2014 Toyota RAV4

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2014 Toyota RAV4 has 275 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (25% of all complaints), specifically: when vehicle is started and put into reverse the backup camera is dim and unviewable for 15 sec. backing up during this period is obviously hazardous and it is very annoying to have to wait until it becomes visible. this is related to the whole display console as the radio, nav system, and bu came. ⚠️ 40 fire reports filed.

40 fire reports 26 crash reports 25 injuries

275

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

69 complaints

25%

• WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED AND PUT INTO REVERSE THE BACKUP CAMERA IS DIM AND UNVIEWABLE FOR 15 SEC. BACKING UP DURING THIS PERIOD IS OBVIOUSLY HAZARDOUS AND IT IS VERY ANNOYING TO HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT BECOMES VISIBLE. THIS IS RELATED TO THE WHOLE DISPLAY CONSOLE AS THE RADIO, NAV SYSTEM, AND BU CAME
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2014 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE ON AND OFF BUTTON TO THE BLUETOOTH THAT WAS STANDARD WITH THE VEHICLE SHOULD SHUT ON AND OFF BY USING THE POWER BUTTON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER BUTTON WAS DEFECTIVE AND WOULD NOT TURN THE BLUETOOTH O
• AFTER GETTING T-BONED AT AN INTERSECTION, MY TOYOTA RAV4 IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT FIRE. THE CAR WAS HIT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BY THE RIGHT WHEEL AND RIGHT TO MID SECTION OF THE HOOD. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR IT WAS ALREADY ON FIRE. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 17 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED AND PUT INTO REVERSE THE BACKUP CAMERA IS DIM AND UNVIEWABLE FOR 15 SEC. BACKING UP DURING THIS PERIOD IS OBVIOUSLY HAZARDOUS AND IT IS VERY ANNOYING TO HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT BECOMES VISIBLE. THIS IS RELATED TO THE WHOLE DISPLAY CONSOLE AS THE RADIO, NAV SYSTEM, AND BU CAME”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

48 complaints

17%

• ON MAY 2, 2015, AT ABOUT 10:00 A.M. WE WERE DRIVING TO THE SCRANTON, PA, AREA. WE HAD JUST ENTERED THE ON-RAMP TO I-81 NORTH FROM RT. 309 WHEN WE HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG AND ROARING SOUND SIMILAR TO A DOOR ON A JET BLOWING OFF MID-AIR IN A MOVIE. THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE ROAD TO RUN OVER AND THE CLO
• WHILE DRIVING AT 60MPH, MANUFACTURER INSTALLED SUNROOF EXPLODED. OUTSIDE AIR TEMP WAS 88DEG. SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT, AND CAUSED ME TO SWERVE OFF ROAD THINKING MY CAR HAD BEEN HIT. NO OTHER CARS OR PEOPLE ON ROADWAY AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. NO OVERPASSES OR TREES, EITHER. NO ROCKS OR DEBRIS WE
• WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 65 MPH AT AROUND 9 AM WHEN WE HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A BOOM ON TOP OF OUR 2014 RAV4. THERE WERE OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WE SAW FLY UP OFF THE ROAD AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO SEE WHAT MIGHT HAVE FLOWN OFF THE BACK OF THE VEHI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“ON MAY 2, 2015, AT ABOUT 10:00 A.M. WE WERE DRIVING TO THE SCRANTON, PA, AREA. WE HAD JUST ENTERED THE ON-RAMP TO I-81 NORTH FROM RT. 309 WHEN WE HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG AND ROARING SOUND SIMILAR TO A DOOR ON A JET BLOWING OFF MID-AIR IN A MOVIE. THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE ROAD TO RUN OVER AND THE CLO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

31 complaints

11%

• WHILE DRIVING MY BRAND NEW TOYOTA 2014 RAV4, THEY WERE THE FOLLOWING: 1. THE CAR WAS VIBRATING SLIGHTLY AND THE CAR WAS STUCK IN FIRST GEAR. 2. THE ?CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH THE AWD DRIVE AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS. 3. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS BECOMING FIRM ALONG WITH THE B
• WHILE MAKING A TURN UNDER 10 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITH THE FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES WITH 2 TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP RIGHT AFTER. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. ONLY A QUICK REACTION ONTO THE BRAKE PEDAL STOPPED THE CAR FROM HITTING SOMETHING. 2
• RECENTLY I WAS DRIVING MY 2014 RAV4 NEAR DOWNTOWN TAMPA ON ADAMO DRIVE AND WAS TAKING A LEFT TURN, AND SUDDENLY I HEARD SOME KIND OF NOISE AND FELT LIKE MY VEHICLE WENT DEAD WITHOUT ANY ELECTRICAL POWER AND IT STARTED REVERSING ON IT'S OWN AND SPUN TO RIGHT. FORTUNATELY SINCE I WAS TAKING A TURN I

