601 of the 3,158 complaints about the Toyota RAV4 (19.0%) concern Engine, making it the model's largest problem area. That share is 0.8× the Engine share across all tracked vehicles.
601Complaints · Engine
19.0%Share of complaints
0.85×vs. all vehicles
72Last 12 months
4.5%Share involving a crash or fire
2Related recalls
Analysis
72 Engine complaints were filed in the last 12 months versus 131 in the 12 months before — down 45%.
28 of these reports (4.5%) describe a crash or fire, with 13 injuries and 0 deaths mentioned.
2 recall campaigns relate to this area, most recently campaign 26V659000 (2026-10-07, model year 2026).
The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormal sound was heard coming from under the hood and would shudder towards the front-passenger side.
Engine · 2026-04-13 · ODI 11730748 · Crash
We were traveling across country from Michigan to Arizona. We were 50 miles outside Tucson, AZ on [XXX]. Traveling 80 mph in a 75 mph zone, in passing lane and felt like car exploded and all airbags deployed and we came to a quick stop.
Engine · 2026-03-05 · ODI 11722251 · Crash
The contact’s uncle owns a 2022 Toyota Rav4. While the uncle was driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled. During the failure, the instrument panel remained illuminated, but the vehicle failed to restart.
Engine · 2026-10-05 · ODI 11769099
While driving in heavy traffic, the engine shuddered then dashboard warnings: "Hybrid System Malfunction Output Power Reduced, Drive-Start Control Malfunction, AWD System Malfunction." I pulled over, parked, then the transmission wouldn't shift to drive or…
Engine · 2026-09-29 · ODI 11767909
I am reporting a potentially recurring safety-related failure of the electric engine coolant/water pump on my 2019 Toyota RAV4 equipped with the 2.5L A25A-FKS engine.
Engine · 2026-09-28 · ODI 11767567
I was stopped for one minute in a drive-thru, and when I took my foot off the brake to accelerate, the vehicle stalled. It told me "Engine Stopped Power Steering Low". I moved out of the drive-thru in neutral, turned off the car then turned it back on.
Engine · 2026-09-19 · ODI 11765464
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Related recalls
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM):SOFTWARE Campaign 26V659000 · 2026-10-07 · Model years: 2026
Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2026 RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. The motor generator ECU may encounter an error, causing the plug-in-hybrid system to reduce power or shutdown when driven at higher speeds.
Remedy: Dealers will update the ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed starting November 22, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 26TA22.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING Campaign 20V064000 · 2020-02-06 · Model years: 2019, 2020
Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Toyota Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid and Lexus ES300h and 2019-2020 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles equipped with 2.5L 4-Cylinder engines. Porosity in the engine castings may result in cracks than can allow coolant to leak internally and/or externally.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the engine including the engine block, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 3, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA04. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA02.
Why modern engines burn oil, and what owner complaints revealDesign choices linked to oil consumption in recent engines, the warning signs owners describe, what counts as normal, and which tracked models currently have the highest engine share in their complaints.
