Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2018 Toyota RAV4 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 23 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
While I am driving my Toyota RAV4, the car will suddenly shut off and I can restart it and keep driving as the month is going on. The incidents are happening more often and now the dashboard is going black. I’ve had a couple of warning signs on the dashboard. I brought the car to Toyota and Pep Boys. Both of them checked the electrical systems and everything looks good according to their testing.
Both headlights and taillights are stained on the inside of the lens with a white residue. My headlights are very streaky and it makes it difficult to see out of. Not the outside of the headlight, because when i rub my hands along the outsides, i do not feel any grabbing, scratches, film, etc.
We bought our Rav4 fresh of the lot in 2018, since then e we have replaced the headlight bulbs 43 times. Now our fog lights and license plate light are out. This time the bulb (installed by a professional) melting the actual socket and we have to built the entire thing out and replace it.
Wiring harness in many vehicles defective. Letter sent, but not a recall. I drove from NY to VA unaware that a headlight was out- I had to change bulbs several times, and ended up having to pay $500 for a new lighting system because I put the bulb in (apparently) wrong the 5th time. Accident could have happened due to bad lighting, but fortunately did not. Toyota did not make this issue easily known, or easily fixed.
The headlights on my Rav4 are dangerous. When driving at night there is a dark line with no visibility. There is no reaction time if objects are in the roadway. I live in a rural area, on my way to work there was a pine tree that fell across the road way,I crashed straight into it. I did not even see it until I hit it.
STARTING LATE AUG2020 THE DASHBOARD STARTING TO SHOW WARNING LIGHTS RANDOMLY AND INCONSISTENTLY. ALL WARNING LIGHTS DO NOT COME AT THE SAME TIME BUT WHEN TURNING THE EXTERNAL LIGHTS ON OTHER WARNING LIGHTS TURN ON AND SO FAR THE CAR HAVE STALLED MORE THAN 4 TIMES WHILE DRIVING UNDER 40 MPH. THE LAST 3 TIMES THE CAR STARTED RIGHT AFTER BEING PARKED AND BUT THIS LAST TIME IT DID NOT AND WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR A TOW ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT FROM BEHIND ME AS THE CAR THAT WAS COMING BEHIND ME STOPPED AND WAS HIT BY ANOTHER CAR BEHIND HIM. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY WOULD NOT TOUCH IT AND ALL THEY DID WAS DISCONNECT THE BATTERY SO THE WARRANTING LIGHTS TURN OFF AND SEND ME BACK OUT AND WITH IN 15 MIN ON THE ROAD THE LIGHTS STARTED TO COMEBACK ON AGAIN BUT THE CAR DID NOT DIE ON THE ROAD. THE CAR IS BARELY 3 YEARS OLD AND ONLY HAVE 14,500 MILES ON IT AND IT IS BECOMING VERY UNRELIABLE TO DRIVE.
I HAVE AN AUTO SHIFT OFF FOR HIGH BEAM LIGHTS, I TURN MY HIGH BEAMS ON AND THEY DON'T WORK, AND WHEN I PULL THE SWITCH BACK LIKE I AM TRYING TO FLASH MY HIGH BEAMS AT SOMEONE THEY WORK BUT WHEN I TURN THEM ON TO KEEP THEM ON THEY DO NOT WORK AND MY AUTO HIGH BEAM LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON EITHER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
THERE IS NOT PARTICULAR INCIDENT TO REPORT. THE HEADLIGHT BEAMS ARE TO LOW ON LOW-BEAM USE, WITH A HARD EDGE AT THE TOP SO IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE FAR DOWN THE ROAD. THE HIGH BEAM SETTING IT TOO HIGH, SO THE LIGHT GOES 30 FEET ABOVE THE ROADWAY, AND DOES NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD FURTHER AHEAD. THIS IS A FAULTY DESIGN. I WAS ABLE TO ADJUST THE BULB HOUSING TO LOWER THE HIGH BEAM SO IT ACTUALLY SHOWED MORE ROAD , AND THE PROBLEM OF DEER ON THE ROADWAY IN THE MOUNTAINS. THERE SHOULD BE SEPARATE ADJUSTMENTS FOR HIGH/LOW BEAMS, AND THE LOWER BEAM SHOULD SHOW MORE ROADWAY AHEAD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE FAULTY AND WOULD NOT OPERATE WHEN ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO DON JOSEPH TOYOTA (1111 W MAIN ST, KENT, OH 44240, (330) 673-2200), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AND NO FAILURE CODES WERE FOUND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOUR TIMES WITHIN SIX MONTHS FOR THE SAME FAILURE, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE REGIONAL TEAM WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR HANDLING THE SITUATION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. *TR
