RoadVitals

2011 Toyota RAV4 Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
50
Latest Feb 23, 2024
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
17%
of 287 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. 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. 50 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.

Owner reports naming visibility

The 25 most recent of 50, in the owner's own words

Seat beltsVisibility
Filed Feb 23, 2024

Unknown

NHTSA ID
11573606
Incident
May 10, 2023
SuspensionVisibility
Filed Jan 16, 2020

I HAVE FIXED MY REAR SUSPENSION MORE THAN 4X AND IT CONTINUES TO GO BAD, IT WORKS FINE FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS BUT STILL NOT RUNNING WELL THEN IT SHOCKS AND GOES BACK TO BOUNCING WHENEVER IT HITS A BUMP OR ANYTHING NOT SMOOTH ON THE ROADS. IT HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING AND YOU FEEL IT A LOT MORE WHEN IT'S RUNNING ON LOCAL ROADS. THE VISIBILITY IS BAD, THE DEFOGGER DOES NOT WORK AND I HAVE TO WAIT ABOUT 15-20 MINS OR OPEN THE WINDOW. WHEN I PUT MY HANDS ON THE VENT FOR THE DEFOGGER THERE IS NO AIR COMING FROM IT.

NHTSA ID
11299767
Incident
Jan 14, 2020
Visibility
Filed Aug 19, 2019

ALL WINDOWS BESIDES THE WINDSHIELD HAVE WATER SPOT BUILDUP. WE HAD THEM PROFESSIONALLY REMOVED IN JUNE OF 2014. 5 YEARS LATER THE SPOTS ARE BUILDING UP AGAIN. THAT WOULD BE AT 36,000 MILES AND NOW AGAIN AT 90,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID
11244852
Incident
Jun 27, 2014
Mileage
36,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 6, 2019

DRIVER VISOR WILL NOT STAY IN THE UP POSITION. THE VISOR WILL FALL DONE "WHILE DRIVING" THE VEHICLE BLOCKING THE DRIVERS VIEW OF THE ROAD CAUSING DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE VEHICLE OPERATION.

NHTSA ID
11218401
Incident
Jun 3, 2019
Mileage
119,225 mi
Visibility
Filed May 8, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING AT A VERY LOW SPEED, THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING OR AN IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE SUN ROOF WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

NHTSA ID
11206202
Incident
Nov 21, 2017
Mileage
80,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 21, 2019

DRIVERS SIDE VISOR WON'T STAY UP WHICH CAUSES A VISIBILITY ISSUE. THERE'S A RECALL ON THE CAMRY S BUT NOT ON THE RAV4 AND SAME PART. I SAW ANOTHER PERSON REPORTED SAME ISSUE. THE DEALER IS QUOTING $170 PLUS TO FIX. I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS VISOR FOR A YEAR NOT T EVEN REALIZING IT IS SOMETHING THAT WAS A RECALL FOR ANOTHER MODEL. I FEEL TOYOTAS DEFECTIVE PART SHOULD BE FIXED OR OFFER A LOWER RATE TO FIX ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
11171127
Incident
May 30, 2018
Mileage
70,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 10, 2018

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON MY VEHICLE FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH SCOTT CLARK TOYOTA ON 13000 E INDEPENDENCE BLVD, MATTHEWS, NC 28105. THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT DO THE RECALL UNLESS I PAID THEM OVER $400 TO REPLACE ANOTHER PART IN THE WIPERS. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLES WIPERS AND TOLD I DID NOT NEED THE PART REPLACED JUST DO THE RECALL. THEY REFUSED. SO, TO DATE MY RECALL HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THEY GAVE ME NO PAPERWORK TO CORROBORATE MY CLAIM.

NHTSA ID
11078461
Incident
Mar 1, 2017
Visibility
Filed Feb 26, 2018

I HAVE CALLED AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALERS SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY PROMISED TO CALL ME BACK ONCE THEY HAVE THE PART AVAILABLE FOR THIS REPAIR BUT THEY NEVER CALLED ME BACK. IT HAS BEEN FOR MORE THAN 6 MONTHS.

