general problems of the 2021 Toyota RAV4 - part 1

Upon taking my 2021 Rav4 hybrid in for the rear traction motor cable corrosion recall (25td01) on 5/7/2026, I was told there are no parts, no estimated arrival time, and therefore not even a rough estimate for a timeframe of repair. I was told that no one would inspect or evaluate the part in question to indicate if the car was safe to drive. I expressed my extreme concern given the recall includes risk of power failure, even while driving. I received inconsistent, avoidant answers and an absolute denial to remedy the situation in any way. I was told the dealership is "dolan" and not "Toyota". I again expressed my concerns about safety and the dealerships' denial to, at minimum inspect the recalled part and/or housing of the part. Emily, the service manager stated that Toyota does not "allow" loaner vehicles for this particular recall. She could not provide any sources for this information. To summarize; the dealer with not provide an inspection of the recalled part and/or housing, or give an estimated timeline for repair given I am #125 on a waitlist. There is a complete lack of regard for mine or my children's safety as the dealer will not provide any assessment of how bad the damage could be. They suggested that I continue to drive the vehicle, acknowledging all of the safety hazards that could occur. I am terrified of the possibility of having an accident with my kids in the car due to this recalled part failing, not having a vehicle to get to and from work, and the potential additional costs that this unaddressed recall issue could cause. Please advise!.

This complaint is being filed as a follow-up to a previously submitted NHTSA complaint regarding door lock failures on my 2021 Toyota Rav4 hybrid. Since the original complaint, a second door has now failed. In addition to the front passenger door, the rear passenger-side door will no longer lock or unlock electronically using the key fob or interior power lock button and must be locked manually. When attempting to lock the vehicle, the vehicle emits a warning beep indicating a door is unsecured, even though some doors appear locked. Upon inspection, the rear passenger door was found unlocked. This issue appears to be progressive, affecting multiple doors. Doors may appear locked when they are not, creating a security concern.

‘voltage abnormality, power steering low’ error message has appeared three separate times. All while vehicle is idle at stop light or parked, last incident car was unable to restart immediately. All dashboard lights came on, including message saying parking hold unavailable. Mechanic confirmed no issues with 12v battery health and unable to recreate issue. Loss of power is risk to safety, possible draining of battery due to unknown issue.

Driver door lock actuator. When using the vehicles remote key, the driver door does not lock and unlock with the rest of the vehicles locks. This failure can cause theft of personal property in the vehicle or theft of the vehicle itself. The problem has been confirmed by other Toyota owners with similar models. No warning lights of the problem appeared.

I am reporting a safety defect involving the front passenger door lock actuator on my 2021 Toyota Rav4 xle hybrid. The front passenger door will not lock or unlock using the key fob or the interior power door lock button. The door must now be locked manually. This defeats the vehicle’s automatic locking system and creates a safety and security concern. This condition prevents all doors from being secured properly when driving or when parked. A passenger may believe the door is locked when it is not, increasing the risk of unauthorized entry, theft, or passenger safety issues. The failure occurred during normal use and without warning. The vehicle has been properly maintained. I have learned that multiple Toyota Rav4 owners have reported similar door lock actuator failures, indicating a potential widespread defect. This issue occurred shortly after the factory warranty expired. Due to the safety implications, I believe this issue warrants investigation and possible recall or manufacturer repair program. “this failure occurred without warning and with no dashboard alerts. ”.