AUTO LIGHT FEATURE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY: ON MANY OCCASIONS (ABOUT 2-3 TIMES PER WEEK), WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION EARLY IN THE MORNING AND AT NIGHT, WITH THE HEADLIGHTS IN THE "AUTO" MODE AND THE AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAM FEATURE ENABLED. WHEN STARTING THE CAR, THE AUTO LIGHT FUNCTION SEEMS TO BE DELAYED. IT DOES NOT WORK INITIALLY BUT STARTS WORKING AFTER THE CAR IS IN MOTION FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. THE AUTO LIGHT FEATURE IS NOT STAYING ON AFTER CAR IS IN MOTION AT NIGHT, LIGHTS TURN OFF BY THEMSELVES FOR A FEW SECONDS CAUSING ME TO DRIVE WITHOUT LIGHTS BEFORE THEY TURN THEMSELVES BACK ON. LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY, OTHERWISE IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER A FEW TIMES TO FIX THE ISSUE BUT THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. NO SOLUTION. THEY SUGGUESTED THAT I MANUALLY OPERATE THE LIGHTS. I DO NOT THINK THAT I OR ANY OTHER CAR OWNERS SHOULD PAY MONEY FOR A BRAND NEW CAR THAT OFFERS CONVENIENCE FEATURES THAT DO NOT WORK. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A MECHANIC AT THIS PARTICULAR DEALERSHIP THAT OWNS THE SAME CAR MODEL AND IS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH HIS CAR. THIS ISSUE IS NEW AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE IS NOT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. ALSO, THERE ARE TIMES THAT I SMELL GAS IN THE CAR WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. THE DEALER COULDN'T FIND ANY GAS LEAKS WHEN CHECKED.
REPEATEDLY, WHILE IN MOTION, WITH THE HEADLIGHTS IN THE "AUTO" MODE, AND THE "AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAM FEATURE ENABLED (WHICH SWITCHES THE HEADLIGHTS FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM AUTOMATICALLY BASED ON THE PRESENCE OF ONCOMING HEADLIGHTS/TAIL LIGHTS AHEAD/AMBIENT LIGHT LEVELS) THE AUTO HIGHBEAM FEATURE WILL DISABLE ITSELF, GENERALLY TIED TO THE PASSING OF A CAR WITH BRIGHT LIGHTS. WHEN THIS FEATURE DISABLES ITSELF IT PREVENTS ALL USE OF HIGHBEAMS. THE ONLY WAY TO GET HIGHBEAMS WHILE THE FEATURE IS "DISABLED" (EVEN IN COMPLETE DARKNESS) IS TO "ROTATE" THE STALK CONTROL AWAY FROM "AUTO HEADLIGHT" TO "MANUAL HEADLIGHT". THE FEATURE EVENTUALLY RE-ENABLES ITSELF, BUT USUALLY TAKES A NUMBER OF MINUTES, LEAVING ME WITHOUT THE SAFETY OF HIGHBEAMS FOR THAT PERIOD, UNLESS I GO THROUGH THE CUMBERSOME ACT OF TURNING HEADLAMPS TO "MANUAL". THIS IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS DURING MY COMMUTE WHERE I DRIVE A NUMBER OF MILES ON UNLIT STATE ROADS. I RELY ON HIGHBEAMS TO ALERT ME TO THE PRESENCE OF DEER AND OTHER ANIMALS CROSSING THE ROAD WHICH OCCURS ROUTINELY. NOT HAVING HIGHBEAMS FOR A NUMBER OF MILES EXPOSES ME TO THE RISK OF NOT SEEING THESE HAZARDS IN TIME TO REACT PROPERLY. IN ADDITION, HAVING TO DIVERT MY ATTENTION TO WHETHER THIS FEATURE HAS DISABLED ITSELF AND TAKING MANUAL ACTION TO CIRCUMVENT THE ISSUE IS A DISTRACTION WHILE MY FOCUS SHOULD BE ON POSSIBLE HAZARDS. I HAVE REPORTED THE ISSUE TO TOYOTA. CASE NUMBER [XXX] HAS BEEN ASSIGNED. A TOYOTA CASE MANAGER CONTACTED ME AND STATED THAT SHE EXPERIENCES THE VERY SAME ISSUE WITH HER 2018 RAV4 BUT THERE ARE NO FIXES IDENTIFIED BY TOYOTA FOR THE ISSUE, SO THEREFORE THERE IS NOTHING SHE OR THE DEALER CAN DO. I STRONGLY FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN THAT THERE IS A RISK THAT AN ACCIDENT WILL OCCUR, POSSIBLY THE STRIKING OF A PEDESTRIAN, DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY OR DISTRACTION TRYING TO OVERRIDE THE FEATURE WHILE DRIVING. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT
I HAVE A NEW XLE AND THE HEADLIGHTS ARE DANGEROUS. THESE ARE PROJECTOR HEADLIGHTS THAT CAST A VERY FOCUSED BEAM FORWARD. IT IS FRIGTENING WHEN YOU DRIVE IN SOME ROADS WITHOUT A LOT OF AMBIENT LIGHT. WITH THE LOW BEAMS ON, IT IS LIKE SOMEONE PAINTED THE TOP HALF OF MY WINDSHIELD BLACK. THERE IS LITTLE PERIPHERAL ILLUMINATION, SO I CAN SEE WHAT IS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME, AND NOTHING ELSE. WHERE THE ROAD INCLINES DOWN, THE ILLUMINATION CUTS OUT JUST A FEW FEET OFF THE GROUND, BELOW THE LEVEL OF THINGS LIKE STOP SIGNS. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO PERIPHERAL ILLUMINATION RIGHT AT THE FRONT OF THE CAR, SO WHEN I TURN, I CAN'T SEE WHAT I'M TURNING INTO UNTIL IT'S DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF MY CAR, LIKE PEDESTRIANS. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME NOT TO USE LED BULBS, BECAUSE IT COULD CAUSE ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THE CAR.
THE AUTO HIGH BEAM FEATURE HAS BEEN CHOOSING TO DISENGAGE AND TURN ITSELF OFF AT RANDOM. THERE ARE ALSO TIMES THAT AT NIGHT, UPON START-UP, THE AUTO HIGH BEAM SYSTEM WILL REFUSE TO ENGAGE (LIGHT SWITCH TURNED TO AUTO AND STALK PUSHED FORWARD, DRIVING OVER 25 MPH).
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT OR AFTER DUSK, THE HEADLAMPS PROVIDED INSUFFICIENT ILLUMINATION TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE SAFELY. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A FEATURE ON THE VEHICLE WHERE THE HEADLIGHTS DIM WHEN APPROACHING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO UEBELHOR TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 788 W 12TH AVE, JASPER, IN 47546, (812) 482-2222) TO BE DIAGNOSED AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE PERFORMED AS INTENDED. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ILLUMINATION WAS INADEQUATE IN RURAL AREAS, BUT WAS NOT AFFECTED IN AN URBAN SETTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,200.
BRAND NEW RECENTLY PURCHASED VEHICLE AND THERE IS CONDENSATION IN BOTH HEAD LIGHTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING IN THE FOG, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS REFLECTED LIGHT BACK, WHICH BLINDED THE DRIVER AND MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOYOTA OF POWAY (858-486-2900, LOCATED AT 13631 POWAY RD, POWAY, CA 92064) WHERE THE LIGHTS WERE CHECKED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT NO ADJUSTMENT WAS NEEDED AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,000.
MY 2018 RAV4 IS EQUIPPED WITH DYNAMIC RADAR CRUISE CONTROL, A FEATURE WHICH I LIKE VERY MUCH LIKE WHEN TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS. THIS FEATURE AUTOMATICALLY DECELERATES MY VEHICLE TO MATCH THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE AHEAD AND KEEPS YOU FOLLOWING AT A SAFE DISTANCE. HOWEVER, THE SAFETY ISSUE I HAVE DISCOVERED IS THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY DECELERATES, IT APPARENTLY DOES NOT ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND THE VEHICLE BEHIND YOU IS NOT WARNED THAT YOU ARE SLOWING DOWN. TWICE IN THE FIRST COUPLE MONTHS OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE, WHILE TRAVELING ON RELATIVELY STRAIGHT, FLAT, INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS, I HAD THE DYNAMIC RADAR CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME REDUCED SPEED FAIRLY QUICKLY (FROM APPROXIMATELY 65 TO 45MPH) DUE TO ROAD CONSTRUCTION. MY VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY SLOWED ACCORDINGLY, BUT THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME DID NOT REALIZE I WAS SLOWING DOWN BECAUSE MY BRAKE LIGHTS DID NOT ACTIVATE AND I WAS VERY NEARLY REAR ENDED. FORTUNATELY, SERIOUS ACCIDENTS WERE NARROWLY AVOIDED IN BOTH THESE INCIDENTS. I BELIEVE THE DYNAMIC RADAR CRUISE CONTROL FEATURE IS VERY GOOD, VERY USEFUL FEATURE; HOWEVER, THE SYSTEM MUST BE MODIFIED TO ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LIGHTS WHEN THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY DECELERATES. ONE OF THE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN JULY, 2018, AND THE OTHER IN AUGUST, 2018. I HAVE DISCUSSED THE ISSUE WITH OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND ALSO WITH THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER (800 331-4331). THE LATTER ESTABLISHED A CASE NUMBER (1809280901). I WISH TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE FOLLOW-UP OCCURS TO CORRECT THIS SAFETY ISSUE.
