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Toyota · NHTSA safety record

2025 Toyota RAV4

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 88 safety complaints about the 2025 Toyota RAV4 with the US government. Of those, 8 describe a crash, 8 people were injured and no death is recorded. 3 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 15 complaints, 17% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 5,500 miles, the median across the 9 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers February 2025 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

88 complaints on file

88

Complaints

8

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

8

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 23 · 26%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 15 · 17%
ENGINE 13 · 15%
STRUCTURE 8 · 9%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 8 · 9%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 7 · 8%
SERVICE BRAKES 7 · 8%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 7 · 8%
POWER TRAIN 6 · 7%
STEERING 5 · 6%
TIRES 5 · 6%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 4 · 5%
0 12 23

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 88.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2026 at 58.

64 48 32 16
25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2025 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2025 Toyota RAV4, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test SUV AWD SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 15.5% 15.5%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

3 on file

SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

26V256000 · April 22, 2026

The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2025 RAV 4 vehicles. The front seat brackets for the seat rails may be welded improperly.
The risk
Improperly welded seat brackets can prevent the seat from adequately restraining an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and repair the seat bracket welds as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB09 and 26TA09.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 4 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

25V744000 · October 30, 2025

The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The risk
A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE25.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 1,024,407 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

25V595000 · September 11, 2025

The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry, RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and 4 Runner vehicles. Due to an error in the instrument panel software at vehicle startup, the instrument panel may fail to display vehicle speed, brake system, and tire pressure warning lights.
The risk
An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy
Dealers will update the instrument panel software over-the-air (OTA) for non-PHEV vehicles, free of charge. For PHEV vehicles, dealers will inspect the instrument panel assembly, and either replace it, or update the software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 5, 2025. Additional letters will be sent, anticipated in May 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB08 and 25TA08. Lexus' numbers for this recall are 25LB05 and 25LA05.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 591,377 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

SERVICE BRAKES

4 injured · crash · towed

We were on a funeral procession when suddenly the car accelerated at a very high speed and hit the end of guard rail head on. My wife on the passenger side and two people at the back were all taken to the emergency room. I got pinned on the steering column and taken out via the roof. I had severe abrasions on both legs, wife has 3 broken ribs,the 2 passengers suffered whiplash and complains of chest pains. Car was purchased 11/3/2025 and I took it for a recall fix about a month ago at Burien Toyota dealership where we bought it. Incident # 2026-55959 Seattle police. At present our car insurance is investigating and our claim # is 082 0356939 Allstate.

NHTSA complaint 11721892. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed

On 9/5, a car darted out in front of me while I was traveling straight at 45 miles per hour. I hit the brakes but t-boned him. The car then spins around and hits me again on the passenger quarter panel. No emergency brake, precollision no warning light came on. The airbag didnt deploy. I hit my chest on the steering while and my head on the window. The seat belt didnt lock me down. I purchased the brand new Rav4 a week prior.

NHTSA complaint 11685893. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 injured · crash · towed · 21,000 miles

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving approximately 2-3 MPH in a parking garage, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated and crashed into a cement pillar. The vehicle had lunged forward previously. There was smoke or steam coming from the vehicle after the crash. The vehicle was driven in hybrid mode out of the parking garage and was eventually towed to the local dealer. The contact was sore, and medical attention was provided by a doctor. The Toyota manufacturer brand engagement center was contacted by phone and opened a case. The insurance company was contacted, and the adjuster was scheduled to inspect the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately

NHTSA complaint 11767828, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 injured

Formal Complaint to Toyota Motor Corporation (Manufacturing) Regarding: Serious Manufacturing Defect and Failure of New Vehicle Safety Customer: [XXX] Customer Contact: Phone – [XXX] | Email – [XXX] Vehicle Purchased: (New/Recently Purchased Toyota Model) Date of Purchase: [XXX] Selling Dealership: Round Rock Toyota Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) (Last 4 Digits): [XXX] ________________________________________ I. Overview of Complaint: Critical Safety Defect I am filing this formal complaint directly with Toyota Motor Corporation regarding a vehicle that, due to an apparent critical manufacturing defect, failed dangerously and repeatedly within days of purchase. This failure represents

NHTSA complaint 11703279, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The concern involves the vehicle's Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) active safety systems, specifically Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Steering wheel assistance and the Pre-Collision System (PCS) with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC).The suspected systems/components involved include the forward-facing camera, front radar sensor, steering assistance/LTA system, and related ADAS software calibration. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The issue is with system performance during operation, not a visible physical component failure. How was your safety or the safety of others put at

NHTSA complaint 11765983, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Nothing happened to the vehicle

NHTSA complaint 11764345. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
Steering wheel showing red signal on the dashboard, and sometimes, when I park and want to restart the car , steering wheel block, not letting me start my car. Steering wheel block start about 5 months after I purchased the car and happened on August 2026.Steering wheel showing red signal start on July.

NHTSA complaint 11762671. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On August 25, 2026 when I went to turn my vehicle on in the morning, and I started to drive the vehicle alert the LTA malfunction Visit your dealer on the dash. Call dealer and scheduled service for the next day August 26, 2026. In the morning I went to go start my vehicle to take it in and it wont start at this point on the dashboard was showing Not Ready to Drive and it would not start and I reached out again to the dealer and the had roadside assistance to tow the vehicle in to the dealer. When roadside assistance I gave him my keys and the vehicle started up but now vehicle dash alerted Drive-start Control Malfunction visit your dealer. Roadside did nothing but up the key in the

NHTSA complaint 11762637, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY/WIPER
My windshield spontaneously cracked from the outside frame down 10 inches and then across the glass through site line of driver. There was no outside influence (Rock chip and etc) I am not the first RAV4 owner to experience this.

NHTSA complaint 11761309. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Toyota RAV4

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2024 174 3 —
2023 157 3 —
2022 145 1 2
2021 387 1 —
2020 635 6 —
2019 879 7 —
2018 331 3 —
2017 307 3 2
2016 240 3 —
2015 304 4 1
2014 197 4 —
2013 257 2 1
2012 260 5 —
2011 287 11 —
2010 400 14 —

Other 2025 Toyota models

Every Toyota on this site — 281 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst