2018 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Visibility/Wiper (2) · Power Train (2) · Vehicle Speed Control (1)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Toyota Rav4 Hybrid model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year (campaigns announced since 2010).
Service bulletins (76)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Engine 2026-02-13 · T-SB-0009-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge on ni-mh high voltage (hv) batteries. this bulletin should be used in conjunction with the applicable model and model year repair manual while performing a rescue charge. the grx-5100 should be used wherever the repair manual ref
Engine 2026-02-13 · T-SB-0119-15 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
obsolete notice february 13, 2026: this bulletin is now obsolete. please see t-sb-0009-26.
Unknown Or Other 2026-01-07 · T-SB-0055-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2005 – 2026 toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. the purpose of this service bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures
Electrical System 2025-06-13 · T-SB-0058-23 Rev1 · Service Campaign
the air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. the procedures outlined in this service bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant leaks.
Structure:body 2024-12-06 · T-SB-0039-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
the condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. if these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof,
Structure:body 2024-12-06 · T-SB-0038-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
to prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. the purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer.
Showing the 6 most recent of 76 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-08-12 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · 52,700 mi“the contact owns a 2018 toyota rav4 hybrid. the contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the messages "pre-collision", "braking power low", and "awd system malfunction" were displayed. the cause of the failure was not yet determined. the local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. the contact stated that the failure had …”
2025-06-18 · Engine And Engine Cooling · 115,000 mi“the contact owns a 2018 toyota rav4 hybrid. the contact stated that while receiving an oil change by a certified mechanic, the contact was informed that there was no coolant in the coolant reservoir. the mechanic confirmed that the radiator, hoses, and thermostat had failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure p…”
2025-02-14 · Electrical System · 32,000 mi“the contact owns a 2018 toyota rav4 hybrid. the contact stated that the vehicle was difficult to start. the contact recharged the vehicle and the vehicle restarted. the vehicle was taken to toyo cars, where it was diagnosed with an auxiliary battery failure. the dealer was contacted to order the part, but the part was not available. the vehicle was…”
2019-05-27 · Power Train · 15,000 mi“while driving on long trip going south on hwy 101, vehicle started bucking and jerking going 70ish mph. ev light would come on like it wanted to switch to ev mode. it happened going down a steep grade near san luis obispo. it stopped when we got to flat ground. about 25 miles later it did it again and i was able to record a quick video of instrumen…”
2019-04-26 · Power Train · 6,300 mi · 💥 crash“i pulled into a parking spot. it was sloped backward. the car was stopped completely, and silent. i was distracted by a minor task, and then exited the car, inadvertently with the power on and the transmission in drive, not park. when i noticed that i could not lock the car, and realized that the car was still energized, i reached over and pressed …”
2019-04-07 · Unknown Or Other · 26,500 mi“while actively braking at low speed to line up to a ticket dispenser in a parking garage, the car suddenly accelerated as if the gas pedal was floored. i slammed the brake and the car stopped at about 10 feet. the parking arm went over the hood about halfway. when i tried to reverse i saw the gear shift had moved and the engine was off.…”
2019-03-16 · Vehicle Speed Control · 18,900 mi“i was driving on the freeway with adaptive cruise control on. out of the corner of my eye, i saw a vertical red line flash once on the dash display. suddenly the car braked and came to a complete stop. there was also a loss of power as i could not steer the car to the shoulder. there was nothing in front of me at the time. thankfully the t…”
2019-01-27 · Structure:body · 11,000 mi“we were driving on i 80 approximately 1 mile west of dixon at about 65mph. the day was sunny and temperature approximately 60f. there was no overpass nearby. we then heard an explosion like a shotgun blast and glass came into the passenger compartment through the partially open sunshade on the roof. no one was injured. we took the next exit and dis…”
2018-10-03 · Unknown Or Other · 100 mi“the buzzer volume alerting the driver of crossing a line in the lane departure feature is so low it cannot always be heard. toyota states the volume cannot be increased.…”
2018-09-10 · Unknown Or Other“toyota lost track of where vin is at, then who has keys ect, having law enforcement investigate…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.