2021 Toyota RAV4 Fuel system Problems

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while fueling the vehicle, the fuel tank failed to register the correct fuel level. The contact stated that the fuel warning light illuminated intermittently while driving and while the vehicle was parked. Additionally, the fuel gauge displayed inaccurate readings and eventually became inoperable, leaving the contact unaware of when the vehicle needed to be refueled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. The dealer informed the contact that the fuel tank readings had failed, and the vehicle was supposed retain approximately 14.5 gallons of fuel; it would only accept approximately 11.5 gallons during testing. The contact was further informed that the fuel tank and fuel reader had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 46,252.

NHTSA ID

11721491

Incident

Mar 2, 2026

Mileage

46,252 mi

1. My vehicle had a hybrid warnings and stopped running altogether, but the issue went away after clearing the codes. It came back at 105000mi, Toyota won't help with the $6000 repair. High Voltage Under Floor Cable and Traction Motor Cable on my vehicle (2021 Hybrid Rav4 XLE registered in Massachusetts) is affected by excessive and dangerous corrosion due to a Toyota design issue. 2. The vehicle could suddenly shut off at highway speeds per Matt with Service at Autofair Toyota Tewksbury. Sudden stoppage or deceleration may result in fatal collisions at speed. This failure also leads to fatally high-voltage energizing of the chassis and other frame components in some cases. 3. This is a known design flaw on Toyota hybrid, high-voltage cables/connectors, leading to excessive corrosion and dangerous failure of the hybrid system. There is an extended Toyota customer support program (CSP: 22TE09) valid through 8 years or 100000mi. I purchased the vehicle at 92,000mi but the dealership (CarFive Nashua, NH) and Toyota failed to inform me of this issue (a standard procedure per the CSP) so I could make an informed decision and perform preventative maintenance. Toyota did send me notice of an airbag recall after purchase, so I know they had my information. Now they have left me without options at 105000mi. 4. Yes. It has been inspected and the high voltage cable corrosion confirmed by Autofair Toyota Tewksbury (MA). Image from diagnosis video attached. 5. Warning messages in OBD2 screenshot attached. 6. I'm looking for Toyota to cover the repair for this issue; I've had to repair a valve head gasket and replace the AC system condenser already and this car is barely 4 years old.

NHTSA ID

11686648

Incident

Sep 6, 2025

Coolant bypass valve problem with several rav4s. My car is unusable and I need it to work.

NHTSA ID

11672368

Incident

Jun 23, 2025

Steering power low message appears and engine completely stops.

NHTSA ID

11662210

Incident

May 20, 2025

Hybrid system failure resulting in vehicle not being drivable at all. Failure is due to corrosion from connector between high voltage harness into rear traction motor. Failure occurred 8,000 miles past warrantee cut-off (100,000) and will require weeks to months to fix 2/2 parts on backorder.

NHTSA ID

11653460

Incident

Apr 8, 2025

Dear NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, I am writing to formally report a safety concern with my 2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE Hybrid regarding its fuel tank capacity and refueling issue. Despite the advertised fuel tank capacity of approximately 14.5 gallons, my vehicle only allows me to fill around 9 gallons before the pump automatically shuts off. This significantly reduces my driving range and forces me to refuel much more frequently than expected. After researching, I discovered that Toyota issued Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0109-20 acknowledging this issue, along with Customer Support Program 20TE04. However, my local Toyota dealership refuses to acknowledge the issue or perform the necessary repairs, despite my vehicle clearly experiencing the problem. I believe this poses a safety risk because: •The incorrect fuel level readings can lead to drivers miscalculating available fuel, potentially resulting in unexpected stalls or breakdowns. •It suggests a defect in the fuel tank design, which Toyota has acknowledged but has not proactively addressed with a recall. •Many other Toyota RAV4 Hybrid owners have reported similar issues, indicating this is a widespread manufacturing defect. Additionally, my wireless charging pad malfunctions and blinks constantly, raising concerns about potential electrical issues in a hybrid vehicle. Given the combination of fuel-related and electrical concerns, I am worried about possible safety risks that could arise from these defects. I am requesting the NHTSA to: 1.Investigate this issue further to determine if it qualifies for an official recall. 2.Require Toyota to take accountability and provide a permanent fix for affected vehicles at no cost to owners. 3.Ensure dealerships honor repairs for vehicles experiencing these known defects. I appreciate your time in reviewing this complaint. Please let me know if any further information is needed to assist in your investigation. Thank you.

