Your vehicle report
2013 Toyota RAV4
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 257
- Received Apr 2013 to Aug 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Vehicle catches fire from wiring27 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Unintended acceleration despite braking20 complaints · 7.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Paint peels off roof and hood15 complaints · 5.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #23V734000Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles. Certain replacement 12-volt batteries may not fit properly in the battery tray, allowing the battery to move and contact the hold-down bracket, possibly causing a short circuit.
- Recall #15V011000Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Toyota Rav4 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2013, to December 29, 2014, and equipped with an accessory trailer light module. The software within the module may incorrectly detect an electrical short and preventively turn off the electrical current and the trailer lights.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Vehicle catches fire from wiringFirst signal: Mar 2020
- Paint peels off roof and hoodFirst signal: Nov 2017
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 22 crashes, 29 fires, 15 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Unintended acceleration despite braking
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
- Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips
1 more problem
Brakes
Electrical & lights
- Vehicle catches fire from wiring
- Headlights dim or fail at night
- Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 39 |
| 2014 | 30 |
| 2015 | 27 |
| 2016 | 17 |
| 2017 | 14 |
| 2018 | 12 |
| 2019 | 17 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 18 |
| 2022 | 14 |
| 2023 | 11 |
| 2024 | 23 |
| 2025 | 15 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 7 |
| Total | 257 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 27 | 11% | 6.6× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Mar 2020 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.5% |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 20 | 7.8% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 15 | 5.8% | 46.7× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Nov 2017 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.2% |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 15 | 5.8% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 10 | 3.9% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 8 | 3.1% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 8 | 3.1% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 7 | 2.7% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 6 | 2.3% | – | |
| Transmission shudders during acceleration at low speeds | 6 | 2.3% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 5 | 1.9% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 5 | 1.9% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 4 | 1.6% | – | |
| Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own | 4 | 1.6% | – | |
| Instrument cluster or speedometer fails | 4 | 1.6% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 4 | 1.6% | – | |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 4 | 1.6% | – | |
| Side mirrors give poor rear visibility | 3 | 1.2% | – | |
| Dashboard melts, becomes sticky and glares | 3 | 1.2% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 3 | 1.2% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #23V734000November 1, 20231,853,568 vehicles affected
electrical system: 12v/24v/48v battery
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles. Certain replacement 12-volt batteries may not fit properly in the battery tray, allowing the battery to move and contact the hold-down bracket, possibly causing a short circuit.
A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 27, 2024, to 2013-2014 RAV4 owners. Additional owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, phase 2 will begin on May 14, 2025, and phase 3 in late July 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 23TB13 and 23TA13.
NHTSA recall #15V011000January 16, 20151,140 vehicles affected
exterior lighting; trailer hitches
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Toyota Rav4 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2013, to December 29, 2014, and equipped with an accessory trailer light module. The software within the module may incorrectly detect an electrical short and preventively turn off the electrical current and the trailer lights.
If the system incorrectly detects an electrical short and turns off the trailer lights while the trailer is being towed at night, there is an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy
SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer light module with a new unit with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-15A.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2013 Toyota RAV4.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN