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2014 Toyota Rav4 Other Problems

26 owner-reported other complaints from NHTSA data

26
Complaints
1
Crashes
2
Fires
Jan 2018Dec 2019
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (26)

highUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Mar 2026

All four of your door locks aren't working reliably — they lock and unlock inconsistently, and sometimes don't respond at all. This creates a safety concern because you can't be sure your doors are actually locked while driving, especially at night with passengers. You have to manually check each door multiple times since the locks behave unpredictably. Fixing this will likely require replacing the faulty door lock actuators in all four doors.

NHTSA #: 11721326
highUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Oct 2025

Your lift gate stopped working and won't open or close, even with the proximity key. The hydraulic struts have failed, making it impossible to open the gate manually because of the resistance. This makes it difficult to load groceries, sports equipment, or pets. The fix will likely involve replacing the lift gate struts.

NHTSA #: 11691021
highUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Mar 2025

Your 2014 Toyota RAV4's hood and roof paint began peeling in early 2023 and has now flaked off in large sections, exposing bare metal that can rust. You discovered this is a widespread manufacturing defect (paint code 070) that Toyota acknowledged through a Customer Support Program (ZKG) that expired in 2024, but you were never notified about it. Toyota declined your request for help with repainting, which typically costs $4,000–$5,000. A professional repaint or clear coat application will be needed to prevent rust and restore the affected surfaces.

NHTSA #: 11651340
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE
Filed: Nov 2023

At least three time this happened while driving upon stopping at a stop sign or traffic light I was proceeding while making a turn after getting the clearance to do so. However the engine shut down and I was perplexed as to what was happening. I discovered the car had shut down and I had to restart the car. Additionally this occurred at a stop sign, while trying to make a sharp turn the car once again shut off and I was in the middle of intresection and other cars were behind me, and other coming towards me and I realized this SUV had stopped running again, putting me in direct harms way.

NHTSA #: 11553645
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
FireFiled: Feb 2023

i have just driven the car for about 15 minutes and pulled in a driveway to wait for someone. My car was in park but running, and white smoke started to come out from under the hood. I turned the car off and got out. I walked around to the front of the car and it immediately went up in flames. I called 911 and a police car just happened to be going by and called the fire department. They block off the street and put out the fire but the car was completely trashed.

NHTSA #: 11508849
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Feb 2023

My car was glitching and stuttering, then one day the transmission did not engage and the car would not move forward or in reverse. This only happened one time, we were told it is not the transmission, it is the torque converter. I checked on this NTHSA site and found that many Rav4s throughout the years have had torque converter problems and that the warranty has been extended.

NHTSA #: 11507612
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Feb 2023

I left to go to work, and the transmission would not engage. I pulled out of the garage, the engine was revving but the car just slowly rolled. I thought it would warm up, but it did not. I was in the street, and I was able to slowly rev and roll the car back into the garage. It was very frightening and dangerous. My husband drove the car, the transmission worked, but sometimes it is still slipping. I'm afraid to drive it. It is only 8 years old and has 126k miles and we maintain it very well. I am so disappointed, we have been driving Toyotas for over 30 years, never had a big problem like this.

NHTSA #: 11505219
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Nov 2021

Vehicles transmission torque converter has issues and makes entire vehicle shake while driving. It causes issues when going up and down hills and shifting gears to maintain appropriate speeds. Vehicle shakes aggressively when at high speeds making highway travel impossible and unsafe. Toyota dealerships quote $3000 in repairs to replace defective part.

NHTSA #: 11440515
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Oct 2020

THE RADIO SCREEN ONLY DISPLAYS THE TOYOTA SIGN. IT WILL CHANGE STATIONS WITH THE PRE SET ON THE STEERING WHEEL BUT YOU CAN NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE CUZ THE SCREEN DOES NOT DISPLAY ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE TOYOTA SIGN.

NHTSA #: 11362799
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Aug 2020

RUSTING INSIDE VEHICLE AND BOLTS FOR HATCH BACK IS RUSTING OUT

NHTSA #: 11348761
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Jun 2020

MY RAV4 2014 XLE RADIO/BLUE TOOTH STOPPED WORKING ABOUT 3 YRS AGO. I CALLED TOYOTA, BUT THEY REFUSE TO FIX. THE RADIO SCREEN IS BLUE , AND KEEP REBOOTING. IT WAS ONLY 3 YRS OLD AND WE ARE TAKING CARE OF THE CAR VERY GOOD. IT COST 1500 TO REPLACE A NEW ONE, BUT I THINK IT'S NOT CUSTOMER FAULT, AND I'M STILL DRIVING WITHOUT THE RADIO. I FEEL THAT IT'S NOT CUSTOMER FAULT AND TOYOTA MAY GET THE DEFECT RADIO TO INSTALL IN THE CAR. I DID RESEARCH AND SEE LOTS OF CUSTOMER HAS SAME ISSUE. I SEE THERE IS FEW RECALLS FOR RAV4 2014, BUT I NEVER GET A LETTER FROM TOYOTA TO GET THE CAR FIXED. *TR

