2018 Toyota RAV4 Visibility Problems

The passenger side mirror and the collum that holds the windshield on the right side makes a complete blind spot that you can't see anything on that area. If you are turning you can't see even a whole car. The left side mirror and collum that holds the windshield is ok, but not the right one. I got into an accident with the fire hydrant at a parking lot in town because I could not see it. I was turning right into the street and hit the fire hydrant.

NHTSA ID

11684154

Incident

Jul 20, 2025

Was driving down the highway at 70 MPH and moon roof glass exploded out of nowhere. There were no warning signs and nothing struck the vehicle before the glass shattered.

NHTSA ID

11434711

Incident

Sep 5, 2021

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.

NHTSA ID

11425889

Incident

Apr 8, 2020

THE EVENING OF SUNDAY, MARCH 28TH, 2021 I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 84 IN IDAHO NEAR WENDELL, AT APPROXIMATELY 83 MPH WHEN THE SUNROOF OF MY 2018 RAV4 EXPLODED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. LUCKILY THE SHADE PANEL WAS DRAWN, SO NO GLASS DEBRIS WENT INTO THE CAR. MY HUSBAND WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, AND OUR 16 YR OLD DAUGHTER WAS SITTING BEHIND HIM. WHEN I FIRST HEARD THE EXPLOSION, I THOUGHT WE HAD A TIRE BLOWOUT, BUT I DIDN'T FEEL A PULL ON THE STEERING WHEEL. MY NEXT THOUGHT WAS THAT THE RV NEXT TO ME HAD A BLOWOUT, BUT THEY KEPT ON DRIVING. WE COULD HEAR A LOT OF WIND COMING FROM THE SUNROOF, SO I PULLED OVER AT THE NEXT EXIT, WHICH WAS CLOSE, AND ASSESSED THE SITUATION. THE SUNROOF WAS GONE! THE REMAINING GLASS AROUND THE EDGES WAS ALL CRACKED AND CURVED UPWARDS, SO IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT IT HAD EXPLODED FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THERE WAS ALSO A LOT OF GLASS DEBRIS INSIDE THE SHADE PANEL. NOBODY PULLED OVER AND APPROACHED US, SO WE DON'T BELIEVE THERE WERE ANY EYE WITNESSES. WE WERE ON OUR WAY HOME TO BOISE AFTER SPENDING SPRING BREAK IN UTAH. WE CONTINUED DRIVING THE REMAINING 2 HRS. HOME, WITH MY HUSBAND HOLDING THE SHADE PANEL CLOSED, SINCE WE WERE AFRAID IT MY GET SUCKED OUT. THE WIND WAS PRETTY DEAFENING. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE CLEAR AND SUNNY, 75* WITH STRONG WINDS. WE WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY FLYING DEBRIS, NOR DID WE HEAR ANYTHING HIT THE CAR BEFORE THE EXPLOSION.

NHTSA ID

11405352

Incident

Mar 28, 2021

Mileage

72,125 mi

1/30/2021 TRAVELING APPROX 74 MPH ON INTERSTATE IN LIGHT TRAFFIC AND LIGHT RAIN (HEAVY DRIZZLE) AND OUTSIDE TEMP AROUND 47 DEGREES. I WAS LISTENING TO AN AUDIOBOOK WHEN I HEARD A NOISE LIKE A POPPING SOUND AND THEN A ROAR AS WIND STARTED COMING IN THE CAR AND WHAT I NOW KNOW WAS THE SHATTERED GLASS FROM MY SUNROOF FALLING IN ON ME. SHATTERED GLASS FELL ON ME AND WHEN I MOVED IT WEDGED ITSELF BETWEEN ME AND MY SEAT MAKING IT UNCOMFORTABLE TO MOVE FOR FEAR OF BEING CUT BY THE GLASS. IT WAS NOT A ROCK THE SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED.

