NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Toyota RAV4. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
This vehicle has continued to have issues. The most recent and dangerous issue is the electrical problems due to water leakage. Water getting into the vehicle's interior can be hazardous with all the solenoids, modules, and wires. The roof rack leaking is a common issue for these vehicles. It does not become an issue until they have been exposed to rainy environments or washed. The water in our vehicle leaked down the driver-side A-pillar, behind the steering wheel, and into the floorboard. This caused a shortage in wiring for the mud/sand terrain modes and the safety systems for the vehicle. This would happen at random times, including down the freeway at 70mph. The adaptive cruise control would shut off and emergency braking would be defective if needed. The water does flow across the airbag in the A-pillar which could cause a more serious issue. Now, there is a possibility of the airbag not deploying in the case of a collision. The racks leaking is something Toyota should be recalling or publishing a TSB.
Engine repair light keeps coming on RAV4 HYBRID SMELL OF GASOLINE is present at times NOISES LIKE GRINDING OR SCRAPING from WHAT SOUNDS LIKE UNDER the CAR WHEN BRAKING AND akso WHEN accelerating
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that water was leaking into the vehicle through the roof rack. The water entered the compartment where the air bags were located. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.
Roof Rails are leaking and is a known issue. Water stains in the headliner and close to the side air bags. Smell of mildew causing health issues with my Asthma. Love the vehicle, but I do not trust that the air bags could or might not deploy or other electrical issues due to this.
Front breaks squeal when braking at low speeds. Mileage under 10k miles
Water was entering inside the front of the cabin from the roof rack. Water entering inside the wiring can cause short circuit and cause fire
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, an abnormal glass-cracking sound was heard. The contact pulled over and noticed that the sunroof glass had shattered; however, the sunroof visor prevented the glass shards from entering the cabin of the vehicle. There was no impact on the sunroof that could have caused it to shatter. The contact did not sustain any injuries. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
Brake System A malfunction in the Brake System has been detected. Continuing to drive may be dangerous. Stop in a safe location and contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected. 10/20/2022 Pre-Collision System A malfunction in the Pre-Collision System has been detected. Do not rely on this system. Contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected. 10/20/2022 Electronically Controlled Brake System A malfunction in the Electric Control Braking System has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected. 10/20/2022 Anti-Lock Brake System A malfunction in the Anti-Lock Brake System or brake assist system has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected. 10/20/2022 Drive-Start Control System A malfunction in the Drive Start Control System has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected. 10/20/2022 Blind Spot Monitor A malfunction in the Blind Spot Monitor System has been detected. Do not rely on the system for lane changing. Contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected. 10/20/2022 Vehicle Stability Control System A malfunction in the VSC, TRAC, or hill-start assist control system has been detected. Do not rely on these systems. Contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected. 10/20/2022 Secondary Collision Brake System A malfunction in the Secondary Crash Mitigation Support Brake System has been detected. Contact your Toyota dealer to have your vehicle inspected. 10/20/2022
The driver side seat belt has stopped functioning correctly. It engages just fine, but is very dificult to get it to release. I have to jerk on the belt to get it off. I am concerned that if I needed to exit the vehicle for an emergency, I wouldn't be able to get it to disengage. It started doing this around October 14, 2022. I will be making an appointment with a Toyota dealership to have it checked.
Engine Bypass Coolant Valve. Issue could cause coolant leak and cause car to overheat. Issue confirmed by Toyota dealership. Also many individuals confirming the same issue. Component inspected by dealership. No issues until component failed and now a constant engine repair message.
I received an alert on my vehicle that engine maintenance was required. I conducted a code reader scan of the vehicle. There was no codes that were activated or shown. I took my vehicle to a Toyota dealership. I was advise that my vehicle which only has 42k miles had a bybass coolant value issue. I further saw YouTube videos and read forums on my vehicle and the issue. A lot of individuals are reporting similar issues with their vehicle. An interesting remark, which I noticed was that a lot of the Rav4s from 2019 and newer had the same issue. These cars are not even above the 100k miles, which makes me wonder and worry how safe will my vehicle be. The part is on backorder around 1 month to 3 months. My vehicle begin to display the message around 40k miles. I believe a recall should occur.
