2013 Toyota RAV4 Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 8,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

The system that failed is the 12-volt battery hold-down assembly and associated electrical infrastructure, exactly as described under NHTSA Safety Recall Campaign Number 23V-729 (Toyota Recalls 23TA13 / 23TB13). The vehicle is fully preserved in its post-fire state and is completely available for physical inspection upon request.Safety…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2013 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that a mileage discrepancy was discovered after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 105,836; however, Carfax reported the mileage as 311,581.Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 311,581 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 17,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

Over the course of the past two days, 2013 Toyota RAV4 has engine cut-off while moving on surface streets, tollroads, and Interstate Highways. Thus far, this has occurred 9 times without any warning whatsoever. Car is in otherwise fine mechanical condition, with all four new tires, new brake rotors & ceramic brake pads, new battery &…Owner complaint, filed 2025

I was traveling south on [XXX] when the vehicle stalled. I started the engine and proceeded. I noticed my Rav4 smoking from the engine so I turned off into a Extra Space Storage parking at 1415 Bergen Boulevard, Fort Lee N.J. 07024 were it stalled again. I then exited the vehicle and opened the hood and observed a burst flames coming…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 43,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

The vehicle shudders significantly when accelerating/cruising between 35-45 mph. The shudder started slight and did not pose an issue for a while, but now its significant enough that is causes erratic steering. The vehicle waved back and forth from the vibration yesterday and went across the median line into oncoming traffic. I was able…Owner complaint, filed 2025

My 2013 RAV4 has been experiencing shuddering and vibrations at low speeds. Turns out it is the torque converter which Toyota was aware some 2013-2014 RAV4 have the problem. But instead of doing a recall they did a customer support program recall which they were able to put an expiration on the recall. Now my car needs the torque…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 36,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (18).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

The vehicle has experienced premature and widespread paint peeling and clear coat failure on multiple body panels. The paint began deteriorating without impact, collision, or environmental damage and has progressively worsened over time. This condition is consistent with a known manufacturing defect affecting certain Toyota vehicles…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that large pieces of paint had separated from the hood and contacted the front windshield while driving, creating a visibility hazard for the driver. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 120,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 20,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

Brakes failed to stop while parking vehicle with a speed of less than 5 mph hitting landscaping with a young pine tree that made the vehicle stopped. Hit and went over some matured bushes on the landscaped parking lot. The SUV cannot be stopped even brakes were depressed all the way. I needed to have my vehicle towed out of the bushes…Owner complaint, filed 2021

The brake line on the on the driver's side leaked brake fluid on the rotors and pads leading to an increased risk of crash due to lubricated brakesOwner complaint, filed 2021

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 20,000 miles. Parts named most: Sun / moon roof assembly (5).

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

The other night driving home i notice that my headlights gotten dimmed. I turned on my fog lights so that i could see the road. after turning on my fog lights i had limited vision on the road. I feel that it's a safety concern that needs to be address so that i won't get into an accident. How should i proceed with the issue?Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the contact heard an exploding sound and became aware that the sunroof had exploded. The contact stated that the shattered glass fell onto the shade cover that was closed during the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the sunroof was…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 4,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

I did not realize that the rav4 class action was even filed. I own a rav 4 2003 and I never received a letter informing that there was a problem with this vehicle. I have 103,000 miles on it. I take it to the dealer on a regular base .recently 3/25, 2016 it started to run rough, and was difficult to accelerate. I took it to my toyota…Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 103 miles

The contact owns a 2013 toyota rav4. The contact stated that when the accelerator pedal was depressed, it remained stuck. As a result, the vehicle's speed increased and crashed into a retaining wall. The contact did not disclose if a police report was filed or if there were any injuries. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 15,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 25,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owned a 2013 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH the vehicle crashed into the rear passenger side of a second vehicle that had abruptly stopped. During the crash, the vehicle sustained severe front-end damage but the air bags did not deploy. The contact indicated that the front driver's…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 50,200 miles

On Jan 3, 2022 while my daughter and granddaughter were using my 2013 Rav4, traffic was stopped on Rt 11, and they stopped and the car behind them stopped. But the drunk driver in a Dodge pickup did not stop, pushing the car behind my car into on coming traffic and then slamming into the back of my Rav4, pushing it into the bumper of a…Owner complaint, filed 2022

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 38,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the steering wheel intermittently stiffened while driving straight and while making left and right turns. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the steering column assembly failed and needed to be…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 75,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that an abnormal clicking sound was coming from the steering column without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer where he was informed that the steering gear and rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The contact was also informed that there were no recalls…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 103,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 6,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The Fuel Pump entire system failed. I have a receipt of $731.50 to have it fixed. I was stranded coming off Belt Parkway in New York City, I feared for my car as the cars came flying off of the exit ramp. The Toyota Company has sent recalls on most of their Fuel Pumps except my 2013 Toyota Rav4. All of my alerts went on immediately but…Owner complaint, filed 2021

The contact owns a 2013 toyota rav4. The contact stated that the engine warning lamp illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the fuel cap needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The [VIN] was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 19,000.Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 19,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Rav4 equipped with four Continental Tires, Tire Line: Cross Contact LX; Tire Size: 225/65/R17, DOT Number: A32YHOOB0224. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and unattended, the passenger’s side front tire exploded. The hub cap detached and flew off the rim. There were no warning lights…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 102,580 miles

On June 17 the tread separated on a tire that was purchased on 4/2/21. I was driving on the interstate at 65 mph with the tire separated.Owner complaint, filed 2021

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2013 toyota rav4. The contact stated that the rear driver and passenger seat belts failed to lock. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the mechanism and panel needed to be replaced. The local dealer and [VIN] were not contacted. The failure…Owner complaint, filed 2019

Continually since we have owned this vehicle, the drivers seat belt will not release to engage the seat belt. We have struggle with this, and as such on numerous occasions have driven the vehicle without the seat belt fastened, for as many as five blocks. This is unsafe. The dealer, and toyota advises me that "you do not know how to use…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 250 miles

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

When viewing my 2013 rav4 from the rear, I noticed that the car seems tilted to the left, in other words the rav4 sits higher on the right side than the left. I measured from the top of each wheel well to the ground and founds an almost 1" difference between the right side and the left on both the front and rear of the rav4. The [VIN]…Owner complaint, filed 2013, at 20,623 miles

Struts are making a lot of noise in the rear of the car, also heat shield grommets are loose and produces a banging sound under the car. All the noises are noticeable while driving at low speeds. Torque converter and 6 solenoids had to be replacedOwner complaint, filed 2021

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

MY brakes failed me and then bumped the car in front of me the warning system didn't alert me about hitting the car in front of me. and now that person is sueing me for alot of money. now the date is approximate day the dealerhip told me the brakes were fine how is that when they didn't stop the car and keep me from hitting the car in…Owner complaint, filed 2024