Problems · NHTSA complaints

2020 Toyota RAV4 problems

Owners filed 639 complaints about the 2020 Toyota RAV4 with NHTSA between Nov 2019 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is engine (180).

Complaints
639
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
17
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
14
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  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
  10. Engine and engine cooling15
  11. Suspension10
  12. Forward collision avoidance10
  13. Lane departure10
  14. Visibility/wiper9

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 3, 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
20193
2020146
202154
202242
2023108
2024176
202568
202642

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

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

Structure

62 reports2 crashes2 fires
“Subject: Vehicle Safety Complaint – Loose and Wobbling Hood on 2020 Toyota RAV4 XLE I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2020 Toyota RAV4 XLE. The hood is loose and wobbles excessively. It moves when pressed while closed, appears uneven, and shakes or bounces while the vehicle is in motion. I am concerned that the hood may not be securely latched and could open while driving, creating a serious safety hazard. My vehicle has also undergone front-end accident repairs. I want the hood latch, secondary safety catch, hinges, alignment, mounting hardware, and any components affected by the prior repairs inspected to determine the cause of this issue. I am requesting that Toyota open a formal safety case, document the complaint, investigate whether this condition is a known safety concern, and arrange an appropriate inspection and corrective repair. I would also like Toyota to determine whether the issue is related to a manufacturing defect, a component failure, or the previous front-end repairs. Please provide a case number and written confirmation of the next steps. I am also considering reporting this issue to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2026StructureODI 11772619

Air bags

55 reports8 crashes2 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the message "Air Bag Fault" was displayed. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the air bag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and filed a case. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 9, 2026Air bagsODI 11730130

Power train

38 reports
“During summer 2026 i began to notice a noise/whine above 30mph that would only occur when foot is on accelerator. my vehicle has 83k miles on it (me being only owner with routine maintenance). as a responsible owner, i had my dealer do an inspection. after a drive and a listen, they claimed it was a transmission bearing failure and only solution is a 11k transmission replacement, with the commentary "we had a camry in last week with same issue". Being responsible owner, i got a second opinion from an independent shop who also verified "transmission bearing failure, you will need a new transmission. currently the part is on backorder because so many are needing to be replaced and no one should do a replacement with a used transmission". This is not the quality i expected out of toyota -- transmissions should not be needing to be replaced at 83k miles.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 4, 2026Power trainODI 11762165
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026

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