Car randomly switched the driving modes from normal to mud and sand while a driving on the highway about 55 miles per hour, also said precolision system disable, happened in last 3 days
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the roof rack clips were fractured and water was leaking into the vehicle, causing the vehicle to shut off intermittently, electrical failures, and air bags malfunction. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the headliners were leaking. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 66,000.
I own a 2019 Toyota RAV4 and have experienced water leaking into the interior of the vehicle after rain and/or when taking the car through a car wash. I believe the water leakage is coming in via the small holes in the roof directly above the front driver seat and front passenger seats. The holes are used to align the plastic clips that help hold the roof rails onto the rood. They are leaking and allowing water to drain down into the interior of the car. This then allows the water to come into contact with the electrical wiring that runs along the top of the roof and down the front window pillars and possible the airbag system. Although I have not experienced a true accident or had a side airbag deploy for NO reason, I am extremely nervous about driving a car that could potentially detonate at any time potentially causing me to wreck! I am also extremely nervous about what affect water coming into contact with electric wiring and components might have on the proper functioning of the airbag system in the car. Although not purely safety related, I also wonder if the constant moisture penetrating the interior confines of the car could potentially expose me to BLACK MOLD and its long term dire health affects.
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was jerking and making abnormal sounds. Additionally, the vehicle was intermittently unable to start. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the roof rack sustained water damage, causing an electrical system failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Hybrid system malfunction. Repairs include replacement of motor cable #2 and frame wire. Advanced Corrosion was the explanation. Not covered under warranty (either 3yr/36K or platinum addt’l plan). Problem occurred at 36,366 miles (300+ miles just over standard warranty?) In the midst of delayed communicating with Toyota with no response after 3 days. Was told to reference TSB T-TT-0630-20. After researching, this problem is frequently referenced as being an issue. Should just be a recall at this point.
Door lock actuator has failed prematurely on all four doors, this prevents me from entering my vehicle in a quick and timely manner if there were to be an emergency
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving at 55 MPH, he heard a loud banging sound. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact noticed that the sunroof glass panel had exploded with 40 percent of the shattered glass remaining. The contact stated that the shade guard was closed at the time of the failure. The contact was able to continue driving. The dealer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,300.
Intermittent loss/delay of acceleration power from a stop. When coming out of a stop, pressing the gas pedal warrants no response except the slow creep that occurs just as a result of lifting off the brake. This has happened a handful of times when trying to accelerate from being stopped at a red light. The problem occurs intermittently and I never know when to expect it. The most recent time this problem happened, I pressed the gas pedal all the way to the floor, and still the car did not accelerate. When left in the middle of an intersection, a loss of accelerator power can be deadly. I am a sitting duck as oncoming traffic comes towards me and I just hope they see me. Furthermore, when stalled out at a red light or stop sign, other traffic has to drive around me, risking the safety of other drivers as well. I took it into my Toyota dealership for repair, but since they are unable to replicate the issue, they cannot fix it. I was also met with skepticism; however, searching online has shown that other people have experienced the same problem with the same vehicle. The vehicle or component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or any others as of now. No engine lights appear when this happens; this is also what led the dealership to believe there wasn't actually a problem.
The roof rack leaks, Toyota trying to charge $800 for labor but the car is not even 40000 miles on it and the roof shouldn’t leak because the airbags are going to get wet and not work
This as well as many many other 2019, 2020, & 2021 Rav4s develop water leaks in the roof (due to inadequate gaskets in the rood rails) which result in water entering in vehicle very close to the side curtain airbags. Toyota updated the parts on the current model year but refuses to issue a recall. This is dangerous due to the strong possibility of water contacting the airbags and or the electrical connections.
Engine maintenance light came on after a routine oil change. I took it to a toyota dealer, they said that it has something to do with the coolant system. The problem is ongoing with several toyota models, including rav4, Tacoma, Tundra, Camry, Sienna models 2018-2022. The problem is that the car can suddenly overheat and shut down on a busy highway, which is very Dangerous. Someone, can get killed, if this is not addressed. I don't know why there is not a recall already. The government should definitely get involved.
Fuel pump was replaced in May 2020 under recall. Recalled part had 12 month warranty. Rav4 was purchased used in May 2022 and in June, engine started stuttering. Contacted Toyota Field Reps at local dealership and they reset codes and suggested running different and better gas. A case was opened. In July, when filling up car, the car would not start at the pump. The car had to be towed on Sunday. Toyota Field Reps made aware that car would crank after banging on the fuel tank. A service call was placed again and before we could get it to the dealership on Thursday, when the car was filled up again at a different gas station, it would not start at the pump again. It was towed a second time to the dealership and Toyota did multiple tests to determine the fuel pump and hose over the saddle tank needed to be replaced. Toyota would not honor that replacement part saying this was the customers responsibility now. We paid for the replacement today 8/11/22 and drove it one hour and filled it up again and it hesitated and would not crank at the pump, finally fired up and then dies at the red light in traffic. It was taken back to the dealership.
The rear hatch trunk doorr does not operate correctly. The hinges holding the door on could fail leaving the door to fly off the vehicle. Apparently this is a known problem on this make and model of this vehicle and toyota is unwilling to repair the problem
hi, the driver lower seat frame being detached, the right slide is seized /stuck on the rail track and inoperable causing risk for unsafe driving equipment. I have a child and cannot drive with a broken seat - I don't reach it is a liability for safety! thanks, very respectfully [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
I have a 2019 all-wheel-drive limited and for the last two months it has been slipping into mud and sand mode. It happens when I shift from driving to park or drive to park, and if I’m standing idle it will slip into mud and sand mode and switch off a few minutes later. Dealership says it’s the sensors but I had my sensors checked and there is no issue there.
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was water leaking into the driver's side of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated, and the vehicle was not repaired. The contact then stated that the failure persisted, and he noticed the water was leaking from the roof rack and had entered the air bag compartment area. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the water was entering through the headliner; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 28,000.
DCM unit failed. It controls Toyota safety connect and all communication to Toyota. If I were to be in an accident the SOS button to get help is inoperable. This has been reported to Toyota. This is a problem for nearly all the DCM units across the entire Toyota platform. Toyota is only willing to fix these defective DCM units under a 3 year 36k mile warranty. Considering the extent of the failure of these units across all their vehicles I believe Toyota should fix this systemic problem with their safety system outside their traditional warranty. Thanks
LTA NOT WORKING EVEN IF IT SHOWS ITS ON. IF ITS ON IT WILL NOT STAY IN LANE IF NO MARKERS ON ROAD ARE SHOWN WILL PULL TO RIGHT OR LEFT TO FIND CENTER OF LANE. WHICH IS A HAZARD. FROM LOOKING FOR ANSWERS ON WEB IT SHOWS TOYOTA HAS NO FIX FOR NONE WORKING OF LTA. FROM LOOKING AT FOURM OF THIS PROBLEM IT SEEMS THAT IF THEY DO TAKE INTERST THERE'S A LOT OF CAR AND SUV AND TRUCKS WITH THIS PROBLEM ON ROAD TODAY. SO TOYOTA WILL HAVE FORK OVER BIG CASH TO FIX PROBLEM OF THE NONE WORK LTA ON THIS VEHICLES.
The 2019 Toyota Rav4 has a problem with Water leakage. Check the Internet for very specific details. Water is leaking from the roof mounted roof rails. This leak is causing water to enter the car and drip significant amounts of water down both A-Pillars. The A-Pillars support & Hold Airbags. The concern is that the water intrusion can cause damage to the airbags and/or the wiring to the airbags. This water damage could either prevent the airbags from deploying or cause the airbags to prematurely deploy. Toyota has yet to acknowledge the issue. They claim the water is coming from clogged sunroof drains. While this can be a cause it is NOT the sole cause. I had my vehicle into the dealer on 6/22/22 and they claimed the problem was the clogged sunroof drains. Last night was the 1st significant rain in the area since the visit. This morning BOTH A-pillars had significant water damage. So this means 1 of 2 things. If the leak is from the sunroof drains, they have a design issue as these were just cleared by Totyota. OR, as Many other owners of 2019 Rav4's have discovered there is a flaw in the roof rail design. Both issues need to be resolved ASAP, before there is a failure in the airbag system. Additionally, this water leak is causing a potential buildup of toxic mold
About a year ago, I was unable to make or receive calls through my vehicle. I could hear the other side talking, but they could not hear me. Additionally, I could not make voice commands through my vehicle. The microphone was not working at all. I advised my dealer and they indicated they did have a service bulletin regarding this issue, but everything they tried did not fix it. the dealer indicated to me that it was going to cost me almost $2,000 to have it fixed. I don't have an extra $2,000 laying around to fix this problem, so I've just been using my phone to my ear normally. It's much safer to have handsfree talking and commands, don't you think? I have 64,000 miles on my vehicle, so its out of manufacturer warranty. Shouldn't this be some type of recall? Thank you.
My vehicle 2019 Toyota Rav 4 Limited has transmission and engine issues as well as a roof rack leak. I have reported this to Toyota via 1-800-331-4331, which was not helpful. Israel stated that there is nothing that Toyota Cooperate can do about this issue. Both the transmission and engine had been previously repaired at Toyota of Laredo to no avail. Currently my vehicle is awaiting repair at Cavander Toyota in San Antonio. No loaner was provided despite me being a home health therapist who needs her vehicle to work.
I RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF A MALFUNCTION IN THE INTELLIGENT CLEARANCE SONAR SYSTEM AND A MALFUNCTION IN THE HYBRID SYSTEM. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER BUT ON THE MORNING OF THE APPOINTMENT THE CAR WAS NON-OPERATIONAL IN THE DRIVEWAY AND HAD TO BE TOWED. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS CORROSION OF THE WIRING HARNESS. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED ON RAV4 HYBRID FORUMS AND APPEARS TO BE AN ISSUE IN REGIONS OF THE COUNTRY WITH SNOW/SALT ROAD TREATMENTS. I WOULD APPRECIATE AN INVESTIGATION.
Myself and others, in online forums, have experienced roof water leaks. This has been traced by some to faulty roof rail seals. The safety concern here is that when it rains or I wash my vehicle I get rain soaking into my A pillars near the airbags. I've attached a photo showing rain water dripping out of one of my A pillars near the airbag as described.
There is a known issue with 2019+ Toyoya RAV4 where the Roof Rack Rails seaks leak water into the Driver and Passenger SRS A Pillar, i don't understand why there isn't a TSB for this, im concerned that the water intrusion will damage the Airbags or Electrical components and cause the airbag to deploy or cause improper SRS A pillar airbag operation. I'm also concerned about rust, A Quick google search and youtube will show the issue occuring but toyota is only fixing it under warranty, i don't think this should happen on a car under 3 years old with less than 50,000 miles. I do notice a foul odor in the car which led me to find this related TSB T-SB-0094-21 for a similar issue but none for Roof Rack Seals. Toyota has updated the Seals to thicker ones from the flimsy paper gasket to thicker plastic since 2019 so they know about the issue and have corrected it but only under warranty. i did see complaints on carcomplaints.com also but i'm out of factory warranty.