NHTSA ID

11391044

Incident

Jan 30, 2021

Mileage

51,000 mi

THE VIEW OUT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD BECOMES OBSCURED WHEN THE SUN SHINES DIRECTLY TOWARD WINDOW BECAUSE THE FRONT OF THE DASH AREA BECOMES REFLECTED BACK IN THE WINDOW AND YOU CAN NO LONGER SEE DUE OUT THE WINDOW TO THE GLARE. I'VE NEARLY HIT PEDESTRIANS BECAUSE I COULDN'T SEE THEM WALKING IN FRONT OF MY CAR WHEN THIS IS HAPPENING.

NHTSA ID

11315768

Incident

Mar 2, 2020

Mileage

13,000 mi

AT AROUND 1:30 PM, FEBRUARY 7, 2020, ON A SUNNY AND WINDY DAY, I WAS DRIVING ON MD RTE. 32 HEADING TOWARDS COLUMBIA JUST PAST I-95, TRAVELING ABOUT 60 MPH. I WAS DRIVING NEXT TO A LARGE TRUCK AND BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF WIND, AND THE TRUCK WAS BEING BLOWN BY THE WIND, I DECIDED TO DRIVE PASS IT. AFTER I HAD DRIVEN PAST THE TRUCK, I HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG RIGHT ABOVE MY HEAD AS IF SOMETHING EXPLODED. I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING AND THE CAR APPEARED TO BE OK, SO I KEPT DRIVING. BUT THEN I STARTED HEARING THE SOUND OF WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SOMETHING LIKE GRAVEL BOUNCING RIGHT ABOVE THE SLIDER THAT COVERS THE SUNROOF. BECAUSE I DID NOT KNOW WHAT JUST HAPPENED, I DECIDED TO HEAD HOME WHICH IS JUST A FEW MINUTES AWAY. WHEN I GOT HOME I SAW THAT THE SUNROOF GLASS WAS SHATTERED AND MOST OF THE GLASS WAS GONE. I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE COMPANY THAT SOLD ME THE CAR ABOUT GETTING THE SUNROOF REPLACED AND THEY TOLD ME THAT EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD AND HAD A THREE YEAR WARRANTY, THAT I SHOULD CALL MY INSURANCE AGENT. I CONTACTED OUR INSURANCE AGENT AND SHE SAID TO CALL THE CLAIMS DEPARTMENT. SHE ALSO MENTIONED THAT SOMETHING MUST HAVE HIT THE SUNROOF. TO MY KNOWLEDGE NOTHING HIT THE SUNROOF TO CAUSE THE GLASS TO EXPLODE. I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY PREVIOUS CRACKS OR OTHER DAMAGE TO THE SUNROOF THAT WOULD HAVE WEAKENED IT. I CALLED THE INSURANCE AGENT, AND WAS TRANSFERRED TO SUNROOF EXPRESS, THE COMPANY THAT HANDLES THE SUNROOF CLAIMS. I WAS REQUIRED TO PAY MY DEDUCTIBLE AND THEY SENT A NEW SUNROOF TO A REPAIR COMPANY NEAR ME AND THE SUNROOF WAS REPLACED. AT NO TIME DID ANY OF THESE COMPANIES ASK ME WHAT HAPPENED, WHICH ASTONISHED ME. NOR DID THEY SEEM SURPRISED AT THE OCCURRENCE. IT WAS LIKE THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME AND WE WANT TO BE EFFICIENT AND GET IT REPLACED FOR YOU AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

NHTSA ID

11310223

Incident

Feb 7, 2020

Mileage

25,679 mi

SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING AT 65MPH & NO OTHER VEHICLES AROUND.THE DEALER WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT CLAIMS A ROCK CAUSED THE ISSUE AND WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR.

NHTSA ID

11288964

Incident

Dec 13, 2019

Mileage

7,250 mi

2018 TOYOTA RAV 4. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUE WITH EXTERIOR DUAL IMAGE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED RAIN OR FOG CAN CAUSE THE MIRROR TO APPEAR TO HAVE DOUBLE VISION.*JS

NHTSA ID

11254919

Incident

Sep 13, 2019

DRIVING SOUTH ON COUNTRY ROAD IN BRIGHT SUN. THE SUN WAS REFLECTING OFF THE HORIZONTAL DASHBOARD. CAUSING A REFLECTION OFF THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. HAMPERING MY VISION, ALMOST CAUSING ME TO HIT A PERSON ON A BICYCLE. MY VISION WAS IMPAIRED BY THE REFLECTING LIGHT FROM THE DASHBOARD ONTO THE INSIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD. PREVENTING A CLEAR VISION OF THE ROAD AHEAD OF ME. SEE PHOTOS. I FIXED MY PROBLEM BY INSTALLING A BLACK FELT CLOTH AND LAYING IT ON THE DASHBOARD. THE SUN DOES NOT REFLECT FROM THE BLACK FELT. MY PROBLEM WAS SOLVED.