NHTSA ID

11649381

Incident

Mar 19, 2025

Fuel pressure line leaking gas

NHTSA ID

11581523

Incident

Apr 3, 2024

My 2021 Rav 4 Premium I Bought new @ 84 miles from Toyota Town of Stockton,Ca I noticed Once in November 2023 Gas gauge not read gas level properly. December at least twice I noticed issue progress from gas Gauge reading inconsistence to Gas tank failure to fill up or failure to Allow gas. [XXX] I am at Gas station, while trying to fill up Based on my tank level at half a tank My gas tank did not allow gas in I got Push back. I retried 2 more times And gas went in slowly but gas gauge after still read half tank. Local Toyota [XXX] Said they cannot duplicate problem. I cannot rely on accuracy of gauge Or tank I have had same problem gas gauge failure read & tank no accept gas issues In previous Toyota’s bought new. 2008 PRIUS Prius safety issue found by Local Toyota who switched out Gas gauge & possibly gas tank but Issue continued never could be fixed. Reported to Toyota corporation, [XXX] issue started Until I got ride of it 2021. When Prius Deceleration happened for first time On my way to Toyota. I was drove from work I could guide steering but power dropped, deceleration stayed active. So thankful no accident. Toyota Tech said I had gas. They did whatever problem Paused but came back! I HAD TO GET RIDE OF PRIUS SAFETY AT STAKE! [XXX] The Prius decelerated hazards On Prius system on a red Triangle On my computer saying need gas But, it had plenty gas and Technician Found it had gas, that was not cause Of problem. 2020 Hybrid RAV 4 delivered by Roseville Toyota of CA When they delivered SUV on less than full tank to my home. Waited 2 days for insurance Fully ensure car. 3rd day first day I Drove car and I went to gas station Twice to try fill up, but Gas gauge no respond to input of gas In tank. I did a video address issues With Roseville Toyota and Toyota Corporation. I returned car, I did Not know Toyota Corporation Rejected Contract until I spoke to Roseville Toyota in person. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11571289

Incident

Nov 14, 2023

While accelerating ~6ft from a complete stop, a minor collision occurred affecting the front right headlight. The air-bags did not activate and the engine compartment was immediately on fire. Within ~1minute, the fire had spread to and completely engulfed the passenger compartment. The contents were immediately destroyed. The speed with which the fire spread through the vehicle was a significant risk to my life and the motorists around me. There were no warning lights on the dashboard prior to the incident, and the car had never before experienced an accident. Witnesses and firefighters estimated that any fire barrier between the engine and passenger compartments had failed, and that a fire of that severity from such a minor accident indicated some fault with the vehicle. The vehicle was an immediate total loss as inspected by our insurer.

NHTSA ID

11515666

Incident

Mar 17, 2023

I purchased car in 12/20. The car has a 14.5 gal sized tank, and gets avg 42 mpg -calculated by miles driven to empty divided by gas pumped when empty- as well as on dashboard display. Since purchase the car registers empty 150 or more miles sooner than the 560 dashboard estimate and than 14.5*42 mpg. I am only able to fill less than 11 gallons when the fuel Guage reads empty with less than 20 miles remaining. The service dept assures me the car is able to drive 560 on a full tank, as the fuel Guage and miles-to-empty ignore a "buffer " of several gallons in the tank. It is unsafe to drive over 150 miles with the car registering no miles remaining. It is unsafe to plan a trip based on dashboard or tank size/gallons mileage, where I could run out of gas in an unsafe region.

NHTSA ID

11508350

Incident

Feb 21, 2023

I was pulling into a parking space with my foot on the brake, had just touched the parking bar, and the engine started racing. The car went forward over the parking bar before I cold stop it by stomping on the brake. The only thing stopping me from going over the side of the hill was a chain link fence. Luckily the brakes worked. This is a 2021 RAV4 and I have never had this problem before. I am scheduled to go into the Toyota dealer to have them look at it.

NHTSA ID

11504262

Incident

Jan 27, 2023

2021 Toyota REV4 with just over 5,000 miles. I got off from a parking lot and drove 1/2 miles, The screen shown "Vehicle Alert" and asked to check engine with message "A malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle, or automatic transmission has been detected". I smell very strong gasoline, then stop the vehicle. I check the gas tank, it's normal. I opened the hood and saw a puddle of gasoline on engine part, between the battery and the engine but lower than the battery. It's so dangerous to drive with leaking gasoline so I park my car on a street

NHTSA ID

11495574

Incident

Nov 30, 2022

Vehicle stumbles on moderate acceleration from slow speed, hesitates shifting also. Problem has persisted since new. Dealers rep "they're all like that. can't find any problem. No warning lamps. I think there is a TSB but it seems well hidden. I feel it is a safety issue - acceleration from low speed compromised. We have 2 more 2021 rav4s in the family that do not do that. I believe Toyota knows about this problem. Also had a problem with vehicle slamming violently into lower gear when coming to a stop. Dealer could not find problem. I checked vehicle and found air filter housing not properly secured. I latched it properly and that seemed to solve slamming into lower gear problem. Dealers mechanic (?) must have not latched it properly after 12 month service. No telling how much dirt was sucked into engine while that was happening. The stumbling/ drivability hesitant shifting problem persists. Several people have reported this problem. One was fixed by a dealer attending to a software problem. This is a known problem that is being ignored. This has happened since new Jan 29, 2021.

NHTSA ID

11491897

Incident

Jan 29, 2021

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal fuel odor in the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 7,500.

NHTSA ID

11470674

Incident

Oct 23, 2021

Mileage

7,500 mi

2021 RAV4 Hybrid exhibits fueling problems, consistently. Parked on level concrete, shut off, in "Refuel" status, at the fuel island, it dependably suffers abject failure at attempts to refill the gasoline tank at the fuel pump. With the fuel pump nozzle set to lowest flow setting, at any moment, the fuel being pumped down the filler tube surges back up the filler tube, occasionally spilling out onto the side of the car and the ground. Other times, with the pump nozzle set to lowest flow settings, it may automatically and arbitrarily shut off after 1 gallon or 4 gallons, when the miles driven along with the fuel gauge indicates the tank requires at least 10 gallons. It is impossible to know from one fill-up to the next fill-up if the tank is full, close to full, or several gallons shy of full. Refueling the RAV4 Hybrid is a challenge that defeats the best mechanical and fluid dynamics aware person trying to fill the tank. This issue is ongoing and has been occurring since the vehicle was purchased NEW with 9 miles on the odometer in November 2020. Toyota even sent out a letter to get to dealership to have this fixed, it did nothing to solve problem.

NHTSA ID

11467595

Incident

Jun 5, 2022

Toyota RAV4 2021 fuel tank capacity should be 14.5 Gallons as per manufacturer but never managed to pump close to 12 Gallons. Called Dealer but refuse to acknowledge the defect

NHTSA ID

11449666

Incident

Dec 1, 2021

Toyota of Portland sold me a used 2021 RAV4 hybrid XSE with a defective gas tank. The gas tank does not carry the 14.5 gallons as advertised, the gas gauge cluster is inaccurate, and the mileage remaining on the dash cluster is inaccurate. These defects were not disclosed to me prior to the sale. Immediately after seeing the problem, I brought the vehicle in for service at Vancouver (WA) Toyota. They botched the repair job and the vehicle is emitting gas vapors non stop. Over the weekend, my house was inundated with gas vapors and my household and I experienced dizziness, irritability, poor eyesight, and nausea.

NHTSA ID

11445937

Incident

Nov 14, 2021

Since buying this 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid vehicle in 12/2020 gas tank only takes about 10-11 gallons of fuel when refueling , whereas tank capacity is 14+gallons. This leads to trickle filling to get a full tank which Toyota advises against as unsafe. Toyota has agreed to pay for fixing this manufacturing defect for 2020 model RAV 4's with the same manufacturing defect, but so far Toyota holding back issuing authorization to fix the 2021 RAV4 Hybrids . Car available for inspection upon request. Toyota dealer wants me to pay for diagnosis, manufacturer unwilling to pay for inspection of this safety risk despite paying for it in 2020 RAV4's with same defect.

NHTSA ID

11428217

Incident

Mar 19, 2021

CAR HAD A LOW FUEL INDICATOR ON (APPROX. 15MILES DISTANCE TO EMPTY LEFT ON A DASHBOARD). UPON REFUELING, THE CAR ONLY TOOK ABOUT 11.38 GALLON OF FUEL TO REFILL THE EMPTY TANK. THIS IS VERY ANNOYING AS I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW THINKING IT HAS 14.5 GALLON FUEL TANK CAPACITY BUT IN REALITY IT HAS A DEFECTIVE FUEL TANK AND IT ONLY TAKES ABOUT 11 GALLON OF FUEL.

NHTSA ID

11399965

Incident

Mar 8, 2021

Mileage

905 mi

THE GAS TANK OF 2021 RAV4 HYBRID DOES NOT FILL IN AS ADVERTISED. TOYOTA ADVERTISES THAT IT CAN TAKE 14.5 GALLONS OF FUEL, HOWEVER WHEN THE FUEL LOW WARNING LIGHT IS ON AND YOU TRY TO FILL THE FULL TANK, IT NEVER TAKES MORE THAN 10 GALLONS, THUS THERE'S DISCREPANCY OF 4 GALLONS. THIS REDUCES THE CAR'S ADVERTISED RANGE FROM 550 MILES TO LESS THAN 400 MILES. TOYOTA CLAIMS THIS IS A DESIGN MISTAKE AND DOESN'T OFFER ANY FIX.

NHTSA ID

11399666

Incident

Mar 7, 2021

CANNOT FILL FUEL TANK COMPLETELY FULL. HAD SOME TESTS RUN BY TOYOTA AND THEY FOUND THAT THERE WERE ONLY 12.5 GALLONS IN THE 14.5 GALLON TANK WHEN THE PUMP SHUTS OFF. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS "WITHIN THE SPEC" AND OFFERED NO FURTHER HELP.

NHTSA ID

11394555

Incident

Jan 30, 2021

Mileage

8,000 mi

HAVE A 2019 AMS 2021 RAV4 HYBRID XSE THAT WILL NOT FILL TO ITS 14.5 GAL CAPACITY. TOYOTA NEEDS TO MAKE A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT HERE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE AND A TIMELINE ON A FIX. WITH NOTING, THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT TOOK 14 GAL ON INITIAL FILL WHEN PURCHASED, SO NOT SURE WHAT TO THINK HERE - CAN PROVIDE PHOTOS AS WELL

NHTSA ID

11389684

Incident

Jan 2, 2021

Mileage

485 mi

WHEN THE LOW FUEL LIGHT COMES ON IT ONLY TAKES 10 GALLONS TO REFILL. THIS GIVES ME A RANGE OF 400 MILES ON A TANK OF FUEL. I WAS EXPECTING A RESERVE AMOUNT OF FUEL AFTER THE LOW FUEL LIGHT COMES ON TO DRIVE TO A FUEL STATION BUT ONLY USING 10 GALLONS OUT OF A 14 GALLON TANK SEEMS WRONG.

NHTSA ID

11387955

Incident

Jan 13, 2021

Mileage

400 mi

WITH 4 MILES LEFT ON HV RANGE/DTE, I FILLED MY FIRST FULL TANK AT COSTCO. PUMP READ 10.82 GALLONS. NOW HV RANGE IS SHOWING 544 MILES. I GOT ABOUT 39.9 MPG ON FIRST TANK (WITHOUT EV) WHICH IS IN LINE WITH EPA. BUT MY REAL HV RANGE FROM FULL TO EMPTY WAS ONLY 10.9 X 39.5 = 430 MILES. IF YOU ADD EV MILES OF 42, THEN YOU GET AROUND 472 MILES. NOT 600. THEIR MPG CLAIMS ARE VALID. BUT THEIR GAS TANK/ RANGE CLAIMS ARE CLEARLY OVERSTATED. REAL RANGE IS ONLY 472. NOT 600. WHICH IS DISAPPOINTING, YOU MIGHT GO ON A ROAD TRIP WITH YOUR FAMILY, AND BE STUCK IN MIDDLE OF NO WHERE BECAUSE THEIR RANGE CLAIMS WERE OVERSTATED. THEY MARKETED THIS TO BE CLOSE TO BEING 600 MILE RANGE. WHEN IT CAN HARDLY GO 472 WHEN GAS TANK SHOWS EMPTY. TOYOTA IS CALLOUS AND NEGLIGENT IN RESOLVING THIS ISSUE SO FAR. I WAS DISSED BY MY TOYOTA DEALER FOR THE SAME ISSUE WITH PRIUS PRIME. NOW RAV4 PRIME HAS HE SAME ISSUE, AND I AM HEARING THE SAME WITH RAV4 HYBRID OWNERS. YOU CAN ONLY FILL IN 10+ GALLONS. NOT 13 OR 14 GALLONS AS THEY FALSELY CLAIM. REAL RANGE OF YOUR RAV4 PRIME/HYBRID IS ONLY 470 MILES NOT 600!!

NHTSA ID

11353782

Incident

Sep 8, 2020

Mileage

502 mi