2016 Toyota Rav4

Component: 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.

Consequence: A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 27, 2024, to 2013-2014 RAV4 owners. Additional owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, phase 2 will begin on May 14, 2025, and phase 3 in late July 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 23TB13 and 23TA13.

Full recall detail →

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Toyota Rav4. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was purchased from a private seller. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 98,000. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and a Carfax report indicated that in November 2025, the mileage was reported at 170,000.

The contact owned a 2016 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 30-40 MPH and attempting to change lanes, the contact looked through the sideview mirrors and then looked forward. The contact noticed that the vehicle in front of the vehicle had stopped. The contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle did not stop in time and rear-ended the other vehicle. The contact's dog was occupying the front passenger's side seat and was not wearing a seat belt. The contact stated that it was a fender-bender; however, the driver's side and passenger's side curtain air bags deployed in addition to the front air bags, causing the vehicle to be totaled. The contact stated that the front driver's side air bag deployed and hit the contact's face, and the contact's eyeglasses caused a bruise on the contact's eyebrow. The contact also sustained a bloody nose and soreness on the forehead. The contact sustained bruises from the shoulder to the elbow after being hit by the driver's side curtain air bag. A police officer called medical personnel, who took the contact's blood pressure, checked the contact's injuries, and confirmed that an ambulance was not needed. The contact had not sought medical assistance. The contact stated that the hood of the vehicle opened and closed upon impact, and one of the coolant hoses was leaking. The trunk of the other vehicle opened and closed upon impact, and the other vehicle sustained minor damage to the fender. The other vehicle was drivable, and the other driver did not sustain injuries. A police report was filed, but the police report information was not available. The vehicle was towed and deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The dealer and Pedersen Toyota(4455 S College Ave Fort Collins, CO 80525) were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the liftgate failed to properly close while pressing the electrical buttons on both the key fob and the two liftgate buttons located inside or outside the vehicle. The contact stated that the liftgate had to be closed manually to securely close the liftgate. The contact stated that after her daughter had loaded groceries inside vehicle, the liftgate failed to latch properly but was closed after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact's daughter was informed that the hinges and liftgate needed to be replaced. The contact was provided with an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided the contact with a case number. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

Rear seat belt passenger side would not unlatch, trapping the passenger. This was and is the only time we have ever used this seat belt.It took two people to help get her thru the upper part of seat belt,had to exit over the top of back seat passenger. This life saving mechanism was and is unsafe and could of caused death if in the event of accident with fire. We have Owned two other Toyota's. Never any other dangerous life threatening events. Our request is the right thing to do. Replace this inoperative major defective part at an authorized Toyota Dealership here in. Dayton Ohio? Do we need to report this to the Highway Safety Dept.? [XXX] & [XXX] . Please respond. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact leased a 2016 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System) and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list because the contact no longer had the vehicle. The dealer and the manufacturer were contacted.

The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

UNKNOWN - UNABLE TO COMPLETE REPAIR IN VEHICLE’S CURRENT LOCATION. This car is currently being stored in England and requires shipment back to the United States per my lienholder and military orders. Because of the recall that is currently open, the government’s provided shipment service (Mildenhall VPC) refuses to ship the vehicle unless I can get this repair performed locally. I’ve contacted numerous Toyota dealerships regarding this recall, and none of them have been able to address the repair due to the car not being made within the country, lack of OEM parts, etc. I’ve been back in the United States for over a month now, and the car is being stored with my friend/power of attorney until I’m able to get some resolution to this situation. I’ve tried to ship it numerous times now and they are refusing to do so unless the repair can be performed (which isn’t possible) or it is cleared from the VIN’s recall notice.

While shopping at the grocery store, I experienced an incident upon leaving the parking lot. After reaching my first red light, I noticed smoke rapidly billowing from under the hood of my vehicle. My husband, who was driving behind me, immediately saw the smoke and instructed me to pull over. Once I stopped, he asked me to pop the hood. Upon opening it, he urgently removed his shirt to try and extinguish the fire. The damage was extensive — a hole burned through the hood, significantly compromising the vehicle’s crash safety rating. Additionally, melted plastic covered the battery area, and the radiator hose was damaged, rendering the vehicle unsafe to drive.

The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Rav4. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owned a 2016 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System); and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer was not contacted; however, the manufacturer was contacted.

The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the battery charge was reduced, and the vehicle would not immediately start and the vehicle occasionally stalled. The contact also stated that the battery was replaced on four occasions. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The failure mileage was 91,475. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the battery warning light was illuminated, and the battery was replaced at the local independent mechanic. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted; however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.