2018 Toyota RAV4 recalls and problems

The 2018 Toyota RAV4 has 3 safety recalls and 333 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Toyota dealer.

Recalls
3
Complaints
333
Crashes / fires
31 / 33
Injuries / deaths
18 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2018 Toyota RAV4 vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2018 Toyota RAV4 recalls

Recall 23V-734: Electrical System

Reported Nov 1, 2023 · 1,853,568 vehicles affected · Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

Problem: 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.

Risk: A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.

Fix: 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.

Recall 19V-503: Equipment

Reported Jun 28, 2019 · 1,325 vehicles affected · Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC

Problem: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk: An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. SET's number for this recall is SET19A.

Recall 17V-831: Equipment

Reported Dec 20, 2017 · 649 vehicles affected · Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra, 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles. These vehicles may have incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk: An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge. The recall began on January 23, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are H0Z for Toyota vehicles, and HLF for Lexus vehicles.

2018 Toyota RAV4 problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Electrical System133
Unknown or Other69
Engine33
Service Brakes28
Power Train26
Exterior Lighting23
Vehicle Speed Control20
Visibility/Wiper17
Air Bags16
Structure14
Steering12
Fuel/Propulsion System12

Most reported parts

  • Structure › Body — 8
  • Forward Collision Avoidance › Warnings — 4
  • Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly — 3
  • Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery — 3
  • Forward Collision Avoidance › Adaptive Cruise Control — 3
  • Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking — 2
  • Lane Departure › Blind Spot Detection — 2
  • Exterior Lighting › Headlights — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 12,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2018 Toyota RAV4 complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Electrical System · reported Oct 15, 2026
All warning lights came on and started flashing, steering wheel locked completely and total system failure. Car suddenly died and I had no control of it. Engine started smoking with black smoke. I got out of car and engine immediately caught fire starting at the bottom left driver side of engine and within a few minutes vehicle was completely engulfed with flames. It exploded and car was gone.
Fuel System, Gasoline · at 78,000 miles · reported Oct 6, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and turning right or left, the vehicle lost power and failed to accelerate as needed while depressing the accelerator pedal. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under an extended coverage associated with a fuel system failure. The failure mileage was 78,000.
Tires · reported Sep 13, 2026
Cooper tires 225/65R17. Purchased 4 tires in June. From installation the tires were bouncy. The garage said it was the struts, so I replaced the struts, but the problem persists. 2 weeks later I took the car back. They said there was nothing wrong with t he tire. They rebalanced them. But that did not fix the problem. I took the car to a different garage and they told me the tires where bad and advised me to take them back to wherebI purchased them. I did. After they had my car for 6 hours they said there was nothing wrong with the tires. I insisted that they inspected them again. After 3 more…
Electrical System · reported Aug 3, 2026
Before o had taken my RAV4 into Toyota for the recall a AAA tech. had replaced the battery after jump starting it. There was nothing wrong with the sensors or anything else but after the battery was replaced all the electric sensors that are for lane change warnings and cruise control etc. stopped working. I took vehicle into Toyota of Santa Maria and was told that I needed to pay for the sensors that had failed. They told me that I was responsible and I do not believe I am when AAA had just replaced my battery and only after that did the sensors have an issue. I do not feel safe driving my…
Back Over Prevention · at 40,000 miles · reported Jul 28, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the rear-view camera was black and failed to operate as intended. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the camera was inoperable and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

Other Toyota RAV4 years

Compare all Toyota RAV4 years · All Toyota models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2018 Toyota RAV4 have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2018 Toyota RAV4: 23V-734 (electrical system), 19V-503 (equipment), 17V-831 (equipment). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2018 Toyota RAV4?

Owners report electrical system problems most often (133 reports), followed by unknown or other (69). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 12,000 miles.

Are Toyota recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Toyota dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.