Electrical System. Review the 108 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Exterior Lighting. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

33 crash reports24 fire reports22 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

32 reports

Clear category filter

75,000 miles · Mar 17, 2021

Exterior Lighting

ALL EXTERIOR LIGHTS: HEADLIGHTS, FOG LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS TURN SIGNALS ETC. HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST TWICE IN LESS THAN 4 YEARS AND 75K MILES OF USE. I WAS TOLD THAT PERHAPS THE PROBMEM IS THAT THE AREA AROUND TBE BULBS IS TOO SMALL CAUSING THEM TO OVER HEAT, WHICH COULD BE DANGEROUS

NHTSA ODI #11403425

15,300 miles · Feb 14, 2021

Exterior Lighting

VEHICLE HAS BOTH EXTREMELY POOR DOWNROAD AND SIDEROAD ILLUMINATION. VERY HARD TO SEE ANIMALS STANDING BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT NIGHT, RESULTING IN SEVERAL NEAR MISSES WITH LARGE DEER. UPGRADING THE FACTORY BULBS MADE LITTLE TO NO DIFFERENCE.

NHTSA ODI #11396165

25,690 miles · Sep 5, 2020

Exterior Lighting

AUTO-HIGH BEAM DOESN'T FUNCTION NORMALLY AT TIMES. AUTO-HIGH BEAM ICON GOES OFF AT RANDOM, EVEN THOUGH THE LEVER IS PUSHED FORWARD AND THE HEADLIGHT STALK IS IN THE 'AUTO' POSITION. THIS CAUSES THE HIGH BEAMS TO BE INOPERABLE WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE SET TO 'AUTO.'

NHTSA ODI #11353276

20,000 miles · Feb 13, 2020

Exterior Lighting

ABH (AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAM) SYSTEM DISCONNECTS RANDOMLY AND SHUTS DOWN THE HEAD LIGHT HIGH BEAM. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE ABH INDICATOR ON THE DASH GOES DARK. ABH MAY OR MAY NOT COME BACK ON AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS. THIS HAPPENS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH NO OTHER VEHICLES OR LIGHTS AROUND. THIS IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE IS NO QUICK W…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #11308957

11,211 miles · Jan 5, 2020

Exterior Lighting

Read full complaint

THE HALOGEN BULBS IN THE RAV4 LE ARE SUBSTANDARD AND PRESENT A SAFETY HAZARD. AFTER A DEALER UPGRADE TO SOME BRIGHTER BULBS, THERE IS STILL VERY LITTLE SPILL TO THE SIDES OF THE ROAD. THIS PREVENTS ME FROM SEEING POTENTIAL HAZARDS LIKE DEER WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL NEAR MISSES WITH ANIMALS AND EVEN ONE WITH A PEDESTRIAN INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS BECAUSE I SIMPLY COULDN'T SEE THEM. HEADLIGHT AIM HAS BEEN VERIFIED AS CORRECT SO THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE EITHER. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WAITING TO HAPPEN.

NHTSA ODI #11297246

25,000 miles · Nov 7, 2019

Exterior Lighting

Read full complaint

AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAMS (AHB) MALFUNCTION. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE AHB SYSTEMS OCCASIONALLY (EVERY ~10 MINUTES LATELY) SHUTS DOWN AND THE GREEN "AUTO HIGH BEAM" INDICATOR GOES OFF - RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF HIGH BEAMS IN ALL AMBIENT CONDITIONS. THIS USUALLY LASTS ABOUT A MINUTE AND THEN THE SYSTEMS RECOVERS. THERE ARE MANY CASES OF THIS REPORTED ON THE INTERNET - WHICH CAN BE FOUND BY GOOGLING "TOYOTA AUTO HIGH BEAMS MALFUNCTION". THE ISSUE SEEMS TO AFFECT ALL TOYOTA AND LEXUS VEHICLES MANUFACTURED IN THE LAST ~3 YEARS AND EQUIPPED WITH AHB. LEXUS OWNERS SEEM TO BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY FIX THIS UNDER WARRANTY BY THEIR DEALERS - THE FIX IS CLEANING THE CAMERA LENS AND THE WINDSHIELD IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA. UNFORTUNATELY IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THIS ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA. I HAD TWO DEALER VISITS AND TWO CALLS WITH TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE - EACH TIME THEY JUST TRY TO CONVINCE ME THAT "I AM USING IT WRONG". BY THE WAY I HAVE A VIDEO OF THIS HAPPENING AND SHOWED IT MY DEALER BUT WAS DENIED WARRANTY SERVICE NEVERTHELESS. A SIMILAR VIDEO AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE - JUST SEARCH FOR "A_32T4QTX4M" THERE.