While driving at highway speeds (approx. 65 mph), the vehicle suffered a sudden and catastrophic loss of motive power. The "hybrid system malfunction" warning illuminated, followed immediately by a "check engine" light. The vehicle entered a fail-safe mode, then completely shut down. The steering wheel locked, making it extremely difficult to maneuver the vehicle to the shoulder in a dark, remote area with freezing temperatures. This presented an immediate life-safety risk to all occupants. Following the incident, the vehicle was presented to two separate authorized Toyota dealerships in the us for emergency assistance. Both failed to provide the standard of care required for a high-voltage safety failure. The first dealer refused to perform even a basic safety inspection or intake the vehicle, stating they had no hybrid technicians on weekends. They turned the vehicle away without safety warnings, forcing the operation of a chemically failing vehicle on public roads. The second dealer attempted to charge a diagnostic fee. However, when questioned, they admitted they also did not have a hybrid-certified technician on site. They attempted to bill for a diagnostic service they knowingly could not perform. This fraudulent charge was only rescinded after it was challenged. They subsequently refused further assistance, leaving the occupants stranded. The vehicle was eventually towed to a third dealer (in canada) where it was diagnosed with severe corrosion of the high-voltage floor under wire harness (mgr cable), a known defect. The dealer confirmed the rear motor cable was corroded and required replacement. The repair involved replacing the cable and installing a "splash guard" cap. No prior warning signs occurred before the sudden highway shutdown. This failure is a result of the manufacturer's failure to adequately seal high-voltage components against corrosion and the dealer network's gross negligence in refusing emergency safety support.

Message "voltage abnormality steering power low" was displayed several times while stopped at traffic lights and the auto stop/start engine feature was engaged. Took vehicle to dealership nothing was done since they could not replicate the issue.

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.

While parked in a commercial lot on [xxx] around [xxx], I noticed smoke coming from the front of the vehicle while sitting inside. There was a strong burning rubber smell. I exited and saw flames coming from beneath the front left bumper, directly under the fog light area. I had arrived at the location about 30 minutes earlier. I opened the hood from inside the vehicle, stepped back, and called 911. The fire rapidly engulfed the front of the vehicle. Firefighters arrived within 10 minutes and extinguished the fire. Police responded and created a report. Three nearby vehicles also sustained fire damage. The vehicle had previous front-end repairs (driver side bumper and fog light) and was well maintained. The vehicle had not shown any warning lights or messages prior to the fire. I believe the fire originated from an electrical or engine component and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Geico insurance has been contacted and a claim has been opened. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Steering power low message appears and engine completely stops.

On may 1, 2025, my 2021 Toyota Rav4 hybrid displayed an srs airbag malfunction warning (recall 23ta15). The passenger airbag was disabled, making the vehicle unsafe to drive. Toyota had announced this recall in December 2023, but I never received any notification. When I contacted Toyota on may 9, 2025, I was told there were no parts available and was even offered a $200 paid inspection instead of a free recall repair. My vehicle remained at the dealership from may until September 29, 2025, without any available remedy. During this period, I continued paying my auto loan and insurance for a car I could not use. Toyota also failed to disclose my right to a free rental vehicle; I only received temporary rentals (camry, later tacoma) after repeated demands, and they did not meet my transportation needs. While the airbag recall was still unresolved, a second safety recall (25td01 – rear traction motor cable corrosion) was announced in mid-September 2025. This meant my vehicle had two active safety recalls at the same time while in Toyota’s custody. Both defects were only repaired at the end of September and early October 2025. Toyota failed to notify me in time, delayed the remedy for nearly two years after the recall announcement, concealed rental rights, and allowed my vehicle to remain unsafe under multiple recalls for months. An independent arbitrator has already issued a repurchase decision, confirming Toyota’s responsibility. This demonstrates a systemic failure by Toyota to comply with recall and safety obligations. ”.

It’s been a year since I have owned my 2021toyota rav and it has randomly been shutting off with the notice: power steering voltage abnormality. I have taken the vehicle to get checked but nothing is coming up indicating what the issue is. The battery is fine, the alternator is fine, and there doesn’t seem to be any electrical issues with the power steering. I have seen that there has been certain recalls on the power steering voltage notice on the Toyota ravs and owners complaining about a random shut off on their vehicles. I am one of those owners and would like to know why my vehicle hasn’t been issued a recall. It is a safety hazard and concern. My vehicle has been shutting off in the middle of a busy highway. Please look into this issue.

