34 complaints reported

2016 Toyota RAV4 Electrical System

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
34
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Mar 2022

I was driving from Ft Myers to Tallahassee on I-have 75 in Florida on March 8, 2022. All of a sudden, I heard the Lane Departure Assist go off in my car (which I had previously turned off because the alert is annoying) and my phone stopped working (it was plugged into a USB port in the car playing a podcast). A few minutes later, I stopped at a rest area and noticed my trip odometers had reset and a bunch of other settings I had previously set in my car had also reset back to factory settings, such as the cruise control settings, blind spot monitor, and parking assist. There might be more...I just haven't noticed those yet. When I got back home, I saw an envelope from Toyota titled, "12-Volt Battery Size and Installation Inspection Consumer Advisory." I did get my battery replaced in Winter 2020 by a non-Toyota dealer so now I'm wondering if that has anything to do with this Consumer Advisory.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2022
Apr 2021 Fire Injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER HUSBAND WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, HE STARTED SMELLING AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR BEFORE FLAMES STARTED COMING UP FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND OUT OF THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE VENTS. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER AND STARTED POURING WATER FROM A COOLER ONTO THE FIRE TO TRY TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES HOWEVER, THE FLAMES REIGNITED. ANOTHER MOTORIST PULLED OVER TO ASSIST AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. A BUSINESS OWNER ALSO STOPPED BY, AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED HOWEVER, THE FIRE WAS ALREADY EXTINGUISHED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER STATED THAT A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS DESTROYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BURNS ON BOTH HANDS HOWEVER, MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT SOUGHT. THE DRIVER CONTACTED FIESTA KIA (7400 LOMAS BLVD NE, ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87110, (505)999-2700) WHERE THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PURCHASED ONLY 22 DAYS EARLIER. THE DEALER ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT REMAINED STILL UNREPAIRED. THE INSURANCE PROVIDER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT A FIRE INVESTIGATOR WOULD BE SENT OUT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE, WHICH WAS STILL PENDING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE INSURANCE PROVIDER HAD NOT YET DECIDED WHETHER OR NOT THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED OR INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Apr 2021
Feb 2021 Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE HER HUSBAND WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING; HOWEVER, HER HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE UPON DEPRESSION OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. AS THEY CONTINUED TO DRIVE, THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWO MORE TIMES AND AFTER THE THIRD FAILURE, A BLACKISH SMOKE BEGAN TO EMIT FROM UNDERNEATH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE HOOD. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE AND EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH A WATER BOTTLE. THE AUTHORITIES WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REMOVED THE BATTERY FROM THE VEHICLE. A FIRE AND POLICE REPORT WERE FILED; NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SHEEHY TOYOTA OF STAFFORD(95 GARRISONVILLE RD, STAFFORD, VA 22554) WHERE THEY INITIALLY GAVE THE CONTACT AN ESTIMATE TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE PARTS IN ORDER TO CHECK IF THE VEHICLE WAS STILL OPERABLE. DUE TO THE HIGH COST OF THE REPAIR, HER INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE TOTAL LOSS AND WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,156. *BF THE CONSUMER PROVIDED THE REPORT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2020
Feb 2020

REAR HATCH MOTOR FAILED. HATCH WILL NOT OPEN. TOYOTA ADMITS FAULT/DEFECT, BUT REFUSES TO COVER COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH FIXING IT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Feb 2020
Dec 2019

MY CAR PHONE DOES NOT WORK WITH MY IPHONE 11 PRO MAX. I HAVE A 2016 TOYOTA RAV4 HYBRID. THE BLUETOOTH ON MY NEW PHONE WELL NOT PAIR WITH MY ETUNE SOFTWARE. TBE PHONE CAN'T EVEN DISCOVER IT. WHEN IT FINALLY FAILS MY SCREEN ON MY CAT PHONE SAYS NO MICROPHONE DETECTED. ROTORS SAYS IT'S AN APPLE SOFTWARE PROBLEM. JUS A SAFETY ISSUE. I DRIVE AND WORK OUT OF MY CAR SIX DAYS A WEEK.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Dec 2019
Sep 2018

2016 TOYOTA RAV4 XLE. CONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER PURCHASE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. *LD THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED, BY THE DEALER, THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE VEHICLE BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTENING. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DID NOT AGREE. *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2016
Sep 2017

THIS OCCURRED A FEW WEEKS AFTER ISSUE # 11022546 OCCURRED AND SEEMS TO BE A RELATED ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. WHILE WAITING FOR A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT TO TURN GREEN, (THIS TIME) THE ENGINE DID NOT STOP BUT THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY AND RADIO SCREEN WENT COMPLETELY BLACK AND AFTER ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS ALL POWER RETURNED TO DASH AND RADIO.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Sep 2017
Nov 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STRUCK A CURB WHILE DRIVING AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS NO LONGER IN ALIGNMENT. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE UPDATED AND REALIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE ADDITIONAL FAILURES THAT WERE NOT DISCLOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jul 2016
Aug 2016

MY 2016 TOYOTA RAV 4 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON.. I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT A RODENT CHEWED THE WIRES AND THAT THE ENTIRE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR 2080. ALSO THAT THE WARRANTY DOESN'T COVER IT EVEN THOUGH IT'S ONLY 7 MONTHS OLD AND THEY KNOW IT'S DO TO FAULTY WIRES OR USING SOY PRODUCTS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2016 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2016

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2016 Toyota RAV4 has 34 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.