Research · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2020 Toyota RAV4Recalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls and 639 owner complaints for the 2020 Toyota RAV4. Most complaints involve engine (180) and electrical system (120). The EPA rates it 27–30 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

Combined MPG
27–30mpg
EPA · 6 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
6campaigns
Latest Dec 2023
Owner complaints
639
Top: engine
Fuel cost / yr
$2,150est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

6 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Air bags: occupant classification

Remedy pending

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.

Air bagsReported Dec 20, 2023NHTSA 23V865000

Air bags: frontal

Free remedy

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Toyota Avalon and 2020 Avalon Hybrid, RAV4, and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles. Breakaway pins within the steering column, designed to absorb energy and reduce injury during a crash, could have been damaged during production, possibly affecting the performance of the driver's air bag in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Air bagsReported Nov 25, 2020NHTSA 20V734000

Fuel system

Free remedy

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200, 2018-2019 Lexus NX300 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Fuel system, gasolineReported Nov 4, 2020NHTSA 20V682000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

639 complaints filed with NHTSA · Nov 2019 – Oct 2026
  1. Engine180
  2. Electrical system120
  3. Fuel/propulsion system90
  4. Structure62
  5. Air bags55
  6. Power train38
  7. Steering28
  8. Service brakes18
  9. Vehicle speed control15

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

By model year

Complaints for each RAV4 model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
199647
199757
199885
199963
200040
2001314
2002555
2003327
2004154
2005141
2006704
20071,003
2008575
2009327
2010400
2011287
2012266
2013261
2014207
2015305
2016239
2017307
2018333
2019884
2020639
2021389
2022149
2023164
2024176
202594
Crashes reported
17
Fires reported
5
Injuries reported
14
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Engine

180 reports1 crash
“"Engine Coolant Bypass Valve failed suddenly on highway (Code P2681-15), risking engine overheat and stall. Toyota acknowledged this defect under CSP 24TE04 but refused assistance due to vehicle having 103,660 miles (just past 100k miles). Failure causes immediate safety and overheating hazard."”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 26, 2026EngineODI 11759760

Electrical system

120 reports1 crash1 fire
“Vehicle electrical failure when Driving with the automatic start/stop option turned on Vehicle shows a low voltage abnormality that kills all my electrical components including battery, sometimes it happens while driving on the Highway at 70 speed”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 27, 2026Steering, Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlODI 11773959

Fuel/propulsion system

90 reports
“While driving on the highway, the vehicle suffered a sudden loss of engine power and went into a low-power/vapor lock state due to severe fuel starvation. This created a major safety hazard by stranding the vehicle on the highway shoulder and exposing occupants to high-speed traffic. Prior to the power loss, there were no advance warning lights until the engine stalled. A diagnostic scan performed immediately following the incident confirmed code P0087 (Fuel Rail/System Pressure - Too Low), along with cylinder misfire codes P030027 and P030100. To allow the vehicle to safely limp home from a remote location, an independent technician cleared the diagnostic trouble codes. An independent scan tool report clearly documented and confirmed the low fuel pressure fault prior to code clearance. The dealership subsequently declined to perform a warranty or recall fuel pump replacement citing the absence of active codes upon arrival, despite receiving the timestamped diagnostic report of the failure. The component has not been inspected by the manufacturer beyond the dealership's initial turn-away, but the vehicle and diagnostic documentation remain available for inspection upon request.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 14, 2026Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11764071
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

6 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Engines
2.5L 4-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic (S8)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
RAV4
Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, SIDI & PFI · Front-Wheel Drive
273530$2,150296
RAV4
Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, SIDI & PFI; Stop-Start · Front-Wheel Drive
283530$2,150290
RAV4 AWD LE
Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · All-Wheel Drive
273430$2,150296
RAV4 AWD
Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, SIDI & PFI; Stop-Start · All-Wheel Drive
273329$2,200301
RAV4 AWD
Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, SIDI & PFI · All-Wheel Drive
253328$2,300315
RAV4 AWD TRD OFFROAD
Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · All-Wheel Drive
253227$2,400321
  • RAV4
    Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, SIDI & PFI
    27 city · 35 hwy · $2,150/yr
    30
    mpg comb.
  • RAV4
    Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, SIDI & PFI; Stop-Start
    28 city · 35 hwy · $2,150/yr
    30
    mpg comb.
  • RAV4 AWD LE
    Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    27 city · 34 hwy · $2,150/yr
    30
    mpg comb.
  • RAV4 AWD
    Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, SIDI & PFI; Stop-Start
    27 city · 33 hwy · $2,200/yr
    29
    mpg comb.
  • RAV4 AWD
    Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, SIDI & PFI
    25 city · 33 hwy · $2,300/yr
    28
    mpg comb.
  • RAV4 AWD TRD OFFROAD
    Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    25 city · 32 hwy · $2,400/yr
    27
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Toyota RAV4 SUV FWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
15.9%
Overall
5 / 5
Toyota RAV4 SUV AWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
15.5%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 3, 2026Vehicle 14726Vehicle 14693
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2020 RAV4 questions

How many recalls does the 2020 Toyota RAV4 have?

6 safety recalls as of Nov 3, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2020 Toyota RAV4 problems?

Owners filed 639 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are engine (180), electrical system (120), fuel/propulsion system (90). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2020 Toyota RAV4 get?

The EPA rates the 2020 Toyota RAV4 at 27–30 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (6 versions rated).

How safe is the 2020 Toyota RAV4?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2020 Toyota RAV4 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 3, 2026