Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Toyota RAV4 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 19 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Toyota Rav4. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 89,000. It was later discovered upon checking the Carfax report that the mileage was 230,000.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Toyota Rav4. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 146,000. It was later discovered, upon checking with the local State Secretary, that the mileage was 190,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while reversing to park the vehicle, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated. The contact depressed the brake pedal, and the vehicle stopped. The contact stated that after turning off the vehicle and entering the residence, the vehicle independently restarted. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
I understand there is a recall on Rav4 starting fire from 2013. Our vehicle is a 2011 and started on fire in our driveway and is a total loss. May need to include other years.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRACTION, ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM AND THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE WARNING LIGHTS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO GARY FORCE HONDA (2325 SCOTTSVILLE RD, BOWLING GREEN, KY 42104) WHERE SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH A DEFECTIVE TRACTION, ANTI-LOCK BRAKE AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE SENSORS. THE CONTACT WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIRS BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ONE DAY WHILE DRIVING AROUND A CURVE AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND FLIPPED OVER, LANDING UPSIDE DOWN. THE SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT; HOWEVER, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AT THE SCENE. THE CONTACT WAS TREATED AT THE SCENE FOR MINOR CUTS TO HER FACE. THE CONTACT WENT TO THE HOSPITAL THE NEXT DAY FOR CHECK UP, DESPITE BOTH THE CONTACT AND THE PASSENGER EXPERIENCING SORENESS DUE TO THE ACCIDENT, NO MAJOR INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT JUNK YARD. THE MANUFACTURER NOR A TOYOTA DEALER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000. *DT*LN*JB*JB
I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE SINCE 2013. SINCE THEN, I HAVE REPLACED 3 BATTERIES AS THE SHOP'S ADVICE THAT MY INTERMITTENT NO-START MUST BE CAUSED BY THE BATTERY. IT HAS BEEN TO TWO DELAERSHIPS AS WELL AS A PRIVATE SHOP. NO ONE CAN DIAGNOSE WHY MY CAR WILL BE OPERATING FINE AND THEN INTERMITTENTLY GO TO START MY CAR AND NOTHING. ALTERNATOR AND STARTER ALSO HAVE BEEN CHECKED AND STATED ARE FINE. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS IN SEARCHING ABOUT MY CAR, ISSUES WITH INTERMITTENT BATTERY ISSUES, I AM NOT LEAVING ANYTHING PLUGGED IN, MAKING SURE LIGHTS ALL GO OFF. CAR WILL START FINE, WILL GO TO A STORE OR SOMETHING. COME BACK OUT AND DEAD. I CAN'T EVEN LEAVE MY DOORS OPEN FOR 10 MINUTES SAY IF I AM CLEANING IT OUT WITHOUT IT GOING DEAD. I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE THAT HAS HAD THIS KIND OF ISSUE, IF I EVER DID HAVE A BATTERY ISSUE WITH OTHER VEHICLES IT WAS BECAUSE SOMETHING GOT LEFT ON. THIS IS RIDICULOUS THAT NO ONE CAN DETERMINE WHY THIS OVER YEARS HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN INTERMITTENTLY AN ISSUE. IT HASN'T THANKFULLY HAPPENED WHEN DRIVING, IT IS LITERALLY MORE JUST LEFT ME STRANDED UNTIL HELP COMES TO JUMP START IT. IT WORKS FOR A WHILE, THEN LIKE IN THIS RECENT CASE, TWICE, IN ONE WEEK'S TIME, HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM STARTING IT, MAKING EITHER A LONG TRIP OR SHORT TRIP, AND GO TO START TO GO ON TO NEXT DESTINATION AND NO START.
MY BATTERY HAS GONE DEAD 3 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 2014. THE DEALER PUT IN A NEW BATTERY AT THE TIME I BOUGHT THE CAR. IN EACH CASE, I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO DEALER AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THE BATTERY "FAILED THE LOAD TEST". EACH TIME THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY FREE, SAYING IT WAS STILL UNDER 100% WARRANTY. MY CAR HAD 56,000 MILES WHEN I BOUGHT IT. IT NOW HAS 117,000. I TOOK THE CAR RECENTLY TO TWO INDEPENDENT TOYOTA MECHANICS WHO ALSO COULD FIND NOTHING ABOUT THE CAR WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE BATTERY FAILURE. THE CAR HAS NEVER FAILED TO START WHEN I TAKE IT OUT OF THE GARAGE. IT FAILS WHEN I HAVE PARKED SOMEPLACE AND NEED TO START IT AGAIN. I DRIVE THE CAR ALMOST EVERY DAY, SO THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY OF A DRAIN CAUSED BY THE CAR'S COMPUTER. THUS FAR THE BATTERY FAILURE HAS OCCURRED IN THE CITY WHERE I LIVE. WHEN THE BATTERY IS RECHARGED BY AAA AFTER I FAIL TO RESTART THE CAR, I AM ABLE TO TAKE THE CAR HOME AND TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY. I HAVE NO PROBLEM STARTING THE CAR FOR THIS TRIP. MY ONLY SOLUTION FOR THIS PROBLEM IS TO BUY A GB40 TO CHARGE THE NEXT TIME I HAVE A BATTERY FAILURE, WHICH WILL BE MY FOURTH FREE ONE!
BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON 1) WHEN DRIVING AND BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT BEING PUSHED DOWN, AND 2) WHEN CAR IS STATIONARY, AS WHEN IT IS PARKED AND NOBODY IS INSIDE THE CAR.
RADIO DISPLAY BECOMES UNREADABLE AND RADIO TURNS OFF IF I TRY TO CHANGE THE CHANNEL.
SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING MY TOYOTA RAV 4 IN 2011, BRAND NEW, MY HUSBAND STATED THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK WOULD NOT ALWAYS ENGAGE AND LOCK WHEN HE LOCKED THE CAR. HE SAID IT DIDN'T MATTER IF THE CAR WAS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. HE KEPT STATING HE WAS GOING TO TAKE IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BEFORE HIS WARRANTY RAN OUT. UNFORTUNATELY, HE GOT VERY SICK AND PASSED AWAY IN 2014. NOW THE REAR DRIVER'S DOOR WILL NOT LOCK AT ALL, WHETHER IT IS STATIONARY OR MOVING. THIS PROBLEM MAKES ME FEEL UNSAFE AT ALL TIMES.
THE ELECTRONICS. THE RADIO WILL COME ON BY ITSELF OR EVEN TURN OFF WHILE TURNING STATION OR EVEN EJECT MY CD, WITHOUT ME DOING IT. THIS HAS BEING KINDA CREEP. IT BEEN GOING ON ABOUT 2 YEARS NOW. NORMALLY IN WINTER MONTHS, I SPOKE WITH CO WORKER SHE HAD SAME PROBLEM ALSO ..ARE THE A RECALL ON THIS ?
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE, CHECK ENGINE, OIL LIGHT, AND OTHER UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (SLOANE TOYOTA OF PHILADELPHIA, 1546 COTTMAN AVE, PHILADELPHIA,PA, 19111) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, HOWEVER THE DIAGNOSIS WAS UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, THAT IT MIGHT RE-ILLUMINATE BUT THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE TO STAY OFF. IN ADDITION, IF THE FAILURE REOCCURRED TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AGAIN, HOWEVER HE HAD NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED OR MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.
CPCS:TOYOTA RAV4 WITH WIRING THAT HAS SOY COATED INSULATION.THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US IT WAS "RODENT" DAMAGE. WE CONTACTED OUR INSURANCE COMPANY, ETC., BUT NO ONE WANTS TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ISSUE. *BD UPDATED 06/28/2017*JS
2011 TOYOTA RAV4. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CAR HACKING ISSUE. *LD UPDATED 04/10/2017 *JS
SINCE SUMMER OF 2014, AFTER TWO YEARS OF DRIVING MY NEW 2011 RAV4, THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW HAS NOT OPERATED PROPERLY. SOMETIMES IT WILL GO DOWN OR UP, OFTEN, IT WILL GET STUCK. THE LIGHT ON THE BUTTON BLINKS AT TIMES, AT TIMES IT DOES NOT LIGHT UP. THE WINDOW MOTOR I AM TOLD HAS SEVERAL FINGERS THAT OPERATES THE WINDOWS AND SEEMS TO WORK WHEN TRIED ON SOME KIND OF MACHINE, HOWEVER, TWO GOOD MECHANICS CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHY IT SHORTS OUT WITH OPERATING THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW. REPLACING THE WINDOW MOTOR IS APPROXIMATELY $460.00 FOR THE PART ALONE, BUT MECHANICS CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT THE WINDOW WILL NOT SHORT OUT SOMEHOW AGAIN. WHEN THE WINDOW IS STUCK DOWN, I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING AT NIGHT, AND, WEATHER CONDITIONS LIKE RAIN, SNOW, EXTREME COLD--MAY KEEP ME FROM DRIVING THE CAR WITH THIS PROBLEM. I FOUND A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE SAME WINDOW PROBLEM; HOWEVER, TOYOTA TOLD ME THAT MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT QUALIFY BECAUSE MY VIN IS NOT IN THAT PARTICULAR RECALL. RADIO/CD PLAYER--HAS SHORTED OUT SINCE 2014. WHEN I PRESS A BUTTON TO CHANGE STATIONS, THE RADIO WILL TURN OFF. IF I PRESS REWIND ON THE CD PLAYER, THE PLAYER TURNS OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED FOR THREE YEARS ON MY RAV4 THAT WAS BRAND NEW WHEN PURCHASED DECEMBER 2011. *TR
