2024 Toyota RAV4: What to check before buying

Stalling after driving in rain is the dominant report, usually while idling in park or stopped. Before the stall the car shakes, RPM surges between 1k and 2k, and the dash reads "Engine Stopped, Steering Power Low." Many cars will not restart for 5 to 30 minutes, then run normally, and dealers often find nothing. Some owners report repeat events and tows. Reports range from new cars to about 44,780 miles. A separate report describes a constant pull to the right starting near 12,000 miles that repeated alignments did not fix.

Instrument clusters and center screens go blank, hiding speed, fuel, and warning lights. Many reports cite recall 25V595000 and say the repair part is not yet available. Some owners were told not to drive the car until it is fixed. Other complaints include CarPlay and Bluetooth disconnecting repeatedly, wipers and the radio switching on and off by themselves, and a failed front camera that costs about $2000 and disables driver aids. Owners also report a battery dying in cold weather at 60 mph and repeated stalling after rain.

Hoods flutter and flex while driving. The movement is visible at 40 mph and worse on the highway, and it throws strobe-like sun glare into the driver's eyes. Dealers adjusted the rubber stoppers or said no recall applies, and repeat visits often fail to fix it. Several reports describe the moonroof exploding with a gunshot-like bang while driving, with no object involved, at speeds from 5 mph up to highway pace. One occupant was injured, and warranty coverage was denied. Single reports mention false automatic emergency braking and no door courtesy lights.

Sudden unintended acceleration at low speed is the main pattern, usually while parking or pulling into a driveway or car wash. Drivers say the car surged even while they braked, then hit walls, fences, trees, or parked cars. Seven of the 10 complaints involve crashes, with 5 injuries. One car rolled onto its side and others were declared total losses. Reported mileages run from under 300 to about 13,600. Dealer and manufacturer inspections have not found a cause. Other reports describe lost power during left turns and hard false braking on the highway.

Airbags do not deploy in frontal crashes, according to several reports, including impacts with trees and walls. Seven complaints are crash-related, with 5 injuries. Some of these crashes followed what owners describe as sudden acceleration, and two reports say seat belts did not restrain occupants. Other complaints describe the opposite problem: side curtain airbags firing after a minor front impact, and a dash airbag deploying in a parked, locked car. The passenger occupancy indicator reads an adult as a child seat, and the SRS warning light comes on.

Front brakes squeal or squeak under light to moderate braking at low speed, starting between about 10,000 and 28,000 miles. ABS kicks in with a grinding noise on dry pavement over dips or slopes. One owner noticed this within the first few thousand miles. Three crash reports describe the car not stopping, creeping forward, or rolling backward in reverse with the pedal fully pressed. Other reports include a "brake suspended" message during a skid and false automatic braking when pulling into traffic. Dealers often cannot reproduce the problem.

Two crash reports describe sudden acceleration while parking at under 5 mph with the brake pressed. In one, a "Hybrid System Fail" warning had appeared two days earlier. The rain-related stall also shows up here: a "Not ready to drive" message, a shifter stuck in park, and a car that restarts normally later. Other reports describe e-CVT grinding, weak acceleration uphill, and slipping downhill on an AWD hybrid at 13k miles. Owners also report an oil leak dealers could not fix and a car rolling after shutoff while still in Drive.

Glass fails without an obvious cause. Windshields crack on their own, sometimes appearing to start at the defroster, or split in two after a small stone hit near the wiper sensor mount. Owners also report the back glass and the panoramic moonroof shattering, the moonroof along all 4 edges. One windshield develops a spreading haze inside the glass that makes night driving hard. Water also stays trapped in all four doors after rain or a wash and streaks the side windows for over 24 hours. Dealers tend to blame outside causes.