NHTSA ID
11074979
Incident
Feb 26, 2018
Mileage
80,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jul 3, 2017

SUN VISOR ON LEFT DRIVER SIDE NOW DROOPS AFTER ONLY OWNING VEHICLE FOR 5 YEARS. NOTICED TOYOTA WARRANTY EXTENSIONS FOR TOYOTA CAMRYS BUT NOT TOYOTA RAV4S. THE PARTS ARE NOT DIFFERENT AND THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH TOYOTA.

NHTSA ID
11002801
Incident
Jul 12, 2016
Mileage
100,000 mi
Seat beltsVisibility
Filed Nov 7, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V096000 (SEAT BELTS) AND 15V577000 (VISIBILITY/WIPER). THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE DEALER SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND ORDER THE PART, BUT MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A MASSIVE BACK ORDER FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID
10924649
Incident
Oct 10, 2016
Visibility
Filed Nov 7, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V770000 (VISIBILITY WIPER). HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
10924624
Incident
Nov 7, 2016
ElectricalVisibility
Filed Oct 17, 2016

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

NHTSA ID
10916401
Incident
Aug 1, 2014
Seat beltsVisibility
Filed Oct 1, 2016

I TOOK CAR TWICE AND NOBODY BEEN ABLE TO HELP 'ME EVERTIME THEY TELL ME TO COME BACK BECAUSE THEY DONT THE EQUIMENT OR THEY DONT HAVE TIME.. THIS HAPPEND AT A ROCKVILLE/GAITHERBURG LOCATION.

NHTSA ID
10910907
Incident
Aug 22, 2016
Visibility
Filed Sep 27, 2016

NHTSA RECALL: 15V-577 OVER A YEAR AND NO FIX? HOW HARD CAN THIS BE?

NHTSA ID
10910051
Incident
Sep 17, 2015
Mileage
25,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 15, 2016

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NOT RETRACT UP FULLY, BUT HANGS AT EYE LEVEL, IMPEDING VISIBILITY AND CAUSING DISTRACTION. DEALERSHIP ADMITTED RECEIVING MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS, BUT SAID MY CAR IS NOT UNDER RECALL.

NHTSA ID
10906861
Incident
Jan 1, 2015
Mileage
60,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 15, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V577000 (VISIBILITY/WIPER); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10906854
Incident
Jun 15, 2016
Seat beltsVisibility
Filed Sep 2, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V096000 (SEAT BELTS) AND 15V577000 (VISIBILITY/WIPER); HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT AND VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE RESPECTIVELY.

