2019 Toyota RAV4

On October 12, 2026, the power back door on my 2019 RAV4 XSE Hybrid stopped closing all the way. It would come down and stop before it latched. The left side of the door (driver’s side) sticks out past the body and doesn’t line up anymore, and the two pieces of the taillight on that side don’t match up. The right side closes too tightly and rubs up against the taillight. It wont latch unless forced and pulled from the inside. I have only done this once to get it shut, and one more time when showing the autobody shop the issue. I don’t know what caused it. But it appears the hinges are pulling away from the body of the car. The latch looked ok other than some dog hair and dirt in it. The car is available if anyone needs to look at it. Since the door won’t close fully, I’m worried about exhaust getting into the car when I drive. I will have to get it fixed before we get into winter and it starts snowing. I called Toyota and they have no recall for the problem, even thought I have found numerous posts about it online and a class action suit from 2024. I first noticed it on October 12 when the door wouldn’t shut.

NHTSA ID

11777162

Incident

Oct 12, 2026

Both of my rear control arms failed on my 2019 rav 4. They failed at the same time, this is very unusual so I looked into it and found a recall Toyota's 2020 recall (20TA08 / NHTSA 20V-286). however it only involves the front control arms. I feel this needs to be looked into. I’m asking my mechanic to take pictures and document everything.

NHTSA ID

11775702

Incident

Oct 13, 2026

My transmission failed, torque converter. My check engine light came on with "AWD malfunction" on the dash on 10/21/26. I had to get it towed to the closest dealership. I was told it is covered under warranty to replace and repair, the following Tuesday 10/27/2 I havd to call and ask what was going on. They then informed me the part is on back order until end of December (they do not have a date) 2026- Leaving me with no vehicle for 2 months, Krause Toyota will not let me drive the car (not state legal with a faulty transmission) and only gave me a rental for 5 days. I am now forced to pay out of pocket for however long they will have my Rav4. I have called the Brand Engagement department and they have not been very helpful. The guys in the service department at Krause are extremely rude and bothered by the fact that I had questions. I did ask about the lawsuit regarding my 2019 Rav4 faulty transmissions and they said they didn't know anything about it. Any help regarding this very frustrating matter would be helpful.

NHTSA ID

11775498

Incident

Oct 21, 2026

2019 Toyota RAV4, Adventure model, AWD. Toyota issues a Toyota Customer Support Program "20TE03" which extends warranty coverage for the front transfer case electro-magnetic clutch in specific 2019–2020 Toyota RAV4 Adventure and Limited AWD vehicles. Toyota's "brand engagement center" says it covers Adventure models manufactured Mar 2018 thru Oct 2019 and my vehicle was mfgd Jan 10th, 2019, smack in the middle of the production period that is covered. Toyota says it's covered under the CSP, but my local dealers are denying it, saying when they try to process the work order, it denies it, saying the last vin KW013786 does not qualify, since the W digit can only be an A, B or C. But when the Toyota "brand engagement center" searches by using my VIN, it says my VIN is indeed included in the "20TE03" Customer Support Program ticket. Or said another way, Toyota says it's covered, the dealer says it's not.

NHTSA ID

11774766

Incident

Oct 29, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact stated that while attempting to open the driver's and rear passenger's side doors from outside the vehicle, the exterior door handles fractured. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a fractured rear exterior driver's door handle and rear exterior passenger's door handle. The contact was informed that the exterior door handles needed to be replaced. The dealer was contacted and made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA ID

11773257

Incident

May 19, 2026

Mileage

130,000 mi

"I am filing a deceptive trade practices and fraudulent service documentation complaint against Rodland Toyota of Everett. I brought my 2019 Toyota RAV4 in for a critical drivetrain defect under an active corporate warranty program. The dealership returned the vehicle to me with official invoice documentation stating they inspected and test-drove the vehicle. However, the official paperwork provided by the dealer shows that the 'Odometer In' and 'Odometer Out' mileage are completely identical. The dealership committed consumer fraud by falsifying safety inspection records and failing to perform any diagnostic work, leaving me to drive an unsafe vehicle. Toyota Corporate Case Management is now using this fraudulent lack of replication to deny my coverage under Customer Support Program 20TE03."

NHTSA ID

11772583

Incident

Aug 27, 2026

Code P26CB likely a premature error on water pump causing overheating

NHTSA ID

11772456

Incident

Oct 13, 2026

The heated steering wheel in my 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid experienced a significant overheating incident that resulted in smoke, bubbling, and damage to the steering wheel's leather covering. Approximately 10 minutes after activating the heated steering wheel function, smoke began coming from the steering wheel. The material beneath the leather covering appeared to become excessively hot and began visibly bubbling and expanding. As the overheating continued, the leather covering ruptured, creating a hole in the steering wheel. Prior to this incident, the steering wheel was intact, with no punctures, holes, or visible damage. The hole developed during the overheating incident as the material beneath the leather bubbled and the covering ruptured. This occurred during normal use of the vehicle's factory-installed heated steering wheel feature. The sudden appearance of smoke and excessive heat created a serious safety concern, including the potential for burns, fire, driver distraction, and loss of vehicle control. The vehicle was subsequently taken to a Toyota dealership for inspection. The exact cause of the overheating has not been determined. I am reporting this incident because a heated steering wheel should not produce smoke, overheat to the point of damaging its exterior covering, or create a potential fire hazard during normal operation.

NHTSA ID

11772208

Incident

Oct 17, 2026

Although the flow shut-off valve is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 36 months or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’ ownership experience. Toyota is providing coverage for repairs related to Flow Shut-off Valve Coolant Leak.

OBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.

OBSOLETE NOTICE January 30, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0001-26.

Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software.

Some RAV4 vehicles power seat where the automatic seat adjustment by the memory function does not work.

Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interior of the vehicle for odor remediation. Refer to the applicable model and model year Repair Manual and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for the most up-to-date safety and precautionary guidelines.