UsedScore

2015 Toyota RAV4: Best bet

Owners filed 116 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Toyota RAV4 in its first five years on the road, about 38 for every 100,000 sold: 0.6× the rate of a typical RAV4 year. That's among the fewest of any RAV4 year.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the brakes (19% of complaints, median 18,000 miles).

Complaint index
0.6×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical RAV4 year
Rank
5th of 14
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
116
first five years; 38 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
4
campaigns
4th generation, 2013–2018 · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2013 Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD

Photo: 2013 Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD · Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Brakes19% · 22 complaints · median 18,000 miles
  2. Air bags10% · 12 complaints · median 22,000 miles
  3. Steering17% · 20 complaints · median 20,000 miles
  4. Speed control10% · 12 complaints · median 12,000 miles
  5. Body and structure13% · 15 complaints · median 5,000 miles
  6. Engine9% · 10 complaints · median 25,000 miles
  7. Electrical11% · 13 complaints · median 15,000 miles
  8. Powertrain5% · 6 complaints · median 20,000 miles
  9. Seats and belts3% · 4 complaints
  10. Fuel and propulsion6% · 7 complaints

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Air bags

Many owners report their RAV4's air bags failed to deploy during crashes, including head-on, side, and rollover incidents. Several describe resulting injuries and vehicles being totaled, with some also mentioning unrelated sudden acceleration events.

What shops did:
Some owners report the vehicle was not repaired or that dealers could not diagnose the failure; others did not contact the dealer or manufacturer.
Mileage:
most between 5,000 and 35,000 miles, among 12 complaints that give it

“Head on collision at 48mph after being sideswiped. Neither front or side airbags deployed.”

“The air bags did not deploy in the toyota. Driver was wearing seatbelt, but lack of airbag caused drivers arm and chest to hit steering wheel”

Brakes

Owners describe brakes that sometimes fail to stop the car, feel stuck, or make grinding and squeaking noises, sometimes leading to crashes. Dealers often could not find a cause or the problem returned after repairs.

Warning signs:
Owners report grinding, squeaking, or thumping noises, warning lights (ABS, ECU), pedal feeling stuck or traveling far before engaging, and occasional sudden acceleration when braking.
What shops did:
Dealers often replaced pads and rotors or brake components, but many owners say the problem could not be diagnosed or recurred after repair.
Mileage:
most between 5,000 and 55,000 miles, among 26 complaints that give it

“The brakes failed to work without warning”

“The brakes started to grind around 27,500 miles”

Steering

Owners describe their RAV4's power steering cutting out or seizing without warning, sometimes tied to a warning light and dashboard flicker, and some say this led to crashes. Many were told their car's VIN wasn't included in the related recall, so dealers often could not diagnose or fix the problem.

Warning signs:
Many report a power steering warning light, dashboard lights flashing, a clicking or cracking noise from the steering column, or sudden heaviness in the wheel just before the failure.
What shops did:
Some dealers replaced a steering part or steering rack, but many owners say the dealer could not reproduce the problem, found no VIN match to the recall, or left it unrepaired.
Mileage:
most between 10,000 and 85,000 miles, among 27 complaints that give it

“the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn”

“The steering column makes a clicking noise when I turn the wheel while stopped like 2 pieces of plastic are rubbing together.”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls (4)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 23V734000November 20231,853,568 vehicles

    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.

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

    Fix: Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 15V144000March 2015110,085 vehicles

    Steering: electric power assist system

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2015 Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid, and 2014-2015 Rav4 vehicles. A component of the electric power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may have been damaged during the manufacturing process. Over time, this damage may result in failure of the electric power steering system.

    Risk: An unexpected loss of power steering increases the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number of the EPS ECU or steering column assembly.

  • NHTSA 15V011000January 20151,140 vehicles

    Trailer hitches · Exterior lighting

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Toyota Rav4 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2013, to December 29, 2014, and equipped with an accessory trailer light module. The software within the module may incorrectly detect an electrical short and preventively turn off the electrical current and the trailer lights.

    Risk: If the system incorrectly detects an electrical short and turns off the trailer lights while the trailer is being towed at night, there is an increased risk of a crash.

    Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer light module with a new unit with corrected software, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 14V828000December 20143,958 vehicles

    Equipment

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner, Tacoma, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, RAV4, Scion FRS, and XB vehicles. The affected vehicles may have accessories installed by SET, such as running boards or other items, that were incorrectly installed. The accessory attaching fasteners were not tightened with the proper torque, possibly causing the accessory to detach from the vehicle.

    Risk: Accessories that detach from a vehicle may result in a vehicle crash and/or personal injury.

    Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the affected bolts, free of charge.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Toyota sent NHTSA 313 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2015 RAV4. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • TSB003220 · August 2023TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1979 ?
  • T-SB-0094-21 Rev · November 2022TSB: Some 2005 ?
  • TTT063620 · March 2022TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions
  • Toyota Safety Re · March 2021Toyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
  • T-SB-0023-15 Rev · March 2021TSB: Some 2013 ?
  • Updated ZH1 U760 · March 2021DP: In these vehicles, Toyota has received some reports where vehicles may exhibit a brief intermittent shudder during torque converter flex lock up.
  • T-TT-0636-20 Rev · March 2021TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
  • T-TT-0636-20 · December 2020TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.

All 2015 RAV4 bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2015 Toyota RAV4 reliable?
Owners filed 116 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Toyota RAV4 in its first five years on the road, about 38 for every 100,000 sold: 0.6× the rate of a typical RAV4 year. That's among the fewest of any RAV4 year. Ratings compare RAV4 years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2015 RAV4 problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the brakes (19%), the air bags (10%) and the steering (17%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2015 Toyota RAV4 been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2015 Toyota RAV4, the most recent in November 2023 (electrical system). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Toyota. The 2015 Toyota RAV4 on NHTSA.gov · How we rate