Hatchback/liftgate Hinge Problems of Toyota RAV4

The rear trunk door would occasionally fail to open or shut for the last several years. It was inconsistent with this behavior and I was never able to get it to fail when at the dealership servicing department. This weekend when at the store, it failed shutting and I had to force it to shut. While driving home it rattled itself open. I had to pull over to inspect it and could not get it to close. When I looked closer, the hinge of the door had been ripped from the body on the passenger side of the vehicle. I have never been in an accident nor have I ever had any impact on this door.

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Lift cylinders of power liftgate are operating at different times causing gate to twist. Liftgate fails to open and close automatically, causing prolonged beeping while liftgate is open. Hinges holding liftgate in place have started to bend and crack apart from the body of the car. An independent auto body shop inspected this issue and recreated the tailgate failure. Quote to repair included replacing hinges, lift cylinders and to recheck electronic connections.

1st: veh purchased Jan 2023 with new set of tires. Within 11k miles, about 9months: rear tires unable to be aligned properly due to no camber adjustment. Rear tires have excessive inner rear (belts showing) with 11k miles on tires. Took veh to dealership and was told I just need a set of tires and an alignment. When the tech was questioned if it was an accurate alignment, we were told it would be off a couple degrees because the oe rear control arms did not have any adjustment. This was repaired by an independent shop using aftermarket set of rear control arms, a proper alignment and 2 new rear tires ($1200)--because Toyota dealer would not own any accountability of an error nor do the proper requested repair since proper repair did not involve oe Toyota parts. This was repaired, case closed and tires have 20k miles on them with beautiful, even wear. 2nd: rear door hatch will not close electronically. 2 incidences of bent (left) hinge from forcing the tailgate closed and damaged rear taillamp from mis-alignment. Post hinges replaced: re-sets have been done, disabling door and re-enabling, and disconnected battery. Still will not close electronically. This had been occurring over a year and no one knows the fix. I will not be going back to my local stealership and the next one is 30 miles away.

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the liftgate hinge had fractured into two pieces, causing the liftgate to fail to operate as designed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the repair was not covered under recall or warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

Lift gate will not close properly. Hinges a top of gate are coming undone. Worried gate will open while driving. Had to manually close and hope it closed.

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The hinges on the lift gate are detaching causing my trunk not to close all the way.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the hinges are broken on the hatch how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? my safety as well as others is put at risk because the hinge is broken. The hatch will not close therefor could fly off while driving has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? the issue was taken to a dealership but they found no problem, another appointment scheduled tuesday10/22 has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? no were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? no this is not a rare issue. I have seen dozens upon dozens of articles on google, facebook and reddit of others dealing with the same exact issue. Examples: [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the liftgate was making an abnormal rubbing sound while being closed manually or automatically. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was discovered that fluid was leaking from the left liftgate bar which had caused the failure. The mechanic reached out to the parts department and was provided an estimate for the replacement parts. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.

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I began experiencing intermittent rear liftgate sensor issues on my 2019 Toyota Rav4 in late 2020. The power hatch would stop halfway while opening. On 3/24/2021, while the vehicle was under factory warranty, I brought it to a Toyota dealer for inspection. The dealer stated the issue could not be replicated and advised me to manually push the hatch upward. No repair was made. Over time, the condition worsened. The liftgate began intermittently stopping halfway while closing, using both the key fob and the interior dash button. In 2022, a rattling noise developed in the rear of the vehicle, later determined to be associated with progressive liftgate structural failure. By 2024, the rear liftgate became unsafe and largely inoperable. The hatch shifted significantly to the left, leaving an abnormally large gap at the top and driver’s side. I stopped using the liftgate due to concern it could fail unexpectedly or not close properly. I contacted Toyota engagement services multiple times, explaining that this issue is widely reported among 2019 Rav4 owners and presents a safety concern. On 11/18/2025, the vehicle was inspected at crabtree Toyota. The inspection confirmed rear liftgate hinge failure. The dealer provided video documentation and a written repair estimate. The health inspection also noted a separated and broken passenger-side rear hatch pulse sensor requiring replacement. Toyota closed my case without repairing the defect. Toyota offered a “good faith” credit of approximately 75% of the repair cost that cannot be applied to the liftgate structural or sensor repair and is only usable for unrelated future service. This appears to be a known, progressive defect involving rear liftgate hinges and related sensors on 2019 Toyota Rav4 vehicles. The condition presents a safety risk, as the liftgate may fail to stay open, close unexpectedly, or malfunction electronically. My VIN has been provided. Photos, video, and repair documentation are available upon requ.