The high voltage floor underwire harness and rear traction motor cable corroded. This caused many if the vehicles sensors to fail completely including the tire pressure monitor system, adaptive cruise, collision avoidance, and more. Toyota is aware of this problem and attempted to do a silent warranty extension. This is a safety hazard and all of the known vehicles affected should be recalled!.

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.

Several malfunction warnings (pre-collision system malfunction, awd malfunction, engine malfunction, parking brake malfunction) as well as several warning lights appeared on my dash. Took vehicle to a Toyota dealership for repairs. Fuel pump was replaced. Drove car a few days later and all the same warnings and lights came back on and this time the vehicle stalled in the middle of the road while driving. Was able to restart but had as soon as vehicle was stopped it would stall. Had to restart the vehicle several times while driving 2 miles just to get it home.

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 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.

My Toyota hybrid awd vehicle experienced corrosion of the rear traction motor cable, which Toyota has acknowledged in service campaign 25td01. This corrosion affects the electrical connection to the rear drive motor and can result in loss of awd propulsion capability. Loss of rear-wheel propulsion significantly reduces traction and stability, particularly in snow, ice, and wet conditions. Drivers may believe the vehicle still has awd capability when in fact the rear drive system is compromised. In addition, the vehicle’s adaptive cruise control system repeatedly turned off unexpectedly while driving and displayed “unavailable” warnings. These malfunctions occurred alongside the electrical issues related to the rear traction motor cable corrosion, suggesting the defect may affect multiple vehicle systems. Toyota has acknowledged this defect through service campaign 25td01 but has not issued a safety recall. Given the potential for loss of propulsion and malfunction of driver-assistance systems, this issue should be investigated as a safety defect.

Just a little over 33k miles, regular maintenance wit dealer, after the power steering light flashes on then goes off after auto stop of motor when stopping and stop at long intervals sometime see a battery charging at same time. Fluid is great no noise. I see a recall but not on this VIN. However I’m reading on line several of these are having the same issue, the car is too new. .

I've seen this error message (voltage abnormality steering power low) a few times whenever we are at a stop light and begin to go. This only happens whenever the start/stop function is active so the engine is stopped while not moving. Then once we start going, it will show up for a second and then disappear. We have taken the car to a local shop where they said that the alternator was beyond normal use and we received a quote as they believed it was worth replacing. When we went to Toyota dealership as the alternator is still under warranty they said they didn't see anything, they would not allow us to drive the car or hold onto the break in their shop. Problem continues to persist.

There is an issue that seems to be plaguing certain 2021+ Toyota models after a lot of research on this topic. My Rav4 has been operating perfectly and around 42k the voltage abnormality: power steering low warning came on. I've had the alternator, starter, and battery tested. Alternator and starter were given a good bill of health, the battery was given a full recharge as it outputting a bit low. The battery was put back into my car and the issue still persists. The issue only occurs after the automatic shut off feature engages when fully stopped at a light or in traffic. If I drive with the feature turned off (something I have to do every time I turn the car on now) the issue doesn't happen. If the issue persists the car can become "locked" and either completely undriveable or a safety hazard to drive if the issue/warning light take full effect and engage the safety features of the car to prevent dangerous driving. Multiple people online are reporting instances of full vehicle seizure on the highway due to this issue and it is becoming a growing safety concern as most cars encountering this issue are reaching 35k+ miles when the issue seems to start occurring on certain vehicles.

Cruise control suddenly quit working, alarms for hybrid system malfunction, cruise control malfunction. This is a known issue for Toyota, high voltage leaking out because of a corroded ground. This repair is going to cost around $7,000 out of pocket. . My car is 3 years old.

We’ve had the car for three months had it to the shop of the Toyota place seven times for the electrical issue the car will shut off going down the road when you give a gas when you let off the gas, it will start back up spitting sputter, the instrument cluster the gauges will stick in one spot and not budge and you lose all power to the vehicle to drive.

