Problems · NHTSA complaints

2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid problems

Owners filed 15 complaints about the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid with NHTSA between Feb 2018 and Aug 2025. The most-cited component is power train (2).

Complaints
15
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train2
  2. Fuel/propulsion system2
  3. Service brakes2
  4. Visibility/wiper2
  5. Service brakes, hydraulic1
  6. Forward collision avoidance1
  7. Engine and engine cooling1
  8. Electrical system1
  9. Vehicle speed control1
  10. Structure1
  11. Air bags1
  12. Other / unknown5

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20187
20195
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20253

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

2 reports1 crash
“WHILE DRIVING ON LONG TRIP GOING SOUTH ON HWY 101, VEHICLE STARTED BUCKING AND JERKING GOING 70ISH MPH. EV LIGHT WOULD COME ON LIKE IT WANTED TO SWITCH TO EV MODE. IT HAPPENED GOING DOWN A STEEP GRADE NEAR SAN LUIS OBISPO. IT STOPPED WHEN WE GOT TO FLAT GROUND. ABOUT 25 MILES LATER IT DID IT AGAIN AND I WAS ABLE TO RECORD A QUICK VIDEO OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. TOOK IT TO ONE TOYOTA IN OAKLAND CA AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE CONCERN. WIFE WAS DRIVING VEHICLE ON ANOTHER LONG TRIP A FEW MONTHS LATER AND IT HAPPENED TO HER FOR ABOUT 1 1/5 HOURS. SEEMS LIKE SYSTEM RESETS AFTER CYCLING IGNITION AND SHE WAS NOT AWARE OF THAT AT THAT TIME.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 27, 2019Power train, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11210210

Fuel/propulsion system

2 reports1 crash
“I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT. IT WAS SLOPED BACKWARD. THE CAR WAS STOPPED COMPLETELY, AND SILENT. I WAS DISTRACTED BY A MINOR TASK, AND THEN EXITED THE CAR, INADVERTENTLY WITH THE POWER ON AND THE TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE, NOT PARK. WHEN I NOTICED THAT I COULD NOT LOCK THE CAR, AND REALIZED THAT THE CAR WAS STILL ENERGIZED, I REACHED OVER AND PRESSED THE ON BUTTON TO TURN-OFF THE CAR-- WHICH IT DID. AT WHICH POINT THE CARD IMMEDIATELY HEADED BACKWARDS, DOWNHILL, CROSSED A STREET WHILE I WAS TRYING TO SLOW THE CAR FROM OUTSIDE THE DRIVERS DOOR, AND FINALLY HIT A LAMP POST AND STOPPED WITH DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER. I TRIED TO REPRODUCE THE ISSUE, WITH THE SAME RESULT: THE CAR CAN APPEAR TO BE OFF AND IN PARK, WHEN ON AN UPWARD SLOPE, BUT WITH THE CAR ACTUALLY ENERGIZED AND IN DRIVE. AND THERE IS NOTHING TO PREVENT ONE FROM TURNING OFF THE CAR, AT WHICH POINT THERE IS NOTHING TO KEEP THE CAR FROM ROLLING BACKWARD. AS A COMPARISON, A COLLEAGUE HAD A CHRYSLER PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID, WE TRIED THE SAME AND THE CAR WILL DEMAND TO BE PUT INTO PARK BEFORE RE-ENERGIZING. THUS, THIS SEEMS TO BE A TOYOTA-SPECIFIC HAZARD. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT NO OTHER CARS WERE INVOLVED. I…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 26, 2019Power train, Fuel/propulsion systemCrash reportedODI 11204012

Service brakes

2 reports1 crash
“I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WITH ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL ON. OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE, I SAW A VERTICAL RED LINE FLASH ONCE ON THE DASH DISPLAY. SUDDENLY THE CAR BRAKED AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THERE WAS ALSO A LOSS OF POWER AS I COULD NOT STEER THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. THERE WAS NOTHING IN FRONT OF ME AT THE TIME. THANKFULLY THE TRUCK BEHIND ME WAS ABLE TO SWERVE AND AVOID HITTING MY CAR. AFTER STOPPING, I SHIFTED THE CAR INTO A LOWER GEAR AND THEN BACK, AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AGAIN. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 16, 2019Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 11187252

Visibility/wiper

2 reports
“DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY 84 IN CALIFORNIA AND A CRACK DEVELOPED IN MY WINDSHIELD. I DID NOT FIND A CHIP WHERE THE CRACK DEVELOPED. SO NO ROCK HIT MY WINDOW. THE CRACK STARTED ON THE VERY TOP OF THE GLASS UNDER THE RUBBER SEAL. I HAVE LESS THAN 2000 MILES ON THE SUV.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 10, 2018Visibility/wiperODI 11110621

Service brakes, hydraulic

1 report
“The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the messages "Pre-Collision", "Braking Power Low", and "AWD System Malfunction" were displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on the previous two model years of the same vehicle, but no cause for the failure was found when the vehicle was taken to the local dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 52,700.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 12, 2025Service brakes, hydraulic, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11680176

Forward collision avoidance

1 report
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.