2017 Toyota RAV4: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 301 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 3 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
301
Complaints
3
Recalls
32
Crash reports
24
Fire reports
28
Injuries
191.4
Severity index
Severity index 191.4 - High. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 136 2017 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2017 Toyota RAV4 ranks 6 of 136 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 96% of its model-year peers. See the full 2017 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 105 | 34.9% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 61 | 20.3% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 36 | 12.0% |
| ENGINE | 31 | 10.3% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 31 | 10.3% |
| AIR BAGS | 19 | 6.3% |
| STRUCTURE | 18 | 6.0% |
| POWER TRAIN | 16 | 5.3% |
The single most-reported system is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, cited in 105 of 301 complaints (34.9%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 38 |
| 2018 | 34 |
| 2019 | 24 |
| 2020 | 29 |
| 2021 | 29 |
| 2022 | 24 |
| 2023 | 30 |
| 2024 | 47 |
| 2025 | 37 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 6 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 1.4x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19V503000 | 28/06/2019 | EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS | 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 |
| 17V295000 | 02/05/2017 | TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE | Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the prop |
| 23V734000 | 01/11/2023 | 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. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.