Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Toyota RAV4 - part 1

2021 Toyota Rav4 (gas model) has experienced a sudden, unexpected engine stall/shutdown on a public road. The incident occurred while shifting into drive after backing up in reverse. The engine immediately died without any prior dashboard warning lights or mechanical symptoms. The information screen displayed a message stating "put car in park" or "shift into park. " the vehicle safely restarted immediately after shifting back into park and pressing the ignition button. This intermittent stall has happened three times under the exact same directional shifting conditions over the last 1. 5 years, creating a high-risk scenario for a rear-end collision in active traffic. After previous incident (one year ago) when the engine stopped when shifting from reverse to drive, I took it to Toyota service. Dealership diagnostics could not previously replicate the issue due to its intermittent nature and the absence of a permanent check engine code. Checked battery and performed health check.

See all problems of the 2021 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

On August 6 2026, my Rav4 just cut off at the traffic light. The car was completely dead. I was unable to unlock the trunk but the doors did open. The vehicle was towed to the local dealership. The tow truck man hooked up his portable car charger and the car started. On August 8, 2026 the car cut off after parking in a parking space and would not start so I had to get a jump off. After driving for approximately 50 miles to home, I got a low voltage warning and a statement the battery is charging. The local Toyota dealership did a diagnostic test on August 11, 2026 and stated the battery, starter, and alternator were okay. The same thing happened again on August 12, 2026. The car just cut off after stopping in the parking lot. After getting a jump off, I received a message that the battery is charging. Also, the car shifts speed while driving.

See all problems of the 2023 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

On July 31, 2026, while traveling approximately 55 mph on a maryland highway, my 2025 Toyota Rav4 unexpectedly lost power and shut off while in motion. There was no check-engine warning before the failure. The vehicle became disabled in a travel lane. Police responded, and the lane had to be closed because the vehicle could not be safely moved. There was no crash, fire, or injury. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Toyota dealership. The dealer documented that it had “shut off mid drive,” reported finding no codes in the engine ecu, and performed service campaign 26tc03 concerning an incorrect mass airflow sensor reading. The dealer replaced a radiator air guide and stated that the vehicle should return for further diagnosis if it stalled again. On August 2, only approximately 36 miles after that service, the vehicle failed to restart at approximately 40,529 miles and required a jump. Lta and pre-collision system malfunction warnings appeared. The pre-collision warning returned while the vehicle was moving, and the Toyota connected app also recorded the malfunction. The vehicle was then towed back to the dealership and is available for inspection. The cause remains unknown. The concern involves an intermittent engine shutdown/no-start condition, a possible 12-volt electrical or charging-system failure, and the loss of forward-collision and lane-assistance functions. The dealer’s prior multipoint inspection marked the battery as acceptable, but no actual cca battery-test result was documented.

See all problems of the 2025 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

Drove home vehicle under 20,000 miles 2025, got to drove way parked and car stalled shaking amd stated steering power low, and shut off. Tried to re start it and did the same thing stalled shook amd shut off with the same warning. No previous issues.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 mph, the vehicle aggressively accelerated while the accelerator pedal was depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and remained with the dealer for additional diagnostic tests. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

I was in a drive thru and my car had been idling for less than 5 minutes in the rain and started shuttering really bad with my roms dipping low. I put the vehicle in park and the the entire vehicle shut off and would not stay on without dying. For the next 20 minutes everytime I tried to start it it shut off immediately no matter what I would do. The vehicular kept telling me “engine stopped steering power low”. It let me put the vehicle in accessory mode and was fine but my steering wheel remained locked. After about 30 minutes I was able to get the vehicle to start and pull up about 15 feet before it shuttered and I put it in park and it died again. I had to get it towed to the dealership.

See all problems of the 2024 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

Intermittent stalling in various conditions including idling, highway driving and city driving.

See all problems of the 2016 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

Unknown - on xxx, at just 7,741 miles, my 2025 Toyota Rav4 xle premium awd (VIN: [xxx]) suffered a catastrophic and life-threatening complete mechanical and hydraulic transmission failure. The vehicle completely lost forward propulsion when placed in drive mode, rendering it entirely immobile. When placed in reverse gear, the transmission violently over-pressurized, causing the vehicle to suddenly surge and jump uncontrollably. Simultaneously, the dashboard displayed 6 critical safety system failures: 1. Check engine — electronic control malfunction 2. Vehicle stability control system (vsc/trac) malfunction 3. Secondary collision brake system malfunction 4. Pre-collision system malfunction 5. Parking brake system malfunction 6. Advanced ultrasonic detecting and ranging system malfunction ourisman Toyota chantilly (ro# xxx) has confirmed complete transmission failure. Fault codes found: p28167f — pressure control solenoid h actuator stuck off, p08ba7f — pressure control solenoid l actuator stuck off. Estimated repair cost: $11,347. 42. While this failure fortunately occurred on a local road, had it occurred while merging onto I-66 or I-95 at highway speeds, it would have inevitably caused a catastrophic high-speed collision. This represents an extreme manufacturing defect and life-threatening safety hazard. Toyota corporate cases opened: #xxx (original case) and #xxx (full replacement request). I am requesting full vehicle replacement. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

