Toyota RAV4 Transmission / powertrain problems
161 of the 3,075 complaints about the Toyota RAV4 (5.2%) concern Transmission / powertrain, making it the model's #7 problem area. That share is 0.5× the Transmission / powertrain share across all tracked vehicles.
Analysis
By model year, Transmission / powertrain complaints peak with the 2019 model (62, 7% of that year's complaints) and are lowest for the 2025 model (5). 35 Transmission / powertrain complaints were filed in the last 12 months versus 17 in the 12 months before — the pace is rising.
Owners most often describe: “transmission”, “awd”, “adventure”, “gas” and “acceleration”. 15 of these reports (9.3%) describe a crash or fire, with 6 injuries and 0 deaths mentioned.
No recall campaign addresses Transmission / powertrain for the tracked model years.
By model year
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 35 · Previous 12 months: 17
Common terms in reports
- transmission50
- awd14
- adventure7
- gas28
- acceleration23
- bypass12
What owners report
The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving approximately 2–4 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated. The brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The vehicle was uncontrollable.
Observed arcing noises and strong electrical fire smell upon plugging in L2 EVSE charging cable. MIL lit, Hybrid Vehicle Charging System codes active; vehicle refused to charge afterwards. Self-diagnosed and repaired defective 6.6 kW onboard charger.
A whining noise from a 2022 Toyota RAV4 LE transmission during acceleration often points
**VEHICLE:** 2020 Toyota RAV4 LE **VIN:** [XXX] **CURRENT MILEAGE:** 126,776 miles **PURCHASE DATE:** October 2020 **COMPONENT:** Automatic Transmission (Power Train) **PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:** On XXX, I took my 2020 Toyota RAV4 LE to a transmission specialty…
Toyota addresses a front transfer case issue (groan/buzzing noise) on certain 2019–2020 RAV4 AWD vehicles (specifically Adventure and Limited grades) through a Voluntary Emissions Recall / Customer Support Program (No. 20TE03) o
transmission went out at 109,217 k miles had to pay for it out of pocket Toyota doesn't recommend transmission fluid replacement until 120k miles
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Related recalls
No recall campaign addresses Transmission / powertrain for the tracked model years.
Problem areas · Toyota RAV4
Related reading
- Transmission problems explained: shudder, harsh shifts, CVTs and what to test on a driveHow the main automatic transmission types fail, why some designs generate far more owner complaints than others, and a practical test-drive checklist built from what owners report.
Frequently asked questions
How common are Transmission / powertrain problems on the Toyota RAV4?
161 of the 3,075 complaints about the Toyota RAV4 (5.2%) concern Transmission / powertrain, making it the model's #7 problem area. That share is 0.5× the Transmission / powertrain share across all tracked vehicles.
Which Toyota RAV4 model years have the most Transmission / powertrain complaints?
By model year, Transmission / powertrain complaints peak with the 2019 model (62, 7% of that year's complaints) and are lowest for the 2025 model (5).
Is there a recall for Toyota RAV4 Transmission / powertrain problems?
No recall campaign addresses Transmission / powertrain for the tracked model years.