I am reporting a concern regarding the driver’s seat design in my Toyota RAV4. While driving this vehicle, I experience consistent back pain that can begin within approximately 15 minutes of driving and often persists for about two hours after driving has ended. The pain includes sharp discomfort in my mid-to-upper back and occurs despite adjusting the seat position and using aftermarket lumbar and seat supports. I do not experience similar pain when driving other vehicles for comparable durations, including a Toyota Highlander, Toyota Camry, Subaru Impreza, Ford Focus, Rivian truck, or a pickup truck. This strongly suggests the issue is related to the RAV4’s seat ergonomics rather than a preexisting condition. Because of this issue, I have begun avoiding driving my own vehicle when possible. I am submitting this report to document a potential seat design issue that may affect driver comfort and safety.
This Rav4 developed a leak in the roof by the front and back windows. Found many references to this on the internet. It is a known problem for this vehicle that is not being addressed by Toyota. This problem can cause mold and damage to the side air bags. This is clearly a safety issue.
The car is leaking water from the driver side roof rack
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the coolant valve bypass had malfunctioned. The contact was informed that the parts were back-ordered. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. The VIN was not available.
I got a “Engine Maintenance Required” warning message. I check with the dealer, the dealer inspected and told about a faulty coolant bypass valve which the dealership told us a common problem for Toyota RAV4 model year 2019,2020,2021. The dealer told to always check if the engine temperature is shooting. They asked me to order the part and it took close to a week to get the part and then to replace it. A faulty coolant bypass valve risked my vehicle of a failure of the cooling system and so the engine. I had to pay $126.25 for the part and $658.08 labor charge to replace the part. Since it is a common problem the manufacturer has to recall and replace the faulty part and pay the cost of the part and labor for replacing the faulty part.
Vehicle happens to accelerate involuntarily when driving, especially on highway. You'll be driving, and then suddenly it starts to accelerate faster than usual. Had another family member drove vehicle to work, just to confirm if they had the same issue, and they did confirm that the vehicle was involuntarily accelerating at a higher speed on its own.
My rear backup camera has intermittently worked for almost 2 years now. I was not included in the recall Toyota K05 / NHTSA campaign number 19V576, but I do believe I should be included as the issue describes the issue I have been having. Dealer advised me I need a new camera but the camera works from time to time. The dealer could not replicate my issue in Oct 2023. I’m still having the issue and it has gotten worse.
Sudden engine stall while driving
Warning Light/Message On. When I go to Toyota Service Center they said it is DTC Rear Disconnect System Performance. You will feel that sometimes the gear with late disconnected then you need to slow down.
Abnormal Buzz/Groan Noise at 20 - 30 mph: The vehicles exhibits (again, as in 7/2020) an abnormal buzz/groan (rear) noise at 20 – 30 mph when accelerating from a stop, and/or at 13 – 20 mph on deceleration after driving the vehicle for 15 – 20 minutes or more. And also a "clunk" noise. This occurs with “Normal” drive mode selected. I am very worry, this very same problem as in 2020 keeps happening!! This is not a 5 star Toyota vehicle for sure, very worry!
Maintenance requires message appeared. Coolant bypass valve/tube needs replacement. 2 Days from the end of factory warranty.
My roof rails are leaking in the A frame, causing roof to be wet , possible damage to airbags and corrosion of electrical components. Toyota has came out with a replacement part to fix what’s causing the leak in the roof rails ,so they know there is a issue
Roof rail leak known to Toyota leading to potential compromise of SRS airbags and any other electrical wiring within anterior pillars. Long term water damage can lead to corrosion of components within that area. Toyota assessed and confirmed water intrusion due to roof rail leak. Leak became visible to owner due to water marks on headliner. Of note, Toyota refuses to accept blame for water intrusion and provide remedy.
The terrain selection feature automatically engages "mud & sand" mode while driving. This feature turns off many safety features including, but not limited to traction control and parking collision system. It is very intermittent, and the Toyota dealership was unable to find the problem. The terrain selection features stops working after being turned on to normal again, until the vehicle is turned off for quite some time.
Fuel pump malfunction. Stalling out with no warning or no previous issues