TSB t-sb-0010-24 p0303 code 163,000 miles Toyota denied goodwill assistance cost: $2,549. 65 check engine light came on with vehicle hesitation on acceleration almost caused to stall with reduced power while driving , the dealership diagnosed the issue as TSB t-sb-0010-24 with cylinder #3 misfire requiring exhaust valve lash adjuster to be replaced. Contacted Toyota corporate to request help with goodwill or discount , was denied , was told they couldn't help no reason given . This issue is a well know Toyota Rav4 defect and even though they claim it only happens when is cold this happened to my SUV at f. Please help.

See all problems of the 2022 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the economy feature disengaged while driving. While the lane assist was activated, the vehicle drifted over into another lane. The engine was revving and backfired. The vehicle lost motive power while driving at undisclosed speeds. The driver's side windshield had a glaze or wax on the outside. While idling, the vehicle surged forward. The driver hovered a foot over the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to several dealers, autonation Toyota winter park service center (225 n semoran blvd, winter park, FL 32792); claremont Toyota (601 auto center dr, claremont, CA 91711); and miracle Toyota (37048 us-27, haines city, FL 33844); but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.

The 8-speed automatic on my 2019 Rav4 (2. 5l 4 cyl) has been shifting super rough at lower speeds, to the point to where downshifts can send the revs into redline territory, but the car really doesn't move. No warning lights, passed state inspection, recently serviced. Purchaced this car in janurary with 50k miles on it and noticed it within a few weeks of driving. I am now at 57k and the issue is signifigantly worse than it was before. Will be taking it to Toyota soon. The safety issues arise when I do not know how the car is going to accelerate or respond to throttle input in traffic. I don't trust the car to handle any fast throttle input if I need to move out of the way quickly.

See all problems of the 2019 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

The coolant bypass valve on my vehicle failed, leading to a risk of sudden engine overheating and potential coolant leaks into the electrical harness. This is a documented defect (csp 23te03) that Toyota has failed to address for vehicles over 100,000 miles, creating a safety hazard for high-mileage owners. This is a major concern on a known issue and those that don't have funds to pay for this known failure. They need to do a recall for all!.

Coolant bypass valve leak. An known issue however dealership will not pay for repairs due to vehicle having 106000 mile. 6000 over what the bulletin 24te04 states it will cover.

See all problems of the 2020 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, coolant was observed leaking from the engine compartment with no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine casing had failed, and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but denied the engine replacement request because the vehicle had previously been serviced by an independent mechanic for engine maintenance. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 20v064000 (engine and engine cooling). The approximate failure mileage was 34,678.

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!.

I was driving through pretty heavy rain for about 65 miles. When I got to my destination, I was idling in the car for a few minutes when the car started to shake. I turned the car off. Upon turning it back on the engine would start and the car would shake before getting a message “engine stopped. Power steering low. ” after two hours, I was able to turn the car on and move a little bit but the car was lurching and the rpm needle was rapidly bouncing between 1,000 and 2,000.

My 2021 Toyota Rav4 began experiencing intermittent shuddering and vibration at low speeds around may 2026. The condition occurred while accelerating from a stop or at slow speeds and became more frequent over time. Because the problem was intermittent, the dealership was initially unable to duplicate it. Independent inspection later found dark transmission fluid containing metal debris, indicating internal transmission failure. I was informed the transmission requires replacement or rebuild. My vehicle has approximately 94,000 miles, which is well below the expected service life of a modern transmission. The symptoms are consistent with numerous reported complaints involving Toyota’s ua80 automatic transmission and torque converter. An unexpected loss of smooth power delivery or hesitation during acceleration creates a potential safety risk, particularly when entering traffic or crossing intersections. I am submitting this complaint so NHTSA can investigate as this is a very dangerous and concearning issue.

After driving my 2024 Rav4 in rain for about an hour, I was then parked for about 5 minutes in a parking garage and the engine shut down and warning light came on for power steering, and white smoke /steam came out of the engine. Engine would not restart, even after tow truck arrived thirty minutes later. Once dealership received my vehicle they say it starts fine and can't find any issues. They have been unable to duplicate the issue. I saw this same issue online and have requested they check the maf sensor and the battery load test. Seems to be a big issue in these cars.