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 14 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“WHILE DRIVING MY BRAND NEW TOYOTA 2014 RAV4, THEY WERE THE FOLLOWING: 1. THE CAR WAS VIBRATING SLIGHTLY AND THE CAR WAS STUCK IN FIRST GEAR. 2. THE ?CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH THE AWD DRIVE AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS. 3. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS BECOMING FIRM ALONG WITH THE B”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

20 complaints

• WHILE MAKING A TURN UNDER 10 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITH THE FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES WITH 2 TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP RIGHT AFTER. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. ONLY A QUICK REACTION ONTO THE BRAKE PEDAL STOPPED THE CAR FROM HITTING SOMETHING. 2
• THIS IS REGARDING RAV4EV - ELECTRIC CAR. I HAD ~50MILES LEFT ON THE BATTERY AND YET I LOST TRACTION MIDDLE OF THE ROAD A MONTH AGO. RADIO AND ALL OTHER THINGS WERE FINE. I HAD THE DASHBOARD SAY "CHECK EV SYSTEM". I HAD TO PULL OVER AND THANKFULLY I WAS ON THE RIGHT MOST LANE WHEN IT HAPPENED. SO
• RECENTLY I WAS DRIVING MY 2014 RAV4 NEAR DOWNTOWN TAMPA ON ADAMO DRIVE AND WAS TAKING A LEFT TURN, AND SUDDENLY I HEARD SOME KIND OF NOISE AND FELT LIKE MY VEHICLE WENT DEAD WITHOUT ANY ELECTRICAL POWER AND IT STARTED REVERSING ON IT'S OWN AND SPUN TO RIGHT. FORTUNATELY SINCE I WAS TAKING A TURN I

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“WHILE MAKING A TURN UNDER 10 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITH THE FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES WITH 2 TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP RIGHT AFTER. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. ONLY A QUICK REACTION ONTO THE BRAKE PEDAL STOPPED THE CAR FROM HITTING SOMETHING. 2 ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

19 complaints

• NEW CAR DUNLOP TIRES HAVE SEVERE ROAD HAZARD. EVERY SMALL ROAD CONDITION MAGNIFIES INTO GREAT STEERING PROBLEM. *TR
• WHILE DRIVING MY BRAND NEW TOYOTA 2014 RAV4, THEY WERE THE FOLLOWING: 1. THE CAR WAS VIBRATING SLIGHTLY AND THE CAR WAS STUCK IN FIRST GEAR. 2. THE ?CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH THE AWD DRIVE AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS. 3. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS BECOMING FIRM ALONG WITH THE B
• THIS IS AN ONGOING INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. I NOTICE IT WHILE MOVING SLOWLY AND TURNING. THE STEERING HAS A SPOT WHERE IT IS HARDER TO TURN. IT FEELS LIKE THE POWER STEERING MOMENTARILY STALLS. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP AT THE FIRST SERVICE APPOINTMENT AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports

“NEW CAR DUNLOP TIRES HAVE SEVERE ROAD HAZARD. EVERY SMALL ROAD CONDITION MAGNIFIES INTO GREAT STEERING PROBLEM. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 275 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED AND PUT INTO REVERSE THE BACKUP CAMERA IS DIM AND UNVIEWABLE FOR 15 SEC. BACKING UP DURING THIS PERIOD IS OBVIOUSLY HAZARDOUS AND IT IS VERY ANNOYING TO HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT BECOMES VISIBLE. THIS IS RELATED TO THE WHOLE DISPLAY CONSOLE AS THE RADIO, NAV SYSTEM, AND BU CAME
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: ON MAY 2, 2015, AT ABOUT 10:00 A.M. WE WERE DRIVING TO THE SCRANTON, PA, AREA. WE HAD JUST ENTERED THE ON-RAMP TO I-81 NORTH FROM RT. 309 WHEN WE HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG AND ROARING SOUND SIMILAR TO A DOOR ON A JET BLOWING OFF MID-AIR IN A MOVIE. THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE ROAD TO RUN OVER AND THE CLO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: WHILE DRIVING MY BRAND NEW TOYOTA 2014 RAV4, THEY WERE THE FOLLOWING: 1. THE CAR WAS VIBRATING SLIGHTLY AND THE CAR WAS STUCK IN FIRST GEAR. 2. THE ?CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH THE AWD DRIVE AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS. 3. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS BECOMING FIRM ALONG WITH THE B
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: WHILE MAKING A TURN UNDER 10 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITH THE FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES WITH 2 TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP RIGHT AFTER. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. ONLY A QUICK REACTION ONTO THE BRAKE PEDAL STOPPED THE CAR FROM HITTING SOMETHING. 2
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)