NHTSA #: 11327437
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Dec 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE NAVIGATION/INFORMATION SYSTEM SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED. THE SCREEN TURNED A BLUE COLOR AND THE SYSTEM BECAME INOPERABLE. SCREEN KEEPS ATTEMPTING TO RELOAD BUT IT FAILS. RADIO OR NAVIGATION INOPERABLE BUT THE REAR VIEW CAMERA DOES WORK. OCCURRED AT 60,000 MILES.

NHTSA #: 11287661
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Oct 2019

RADIO IN MY 2014 RAV4 WON'T TURN ON OR OFF. THE SCREEN LOOKS LIKE IT IS TRYING TO REBOOT BUT GETS TO A CERTAIN POINT THEN STOPS AND STARTS AGAIN. IT CREATES SAFETY ISSUES AS IT DIVERT DRIVER EYES WHAT HAPPEN AND HAVE TO USE CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING TO CHECK ROAD CONDITIONS. IT PREVENTS DRIVERS FROM UP TO DATE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AND CAR CONDITION. EVERYTHING USED TO DISPLAY IN RADIO SCREEN.

NHTSA #: 11268220
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Sep 2018

RADIO NAVIGATION QUIT WORKING AFTER BATTERY REPLACEMENT. IT IS CONSTANTLY REBOOTING. DEALER SAYS NEED NEW RADIO WHICH WILL COST ABOUT $1200.00. CANNOT USE BLUETOOTH, HANDS-FREE, CD PLAYER, OR RADIO. TOYOTA WILL NOT REPLACE EVEN THOUGH MANY OTHERS HAVE SAME ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA #: 11130650
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Aug 2018

RADIO NAVIGATION QUIT WORKING AT 52000 MILES.ITS CONSTANTLY REBOOTING. DEALER SAYS NEED NEW RADIO WHICH WILL COST ABOUT $1200.00

NHTSA #: 11119517
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: May 2018

MY CAR RADIO WENT ON A LOADING SCREEN LOOP, AND NOW IS STUCK ON A LOADING SCREEN . I WENT TO DEALER TO FIX IT OR UPLOAD NEW SOFTWARE BUT THEY SAD THAT RADIO WOULD NOT TAKE. I CAN'T USE CELL HEANDS FREE

NHTSA #: 11096988
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Jan 2018

I HAVE A TOYOTA RAV4 2014 XLE AWD. THE RADIO SYSTEM WENT OUT SHOWING A PICTURE ON THE SCREEN OF THE RADIO AND WHAT SEEMED TO BE A REBOOTING OF THE SYSTEM CONSTANTLY. THE USB PORT IS ALSO SHORTING OUT. TO NOTE WHAT I WAS DOING, I WAS TURNING THE CAR ON IN MY GARAGE TO LEAVE AND RUN ERRANDS FOR THE DAY. THIS ALL HAPPENED ON THE SAME DAY. I ONLY USE THE SYSTEM FOR CD PLAYING, RADIO PLAYING, AND OCCASIONALLY NAVIGATION. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THE FIRST RESPONSE WAS I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $98 EACH FOR A SYSTEM CHECK ON BOTH PROBLEMS. ALSO, I GAVE THE VIN NUMBER TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE REP AND HE STATED THERE WAS AN UPDATE AVAILABLE AT NO COST TO ME. I DROPPED THE CAR OFF AND THE REP CALLED ME AND SAID HE MADE A MISTAKE; THERE WAS NO UPDATE AND THE RADIO IS NOT WORKING AT ALL. THE COST WOULD BE $1200. HE WANTED TO KNOW HOW MANY MILES I HAD ON THE CAR AND IF BOUGHT IT NEW, WHICH I DID BUY IT NEW AT HIS DEALERSHIP. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM WITH OTHER RAV4 VEHICLES WITH SAME YEAR. ALSO, OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES WITH SAME TYPE RADIO SYSTEM AND THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH ALL OF THEM DOING THE SAME THING MINE IS DOING. I FEEL A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS TYPE OF ISSUE AND IT SHOULD BE FIXED WITH AN UPGRADE, NOT THE FACT THE RADIO IS BROKEN AS WELL AS USB PORT NOT WORKING. I TAKE CARE OF MY CAR. IT STILL LOOKS NEW! I HAVE OWNED TOYOTA VEHICLES SINCE I WAS 16 AND I AM NOW 54. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE FACT THE TYPE OF RADIO MOST OF THE NEWER TOYOTAS HAVE INSTALLED ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE AND TOYOTA IS NOT ADDRESSING IT AS THEY SHOULD. I KNOW THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT I FEEL IT IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA AS I FEEL THERE IS CLEARLY A PROBLEM.

NHTSA #: 11058456
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES
Filed: Nov 2017

MY NAME IS [XXX]. THE TOYOTA SERVICE HISTORY OF MY VEHICLE FROM TOYOTA. IT STATES IN FEBRUARY 2017 BRAKES IS GOOD WITH 8MM ON THE FRONT BRAKE PADS. NEXT SERVICE IS IN JUNE 2017, WITH 5,174 MILES LATER BRAKES ARE AT 3.5MM AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I WAS NOT TOLD THAT THE DRIVER SIDE IS AT 3.5 AND THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS 6.0 MM. THE ISSUES STARTED WHEN THEY WERE REPLACED ON 12/4/2015. [XXX]STATED IT WAS ON MY DRIVING AND NOT THE BRAKES. IT CONTINUES FROM THE FIRST BRAKE SERVICE TILL TODAY. IF YOU WANT ANY MORE OF THE SERVICE HISTORY I DO HAVE IT IF YOU NEED IT. 'INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *TR

NHTSA #: 11047682
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE
FireFiled: Oct 2017

RAV4 2014 CAUGHT A FIRE WHEN WAS DRIVEN. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SUDDENLY STUCK WHEN WAS DRIVEN ON THE LOCAL ROAD AT SPEED LESS THAN 40 MILES, SO PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER ON THE ROAD. SUDDENLY THE SMOKES CAME OUT UNDER THE HOOD, AND TURN TO FLAME. THE CAR BURNED ALL FRONT WINDSHIELD, ENGINE, BATTERY, AND HOOD. FIRE TRUCK COMES UP AND POLICEMAN HELP TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. IT WAS NO ACCIDENT, NO HIGH SPEED ON LOCAL ROAD, AND NO RAINNING DAY.

NHTSA #: 11034782
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: May 2017

DUNLOP GRAND TREK TIRES TREAD SEPERATION

NHTSA #: 10983907
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE
CrashFiled: Mar 2017

I WAS SITTING IN HEAVY STOP & GO TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY. ALL THREE LANES WERE STOPPED. AND ALTERNATELY INCHING FORWARD DUE TO ACCIDENTS FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD. I WAS STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. MY VEHICLE - THE RAVE 4 SUDDENLYSURGED FORWARD AND HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I STOOD ON THE BRAKES AS HARD AS POSSIBLE BUT COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE (RAV 4). ALL MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I HAD AN INFANT IN THE BACK SEAT IN A CAR SEAT. I WAS EXTREMELY IN SHOCK AND SHAKEN AND HAD TROUBLE GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND BACK IN TO GET THE BABY OUT. MY VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. I ALSO QUESTION WHY ALL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. TAKATA AIRBAGS

NHTSA #: 10957766
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Feb 2016

THE ROOF RACK CROSS BARS DO NOT STAY IN PLACE WHILE BEING USED AND CAR IS IN MOTION. WE PURCHASED A ROCKYMOUNT FOR OUR BIKES THAT CONNECTS TO THE ROOF CROSSBARS AND WHEN DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, THE STOCK CROSS BARS MOVED BACKWARDS SO THAT OUR BIKES WERE HANGING OVER THE BACKSIDE OF THE CAR.

NHTSA #: 10836892
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Feb 2016

LARGE BLACK AREA AT TOP OF WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. MAINLY ON DARK ROADS. THIS IS WHILE DRIVING WITH HEADLIGHTS ON.

