Problems · NHTSA complaints
2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime problems
Owners filed 66 complaints about the 2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime with NHTSA between Apr 2023 and Nov 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (43).
Complaints
66
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system43
- Vehicle speed control6
- Forward collision avoidance6
- Lane departure5
- Service brakes4
- Fuel/propulsion system2
- Exterior lighting2
- Latches/locks/linkages1
- Wheels1
- Seats1
- Back over prevention1
- Air bags1
- Visibility/wiper1
- Steering1
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 Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
4
4
13
45
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 13 |
| 2026 | 45 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
43 reports1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2023 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle and also while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel became inoperable and intermittently displayed information. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 25V595000 (Electrical System); however, the remedy parts were not yet available to complete the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that the remedy parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time to provide a remedy for the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 27,000.”
Vehicle speed control
6 reports2 crashes
“The instrument cluster (combination meter) failed completely and without warning, going entirely blank. This eliminated all speedometer, warning light, and indicator functionality. The failure began occurring intermittently before becoming persistent. No warning lamps or messages preceded the failure — the cluster simply went dark. The loss of speedometer functionality made the vehicle unsafe to operate, as the driver had no means of monitoring vehicle speed. The loss of all warning indicators eliminated visibility into any safety-critical vehicle alerts that may have been active during the failure periods. The problem was confirmed by the dealership and is the subject of Safety Recall 25TA08 (Combination Meter May Go Blank). The vehicle was brought to a Toyota dealership where the recall was documented and the repair was eventually completed. The replacement part required VIN-specific production and programming by Toyota, resulting in an extended out-of-service period of nearly two months at the dealership, and approximately five months from the first occurrence of the failure. During the out-of-service period, the vehicle could not pass state inspection and…”
Forward collision avoidance
6 reports2 crashes
“13.2 inch console display went blank on 9/15/25; remedy not available for over 6 months now; they still do not have a definite schedule to give me; toyota says to wait for another letter that should have been sent out months ago. Not sure if litigation is appropriate for this case.”
Lane departure
5 reports
“On December 29, 2025, the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster on my 2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime went completely blank upon startup. This failure immediately eliminated my ability to see the speedometer, fuel and battery levels, tire pressure warnings, and all critical brake and hybrid system malfunction indicators, rendering the vehicle completely unsafe and illegal to operate on public roads. I immediately brought the car to Wondries Toyota in [XXX] , where it has remained ever since. The dealership confirmed the failure is related to Toyota Safety Recall 25V595 (Toyota internal code 25TA08). The service department advised me that the vehicle is unsafe to drive, but they are unable to repair it because the required replacement combination meter is on national backorder with no estimated time of arrival. As of late March 2026, my vehicle has been sitting out of service at the dealership for approximately 90 days. Because Toyota has failed to provide a timely remedy for this severe safety defect, my vehicle has been abandoned on the dealer lot for a quarter of a year. Furthermore, this prolonged, unmaintained inactivity introduces secondary safety and vehicle…”
Service brakes
4 reports4 crashes
“On the night of [XXX] at approximately [XXX] PM, I was driving from Tracy, California to Lancaster, California via the [XXX]. The freeway had no traffic at the time, and I set my cruise control to maintain a speed of 75 mph for a safer ride. While driving in the left lane near Santa Nella, my car suddenly deployed the ABS brakes. The steering wheel locked, and the car began to slip—its tires locked as if on a roller coaster going downhill. The driver’s side then rolled over and crashed. Fortunately, the road was empty, and I did not hit anyone during the accident. I thought I was going to die, but I am lucky to be alive. suddenly Abs brakes deployed steering wheel lock right side this reason I have very accident. I believe the car has manufacturer defects. First, the door handle on the driver’s side is positioned too close to the driver’s left arm. Second, the center console on the right side—intended for resting the driver’s arm or storing extra items—repeatedly hit my ribs during the accident. During the crash, the driver-side door handle struck my left arm multiple times. Orthopedic surgeons reviewed my X-ray and found that my forearm was fractured in three…”
Fuel/propulsion system
2 reports1 crash
“Recall 25TB08 is affecting the vehicle. Driver display is dead, will not display. No speedometer, no fuel quantity, no battery level, no tire pressure or engine check lights, etc. Toyota does not have a fix and dealer I purchased the vehicle from will not repair/replace defective components.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.