Electrical System Problems of Toyota RAV4 - part 2

While traveling back from out of state, the fuel sensor and fuel gauge failed causing me to run out of gas when the fuel gauge stated I had just a tick under a 1/4 tank of gas left and the app read 35 miles left. While driving on freeway at freeway speed, the car sputtered, bogged down and then stalled, placing me in a very dangerous situation broken down on the shoulder of the freeway in the desolate country at night with semi trucks and cars flying by at estimated between 70-80 mph. While stalled and waiting for help, all the lights except the hazard flashers went out. The sheriff assisted and added 2 gallons of gas that finally got the car restarted and I was able to get to the gas station which was 1 mile ahead of where I had been stranded. I kept filling the gas tank not allowing it to go under 1/2 tank on the fuel gauge the remainder of the trip home. I took the car to tansky sawmill Toyota for service, who thought it was a fuel sensor in fuel tank, which had to be dropped, resulting in a tube from the fuel sender being disconnected and not taking fuel from the other side of the tank and corrosion was cleaned out. They had to go through electrical system to check the fuel gauge which had corrosion on the electrical harnesses and sensors not caused by water or rodents - still unknown cause - resulting in $6500. 00 to replace both electrical harnesses 82152-0r370 wire fr door lh and 82141-orb80 wire instrument panel! known Toyota defect as the 2019 Rav4 hybrids have already been recalled. Issues of this type with the regular Rav4s are posted all over the online Toyota boards. My platinum extended warranty on my well cared for 2019 Rav4 with 45,131 miles (purchased at 3 year lease end) refused to all of the charges and the dealership did not budge, sticking me with 6 hours of diagnostic fees over what the warranty allowed in the sum of $1014. 37. These harnesses need recalled so no one else is stranded in a very dangerous place on the side of the freeway!.

See all problems of the 2019 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

While driving the vehicle on an uphill stretch of highway with cruise control set at approximately 65 mph, the vehicle suddenly slowed down without warning. A distinct clunk was heard at the same moment. The cruise control system attempted to restore speed, and the engine became noticeably louder, but the vehicle struggled to return to the set speed. The driver tapped the brake to disengage cruise control and manually pressed the accelerator to resume normal speed. The trip was completed without additional events. After parking, the check engine light illuminated and the cruise control system became disabled on all subsequent drives. No warning indicators were present at the time of the initial failure, and there were no vehicles ahead that would have triggered the collision-avoidance system. Two days later, the vehicle became an intermittent no-start and eventually failed to start entirely. The vehicle was towed to a dealership for inspection. Technicians confirmed an electrical malfunction and reported that the multiplex ecu was likely experiencing an internal short. A parasitic draw test showed an abnormally high current draw of approximately 113 MA, which disappeared when the dome-light fuse and later the multiplex ecu were disconnected. The failure is intermittent and appears to involve an internal electrical short within the multiplex ecu. The sudden loss of cruise control function, abrupt deceleration, and subsequent intermittent electrical behavior created a safety risk, as the electrical malfunction occurred without warning while the vehicle was in motion. The issue was confirmed by a dealership service department.

See all problems of the 2017 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

I was driving home, about a 30 min drive, in heavy rain. Once I got home, I left my car running to run inside. When I came back out the car was shaking and idling funny. A "low steering power" diagnostic came up and then also a parking malfunction. I turned the car off. It would barely turn over and still multiple diagnostic lights on. I pulled in into the garage and after sitting off for about 10 minutes, it started fine. I've seen multiple posts about this same issue. It's definitely a safety concern.

See all problems of the 2024 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

While picking up my son from school, my 2018 Toyota Rav4 hybrid suddenly experienced a complete steering failure. The steering wheel locked without warning and became impossible to move, making the vehicle inoperable and creating an immediate safety hazard. My son and I were stranded for over 7 hours in a public area. Aaa was dispatched twice, but they were unable to resolve the issue. The vehicle ultimately had to be towed to a Toyota dealership. Toyota dealership diagnosed the car with a failed steering lock ecu, a critical safety component that should not malfunction under normal conditions. I was quoted over $2,000 for the repair. This issue aligns with multiple known recalls and technical service bulletins related to steering and electronic control failures in Rav4 hybrid models, suggesting a potential manufacturer defect. This sudden steering failure placed me and my child at significant risk. There were no warning lights, no prior steering issues, and no indicators of malfunction before the event occurred. I am submitting this report because a steering lock ecu failure can lead to sudden loss of steering control, which poses a serious danger to vehicle occupants and others on the road.