NHTSA ODI #11278713

36,000 miles · Oct 30, 2019

Exterior Lighting

AUTO DIM HEADLIGHTS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR MANY MONTHS

NHTSA ODI #11277111

12,000 miles · Apr 1, 2019

Exterior Lighting

Read full complaint

WHEN USING AUTO HEAD LAMPS AND ENGAGING THE AUTO HIGH BEAMS (PUSHING THE LEFT HAND SWITCH IN) THEY DON'T ALWAYS TURN ON. SOMETIMES THE GREEN AUTO READY LIGHT WILL NOT COME ON WHICH PREVENTS THE HIGH BEAM (BLUE) LIGHT FROM TURNING ON. I HAD NO ISSUES UNTIL ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND NOW THE HIGH BEAMS HAVE REFUSED TO TURN ON A DOZEN TIMES. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT ISSUE, SOME TIMES THEY WORK AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T BUT IT IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING ON UNLIT BACK ROUNDS TO HAVE MY HIGH BEAMS REFUSE TO TURN ON. I BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO ACTON TOYOTA IN LITTLETON MA AND THEY CLAIM THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE AUTO HIGH BEAMS NOT WORKING PROPERLY SINCE 2016. SINCE I DRIVE BACK ROADS EVERY DAY WHICH DO NOT HAVE STREET LIGHTS, I NEED THE HIGH BEAMS TO COME ON RELIABLY WHEN I PULL BACK THE LIGHT SWITCH LEVER. I UNDERSTAND DETERMINING ROOT CAUSE AND CORRECTIVE ACTION ON AN INTERMITTENT IS DIFFICULT BUT, THEY SHOULD BE HONEST WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS AND ADMIT THE ISSUE EXISTS.

NHTSA ODI #11192897

30,000 miles · Dec 4, 2018

Exterior Lighting

WHEN HEADLIGHTS AFTER DARK ARE SET ON AUTOMATIC AND I MEET ON COMING TRAFFIC EITHER BRIGHT LIGHTS MY LIGHTS NOT ONLY DIM AUTOMATICALLY BUT THE AUTOMATIC TURNS IT'S SELF OFF AND WON'T COME BACK ON FOR A GOOD DISTANCE. I HAVE MET VEHICLES WITH EXCEPTIONALLY BRIGHT LIGHTS AND MY AUTOMATIC NOT ONLY TURNS OFF BUT THE HEADLIGHTS TURN…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #11155827

4,000 miles · Nov 26, 2018

Exterior Lighting

Read full complaint

I PURCHASED A 2017 RAV4 LE IN DECEMBER 2017. AFTER DRIVING IT IN THE DARK, I REALIZED HOW HORRIBLE THE HEADLIGHTS ARE. I HAD THEM ADJUSTED ON MAY 5, 2018, BUT LITTLE DIFFERENCE WAS NOTICED. THOSE THAT BUY THE HIGH END MODELS OF THE RAV4 GET BETTER HEADLIGHTS. AND THEY CANNOT BE RETRO FITTED INTO THE LE MODEL. DRIVING AT NIGHT SCARES THE BEJEZZUS OUT OF ME. MY PARENTS LIVE IN MONTANA (LOTS OF WILDLIFE), AND HITTING A DEER IS NOT MY IDEA OF FUN. I DRIVE HIGH BEAMS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT DON'T WANT ANOTHER CAR TO WRECK DUE TO MY HEADLIGHTS. I CAN'T EVEN SEE ACROSS THE STREET WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON LOW BEAM. I CAN'T BELIEVE TOYOTA HAS NOT REMEDIED THIS ISSUE. DRIVING IN THE RAIN ON NOVEMBER 23, 2018, WAS HORRIBLE! I COULDN'T EVEN TELL IF THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON. I WENT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ON NOVEMBER 24, 2018, AND GAVE THE SALESMAN A PIECE OF MY MIND. I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER TOYOTA AS LONG AS THESE HEADLIGHTS REMAIN AN ISSUE. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND PUTS PEOPLE AT RISK OF THEIR LIVES IF DRIVING AT NIGHT. I WILL SEE WHAT THEY COME BACK WITH AFTER MY DISCUSSION THE OTHER NIGHT. I WASN'T ABLE TO DRIVE MOST OF 2017 DUE TO MEDICAL ISSUES, SO I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS PROBLEM. TOYOTA IS BETTER THAN THIS AND SHOULD BE EMBARASSED BY THE SITUATION. I'VE SPOKE WITH THEM SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY KNOW WHO I AM WHEN IN THE DEALERSHIP. THE NEXT STEP IS TO WRITE TO THE TOYOTA CORPORATION ABOUT MY SPECIFIC COMPLAINT. I HAD A 2009 RAV4 AND DID NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE. A HUGE BLACK EYE FOR TOYOTA.

NHTSA ODI #11154037

Official recalls

23V734000 · 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.

19V503000 · Equipment:other:labels

Jun 28, 2019

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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. 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.

17V295000 · Tires:temporary/emergency Spare Tire

May 2, 2017

Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated on the Tire Pressure Label.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074. Toyota's number for this recall is 17R2.

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

PE21005 · 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.

Go deeper into Toyota RAV4 problems

Toyota RAV4 transmission problems →Toyota RAV4 electrical problems →