NHTSA ID
10903340
Incident
Sep 2, 2016
Visibility
Filed Aug 27, 2016

REMEDY FOR WINDSHIELD WIPER ISSUE IS NOT BEING FIXED IN A TIMELY MANNER. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST A YEAR AND STILL NO REMEDY. THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE RAINIEST SUMMERS EVEN IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA WITH FLOODS AND RECORD RAINS AND I DON'T TRUST MY WIPERS ANYMORE BECAUSE THE RECALL SAYS THEY COULD STOP WORKING AT ANY TIME. I DON'T THINK THAT TOYOTA UNDERSTANDS THAT ARIZONA GETS RAIN--AND LOTS OF IT--AND THINGS RUST. NOTHING HAS HAPPENED TO MY WIPERS YET BUT IT'S BEEN ALMOST A YEAR SINCE THE RECALL AND NOTHING. VIN: [XXX] YEAR: 2011 MAKE: TOYOTA MODEL: RAV4 NUMBER OF OPEN RECALLS: 1 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: OPENS NEW WINDOW TAKES AWAY FROM VIN LOOKUP SECTION> 15V577 RECALL DATE: SEPTEMBER 17, 2015 MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER: F1S SUMMARY: IN THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, WATER DRIPPING ONTO THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR LINK CAN, OVER TIME, CAUSE CORROSION AND WEAR AT THE WIPER MOTOR LINK JOINT. IN SOME CASES THIS COULD RESULT IN THE SEPARATION OF THE WIPER LINK FROM THE WIPER MOTOR CRANK ARM. SAFETY RISK: IF SEPARATION OCCURS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, WHICH COULD REDUCE DRIVER VISIBILITY AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. REMEDY: TOYOTA IS CURRENTLY PREPARING THE REMEDY FOR THIS CONDITION. ONCE REMEDY PREPARATIONS ARE COMPLETE, TOYOTA WILL SEND AN OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER BY FIRST CLASS MAIL TO OWNERS OF VEHICLES COVERED BY THIS SAFETY RECALL. ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON THE REMEDY WILL BE PROVIDED IN FUTURE COMMUNICATIONS. RECALL STATUS: RECALL INCOMPLETE. REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE MANUFACTURER NOTES: IF THE MANUFACTURER HAS FAILED OR IS UNABLE TO REMEDY THIS SAFETY RECALL FOR YOUR VEHICLE IN A TIMELY MANNER, PLEASE CONTACT THE NHTSA VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT: 1-888-327-4236 OR TTY: 1-800-424-9153 OR FILE AN ONLINE COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. THIS RECALL DATA LAST REFRESHED: AUG 27, 2016 ADDITIONAL SAFETY INFORMATION INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10901903
Incident
Aug 27, 2016
Visibility
Filed Aug 25, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V577000 (VISIBILITY/WIPER); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10898493
Incident
Jun 23, 2016
Seat beltsVisibility
Filed Aug 17, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V577000 (VISIBILITY/WIPER) AND 16V096000 (SEAT BELTS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10896593
Incident
Mar 31, 2016
Seat beltsVisibility
Filed Jul 28, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V577000 (VISIBILITY) AND 16V096000 (SEAT BELTS). THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO SUPPLY THE PART WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED TO DETERMINE WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BE SUPPLIED TO THE DEALER. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10889358
Incident
Oct 20, 2015
Visibility
Filed Jul 21, 2016

TOYOTA ISSUED SAFETY RECALL F1S ON SEP 17, 2015 STATING THAT FAILING TO FIX IT "MAY AFFECT DRIVER VISIBILITY AND INCREASE RISK OF CRASH" TEN MONTHS LATER THE TOYOTA WEB SITE STILL DISPLAYS "REMEDY NOT AVAILABLE". ANY ATTEMPTS TO GET FEEDBACK ON WHEN A SOLUTION MIGHT BE IMPLEMENTED ARE USELESS. THE RESPONSE IS: WHAT YOU SEE ON THE WEBSITE IS WHAT YOU GET.

NHTSA ID
10887443
Incident
Jul 20, 2016
Mileage
46,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jul 13, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V577000 (VISIBILITY/WIPERS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID
10884540
Incident
Jul 13, 2016
Seat beltsVisibility
Filed Jul 6, 2016

2011 TOYOTA RAV-4. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO REMEDY NOT AVAILABLE TO REPAIR SEAT BELT AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS RECALL NOTICES. *SMD

NHTSA ID
10881202
Incident
Jul 1, 2016
Interior & seatsSeat beltsVisibility
Filed Jun 30, 2016

I WAS NOTIFIED IN 2013 OF THREE (3) RECALLS NOTHNG HAS BEEN DONE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALER AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID "THERE IS NOT SAFETY PROBLEM AND I HAVE LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND NORTHING IS WRONG' I FORCED THE ISSUE AND THEY DID AN "INTERIM" FIX. IS NOT THREE YEARS A LONG TIME FOR THEM TO BE GETTING THE PARTS AS THAT IS THE EXCUSE I WAS GIVEN BY THE SERVICE MANAGER.

NHTSA ID
10881926
Incident
Jun 6, 2016

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .