Body problems of the 2013 Toyota RAV4

The paint on the roof of my 2013 Toyota Rav4 has begun to peel (delaminate). I first noticed it in may 2025. More recently, in June, while driving I saw in my rearview mirror what was clearly a chunk of white paint fall off the blowing from the top of my vehicle behind me - which is poses a safety hazard on the road. There are two areas on the roof now peeling. One is about 8inches in diameter (which has grown since may) and the newest area peeling and flaking/flying off is 1 foot long and 4 to 5 inches wide. Areas of the roof where the paint has peeled are beginning to rust and compromise the integrity of the body. I contacted Toyota twice recently regarding my case (#250701000710) which is considered closed. Two representatives said they were sorry I was having this issue but advised that I would have to go to a dealer and take care of it myself. Please be aware that there was a prior/known paint peeling issue that affected cars in blizzard/pearl white (which my car is). They offered what was called a "goodwill service" at the time under which they only paid to repaint any areas of the car that were already peeling at the time. The body of my car had many large areas of peeled paint that were repainted. However, the "goodwill service" program has since expired but now the roof is peeling. So, even though aware that the painting was flawed and prone to significant peeling they did not repaint affected vehicles as a whole and so it appears this issue has resurfaced.

I am reporting a paint peeling issue on my 2013 Toyota Rav4 limited that has the potential to be a safety hazard. Large sections of paint have peeled off, exposing bare metal on the hood, roof, and/or doors, and I am concerned about its impact on visibility, corrosion, and potential flying debris while driving. 1. Visibility obstruction & glare risk: the paint on my hood is peeling off in patches, causing sun glare and reflection issues that impair my ability to see the road under certain lighting conditions. This is particularly dangerous during sunrise, sunset, or nighttime driving under streetlights. 2. Risk of corrosion leading to structural integrity issues: with the bare metal exposed, the affected areas are at risk of rusting and corrosion, which could weaken the vehicle’s structure. If left untreated, corrosion could affect critical safety components such as the hood latch or airbag crash sensors located behind painted surfaces. 3. Potential for peeling paint to become road debris: while driving at highway speeds, I have noticed paint flaking off and flying away. This could become a hazard to other vehicles, especially for motorcyclists or drivers behind me who could be hit by the debris. 4. Compromised vehicle visibility to other drivers: the exposed, uneven patches of primer and metal create an irregular surface, which could affect how my vehicle is seen by others, especially in low-light conditions. This may increase the risk of rear-end collisions due to diminished contrast. Toyota response: Toyota previously acknowledged this issue with a warranty enhancement program (wep zkg) for peeling paint, but I was informed that my vehicle is one year past the extended coverage period. Despite the defect being well-documented, Toyota has refused to assist. This is not just a cosmetic issue—it has clear safety implications. I urge NHTSA to investigate this problem further to determine if additional action is needed.

Water leaks inside from the sunroof and out of corner of sun visor.

The vehicle has experienced premature and widespread paint peeling and clear coat failure on multiple body panels. The paint began deteriorating without impact, collision, or environmental damage and has progressively worsened over time. This condition is consistent with a known manufacturing defect affecting certain Toyota vehicles, which Toyota acknowledged through a customer support program. The defect results in exposed metal and body surfaces, increasing the risk of corrosion and long-term structural damage. The issue has been visually confirmed and documented and is reproducible across affected panels. No warning indicators were present prior to the failure. The vehicle remains available for inspection upon request.

I turned the key and started the Rav4 parked in my driveway. It immediately made unusual noices (gurgling, spitting, etc. ). Within a minute, there was a loud "boom" under the hood and fire began coming out from underneath the car. I got out of the car and got a safe distance from it. My neighbors came running over as they heard subsequent explosions and saw black smoke billowing from my direction. Within a matter of a few minutes, the entire car was engulfed in flames. The fire department came and extinguished it. There is nothing left! btw, I am 91 years old. This could have had a very different and sad outcome!.

Paint peeling on car. Paint could come off hood while driving and obstruct vision while driving.

While opening the trunk, which is electric, the right lift gate piston blew and separated from the ball mount. At that point the trunk/hatch would not work electrically or by hand. In fact the malfunction of the piston was so intense it caused significant damage to the body of my car, buckling the back roof, shifting the door and buckling the hinges. The grand total of damage is well over $5000. Toyota was well aware of this defect. In fact I have their technical service bulletin from Toyota that discusses the problem in detail (t-sb-0168-13 for which I am sending you a copy). The piston, known as an actuator has been changed after a certain VIN # (see page #2 of attached bulletin). Because of the defect I now have to replace the unaffected piston also. Each piston costs $686. 16 for the part alone. If the car is under warranty they cover repair, as I have owned my car for almost 4 years, it is not covered. Toyota not only knew about the defect, they chose not to notify the car owners�. If the pistons had been replaced, all of the other damage would not have occurred. Several mechanics I spoke with could not believe this was not a recall. If an animal had been in the back or worse yet, if it occurred as it was open, it could potentially cause significant injury or worse. Apparently Toyota does not have an obligation to repair this as it is no longer under warranty. If deemed a recall they would need to address this at no cost to the consumer. We contacted Toyota; they have offered us $2500 as �goodwill�, which is less than 50%. At this point I am having them do the actual mechanical work, and will also have to pay over $1100 out of pocket to cover the full cost of the mechanical repair. This still will not address the body work. Therefore this will devalue my car, and also runs the risk of rusting as the paint is damaged.

Car painting is detaching. A small hole is formed and then become bigger every day.

Door lock actuators failed in every door. The passenger and driver actuators failed completely and the two back doors will work sometimes and won't others.

The engine started on fire under normal driving conditions. The car was not involved in any accident. The Rav4 limited was totaled. It was less than 3 years old and had 17,500 miles on it. The car was serviced regularly by Toyota. The last service was about 4 months prior to the fire. Toyota has not honored their 3yr/36,000 mile warranty coverage on the car. Toyota has not offered a replacement car, rental or anything. Every time we call our Toyota case manager or legal department managers, we have to leave a message and they never return our calls.

La pintura DE la guagua se esta saliendo. Las puertas delanteras tienen problemas cuando quieres abrir o cerrar las mismas con el llavero. Se le da�o a ambas puertas delanteras el motor o lo que le llaman "actuator" a una semana DE diferencia y cuando intento abrir la puerta desde adentro para bajarme se queda cerrada y no me permite abrirla tengo que estar d�ndole lock/unlock hasta que me deja quitarle el seguro para poder bajarme DE la guagua; esto asunto en particular me preocupa en caso DE alg�n accidente no pueda abrirla. Otro problema que tiene ES que cada 3 meses, ES que las bombillas DE "stop" del lado derecho se da�a y tengo que estar cambi�ndola. Esto ha sucedido desde aproximadamente diciembre 2015. The paint is coming out. The front doors have problems when you want to open or close them with the key ring. Both front doors damaged the what they call the actuator a week apart and when I try to open the driver's door from the inside to get out the car it is closed and I can't open it I have to be hit the lock/unlock button until it lets me remove the lock to get off the car; this issue in particular worries me because in case of an accident I won't be able to open the door fast. Another problem that has is that every 3 months, the bulbs light for stop on the right side has to be change because it damage and I have to be changing it. This has been appening sing around December 2015.

Tl- the contact owns 2013 Toyota rav 4. The contact stated while driving 60mph the vehicle made an abnormal noise and the sun roof shattered. The failure happended without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure could not be diagnosed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle failure mileage was 19,700. Kh.

The throttle stuck on the car. I could not stop the car and it went over a 10 foot fall and crashed to the ground. It was a very scary ride. I tried every way to stop the car but could not . I had my foot on the brake the entire time of the unintended event. I am still very sore three weeks later and have some spinal sprain and wrist sprain, cervical sprain and both knees bruised both knees. The car was taken to a collision center for repairs after I consulted my insurance company.