PURCHASED 2018 RAV 4 ADVENTURE THREE DAY'S AGO AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT ON A ROAD WITH NO OTHER AVAILABLE LIGHTING. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. IT APPEARS AS THOUGH A VEIL COVERS 1/2 TO 2/3 OF WINDSHIELD MAKING VISIBILITY NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. THE BEAM ANGLE OF THE HEADLIGHTS BARELY COVER THE ROAD IN FRONT OF YOU AND NOTHING ABOVE THE HEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE HOOD. YOU CAN SEE NOTHING IN FRONT OF YOU AND EVEN LESS ON THE SIDES OF THE ROAD.CHANGING THE SETTING FROM AUTO, ON AND HIGH BEAM TO NOT CHANGE RESULT. I WANT TO RETURN THE VEHICLE. THERE IS NO POINT IN HAVING A VEHICLE YOU CAN ONLY DRIVE DURING THE DAY. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND VERY DISAPPOINTING! I HOPE NO ONE SUFFERS INJURY OR DEATH AS A RESULT OF THIS POOR DESIGN.
MY RAV4 HAS VERY POOR LIGHTING AT NIGHT MAKING IT HARD TO SEE THE LINES ON THE ROAD. I JUST BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW A FEW DAYS AGO BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THEY CANNOT FIND ANY DEFECTS WITH THE HEAD LIGHT BUT DOES AGREE THE LIGHT OUTPUT IS POOR.
DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT DUE TO PROJECTOR HEADLIGHTS BEAM PATTERN CUTOFF. WHILE DRIVING WITH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ON AT NIGHT, TOP PART OF LIGHT BEAM PATTERN IS A STRAIGHT LINE LEFT TO RIGHT ACROSS FIELD OF VISION WITH ZERO LIIGHT ABOVE MIDPOINT FIELD OF VISION BOTTOM (ROAD) TO TOP (SKY). ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN DECENDING HILLS IN DARK AND ROAD AHEAD IS FLAT (OR HORIZONTAL) AS WELL AS DECENDING A DIP WHICH CLIMBS BACK UP. NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH LIGHT ABOVE MID FIELD OF VISION. REQUIRES HIGHBEAMS SELECTED WHICH CANNOT ALWAYS BE SELECTED DUE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR FOLLOWING SOMEONE WHERE IT WOULD BLIND THEM. HIGHER MODEL RAV4 TRIM LEVELS HAVE LED HEADLIGHTS WHICH TOYOA SHOULD RETROFIT ONTO XLE, LE, AND ANY OTHER MODELS AFFECTED. WORRIED ABOUT WIFE DRIVING WITH KIDS. 6 MONTHS INTO A 3YR LEASE.
HEADLAMP PROVIDES DANGEROUSLY INSUFFICIENT ILLUMINATION WHILE DRIVING IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS: DARK, CURVED, OR HILLY ROADS (SUCH AS US HIGHWAY 1 IN MARIN COUNTY, SKYLINE BLVD IN OAKLAND, CA). 1. VERY LITTLE PERIPHERAL ILLUMINATION ON CURVES 2. SHARP HORIZONTAL CUT-OFF RESULTS IN SHORT BEAM PROJECTION WHEN ASCENDING OR DESCENDING HILLS. BOTH OF THESE OCCUR SIMULTANEOUSLY AND IS FRIGHTENINGLY DANGEROUS WHEN ASCENDING/DESCENDING ON CURVES. THE NHTSA FORM ASKS FOR A DATE THIS OCCURRED. PLS NOTE THIS IS ONGOING UNLESS A DEALER CAN MAKE SIGNIFICANT MODIFICATIONS TO THE BEAM SPREAD. (THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM OF COURSE ON BRIGHTLY LIT ROADS.)
JUST BOUGHT MY NEW TOYOTA RAV 4 2018 AND REALIZED THAT I CAN'T DRIVE IT AT NIGHT. MY WINDSHIELD TURNS DARK 1/3 TO 1/2 FROM THE BOTTOM AND CONTINUES ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP. IT'S ACTUALLY WORSE WHEN DRIVING HOME AND GOING UP MY UNLIT HILL WHEN INSTEAD OF MY BRIGHTS GOING ON AUTOMATICALLY, ONLY MY LOW LIGHTS ARE ON. I AM FRIGHTENED TO DRIVE MY CAR AND NOW REALIZE THAT THERE WERE ONLINE COMPLAINTS GOING BACK YEARS!
THE ILLUMINATION PROVIDED BY THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE 2018 RAV4 XLE I PURCHASED ON DECEMBER 28, 2017 IS DANGEROUSLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON UNLIT RURAL ROADS. SEE ATTACHED LETTER DATED JANUARY 6, 2017 AND PIC. I HAVE MORE PICS AND SEVERAL VIDEOS, IF NEEDED. *JS THE CONSUMER STATED THE HIGH AND LOW BEAMS, ON CURVES, NARROW, AND HILLY UNLIT ROADS, VISIBILITY WAS INADEQUATE. *JS *JS THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. *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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