RoadVitals

2015 Toyota RAV4 Fuel system Problems

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

Data refreshed

Fuel system 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.
13
Latest Jan 17, 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.
4%
of 302 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 fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2015 Toyota RAV4 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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 fuel system

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistanceFuel system
Filed Jan 17, 2024

My friend was leaving church and cranked my vehicle engine. My friend proceeded to exit the church parking lot onto a main road. Prior to exiting the parking lot, she heard the engine "rev", where my vehicle began moving forward without her control. She was consistently pressing the brake pedal; to no avail. where my vehicle was only stopped by careening into a nearby yard. She could hear my vehicle's engine continue rev until she turned it off.

NHTSA ID
11566083
Incident
Jan 14, 2024
Fuel system
Filed May 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that there was fuel leaking from the vehicle. While opening the fuel cap, fuel was flowing out of the filler neck. The contact detected fuel leaking on the driveway. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a Honda dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the EVAP canister needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel system and EVAP canister needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer again who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ID
11519862
Incident
Jun 1, 2021
Mileage
90,000 mi
Driver assistanceFuel system
Filed May 27, 2022

My vehicle has a problem with torque converter shudder that has gotten worse over time. At first it was shuddering and now vehicle bulks and momentarily slows down at the speed of 20mph thus creating an unsafe situation. Toyota has a Torque Converter Shudder Warranty Enhancement Program (ZH1) for vehicles of my age and mileage, but my specific VIN number does not fall under this warranty enhancement. I spoke to Toyota Brand Engagement Center senior adviser Drew and explained to him that it is a safety issue due to my vehicle unexpectedly slowing down in traffic. But he refused to do anything to mitigate this safety concern.

NHTSA ID
11466414
Incident
May 27, 2022
Fuel system
Filed Jun 23, 2021

A. Mileage indicator: Full thank gives any where from 325-365 miles. But indicator goes down precipitously. If it indicates 20 miles, it will go down to 0 or 8 miles after only a 5 miles drive. B: The only safety I feel is put at risk is where it can leave me when my anticipated mileage suddenly goes below what was indicated. C: Have reported to dealer a couple of times but always informed nothing defective could be detected D: Never received any warning signals. Just happens.

NHTSA ID
11421998
Incident
Jun 18, 2021
Fuel system
Filed May 7, 2021

ONGOING ISSUES WITH MY FUEL SYSTEM. CAR WILL DISPLAY ONE OF THESE MANY SYMPTOMS: -MISFIRE, HARD START, STALL OR SHUTOFF. OTHER SYMPTOMS INCLUDE CAR STUTTERING AND STALLING OUT WHILE DRIVING. THIS LAST SYMPTOM IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT OFTEN COMES WITH NO WARNING. WHEN THE CAR STALLS OUT, THE CAR IS DRIVING UP STRAIGHT UP A MEDIUM GRADE HILL. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT DATES AND TIMES ALONG W 24TH ST. AUSTIN, TX NEAR 1106 W 24TH ST. THIS WILL HAPPEN IF I'M EITHER STOPPING AT A LIGHT OR WHILE IN MOTION. I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT MPH I AM DRIVING, BUT IT WOULD BE AROUND 20 - 40 MPH WHEN THIS OCCURS. IVE TAKEN THE CARE TO BOTH ROUND ROCK TOYOTA AND CHRISTIAN AUTO BROTHERS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. SO FAR, NEITHER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. ON 5/22/20, CHRISTIAN AUTO BROTHERS REPLACED THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS SYSTEM LEAK DETECTION UNIT R&R, THE FUEL EVAPORATIVE CANISTER R&R, THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS SYSTEM LEAK DETECTION PUMP, AND THE VAPOR CANISTER PURGE SOLENOID. THIS DID NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE. CURRENT CODES: P0441, P0455, P1604, P1605, P0171. WHILE NO DIAGNOSTIC PROOF HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED, IT IS HYPOTHESIZED BY THE MECHANICS THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH EITHER THE FUEL PUMP OR THE FUEL LINE. AFTER READING ABOUT THE 2020 TOYOTA FUEL PUMP RECALL, I BELIEVE MY 2015 RAV4 HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING SIMILAR ISSUES. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. THEREFORE I AM SUBMITTING THIS INCIDENT INFO TO DOCUMENT THE CURRENT SITUATION. IF I LEARN MORE, I WILL TRY TO UPDATE.

NHTSA ID
11415574
Incident
May 22, 2020
Mileage
50,493 mi
Fuel system
Filed Apr 21, 2020

CAR WILL NOT START ON 1ST TRY. IT MAY START 2ND OR 3RD TIME WHILE HOLDING GAS PEDDLE TO THE FLOOR. LOUD POPPING SOUND FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR. SOUNDS LIKE CHANGING GEARS ON A MANUAL. CAR HAS LESS THAN 50K MILES

NHTSA ID
11321859
Incident
Jan 3, 2020
Mileage
49,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jan 23, 2017

HI, I HAVE A 2015 RAV 4 PURCHASED 9/2015, NEW AND ONLY OWNER...OUT OF NOWHERE JAN. 2017...THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY...ON HWY AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 60-70MPH AND WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS NOTHING...HAD TO REMOVE FOOT AND PRESS THE GAS AGAIN FOR THE CAR TO ENGAGE AND STAY AT ITS PROPER SPEED. TOYOTA DEALER COULD NOT FIND AN ISSUE. JAN. 14TH....THE ISSUE STARTED AGAIN AND I RETURNED IT TO DEALER 1/21 AND STATED ISSUE WAS NOT FIXED...NOW HAPPENING BETWEEN 20-40MPH TOO. DOES NOT OCCUR ALL OF THE TIME AND YET CONSIST ENOUGH THAT IT IS SCARY TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ID
10946948
Incident
Jan 12, 2017
Mileage
25,600 mi
Fuel system
Filed Aug 12, 2016

POOR FUEL ECONOMY GETTING 17MPG

NHTSA ID
10895323
Incident
Oct 1, 2015
Fuel system
Filed Jul 18, 2016

ON JUNE 13, 2016, I NOTICED MY GAS TANK WAS FULL, AFTER IT WAS TANK THE DAY BEFORE. SO, I THOUGHT MY HUSBAND HAD FILLED IT UP BEFORE HE LEFT FOR HIS BUSINESS TRIP THAT MORNING. TOWARDS THE END OF THE WEEK, I NOTICED THE TANK WAS STILL FULL, SO I KNEW SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT. SPOKE TO MY HUSBAND WHO HAD THEN CONFIRMED THAT HE DID NOT FILL UP THE TANK BEFORE HE LEFT. WENT TO THE GAS STATION AND IT COST ME $34.00 DOLLARS TO FILL IT UP, I ALMOST RAN OUT OF GAS! I COULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO A BAD ACCIDENT IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY! TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT COULD BE EITHER THE FLOATER OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN RODENTS NIBBLING AT THE WIRES, BECAUSE SOMEONE HAD HAD THAT EXPERIENCE ALREADY. ANYWAY, OF COURSE IT ENDS OF BEING THE RODENTS. SO, I SEARCHED THE INTERNET TO GET MORE FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND A LOAD OF INFORMATION. APPARENTLY, THIS IS CONTRIBUTED TO TOYOTA'S MOVE TO ECO-FRIENDLY ORGANIC WIRING INSULATOR COMPOUNDS THAT ATTRACT RODENTS AS A FOOD SOURCE! THIS IS CAUSING A PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA CAR OWNERS. I HAVE A RAV4 2010 WHICH IS KEPT INSIDE AND THIS SITUATION HAS NEVER HAPPENED. THIS 2015 RAV4, WHICH IS GARAGE KEPT, RODENTS SEEM TO ENJOY. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED WIRING DAMAGE BY MUNCHING RODENTS, WHICH IS NOT COVERED UNDER TOYOTA WARRANTY - A VERY EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION. NOT TO MENTION A SAFETY HAZARD, HAD I RAN OUT OF GAS ON THE HIGHWAY! LAST WEEK, IT COST ME $611.51, HOW MUCH WILL IT COST ME THE NEXT TIME WHEN THEY MUNCH ON ANOTHER PART OF THE CAR?

NHTSA ID
10885439
Incident
Jun 13, 2016
ElectricalFuel system
Filed Dec 11, 2015

PURCHASED THIS CAR DEALER CERTIFIED AFTER BEING LEASED FOR 9 MONTHS BY SOMEONE ELSE, FROM NEW ROCHELLE TOYOTA. HAD 5700 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. SINCE PURCHASE IT DOES NOT ALWAYS START THE FIRST TIME, SOMETIMES TAKING 3-4 TIMES TO START, AND MAKING STRANGE NOISES, IT SOUNDS LIKE ITS GOING TO START AND THEN DIES. HAS BEEN TO THE SHOP 3 TIMES AND GOING IN FOR THE 4TH TIME TODAY, ON 12/4 A NEW FUEL PUMP RELAY WAS INSTALLED, STARTS BETTER BUT STILL UNKNOWN REASON WHY IT AT TIMES IT STILL TAKES 3-4 TIMES TO START IT. IS A MYSTERY , NOTHING SHOWS UP ON THE TECH COMPUTERS AFTER IT HAPPENS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. HAVE OWNED TOYOTAS FOR OVER 17 YEARS NEVER EXPECTED AN ISSUE LIKE THIS. ALSO LIGHTS FLICKER AND THERE ARE STRANGE NOISES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START AND UNSUCCESSFUL. NO RHYME OR REASON TO THIS ISSUE.TOOK POSSESSION OF THE CAR 10-13-15 I THINK IT IS A LEMON. I HAVE A VIDEO OF WHAT HAPPENS DONT THINK I CAN UPLOAD TO THIS WEBSITE.

NHTSA ID
10809611
Incident
Oct 13, 2015
Mileage
5,700 mi
Fuel system
Filed Dec 5, 2015

AFTER FUELING, GAS SPLATTERED ALL OVER ME AND RUINED MY CLOTHING. THIS IS A RENTAL CAR.

NHTSA ID
10808539
Incident
Dec 3, 2015
Fuel system
Filed Sep 4, 2015

AFTER GASSING UP IN A STATION (FULL TANK) AND THE GAS NOZZLE CLICKED TO A STOP, SOON AS EXTRACTING THE NOZZLE FROM THE RAV4, FUEL SPRAYS WITH A FORCE OF PRESSURE FROM THE GAS TANK TOWARDS THE PERSON HOLDING THE NOZZLE. AFTER THIS EVENT HAPPENED THE THIRD TIME, WE BROUGHT THE RAV4 BACK TO TOYOTA TO BE CHECKED. WAS RETURNED TO US THE NEXT DAY WITH AN OK RESULT. BUT THE NEXT 2 TO 5 WEEKS THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED, SO WE REQUESTED THAT A REPLACEMENT RAV4 BE GIVEN US - BUT TOYOTA REFUSED STATING THAT WITH THE WARRANTY, THEY WILL NOW PERFORM A RIGID TEST - THE RESULTS OF WHICH CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM OF GAS SPRAYS. WE JUST GOT BACK THE RAV4, AND TOYOTA SAID THEY REPLACED THE GAS TANK WITH A NEW ONE AND SAYING THAT THE OLD ONE HAD "A FACTORY DEFECT WHEREIN THE TANK FLAPPER WAS NOT CLOSING PROPERLY. I AM PUTTING THIS ON RECORD ON THIS REPORT, FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF NHTSA FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHER OWNERS.

NHTSA ID
10761730
Incident
Jul 28, 2015
Mileage
1,897 mi
Driver assistanceEngineFuel system
Filed Aug 11, 2015

DRIVING ON SLIGHT GRADE AT APPROX. 55 MPH. ATTEMPTED TO PASS CAR IN FRONT OF ME. CHECKED LEFT LANE, SEMI ABOUT 50-75 YARDS BACK. PRESSED DOWN GAS PEDAL AND NOTHING. IT WAS LIKE THE CAR WENT INTO NEUTRAL. MEANWHILE SEMI IS APPROACHING. PUMPED PEDAL A FEW TIMES NOTHING SEMI HAS TO SLOW DOWN BECAUSE I AM SLOWING DOWN INSTEAD OF ACCELERATING. FINALLY PEDAL CATCHES AND CAR ACCELERATES. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 5 TIMES SINCE I GOT THIS CAR NEW IN JANUARY, TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE PERSON SAYS THIS IS NORMAL AS EVERYTHING IS DONE BY COMPUTER NOW, NOT HARDWIRE. COMPUTERS ARE EXCEPTIONALLY FAST SO I DON'T BUY IT. HE DID ADMIT THAT ANOTHER RAV4 DRIVER HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME THING I DID. HE ADVISED ME TO HOLD THE PEDAL DOWN AND THE ACCELERATION WILL KICK IT. TRIED IT. DID NOT DO ANYTHING. VERY WORRIED. PLUS SEMI DRIVER MUST THINK I'M AN IDIOT.

NHTSA ID
10748002
Incident
Mar 12, 2015
Mileage
1,000 mi

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.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .