2015 Toyota Rav4 Body & Structure Problems
22 owner-reported body & structure complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (22)
Your vehicle's paint started peeling in February 2024 and got worse by January 2025. You reported the problem to Toyota twice with supporting repair estimates, but Toyota closed both cases without fixing it, saying their paint repair program had expired. You believe this is a quality defect that affects your car's appearance and resale value. The fix would likely involve sanding down the affected areas and repainting the damaged sections.
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Paint on the top my car is peeling.
Paint is flaking at the upper doors
About three months ago the liftgate on my 2015 Toyota RAV4 SUV, suddenly started not wanting to close properly as if the door shock absorbers had slipped out of place. I clarify that at no time has my vehicle been impacted, forced or stolen. The moment I opened the door with the button, once I went to close it, it stayed open, causing my vehicle to get wet inside every time it rains. I can not park it in open places because they can force the door that is left open and they can steal it. There are times when the door opens but doesn't want to close, and other times it just doesn't want to open. I understand that I have taken very good care of my vehicle and this is an essential part of it. I hope you can give me a quick solution on this. Thanksyou!
THE ROOF'S COLOR IS PEELING OFF.
THE PAINT IS PEELING MY 2015 BLUE RAV, I HAVE VISITED MARK JACOBSEN TOYOTA IN DURHAM NC. SPOKE TO THE BODY SHOP, THEY SAID THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THEY ARE SEEING ON THE WHITE CARS THAT ARE BEING REPAINTED PER THE LETTER ON YOUR WEBSITE HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/TSBS/2019/MC-10170749-9999.PDF THEY SAID AT THIS TIME TOYOTA IS NOT FIXING MY PEELING PAINT BECAUSE IT ISN'T WHITE. HE SUGGESTED I CALL THE NATIONAL HOTLINE, WHICH I DID AND FILE A CLAIM 21031900209 BUT THEY ALSO SAID THEY ARE ONLY FIXING WHITE PEELING PAINT. I THINK THEM FOR THEIR TIME AND REQUESTED TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR- THEY HAVE NOT CALLED ME BACK YET.
OUR MOON ROOF HAS COME LOOSE FROM ROOF ON TWO OCASIONS. DEALERSHIP HAS REPAIRED TWICE AT NO CHARGE TO US, BUT NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. THE FIRST INDICATION BOTH TIMES WAS A RATTLE THAT SLOWLY BECOMES WORSE.
THE PAINT ON THE PANEL ABOVE THE CAR HAS BEGAN TO BUBBLE UP AND TEAR OFF. THE PAINT CONTINUES TO COME OFF. THE PAINT BEGAN COMING OFF IN A CHUNK THAT WAS ABOUT 2' BY 3'.
THE POWER LIFTGATE OF THIS MODEL FAILS TO OPEN IN COLD WEATHER. DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND CLOSE WHEN UTILIZING THE MANUAL OVER-RIDE BUTTON.
LIFT GATE STRUT IS CAUSING MISALIGNMENT OF THE LIFT GATE, SO LIFT GATE SHIFTING AND UNABLE TO OPEN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE HOOD FLEW OPEN AND SMASHED THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE RESULTED FROM AN IMPROPER WELDING OF THE HOOD STRIKER PLATE, WHICH CAUSED THE STRIKER PLATE TO FALL OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STEVE LANDERS TOYOTA (866-584-3934, LOCATED AT 10825 COLONEL GLENN RD, LITTLE ROCK, AR 72204) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT IT WAS NOT A KNOWN ISSUE. THE CONTACT WAS PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 1910282935. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 86,000.
I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE. WHEN THE TECHNICIAN OPENED THE HOOD, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE STRIKER FOR THE HOOD LATCH HAD BROKEN FREE OF THE FACTORY WELDS THAT HOLD IT IN PLACE, RENDERING THE LATCH INOPERABLE. WHILE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR, THERE HAS BEEN NO DAMAGE OR BLOWS TO THE FRONT END OR HOOD. THERE ARE NO MARKS OR SIGNS OF DAMAGE AT ALL. THE STRIKER HAS SIMPLY BECOME DETACHED FROM THE HOOD. IT APPEARS THAT THE FACTORY WELDS JUST FAILED. I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHEN OR HOW IT HAPPENED.
AFTER BEING PARKED IN CARPORT OVERNIGHT ON A WINTER NIGHT IN DEC 2017, I DROVE ONLY A COUPLE OF MILES DOWN THE I-15 FREEWAY IN UTAH BETWEEN SPANISH FORK AND SPRINGVILLE NO MORE THAN 60 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD 'EXPLODING SOUND' ON THE TOP OF MY CAR OUTSIDE AND THEN 'TINKLING' NOISES FROM THE FRONT OF THE ROOF AREA TO THE BACK OF THE CAR. IT HAPPENED AT 0900 ON A COLD SUNDAY MORNING AND THE TRAFFIC WAS EXTREMELY LIGHT. THE NEAREST VEHICLES TO ME WERE AT LEAST 10 CAR LENGTHS AHEAD AND BEHIND ME AND THERE WERE NO VEHICLES ON EITHER SIDE OF ME. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE ROAD HAZARD AND NO ICE FALLING FROM ANYWHERE SINCE WE HAD HAD NO WINTER WEATHER OF ANY KIND SO FAR THAT SEASON. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND EXAMINE THE DAMAGE, THERE WAS A GIANT HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF MY MOON/SUN ROOF. IT HAD MYSTERIOUSLY EXPLODED WITH JAGGED EDGES JETTING UPWARDS WITH SHARDS OF SHATTERED GLASS LITTERING THE TOP OF MY CAR AND INSIDE ON THE MOON/SUN ROOF SLIDER INSIDE.
CPSC:THE WIRING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF MY 2015 TOYOTA RAV4 THAT CONTROLS INFORMATION SENT TO THE TRANSMISSION WAS CHEWED THROUGH BY SQUIRRELS. THE CAR WAS LOCATED IN MY DRIVEWAY. IT CAME TO MY ATTENTION THAT WRAPPINGS AROUND THESE WIRES ARE NO LONGER RUBBER. *BF
TAKATA RECALL. I WOULD LIKE MORE INVESTIGATION REGARDING WHEN A CAR IS REPAIR PER SPECIFICATION AND STATE LAW. HOW IS THAT A COMPANY TAKE CONTROL OF THE VALUE AND HISTORY OF THE CAR. BUT IS NOT REPORTED THE CORRECT WAY WHEN THE REPAIR IS DONE. AFFECTING THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE.
I HAD A VERY DANGEROUS EXPERIENCE WITH A 2015 TOYOTARV4 XLE. I WAS GOING UP AN EXIT RAMP SLOWLY WITH THE TRAFFIC GOING AND STOPPING WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY RIGHT FOOT WAS STUCK BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR AND THE BRAKE PEDAL. I COULD NOT RETRACT MY FOOT TO BRAKE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUING GOING FORWARD. I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE BRAKING/ACCELERATION DUE TO THE SHORT SPACE BETWEEN AND OR THE HEIGHT OF THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED BY MANY OTHER DRIVERS THAT I HAVE READ ABOUT AND I AM SURE THIS NOT NEW TO THE TOYOTA COMPANY. I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER AND HAVE FILED A CASE NUMBER.
I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR ROUGHLY 10 MONTHS. IT WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TWO WINDSHIELDS IN THAT TIME. ONE WAS CRACKED IN EARLY OCTOBER 2015 AND REPLACED ON NOVEMBER 7, 2015(LENGTHY DUE TO REPLACEMENT UNAVAILABILITY). THE OTHER HAPPENED ON DECEMBER 23,2015 AND REPLACED ON DECEMBER 26,2015 BOTH CRACKS WERE DUE TO (WHAT I CONSIDER) RELATIVELY SMALL STONE CHIPS THAT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 90 NEAR NORTH EAST, PA. I HAVE OWNED IN EXCESS OF 15 VEHICLES IN MY 44 YEARS OF DRIVING. I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A WINDSHIELD IN ANY OF THE OTHERS (YES SOME REPAIRS WERE DONE). I AM QUESTIONING IF THE WINDSHIELDS IN THESE CARS ARE BEING MANUFACTURED TO THE SAME SPECIFICATIONS AS IN THE PAST AND IF NOT DO THEY STILL MEET THE CURRENT SAFETY STANDARDS.
YESTERDAY, WHILE I WAS PARKED AT A SECURE LOCATION THE BACK GLASS OF MY 2015 TOYOTA RAV4 BROKE UNEXPECTEDLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THERE APPEARED TO BE NO POINT OF IMPACT AND THE GLASS APPEARED TO HAVE EXPLODED OUTWARDS. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE CAR THAT WENT THROUGH THE WINDOW AND THERE WAS NOTHING AROUND THE CAR THAT MAY HAVE HIT THE WINDOW. OTHER THAN TWO SMALL AREAS WHERE THE GLASS FELL OUTWARD THE WINDOW WAS SHATTERED BUT TOGETHER. HOWEVER WHEN I GOT IN MY CAR AND MOVED IT ALL THE GLASS CRUMBLED AND FELL INTO THE TRUCK AREA.
LOUD BUFFETING WIND NOISE AND VIBRATION WHEN ANY REAR WINDOW IS PARTIALLY LOWERED OR OPEN. WILL DIMINISH OR GO AWAY IF EITHER FRONT WINDOW IS OPEN PARTIALLY OR ALL THE WAY. VIBRATING DRONING NOISE IS SO LOUD YOU CAN HEAR NOTHING ELSE. NOISE INCREASES WITH SPEED STARTING AT ABOUT 20 MPH AND UP. DESIGN FLAW OR IS A REPAIR AVAILABLE? DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE IN MY OPINION. NATURE OF THE VEHICLE? HOPE NOT.
SIGHT LINES - AGAIN. NO ONE UNDER APROX. 5'9" CAN SAFELY OPERATE THIS VEHICLE. I (AT 5'7") CAN NOT SEE THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE OR DETERMINE WHERE THE FRONT WHEELS ARE BECAUSE OF THE POOR DRIVER POSITION. THE REAL DANGER HAPPENS AT NIGHT AT UNLIGHTED INTERSECTIONS. TURNS ARE MISSED BECAUSE THE DRIVER CAN'T DETERMINE WHERE THE FRONT WHEELS ARE. I KNOW THIS DOESN'T SOUND DANGEROUS, BUT MARK MY WORDS, THERE ARE GOING MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THIS VEHICLE'S POOR DESIGN. *TR
FROM THE DRIVERS POSITION THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE CAN'T BE SEEN. I MISSED THREE CORNERS AT NIGHT BECAUSE I CAN'T DETERMINE WHERE THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE IS AND I WILL NO LONGER DRIVE IT AT NIGHT. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A LETHALLY DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW AND DEMAND THAT THE 2015 RAV4 BE REMOVED FROM THE ROADS UNTIL TOYOTA REDESIGNS THE FRONT HOOD, LIGHTS AND DASH AREAS SO THE DRIVER CAN SEE WHERE THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE IS. PS. I'M 5'7" TALL AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THE FRONT OF ANY VEHICLE I'M DRIVING. *TR
THE ARMREST ABOVE THE CENTER COMPARTMENT BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER HAS A LIGHT RESISTANCE TO PRESSURE. I WAS DRIVE WITH MY RIGHT ARM RESTING ON THIS AND MY WIFE NEEDED TO ADJUST HER POSITION IN HER SEAT. SHE LEANED ON THE ARMREST AND THE ARMREST WENT SLIDING TO THE FRONT AND STARTLED ME. I HAD A 2014 AVALON THAT HAD THE SAME TYPE ARMREST AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM. THE DEALER LOOKED AT THIS AND SAID ALL THE RAV4'S ARE LIKE THIS AND THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING. THE INDENTS FOR THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE ARMREST SHOULD BE STRONGER AND NOT SO TEMPERAMENTAL. THERE SHOULD BE A PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT BULLETIN TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *JS