NHTSA ID

11245579

Incident

Aug 20, 2019

Mileage

10,000 mi

CRACK IN WINDSHIELD THAT EXPANDED TO COVER THE ENTIRE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD IN A LARGE CIRCULAR SHAPE. THE CAR HAD BEEN STATIONARY FOR A FEW HOURS WITH THE FIRST CRACK WAS NOTICED - UPON RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE, THE NEXT DAY THE SMALL CRACK WENT TO A CRACK OVER 6" IN SIZE, WITHIN A FEW DAYS, THE CRACK WAS CIRCULAR AT COVERED THE ENTIRE MIDDLE SECTION OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11241408

Incident

Apr 24, 2019

Mileage

10,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CHECKERED FLAG TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 5301 VIRGINIA BEACH BLVD, VIRGINIA BEACH, VA 23462, (757) 490-1111) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SOY WIRES ATTRACTED RODENTS WHO WERE EATING THE WIRES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIRES. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WASHER FLUID HOSE WAS EATEN BY THE RODENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE WASHER FLUID HOSE WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THEY COULD NOT USE ANYTHING ELSE TO PREVENT THE RODENTS FROM EATING THE WIRES AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO GET AN EXTERMINATOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: [XXX]. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000. 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JS

NHTSA ID

11217851

Incident

May 18, 2019

Mileage

17,000 mi

OUR 2018 RAV4 WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED STARTING AT THE POINT WHERE THE WINDSHIELD CAMERA IS MOUNTED ON THE FRONT WITH REAR VIEW MIRROR ATTACHED. WE DO NOT RECALL THAT ANYTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD, AND THE CRACK APPEARED ON THE CAR OVERNIGHT WHILE PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY. THE CRACK STARTS AT THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD WHERE THE SAFETY SENSE 2.0 CAMERA IS MOUNTED, AND EXTENDS DOWN ALMOST HALFWAY TO THE BOTTOM, AND THEN MAKES A 90 DEGREE TURN TOWARD THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, EXTENDS FOR ABOUT 1 1/2 FT., AND THEN MAKES ANOTHER 90 DEGREE TURN DOWN TOWARD THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FOR APPROXIMATELY 3". THE PHOTO DOES NOT SHOW HOW LONG THE CRACK IS, BUT MOSTLY WHERE IT BEGINS. WE HAVE ADDED RED LINES TO SHOW THE FIRST 90 DEGREE TURN, AND DOTTED LINE TO SHOW THE EXTENDED CRACK THAT IS NOT VISIBLE, AND THE 2ND 90 DEGREE TURN. WE BELIEVE THAT THE WINDSHIELD DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IS FAULTY, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE PRIUS MODEL IS ALREADY IN LEGAL TALKS WITH TOYOTA OVER THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BY TOYOTA, ALTHOUGH OUR TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS SPONTANEOUS CRACKED WINDSHIELD WHICH WE DID NOT CAUSE. THE DEALERSHIP QUOTED A PRICE TO US FOR THEM TO REPLACE IT FOR JUST UNDER $1,600. WE FEEL THAT THIS IS WRONG AND UNFAIR.

NHTSA ID

11184379

Incident

Feb 24, 2019

Mileage

8,800 mi

THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. NO POINT OF IMPACT (AS IF IT WAS STRUCK BY A ROCK). THINKING IT MAY HAVE TO DO WITH THE WEATHER.