NHTSA #: 10823830
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Aug 2015

WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 65 MPH AT AROUND 9 AM WHEN WE HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A BOOM ON TOP OF OUR 2014 RAV4. THERE WERE OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WE SAW FLY UP OFF THE ROAD AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO SEE WHAT MIGHT HAVE FLOWN OFF THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE AND SAW NOTHING. WE WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE FREEWAY AND FIND A PARKING LOT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR VEHICLE. OUR SUNROOF HAD A BIG HOLE IN THE MIDDLE AND ALL THE REST OF THE GLASS WAS CRACKED LIKE A SPIDER WEB. THERE WAS NOTHING FOUND SUCH AS ROCK OR OTHER OBJECT IN THE GLASS THAT COULD HAVE HIT THE VEHICLE AND NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE ROOF. THANKFULLY THE COVER WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME. WE DID NOT HAVE A CHOICE BUT TO BREAK OUT ALL THE REMAINING GLASS AFTER CONTACTING THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP/AND INSURANCE COMPANY, SO AS NOT TO SPRAY GLASS ON THE ROAD OR DRIVERS ON OUR 45 MILE DRIVE BACK HOME. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TOLD US IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER OUR WARRANTY AND WOULD HAVE TO BE AN INSURANCE CLAIM. WE FEEL THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT.

NHTSA #: 10747781
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Aug 2015

WHILE DRIVING AT 60MPH, MANUFACTURER INSTALLED SUNROOF EXPLODED. OUTSIDE AIR TEMP WAS 88DEG. SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT, AND CAUSED ME TO SWERVE OFF ROAD THINKING MY CAR HAD BEEN HIT. NO OTHER CARS OR PEOPLE ON ROADWAY AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. NO OVERPASSES OR TREES, EITHER. NO ROCKS OR DEBRIS WERE FOUND IN THE BROKEN GLASS. COVER WAS CLOSED, OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED IN GLASS. TOYOTA HAS HAD COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS KNOWN DEFECT.

NHTSA #: 10747665
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: May 2015

ON MAY 2, 2015, AT ABOUT 10:00 A.M. WE WERE DRIVING TO THE SCRANTON, PA, AREA. WE HAD JUST ENTERED THE ON-RAMP TO I-81 NORTH FROM RT. 309 WHEN WE HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG AND ROARING SOUND SIMILAR TO A DOOR ON A JET BLOWING OFF MID-AIR IN A MOVIE. THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE ROAD TO RUN OVER AND THE CLOSEST VEHICLE TO US WAS A TRUCK TRACTOR AT LEAST 500 YARDS AHEAD OF US AND NOT DRIVING ON AN ANGLE THAT WOULD SEND ANYTHING AIRBORNE TO OUR AREA; NOR WERE WE NEAR AN UNDERPASSR. WE PUT OUR FLASHERS ON AND PULLED OVER AT THE FIRST SAFE AREA. UPON CHECKING OUR VEHICLE, WE DISCOVERED OUR SUNROOF GLASS HAD 'EXPLODED' WITH AN APPROXIMATE 8-10 INCH CIRCULAR HOLE DEAD CENTER AND THE REST OF THE GLASS FRACTURED. WE HAD THE INTERIOR SUNROOF COVERING PULLED CLOSED WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE EDGES OF THE HOLE WERE BENT SLIGHTLY UPWARD INDICATING AN UPWARD FORCE. WE DIDN'T RUN OVER ANYTHING AND NOTHING STRUCK US, SO WE WERE FAIRLY SHOCKED. WE CHECKED OUR CELL PHONES AND DISCOVERED INDEPENDENCE TOYOTA, HAZELTON, PA, WAS ABOUT 5 MINUTES AWAY AT OUR NEXT EXIT. WE PULLED IN AND BOTH THE SALES PEOPLE AND SERVICE PEOPLE EXAMINED THE DAMAGE AND WERE AS SURPRISED AS US. NOTHING WAS FOUND IN THE GLASS DEBRIS THAT WOULD INDICATE SOMETHING STRUCK THE GLASS. INDEPENDENCE TOYOTA WAS GREAT BY CLEANING UP THE GLASS, PLACING TWO LAYERS OF HEAVY PLASTIC OVER THE SUNROOF OPENING AND TAPING IT SHUT. I AM A RETIRED POLICE LIEUTENANT. I KNOW WHAT IMPACT DAMAGE LOOKS LIKE AND THIS WAS NOT IT. UPON CHECKING ONLINE, THIS OCCURRENCE APPEARS MORE FREQUENTLY THAN ONE WOULD THINK IN VARIOUS MAKES OF VEHICLES. PRICE TOYOTA IN NEW CASTLE, DE IS DECLINING TO COVER THIS UNDER WARRANTY CITING THIS IS NORMAL GLASS BREAKAGE. I HAVE HAD WINDSHIELDS STRUCK BEFORE. THIS IS NOT REMOTELY CLOSE. IT IS NOT OKAY TO BE DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE AND SUDDENLY HAVE THE SUNROOF "EXPLODE" WITH NO CAUSING FACTORS PRESENT. *TR

NHTSA #: 10715127

Other 2014 Toyota Rav4 Issues