IllustrationCRUISE CONTROL PROBLEM RPMS JUMP FROM 2200 TO 4000 OR HIGHER 5000 CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON.
2013 Toyota RAV4
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2013 Toyota RAV4 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 258.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAV4 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
870–25K
2325–50K
2150–75K
1275–100K
12100–150K
6150K+
161 reports with mileage · 96 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 75 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
22 crash reports29 fire reports11 injury reports
What owners actually said
257 reportsHI, WE (MYSELF, MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER) HAD AN ACCIDENT DATED 08/02/2015 DUE TO BRAKES IN OUR TOYOTA 2013 RAV 4 DIDN'T FUNCTION. WE WERE TRAVELING AT POSTED SPEED OF 65/HR AND THERE WERE 3 CARS AHEAD OF US THAT BRAKED SUDDENLY. THERE WAS ENOUGH TIME FOR ALL CARS TO STOP INCLUDING OUR CAR BUT INSPITE OF FULL BRAKING IT FAILED T…
Read full complaint
HI, WE (MYSELF, MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER) HAD AN ACCIDENT DATED 08/02/2015 DUE TO BRAKES IN OUR TOYOTA 2013 RAV 4 DIDN'T FUNCTION. WE WERE TRAVELING AT POSTED SPEED OF 65/HR AND THERE WERE 3 CARS AHEAD OF US THAT BRAKED SUDDENLY. THERE WAS ENOUGH TIME FOR ALL CARS TO STOP INCLUDING OUR CAR BUT INSPITE OF FULL BRAKING IT FAILED TO AND HAPPENED TO CRASH INTO THE CAR AHEAD OF US. OUR CAR JUST COULD NOT COME TO COMPLETE STOP. WE STRONGLY FEEL ITS NOT SAFE FOR OUR FAMILY TO DRIVE IN THAT CAR ANY MORE. WE HAVE OPENED A CASE WITH TOYOTA AS WELL, BUT ITS BEEN 3 DAYS HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM YET. ALL THEY DID WAS EMAIL US SAYING THEY WERE UNABLE TO REACH US WHEN WE DID NOT RECEIVED ANY CALLS AT OUR END. WE REQUEST YOU TO PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AND IT MIGHT BE A SERIOUS ISSUE. THANKING YOU, [XXX] FAMILY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB
CAR ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN ON. INDICATOR LIGHT FOR STEERING WAS ON.. ONCE I PULLED THE STEERING HARD THEN CAR STARTED FINE. SEARCHING ONLINE I SEE THERE ARE REPORTS OF AUTO STEERING ISSUES WITH OTHER MODEL. BATTERY WAS FUNCTIONING FINE AS EVERYTHING ELSE WOULD TURN ON, IE, RADIO, AC ..FAN, LIGHTS
CROSSWIND CAUSED HOOD TO SHAKE VIOLETLY IN THE CENTER AS IF THE METAL WAS TOO THIN OR NEEDS SOME KIND OF ADDITIONAL SUPPORT .
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED SEVERAL TIMES AND ALL THE GAUGES AND WARNING LAMPS FLICKERED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V143000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED SEVERAL TIMES AND ALL THE GAUGES AND WARNING LAMPS FLICKERED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V143000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL CAP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.
WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE THE ENGINE OF MY VEHICLE WOULD SOMETIMES HESITATE DURING A TURN. IT FOR A MOMENT WILL LOOSE POWER AND THEN HAVE A BURST OF ACCELERATION. IT SEEMS THAT THIS HAPPENS MOST OFTEN AFTER IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN, THEN PARKED FOR A SHORT TIME AND THEN STARTED AND TURNED BUT IT MAY ALSO HAVE HAPPENED…
Read full complaint
WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE THE ENGINE OF MY VEHICLE WOULD SOMETIMES HESITATE DURING A TURN. IT FOR A MOMENT WILL LOOSE POWER AND THEN HAVE A BURST OF ACCELERATION. IT SEEMS THAT THIS HAPPENS MOST OFTEN AFTER IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN, THEN PARKED FOR A SHORT TIME AND THEN STARTED AND TURNED BUT IT MAY ALSO HAVE HAPPENED AT OTHER TIMES. IT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING MORE OFTEN LATELY AND MAKES TURNING DANGEROUS IF THERE IS A VEHICLE APPROACHING ACROSS THE CURVE OF THEE TERM. I KNOW OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THE 2013 RAV4. I ASKED THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT IF THEN COULD FIX THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD NO. THIS PROBLEM IS DANGEROUS. *TR
CONTINUALLY SINCE WE HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE, THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT WILL NOT RELEASE TO ENGAGE THE SEAT BELT. WE HAVE STRUGGLE WITH THIS, AND AS SUCH ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS HAVE DRIVEN THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE SEAT BELT FASTENED, FOR AS MANY AS FIVE BLOCKS. THIS IS UNSAFE. THE DEALER, AND TOYOTA ADVISES ME THAT "YOU DO NOT KNOW…
Read full complaint
CONTINUALLY SINCE WE HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE, THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT WILL NOT RELEASE TO ENGAGE THE SEAT BELT. WE HAVE STRUGGLE WITH THIS, AND AS SUCH ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS HAVE DRIVEN THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE SEAT BELT FASTENED, FOR AS MANY AS FIVE BLOCKS. THIS IS UNSAFE. THE DEALER, AND TOYOTA ADVISES ME THAT "YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO USE A SEAT BELT". ARE THEY CRAZY? I AM 64, AND KNOW ABOUT SEAT BELTS, AND SAFETY. MY FATHER HAD MANY AWARDS FROM THE USAF FOR SAFETY, AND VEHICLE MAINTENANCE. THIS IS A PROBLEM I HAVE ALSO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE ACCELERATOR STICKING, NOT SURE IF IT TIES TO THE CRUISE CONTROL. FINALLY THE GPS GIVES INCORRECT OR ERRONEOUS DIRECTIONS. THEY TELL ME IT IS UP TO DATE. THE AIR BAGS BASED UPON NEWS ARE AN UNKNOWN ISSUE. IT SEEMS WITH THESE ISSUES, THEY SHOULD REPLACE VEHICLES BEFORE CUSTOMERS ARE INJURED, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE, IS THERE PROFIT MARGIN/ *TR
THE THROTTLE STUCK ON THE CAR. I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR AND IT WENT OVER A 10 FOOT FALL AND CRASHED TO THE GROUND. IT WAS A VERY SCARY RIDE. I TRIED EVERY WAY TO STOP THE CAR BUT COULD NOT . I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE ENTIRE TIME OF THE UNINTENDED EVENT. I AM STILL VERY SORE THREE WEEKS LATER AND HAVE SOME SPINAL SPRAIN AND …
Read full complaint
THE THROTTLE STUCK ON THE CAR. I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR AND IT WENT OVER A 10 FOOT FALL AND CRASHED TO THE GROUND. IT WAS A VERY SCARY RIDE. I TRIED EVERY WAY TO STOP THE CAR BUT COULD NOT . I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE ENTIRE TIME OF THE UNINTENDED EVENT. I AM STILL VERY SORE THREE WEEKS LATER AND HAVE SOME SPINAL SPRAIN AND WRIST SPRAIN, CERVICAL SPRAIN AND BOTH KNEES BRUISED BOTH KNEES. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A COLLISION CENTER FOR REPAIRS AFTER I CONSULTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY....UPDATED 06-16-15 *BF *TR UPDATED 10/2/2017*CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, IT REMAINED STUCK. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE'S SPEED INCREASED AND CRASHED INTO A RETAINING WALL. THE CONTACT DID NOT DISCLOSE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OR IF THERE WERE ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER W…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, IT REMAINED STUCK. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE'S SPEED INCREASED AND CRASHED INTO A RETAINING WALL. THE CONTACT DID NOT DISCLOSE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OR IF THERE WERE ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.
Official recalls
223V734000 · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery
Nov 1, 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles. Certain replacement 12-volt batteries may not fit properly in the battery tray, allowing the battery to move and contact the hold-down bracket, possibly causing a short circuit.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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. 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 late July 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 23TB13 and 23TA13.
15V011000 · Exterior Lighting; Trailer Hitches
Jan 16, 2015
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Toyota Rav4 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2013, to December 29, 2014, and equipped with an accessory trailer light module. The software within the module may incorrectly detect an electrical short and preventively turn off the electrical current and the trailer lights.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the system incorrectly detects an electrical short and turns off the trailer lights while the trailer is being towed at night, there is an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer light module with a new unit with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-15A.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Trailer Hitches
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Toyota Rav4 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2013, to December 29, 2014, and equipped with an accessory trailer light module. The software within the module may incorrectly detect an electrical short and preventively turn off the electrical current and the trailer lights.
Consequence: If the system incorrectly detects an electrical short and turns off the trailer lights while the trailer is being towed at night, there is an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer light module with a new unit with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-15A.
Exterior Lighting
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Toyota Rav4 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2013, to December 29, 2014, and equipped with an accessory trailer light module. The software within the module may incorrectly detect an electrical short and preventively turn off the electrical current and the trailer lights.
Consequence: If the system incorrectly detects an electrical short and turns off the trailer lights while the trailer is being towed at night, there is an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer light module with a new unit with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-15A.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
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.