“required engine maintenance- visit your dealer” message came on the dash. After doing some research and troubleshooting; it appeared to be the coolant bypass valve that everyone has had issues with. The problem was then confirmed with a local provider who instructed us to contact the dealer to see if they’d cover the repair. Otherwise the repair by them would be $700. Toyota customer service told us that there is no TSB or recall for this issue. We would need to have the issue diagnosed and then pay out of pocket for the repair. This is an issue that spreads throughout so many vehicles that it needs to be a recall.

Toyota made a defective coolant valve in their 2019-2021 cars that leaked spontaneously in these vehicles. Over 950,000 cars have been affected to date, including my 2020 Rav4. They are aware of the issue and made a customer support program for this issue which led to engines overheating/electrical code problems, which can cause a severe safety issue if left unrepaired. The program however has a limitation until November 2025 or 100,000 miles whichever comes first. When I was alerted of this, I brought my car to the dealer for service, but they wouldn't replace the part because it wasn't leaking too much at the time to need repair. However, just 4 months after the primary coverage expired, my engine code went off and when I brought my car, the coolant valve turned out to be defective and leaked into the electrical wire harness which then also had to be replaced in addition to the coolant valve. The repair cost was $1200 and both were required to keep the car driving safely and reliably on the road. Because my car had 120,000 miles and the known issue presented after nov2025, Toyota refuses to cover the service, although it is a known manufacturing defect. Toyota is committing fraud to avoid covering this safety issue. The repair is expensive and if left unrepaired, the cars can spontaneously catch on fire on highways and in parks leading to wild fires and endanger others on the road. The Toyota technician specifically informed me the issue was similar to other cars and known and the defect led to the destruction of the wire harness. To avoid a safety recall, Toyota reached a private settlement against class action lawsuit and created a limited csp to avoid covering the defect in cars like mine to maintain their reliability status in consumer reports so cars like mine with little higher mileage won't be reported. It is fraud. I believe they are skipping on consumer repair bills that consumers on entitled to for their manufacturing defect.

The coolant bypass valve failed and the car is a 2021 rav 4 le. I called Toyota and according to the VIN it is not covered for this type of repair. I see quite a few cars have had this same issue, all Toyota's. It was inspected and repaired at a local Toyota dealership but I had to pay out of pocket for the repair. There was a brief warning light that said "engine maintenance required" see dealership or some such thing. Of course it's a safety issue if the coolant valve bypass failure causes the car to overheat.

After driving in rain for about 27 miles then idling in slow traffic, vehicle started running poorly, stalled and would not run properly. Got "reduced engine power, visit your dealer message". Engine would start but stall when put in drive. I held up traffic for several minutes. After several minutes of restarting and stalling, I ran engine in park for 2000-3000 rpm for about a minute. The car then ran fine and I drove for over a week before I could get it to the dealer. It seemed to be run fine during this time. Dealer found code p010014, maf sensor and replaced the sensor. Toyota TSB t-tt-0763-24 appears to describe this issue but it does not appear to have a real resolution for this. It is 'under investigation' just replacing the sensor, if it is just another one of the same type does not give me confidence that this dangerous condition may not happen again. There are many reports like this one.

Sudden and complete failure of the water pump causing an explosion of the part. While traveling down the interstate, put lives in danger due to sudden jolt and rapid deceleration. Recently brought the vehicle in to correct recall on the engine coolant bypass valve. Issue with the bypass valve hastened the deterioration of the water pump to the point of failure. Told by mechanic that this is a known issue that just happens with Toyota’s. If this is a known issue, then it seems to me there should be another recall on the water pump. Plastic parts with highly corrosive liquids at high temps do not mix. Toyota needs to fix this costly issue.

Yesterday March 25th 2026 I went to work and parked my 2017 Toyota Rav4 and about 30minutes later it was on fire in the parking lot. The fire happened around the battery area.

See all problems of the 2017 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "engine maintenance required - visit the dealer" was displayed on the screen. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the coolant flow control valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired out-of-pocket. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to customer support program: 24te04. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.

On two separate occasions, my car has shaken violently and stopped both times while idling one in my driveway one at a stoplight and then an alert that says engine stopped steering power low came on.

Supplemental to complaint 11728745. My 2025 Rav4 failed at 39,919 miles. Toyota corporate is acting in bad faith to deny the 60,000-mile powertrain warranty. The case manager repeatedly calls only after 6:30 pm when the dealership is closed to avoid resolution. Furthermore, the representative is now using "legal threats"-directing me to their legal department-as a tactic to stop me from pursuing this valid warranty claim. This is a safety hazard and a violation of federal warranty law.

My 2025 Toyota Rav4 (39,919 miles) has a permanent "check engine" light. On March 18, 2026, diagnostic codes p24517f and p214502a were found, indicating a failure in the switching valve and fuel tank pressure sensor. Toyota USA and the dealer are refusing to honor the 60,000-mile powertrain warranty and federal emissions warranty. I am reporting this as a safety defect because the vehicle may lose power or stall on the highway, creating an immediate crash risk. The manufacturer's refusal to repair a known emission/fuel defect in a new 2025 model has left me with an unsafe vehicle for over 15days.

I was driving the car for 25 minutes over main roads and freeway. There was lots of rain and water on the roadways, plus we just had major snowfall recently that was melting. I get to my destination and had my car in idle for 7 minutes in park. I shift into drive and my car shudders and the engine shuts off with an error "engine stopped- steering power low". I turn off the car and let it sit for one hour. Come back start it up and it does, only to repeat the shudder and then throw the same code. I had it towed to Toyota of auburn, wa. They don't know what the problem is. Reddit forums have consumers with the same car complaining about this issue with no resolve.

After turning my car on and the car running for several minutes, the engine shut off on its own and it said “engine stopped steering power low”. This is the second time this has happened. The vehicle is available for inspection. My safety was put at risk because I am concerned about this happening while driving, or being stranded somewhere. I have not taken my vehicle in yet, but many other Rav4 owners have this issue from my internet searches. This has happened twice to me in the past two weeks. The vehicle has not been inspected. There were no warning lamps/messages/lights prior to failure.

On a rainy day after driving on the interstate, I pulled into a drive thru. Once there and idling for a few minutes, I tried moving forward and the car rough idled, shows message on dash "engine stopped, power stering low" and had reduced engine power and no power steering and then stalls out. I tried turning it back on and it stays on for less than 3 seconds and shuts off. I had it towed to the dealer and they say there are no codes. After reading online, multiple other users experienced the exact same thing when its raining, wipers were on and they were idling after a trip on the interstate. If this would have occurred on the interstate and I lost engine power and reduced steering, it would cause major safety concerns. There were no warning lights prior to the issue and the only thing that flashed for a second when the engine stalled was the power steering, check engine and battery light. Toyota checked the battery and said its at 100%. Dealer cannot identify and issue, but I couldnt drive, had no power steering and had to have the car towed.

On Friday February 27, 2026 as the vehicle was being driven it caught fire. Fire department and sheriffs office was called to the scene. Vehicle fire was put out but the whole front end burned.

See all problems of the 2015 Toyota RAV4 🔎.

We were on a funeral procession when suddenly the car accelerated at a very high speed and hit the end of guard rail head on. My wife on the passenger side and two people at the back were all taken to the emergency room. I got pinned on the steering column and taken out via the roof. I had severe abrasions on both legs, wife has 3 broken ribs,the 2 passengers suffered whiplash and complains of chest pains. Car was purchased 11/3/2025 and I took it for a recall fix about a month ago at burien Toyota dealership where we bought it. Incident # 2026-55959 seattle police. At present our car insurance is investigating and our claim # is 082 0356939 allstate.

This is my 2nd report to NHTSA and the 3 rd time in one year that this has happened to my 2024 rav 4. It’s raining and I just pulled in to a publix parking lot and not even 5 minutes of me sitting here preparing to go into the store my engine starts sputtering and shuts off. I’ve taken my vehicle to a Toyota dealership both previous times and they said they didn’t find anything.

I was driving home in the rain for about 75 minutes and when I arrived in my driveway I saw steam coming from the front grille area. It wasn't due to a high engine coolant temperature so I decided to carefully open the hood and check for the source. I saw water inside the bottom of the engine bay behind the radiator steaming from the heat of the engine. A few seconds later, the engine stalled and the following message appeared: "engine stopped, steering power low" which came on with a check engine light, red battery light, and steering light. I used my scan tool and obtained the code: p0171, system too lean. After doing research, I've come up with a conclusion to the potential cause. Starting with the 2022 model year Rav4 non-hybrid (and onwards to the 2025 model year Rav4), the air intake inlet was redesigned from the prior one in the 2019-2021 Rav4 non-hybrid models, as seen in numerous comparison images online. This new design presents a dangerous fault. When driving in rainy conditions, especially at higher speeds with mist kicked up from cars in front, the air intake will take in water. The water will flow to the air filter and then reach the mass air flow sensor (maf). The maf sensor monitors the amount of air entering the engine and sends signals to the car's computer to help determine how much fuel to send to the engine to maintain an ideal ratio for optimal efficiency. Considering that water is getting to the maf sensor, it thinks that the water is excess air, so less fuel is sent to the engine as a result. Since I came to a stop in my driveway, the engine is now at its idle speed and only commands a small amount of fuel to remain running. Now, when combined with the water, that lower fuel flow is practically cut off, leading to the stall. This happened to me before when driving in the rain, but in more dangerous conditions in stop-and-go traffic. Toyota must follow up on t-tt-0763-24 because it has been well over a year since their initial investigation.