same battery tray and retention system from the prior generation (MY2006 – MY2012) of RAV4 vehicles. However, the subject vehicles were equipped with a dimensionally smaller battery (Group 35) than the prior generation (Group 24F). The smaller- length measurement in the Group 35 battery size in a battery tray originally designed to fit a Group 24F battery contributed to increased potential for battery movement which was exacerbated by the diversity in aftermarket battery configuration and irregularities intrinsic to battery replacement procedures. Battery movement coupled with the proximity of the B+ terminal on the battery and the grounded electrically conductive hold down bracket set the stage for a short to ground leading to an engine stall (if in operation) followed by a vehicle fire. This investigation was not able to classify the installation status, battery size, or cause of every allegation due to the fire event causing damage to the area, inaccessible vehicle, modification to the battery retention system after the event, and/or inconclusive photographic evidence. Toyota's investigation of the issue identified aftermarket battery catalogs that listed an improper battery replacement size (Group 26R) that would nevertheless fit into the subject vehicles whose battery retention system is incapable of reliably restraining a Group 26R battery. On 18 November 2021, Toyota initiated a consumer advisory campaign (21TG01) to the subject vehicle owners, notifying them of the correct size battery and offering a free inspection of the battery and retention hardware, a caution label to affix to the hold down bracket, and a discounted replacement 12V battery. This investigation with Toyota established three broad categories to characterize the battery retention system state of a given vehicle: "correct", "minor mis-installation", and "major mis-installation". - The "correct" terminology references the front bolt, bracket, and J-hook installed in a position not in contact with the positive battery terminal and the front bolt torqued to 17 Nm and the J-hook engaged with the tray hole and torqued to 4.9 Nm. - A "minor mis-installation" would describe the three retention components installed in the prescribed location, however not to the correct torque values. - The "major mis-installation" condition would constitute a retention component missing or disconnected from the system. Toyota's own testing used five exemplar batteries installed on a subject vehicle in each battery categorization resulted in: - Contact between the B+ terminal and hold down bracket in "major mis-installations" - Movement of the battery in "minor mis-installations" - No observable motion in "correct" installations. ODI conducted its own evaluation of the Toyota- specified replacement battery and 5 aftermarket Group 35 batteries. The six batteries tested conformed to the Group 35 Battery Council International (BCI) standard on overall dimensional tolerance and terminal location. That standard does not define the edge shape or material of battery casing. Physical interaction between the hold down bracket and the battery case and the friction between the casing material and the battery tray resulted in a large variability in movement forces required to incite movement when the battery was installed in the "correct" condition. Resulting in movement at an induced lateral load between 0.6 G and 1.91 G equivalent force across each battery. This force is higher than a typical vehicle could exert in a steady state turn and would only experience loads through brief shock or impulses. Multiple shock or impulse loads across time would contribute to a delay between the replacement battery installation and the fire event. Likelihood of a fire event increases as the installation method degraded from the "correct", to "minor mis-installation", and then to "major mis-installation". Protruding vent caps atop some of the batteries tested aided in restricting battery movement relative to the hold down. An absence of vent caps permitted additional movement. Following several discussions and vehicle inspections with ODI during this investigation, on 01 November 2023, Toyota filed a safety recall (NHTSA 23V-734) of 1,853,568 MY 2013 through MY 2018 Toyota RAV4 vehicles to reduce the risk of a vehicle fire with redesigned battery retention components. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
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