A warning message came up that the hybrid system malfunction contact dealer. This was confirmed by the dealer. According to the dealer and message boards at various web sites, the hybrid system malfunction is not uncommon. To fix the problem, a wire harness must be replaced with a replacement cost of $2000-$4000. When I asked what changes have been made to the replacement part to address the corrosion problem, the response was there might be a new coating but we do live in new hampshire.

I received an error message “engine stopped, steering power low” after driving an hour in the rain, sat in my car for about 20 mins with wipers on, engine began to jerk aggressively then shut off. I could not gas it or move the car. I let the car sit after being towed, it ran fine as if nothing happened. I got a battery test and it was at 100% charge according to autozone. The check engine light, battery light and steering light came on. No prior indications of this problem.

The front passenger door started to "not unlock" when using the keys or door buttons to unlock it, you would have to manually unlock the passenger door by reaching across from the driver's side of the car. For about a week, that was happening, then that same door started to "not lock" using the key fob, handle or door buttons, so both locking and unlocking could only be done manually. Then the most concerning incident, while driving and while a passenger was seated in the front seat, upon rounding a corner (moving less than 20 mph) in a very busy town full of parked cars and pedestrians, the closed front passenger door flung open while the vehicle was turning and moving, almost striking a pedestrian and parked car. The passenger was able to safely close the door, but this would have been impossible had there only been a driver in the car at the time. The door had been shut properly, and there were no indicator lights that the door was not fully closed. The door also "auto-locks" when moving, so there were multiple failures of the lock/door system when this occurred. The car was on the road more than 5 minutes when this happened with absolutely no warnings until the door flung open and the car made lots of warning noise at this point. We called the dealer and made an appointment and on the day of the appointment the locks magically started working again. The dealer just charged us $90 to perform a "lock diagnostic" to which they said there are no issues found. Well, let me just say, I feel a door randomly opening in a moving vehicle is a major safety problem and it is a grave concern for me to drive or ride in this car when I am not sure when or if this is going to reoccur at any given moment.

The component that failed/malfunctioned is the rear hatch. The hinges seem to have misaligned and result in the rear hatch not closing properly. Safety is put at risk because the vehicle notifies the driver through a beep system that the rear door is not fully closed properly and does not shut off until forcefully closed manually. The problem has been produced both by the dealership at an autonation and an independent autobody repair shop. The vehicle/component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance, representatives, or others besides the ones mentioned in the previous sentence. There were no apparent symptoms or problems prior to the failure. The misalignment appeared approximately two years after the original purchased from the dealership and is an ongoing issue.

The vehicle was left parked for 7 days and battery was found to have discharged and would not start or provide any displays on the dash board. No map lights were were found to have been left on and no accessories were connected.

I was in a bad car accident last Wednesday July 26, 2023 it was very scary and bizarre; my car accelerated (started racing)and when I stepped on brake, it accelerated more. I saw a message flash up on my gps screen but obviously couldn't read it as I was trying to stop my car. The auto brakes didn’t work, I crashed into a tree; air bags didn’t deploy and I got this message ("check engine! a malfunction in the electronic control of the engine,throttle, or automatic transmission has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer in order to have your vehicle inspected. " (see attached). Luckily I was in an almost empty parking lot when this happened, if not I could have been killed or killed someone else. All the safety back ups failed. I took a picture of the message-will attach it to this report. I was taken to huntington hospital er and had a cat scan to make sure my sternum and ribs aren’t broken-showed soft tissue abdominal swelling and bruised sternum and ribs from my seat belt. Pain to chest, ribs an right side. I believe my car is totaled just had it inspected and serviced a few weeks ago at the Toyota dealership where I purchased it and it only has 10,000 miles on it! I am fighting with insurance company to make sure the car's computer is interrogated before they do anything else. -the insurance company was pressuring me to release the car to copart without this being done and I refused. My car was towed to and remains at combined auto collision 4035 jericho tpk, east northport, NY. This incident could have resulted in a catastrophic outcome and loss of life. Aa investigation needs to be taken to insure this does not happen to anyone else. Thank you for your kind assistance.

The contact rented a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard a vibrating sound coming from the front driver’s side windshield. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the contact was informed that the vehicle was a rental and could not be diagnosed. The contact was informed to return the vehicle to avis car rental. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that he was able to restart the vehicle after several minutes. The contact stated that due to the loss of motive power, the front driver’s and passenger’s side headlights failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the contact was informed that the vehicle could not be diagnosed since the vehicle was a rental. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacture was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.

We have water becoming stuck in our back passenger door due to a weather strip design flaw in Toyota Rav4 hybrids. This will begin to happen to all weather strips and eventually destroy the interior and electrical if not repaired. This is a common design flaw in newer Toyota Rav4 hybrids and we are lucky it's just our one door so far.   I've been informed (by our Toyota tech) that eventually all of the doors and the roof will leak due to this Toyota design flaw.    when we took the car to get fixed at the dealership, they let us know it was an expensive repair, advised it was a design flaw, other customers are affected, and allowed us time to research before paying for the repair. We may attempt it ourselves since Toyota corporate has refused a reimbursement for the repair. This is a Toyota design flaw and requires a recall. They are charging hundreds to fix this. This will literally destroy the cars electrical.

I have a 2021 Rav4 gas le. I bought it new in may 2021 and have 38,000 miles on it. I was casually driving the car going 30-40mph when the car dashboard lit up. The first notification I got was on the screen display saying a malfunction in the charging system was detected and to stop in a safe location. Next, all my dashboard lights turned on (tire pressure, traction control, check engine, abs, brake, battery light, etc. ) and got the following messages on the dashboard: - parking brake malfunction - pre collision malfunction - brake power low - stop in a safe place - secondary collision brake system malfunction - antilock brake system malfunction voltage ability - voltage abnormality - steering power low and then finally, the “engine stopped” message when the emergency brakes engaged on their own while I was slowing down at a red light. Before this, I never got any warning lights or messages. I tried to get the car towed since jump starting the car didn’t work. The emergency brakes would not disengage in neutral. I had to call a tow truck. I took the car to the Toyota dealership. They said it was the battery and replaced it, but when I went to pick it up, the dashboard lights still wouldn’t go away even after resetting. The power locks still don’t work when the car is off and my key fob to unlock/lock also still doesn’t work. The display screen still isn’t turning on and the usb plugs in the car also aren’t drawing any power. The headlights and interior lights also don’t work. They said it’s an electrical problem but quoted me $520 to diagnose the problem only since the car is now out of the 3 years/36k miles basic warranty. I have had this car less than two years and has 38k miles.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, being driven, or stationary, the climate control module turned off sporadically. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle for half an hour and then restarted the vehicle and the climate control module worked as needed for a month. The contact stated that the instrument panel was dim, and the numbers were difficult to see. The vehicle was repaired three times however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with climate control module failure. The vehicle was not repaired after the recent failure. The contact had replaced the climate control module three times prior. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

And brakes202022 highlandar of th rcosearhosten9 & brake& steercar was freewheeling,eng. Lost stee and slbeingr.

-rear passenger door lock actuator fails -safety risk of door not automatically locking when driving -problem has been reproduced because it has occurred more than once -no inspection has taken place -no warning lamps or messages.

Since I bought my brand-new car 1. The engine has stopped 5 times. 2. My windshield cracked. 3. There is low tire air pressure indicator that appears once in a while. A new battery was replaced, and it now cannot start. The message on the screen indicates: "ignition on, voltage abnormality steering power low. Visit your dealer. " I took it the dealer and now they are not able to find out what the problem is because I had to jam started the car for it to be towed.