WHILE DRIVING 55-60 ON A HIGHWAY, MY ANTI-SKID WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, THE 4WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT A HALF HOUR LATER, FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE LIGHT APRX 1 HR LATER. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, WHILE DRIVING, THE CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT ON ME, THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY SLOWED AND I NOTICED THE CRUISE LIGHT FLASHING ON AND OFF. THE REMOTE START DID NOT WORK ON DAY #3, AS I TRAVELED TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED AT SERRA TOYOTA, TRAVERSE CITY, MI. THE SERVICE TECH TOLD ME THAT "THE MECHANIC LITERALLY POURED WATER OUT OF THE EVAP CANISTER, WE HAVE SEEN OTHER RAV'S W THIS PROBLEM AND WE HAVE A BULLETIN ON IT, SO TOYOTA IS AWARE. THE CANISTER IS FAULTY, WHICH ALLOWED ROAD WATER, (VERY WET, SLUSHY ROADS AT TIME), TO GET IN AND DAMAGE THE WIRING." THE SERVICE TECH ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE NEW CANISTER/HOSE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. I EMAILED TOYOTA JAPAN, THEY HAD "HENRY KERRY OF TOYOTA EXECUTIVE HEADQUARTERS, TORRENCE, CALIF CALL ME. MR. KERRY STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO OVERFILLING THE GAS TANK. I TOLD HIM THAT THE TECH SAID "(THEY) LITERALLY POURED WATER OUT AND THEY HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM PREVIOUSLY." MR. KERRY ADVISED THAT "I SHOULD HAVE TALKED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER TO GET THE FACTUAL INFO." BOTTOM LINE: I FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED THAT ELECTRICAL FAILURE COULD OCCUR, DUE TO CANISTER/HOSE FAILURE AND THAT A NEW PART HAD BEEN DEVELOPED WHICH, ONCE INSTALLED, WOULD PREVENT (ROAD) WATER FROM SHORTING OUT THE WIRING. (THE WORK ORDER RECEIPT STATES: ("WATER INTRUSION INTO EVAP SYSTEM") THANKS MUCH,[XXX] 'INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *BF
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DURING RAIN WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE RADIO FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V577000 (VISIBILITY/WIPES) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 04/20/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEAT BELTS IN THE REAR, DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY AND A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED DUE TO THEM BEING UNSAFE. UPDATED 04/28/16. *JB
ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I PACKED MY CAR TO GO ON VACATION. I PUT THE DOG IN THE CAR AND RETURNED TO MY HOUSE TO GET SOMETHING. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE CAR, IT WAS LOCKED. I ASSUMED I HAD INADVERTENTLY PUSHED THE LOCK BUTTON ON THE REMOTE SO IGNORED IT. OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS, THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE FREQUENTLY. ON JULY 6, 2015, MY MOTHER AND I WENT TO WALMART. I WENT IN AND SHE STAYED IN THE CAR. WHEN I RETURNED THE DOOR WAS LOCKED AND SHE COULD NOT OPEN IT WITH THE POWER DOOR LOCK ON THE DOOR, SO I HAD TO USE MY REMOTE. TODAY, I WAS TAKING THINGS OUT OF THE REAR COMPARTMENT AND THE KEYS WERE HANGING IN THE DOOR TO THE HOUSE. I HEARD THE CAR DOOR LOCK ITSELF. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WE COULD OPEN THE DOOR AND WATCH IT LOCK ITSELF IN LESS THAN ONE MINUTE OF BEING OPENED. DURING THAT TIME, THE INSIDE ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT WORK TO OPEN THE DOOR, IT WOULD ONLY OPEN WITH THE REMOTE OR THE MANUAL DOOR LOCK. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS ME TO BRING THE CAR IN FOR INSPECTION TOMORROW, BUT TOYOTA CORPORATE WILL NOT ASSURE ME THAT I WON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY FEATURE OF THE RAV4 AND THEY SHOULD BE WILLING TO DIAGNOSE THIS FOR FREE. IF THEY DON'T, I WILL NOT TAKE THE CAR IN. I TOLD THEM I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE AND COULD INVOLVE CHILDREN GETTING LOCKED IN A CAR WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO UNLOCK THE DOOR (IF THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE THE MANUAL LOCK). ...UPDATED 09/11/15 *BF UPDATED 10/13/15*JS
I WAS DRIVING DOWN SUBURBAN ROAD AT APPROX 20-25 MPH BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A RED LIGHT. THE BRAKES LOST POWER AND ENGINE QUICKLY REDLINED TO 6000 RPM. IT WAS ONLY BY IMMEDIATELY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL THAT I AVOIDED RUNNING A REDLIGHT AND PLOWING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. I PLACED IN PARK AND SHUT OFF ENGINE WITHIN 3-5 SECONDS TO AVOID ENGINE DAMAGE. I WAITED ABOUT 10-15 SECONDS STUCK AT A RED LIGHT BEFORE RESTARTING ENGINE AND LIMPING IT BACK HOME LESS THAN HALF A MILE AWAY. *JS
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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