NHTSA ID

11180636

Incident

Feb 13, 2019

Mileage

6,748 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMALLY LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE AREA OF THE MOON ROOF. SUDDENLY, THE MOON ROOF EXPLODED AND GLASS FELL ONTO THE DRIVER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS CAUTIOUSLY DRIVEN TO PRECISION TOYOTA OF TUCSON (700 W WETMORE RD, TUCSON, AZ 85705, (520) 795-5565) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MOON ROOF NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE OPTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11171821

Incident

Jan 23, 2019

DRIVING MY 2018 TOYOTA RAV4 ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE SUNROOF GLASS EXPLODED. NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE TIME AND NO ROCK OR OTHER OBJECT WAS INVOLVED IN CAUSING THE EXPLOSION.

NHTSA ID

11164997

Incident

Jan 4, 2019

Mileage

2,650 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED WITH A LOUD NOISE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOWE TOYOTA OF WARNER ROBINS (LOCATED AT 375 S HOUSTON LAKE RD, WARNER ROBINS, GA 31088, (478) 971-5693). THE DEAKER STATED THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A SMALL CRACK IN THE GLASS THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE EXPLOSION ONCE THE GLASS BECAME HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO BEAMAN TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 1525 BROADWAY, NASHVILLE, TN 37203, (615) 251-8400), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 1810023189. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,400.

NHTSA ID

11139340

Incident

Sep 27, 2018

Mileage

4,400 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11131151

Incident

Sep 22, 2018

Mileage

50 mi

THE WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A VERY LARGE CRACK, THE CRACK APPEARED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED. IT SEEMS TO HAVE STARTED FROM A TINY ROCK CHIP - THE CHIP WAS NOT PREVIOUSLY NOTED. THE CRACK GREW SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE COURSE OF 2 DAYS. THE GLASS COMPANY HAS CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE IS A NATIONWIDE BACKORDER FOR THE GLASS - 331 BACKORDERS AS OF TODAY, JUNE 30. THEY DO NOT HAVE A DATE WHEN THE GLASS WILL BE AVAILABLE, POSSIBLY SEVERAL WEEKS TO SEVERAL MONTHS. A LARGE BACKORDER IS CONCERNING AS IT WOULD SUGGEST A LARGE VOLUME OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THIS EXACT OR SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ID

11104803

Incident

Jun 25, 2018

Mileage

1,030 mi

THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AFTER BEING STRUCK BY A SMALL ROCK DURING NORMAL DRIVING AND THEN THE CRACK WENT ACROSS THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD RIGHT ACROSS MY FIELD OF VIEW AS A DRIVER. THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED ON JUNE 1ST AND I CONTACTED 4 GLASS REPLACEMENT COMPANIES AND WAS TOLD THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER 3 TO 8 WEEKS. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND TOYOTA AND I WAS TOLD THEY WILL ORDER THE PART. I GOT CONTACTED ON JUNE 26 BY JOHN FROM TOYOTA THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS IN AT COPELAND TOYOTA IN BROCKTON MA. I CONTACTED THE GLASS COMPANY AND THEY WERE ADVISED THE PART WAS NOT IN AT COPELAND. I CONTACTED TOYOTA TODAY AND WAS TOLD BY THEM THAT THEY WERE GIVEN THE INFORMATION FROM ANTHONY AT COPELAND TOYOTA THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS IN. I ASKED TO SPEAK WITH THE SUPERVISOR AT TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE UNAVAILABLE. I CURRENTLY HAVE A CRACKED WINDSHIELD THAT CAN'T PASS MASSACHUSETTS INSPECTION BECAUSE OF THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE NOW BEEN TOLD BY TOYOTA THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW WHEN THEY CAN GET ME A NEW WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ID

11104208

Incident

Jun 1, 2018

Mileage

5,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND MY SUNROOF EXPLODED RIGHT OVER MY HEAD. I WAS NOT TRYING TO OPEN IT, NOTHING IMPACTED IT, IT JUST EXPLODED AND THE GLASS SHATTERED EVERYWHERE INTO MY CAR AND ON MY HEAD. THE INTERSTATE WAS NOT ROUGH ROAD AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE SUNNY AND 50 DEGREES. AGAIN NO IMPACT FROM AND KIND OF WEATHER OR DEBRIS

NHTSA ID

11073038

Incident

Feb 4, 2018

Mileage

2,800 mi