CSR

Toyota · NHTSA safety record

2025 Toyota RAV4

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

78

Complaints

7

Crashes

0

Fires

7

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2025 Toyota RAV4 have filed 78 safety complaints with NHTSA between February 2025 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 14 of them (18%). The typical failure was reported at 4,250 miles, the median across the 8 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 3 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (3)

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

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 78.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 22 28%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 14 18%
ENGINE 11 14%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 6 8%
POWER TRAIN 6 8%
SERVICE BRAKES 6 8%
STRUCTURE 6 8%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 6 8%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 6 8%
TIRES 5 6%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 4 5%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 5%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2026 at 48.

2025 2026
2025 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

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.

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.

ENGINE

crash · towed

On [XXX], at approximately [XXX], in Greenwich CT, while I was very slowly driving into a parking space, the engine suddenly and unexpectedly surged,. The vehicle overcame the brakes and raced forward and collided with a stone wall, about 3 ft away. This was a new (since May 2025) vehicle with only approx 3,500 miles on it. I had not had any previous problems with it and there were no warning lights on the instrument panel. At the time, I was proceeding at a very low rate of speed, 1 - 3 mph. I drive only with my right foot which was on the brake, not on the gas. The vehicle accelerated with NO action on my part and collided with a stone wall approx 3 ft away and bounced back several feet.

NHTSA complaint 11711231, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving on a 4 lane highway heading north bound in the right hand lane with my sister in the passenger seat both wearing seat belts traveling at approximately 55-60 miles per hour. Traffic was light. At the time of the incident other cars were at least 1/2 mile in front of me with no car close behind me and no one passing me. There were also no overpasses at the time of the incident. I heard what sounded as a large and loud explosion. The car continued to drive just fine but within minutes I realized the panoramic sunroof roof exploded. My exit was approximately 1 mile from the incident and I live 1/2 mile from that exit so I continued driving to my driveway. I continued hearing what

NHTSA complaint 11756950, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
This is not about my car. It is about other cars. I have seen multiple SUVs traveling on the highway with their front lights on, but no rear lights. This happened the other day when it was dark and with heavy rain. This is a safety issue. A Gemini AI search says this is a problem with many new cars. It is a switch setting error. You need to correct this situation before someone gets rear ended. There should be no switch setting that allows driving with front but no back lights, or at least there should be a warning light on the dash board.

NHTSA complaint 11756736. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving with apple carplay and maps displayed for directions, Toyota's Experience Drive Connect screen appears on display. The only way to get back to navigation is to pull over shut the car off, or reboot the display by holding the volume button in. It's a safety issue— a driver distraction The owner is held captive with the advertising until they buy a subscription, over and over again

NHTSA complaint 11755990. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY/WIPER
Driving at 70mph on the freeway when the rear windshield blew out. Seemingly for no reason. Didn't sound like anything hit the windshield, just the pop of the glass. Seems like a defective windshield.

NHTSA complaint 11755096. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
On July 31, 2026, while traveling approximately 55 mph on a Maryland highway, my 2025 Toyota RAV4 unexpectedly lost power and shut off while in motion. There was no check-engine warning before the failure. The vehicle became disabled in a travel lane. Police responded, and the lane had to be closed because the vehicle could not be safely moved. There was no crash, fire, or injury. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Toyota dealership. The dealer documented that it had “shut off mid drive,” reported finding no codes in the engine ECU, and performed service campaign 26TC03 concerning an incorrect mass airflow sensor reading. The dealer replaced a radiator air guide and stated that the

NHTSA complaint 11754305, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Drove home vehicle under 20,000 miles 2025, got to drove way parked and car stalled shaking amd stated steering power low, and shut off. Tried to re start it and did the same thing stalled shook amd shut off with the same warning. No previous issues

NHTSA complaint 11753616. 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 167 3
2023 149 3
2022 139 1 2
2021 382 1
2020 627 6
2019 873 7
2018 330 3
2017 304 3 2
2016 236 3
2015 302 4 1
2014 197 4
2013 256 2 1
2012 260 5
2011 287 11
2010 400 14

Other 2025 Toyota models

Every Toyota on this site — 272 vehicles, 370 recall campaigns and 3 open investigation s.

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. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

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