See all problems of the 2018 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 70 mph, the vehicle experienced a loss of motive power. No warning light was illuminated. The contact managed to push the vehicle over to the shoulder of the road, and the vehicle was towed to the residence. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

One week ago one section of the heated steering wheel was very hot. So much so that I could not touch that area. I took it to the anderson Toyota dealership in rockford today. On the way there, I turned on the heated steering wheel, and it started smoking. They said they couldn’t find what was wrong with it, and to replace it would be $1800 because it isn’t in warranty. They suggested I not use it.

It was a rainy day and I had come home to pick up someone, didn’t turn my car off but had it in park. I went to reverse and pressed on gas, all of a sudden my engine started to aggressively shake/vibrate while showing on the dash that power steering was off, I couldn’t move my car anymore. I turned it off and same thing. Finally after 15 minutes, it started back up like normal. Scary to think others have been experiencing this with or without rain involved, and also while driving. Toyota is suppose to be reliable. Taking it in to Toyota service department tomorrow, but scared to drive it and just be told nothing is wrong like others have been told.

See all problems of the 2022 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

While waiting in a drive-thru with “hold” feature enabled, car vibrated abnormally and shut off by itself. When I attempted to restart the vehicle, I received an error message “engine stopped. Steering power low” and another screen also appeared that said, “not ready to drive. Press brake and push engine start switch. ” I followed those instructions several times and the car wouldn’t start. Eventually had to put in neutral to get out of drive-thru. Once out of drive-thru, I once again attempted to restart the car, but this time it worked. Should mention it was raining pretty heavily outside when this happened.

See all problems of the 2025 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

Front camera quit working and it costs 2000 to replace which is absolutely ridiculous for a 2024 car. It should not have went out in a year and a half. It causes all the safety things on the car to not work properly.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notice of NHTSA campaign number: 23v734000 (electrical system). The contact stated that while changing the oil, he became aware that the battery was covered in corrosion and there was acid leaking from the battery tray. The vehicle was not diagnosed, but the contact was advised that the tray needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but refused to replace the battery. The failure mileage was approximately 66,327.

The contact owns a 2000 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while inspecting the battery, there were white hard stains on the battery and the parts holding the battery in place, causing the battery to move independently, allowing the battery to leak. An independent mechanic was contacted. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic. The battery was replaced at jiffy lube, and the contact was informed that a screw was missing and that the battery was loose. The contact was informed to be careful while driving the vehicle. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 23v734000 (electrical system); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 172,000.

See all problems of the 2000 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the interior digital rearview mirror image was distorted, hazy and foggy. The contact stated that the rearview mirror image was distorted while operating the vehicle at night, but the image was clear while operating the vehicle during the day time. The contact had cleaned the rear window and the rearview mirror camera lens, but the failure persisted, which the contact considered a visibility hazard for the driver. The local dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that no failure was found, and the rearview mirror camera was operating as designed. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 30.

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.

See all problems of the 2021 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

On October 27, 2025, I was housesitting and watching a friends' son and dropped him off at school. I returned to their house, shut off the car, went into the house, started cleaning home in preparation of returning to my home. I was in downstairs master suite on opposite end of home when I heard a car horn. I went to the door, looked out and saw fire emitting from under the driver’s side wheel well, front of engine, from under the engine hood and half way up the windshield of the Rav4. I called [xxx] and informed the dispatcher that my car was on fire. The [xxx] fire department responded and extinguished the vehicle. I called my insurance company and also reported the incident to Toyota bec, they assigned the incident liability case# xxx. I had also received 2 recall notifications from Toyota (NHTSA# 23v734). The car had been serviced by grappone Toyota (now known as mcgovern toytota) in [xxx] on August 14, 2025 and the recall was documented as fixed on that date. The vehicle was a total loss and towed to a coparts salvage yard in candia nh. An inspection was performed by an inspector assigned by Toyota. I later received a letter from Toyota stating that the cause of the fire could not be determined and Toyota assumes no reponsibility whatsoever. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My driver side door caught on fire and was completely destroyed to include all associated wiring. Toyota had my contact information but never contacted me about any of the recalls.

See all problems of the 2007 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v595000 (electrical system); however, the part for the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for service, the contact inquired about the unrepaired repair. The contact was advised not to drive the vehicle because of the safety concerns. In addition, the contact was informed that if the failure occurred while driving the vehicle, the instrument cluster would be disabled. The contact was informed that the safety features would not be available because of the unrepaired recall. The contact was not satisfied with the information. The contact was very frightened to drive the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was the only means of transportation. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact had not experienced a failure regarding the unrepaired recall repair.

After driving for 35 minutes (in the rain), I pulled up to work and let someone out. While car was sitting there in park, it bucked in the back, I then put it into park and almost immediately, it shut off with this on the display "engine off, steering power low, do not drive". My lights and windshield wipers remained on. I tried to turn it back and and it shut off again. I waited a few minutes, turned it on and went to pull out onto main road and the car shut off again with the same message. Thankfully I was turning onto the main road so close to shoulder and able to keep my car pretty close to side of the road. I called the Toyota dealer who told me not to drive it and it would need to be towed. I towed it to the closest dealer and when they checked the codes (the next day), they said there were no codes and they could not replicate the problem. As a note, the rain was off and on, nothing that was worse than anything I have driven in previously. I drive main roads and did not go through any large puddles or anything similar. This is a major safety issue and I am terrified that it could happen while driving on a highway where I may not have time to get out of the way of other traffic (car literally stopped with no option of continuing to coast). I am also shocked that there were no codes triggered as there was obviously some event and that the car is only one month outside of warranty.

The first time I was stopped at a red light and the car started acting like it was missing and then it shut off this was during rain the message on the dash said engine stopped steering power low. The next time this happened I was parking it a parking lot and the engine did the same it rpm started going up and down like it was missing then it shut off and showed the message engine stopped steering power low this was also during rain after I had been driving in the rain. After about 20 minutes both times the car would start and drive as normal. I have looked online and multiple people have had the same issue.

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked or being driven, water was leaking into the vehicle from the roof, causing water damage to the electrical wiring to the air bags. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that there was a hole in the roof and that the roof needed to be removed for a proper investigation. The contact was informed that the air bags could unintendedly deploy unintentionally if not repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure via letter and phone calls, and the contact was informed that the case had been closed. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.

See all problems of the 2015 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

Component: main engine wiring harness. Cause: rodent caused damage: the rodent severely damaged this component and made the vehicle inoperable. Fix: required the replacement of this component. Insurance covered the 8,500 repair bill (minus deductible). A check engine light appeared eventually.

The screens will flicker and then dim on its own while driving.

See all problems of the 2020 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

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.

The vehicle on board information screen will either fail to connect to phone for gps service, or will disconnect mid drive causing the gps service to stop. When the phone fail to connect with the screen it forces me to use the map on my phone causing me to look away from the road and at times have to hope my phone in my hand or risk missing my stop/exit.

Vehicle states engine maintenance required. Is a consistent reoccurring problem according to dealer. System failure due to manufacturer always puts the user at risk.

Had to have my 2024 Toyota rav 4 towed for a second time in 2 month after driving in heavy rain. During the first instance, I drove less than 10 miles on the highway in very heavy rain. Arrived at my destination, put the car in park and the engine and rpm meter started pulsating, revving feeling as if the car were going to stall. Turned the engine off, had the vehicle towed to the dealership who found "no issues" with the car. Again on September 23, 2025, I drove through a heavy rain storm, arrived a my destination and again the engine/rpm were pulsating/revving. An hour later when I went to leave (in no rain), started the vehicle and the engine began to sputter, all warning lights on the dash board went on including in part "parking support brake malfunction visit your dealer", "pre-collision system malfunction visit your dealer" and "engine stopped steering power low", and the engine sputtered and shut off. Had the vehicle towed to another dealership where it has been for 5 days with the technician telling me he cannot replicate the issue. This is a serious problem for a new vehicle with 17k miles. Not only is this is a safety risk due to vehicle failure/shut down, it is a serious defect in a product that I paid $40,000 for. Please do all that can be done to force Toyota to fix this issue, as it appears based on review of similar complaints on this website that this is happening quite a lot. Separately, it is more than concerning that total engine failure does not generate codes sufficient for Toyota technicians to diagnose such a fatal problem.

Year: 2014 make: Toyota model: Rav4 approx. Mileage: 60k 2. Incident details date of most recent incident: 9/18/2025 problem: vehicle stalls and loses power steering while turning. Engine shuts off suddenly, causing complete loss of steering control. Consequence: on 9/18/25, my son lost control of the Rav4, hit a curb, and went through bushes before stopping. Previous stalls also occurred while turning, with loss of steering assist. This is a severe safety hazard. Frequency: has occurred multiple times, even after dealership inspection and repairs. 3. Dealer/repair info dealer name: sarasota Toyota address: 7435 s tamiami trail, sarasota, FL 34231 repair attempts: dealer inspected in August 2025, charged nearly $900, but problem persists. Car is now back in the shop (not Toyota) for a second opinion at an additional cost of over $200. 4. Description my 2014 Toyota Rav4 repeatedly stalls and loses engine power and power steering without warning, especially while turning. On September 18, 2025, my son lost control of the vehicle, hit a curb, and went through bushes before managing to stop. This is extremely dangerous and could have resulted in a serious accident. Sarasota Toyota has inspected the vehicle and charged nearly $900 for repairs, but the defect was not fixed. The vehicle continues to stall and is unsafe to drive. I am pursuing a second opinion at additional expense. This issue places my family and others on the road in danger. I am filing this complaint so that Toyota and regulators address this defect.

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Bought the car with 114k on it now with 115k and I brought it in to Toyota because I have a “engine maintenance required” on the dash now they are trying to charge me almost $1000 because my car has over 100k miles on it and they said they won’t cover it.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message “engine maintenance required” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the heater control valve had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.

The contact’s sister owns a 2025 Toyota Rav4. The owner received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v595000 (electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The instrument panel intermittently went black. The failure became persistent over time. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available for the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The manufacturer referred the owner to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that upon leaving the keys in the ignition overnight, the battery was drained. The contact stated that the jumper cables were in a compartment located inside the trunk. The contact stated that due to the battery failure, the contact was unable to unlock the vehicle. In addition, there was no keyhole for the trunk of the vehicle. The contact entered the trunk through the inside of the vehicle; however, the compartment where the jumper cables were located had failed to open due to the battery failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 5,500.

The infotainment screen and its buttons do not work. All I see when parked or driving is an unresponsive black screen. There was no warning prior to the screen not functioning.

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.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that upon entering her carport in an attempt to park(p), the vehicle surged forward without warning. The vehicle blew through the carport's back wall and crashed into her neighbor's fence before coming to an independent stop. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact did not seek medical attention but did sustain soreness in her neck, shoulders, and back. The carport's back wall, a bicycle, the neighbor's fence, and the hammock were all destroyed as a result of the accident. A police report was filed. The dealer was notified of the failure and immediately referred the contact to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The manufacturer informed the contact that an engineer could be sent to a nearby dealer or independent mechanic to perform an investigation into the defect. The vehicle had yet to be serviced or diagnosed for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 134,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v734000 (electrical system). The dealer was contacted; however, the contact was informed that parts were unavailable to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about parts availability. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start due to a severed wiring harness. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 64,000.

While starting my Rav4 prime, the instrument panel (gas gauge, speedometer, battery life, etc) went black. Took it to 3 different Toyota dealers; 2 sent me away and the 3rd said I can’t drive the car anymore. Service tech said it’s the 3rd one he’s seen with the instrument cluster black in the last year! they’re still running official diagnostics on it.

See all problems of the 2023 Toyota RAV4 🔎.