2015 Toyota RAV4 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RAV4 years
- About as many complaints as other years 14th of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4–5 out of 5 stars (varies by version)
Owners have filed 305 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Toyota RAV4. That ranks 14th out of 31 RAV4 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (85 complaints, 28%), typically at around 46,945 miles. Complaints mention 37 crashes, 41 fires, 30 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 305owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 37complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2015 Toyota RAV4 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 85 | 28% | 46,945 | “electrical contacted” (13%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 60 | 20% | 30,075 | — | — |
| Steering | 47 | 15% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 37 | 12% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 31 | 10% | 27,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 30 | 10% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 25 | 8% | 41,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 21 | 7% | 19,435 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 15 | 5% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 12 | 4% | 15,650 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 2% | 49,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 2% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 2% | 24,854 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 2% | 23,960 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 1% | 30,938 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 1% | 9,100 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 1% | 189,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 3,600 | — | — |
| Firerelated | 1 | 0% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 0% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2015 Toyota RAV4 recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery
Problem: 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. 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.
Steering:electric power assist system
Problem: 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. If the number is within the affected range, the EPS ECU will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on May 7, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
Trailer hitches; exterior lighting
Problem: 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. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-15A.
Equipment
Problem: 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. The recall began February 23, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-14B.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events (PE21005) — opened Feb 25, 2021, closed Aug 12, 2024, led to recall 23V734.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The steering "micro" sticking in steps for last 4 years. Talked to the Cedar Park Toyota dealership, they informed that there was no recall on the vehicle. But I found recall # 15V-144. I never received a recall notice. Always observes sticking a low speeds. Concerned about steering lock up. What…
While driving my 2015 Toyota RAV4 XLE 2WD (2.5L, about 207,000 miles), the electric power steering assist failed instantly with no warning, making the steering wheel feel locked. At the same moment, the infotainment screen went black and rebooted. It has happened at freeway speeds and at low…
In July 2026, the rear power liftgate on my Toyota RAV4 suddenly stopped operating properly and would not close. I was unable to push the hatch down normally and then noticed that one of the hinges appeared bent and the liftgate was misaligned. Because I needed to close the vehicle, I tried to…
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the radio was inoperable. The contact stated that the gauges failed to properly operate. While driving 65 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. Additionally, the rearview camera image was reversed before becoming inoperable…
Carâs sunroof exploded while driving, was going about 55 on the highway and I heard a loud pop followed by the sound of breaking glass which I found to be my whole sunroof exploding from the inside out. This is dangerous because of the possibility of glass landing on people or in the car leading…
Other Toyota RAV4 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 RAV4 | 90 | 3 |
| 2024 RAV4 | 176 | 3 |
| 2023 RAV4 | 159 | 3 |
| 2022 RAV4 | 149 | 1 |
| 2021 RAV4 | 387 | 1 |
| 2020 RAV4 | 635 | 6 |
| 2019 RAV4 | 879 | 7 |
| 2018 RAV4 | 333 | 3 |
| 2017 RAV4 | 307 | 3 |
| 2016 RAV4 | 240 | 3 |
| 2015 | 305 | 4 |
| 2014 RAV4 | 197 | 4 |
| 2013 RAV4 | 257 | 2 |
| 2012 RAV4 | 260 | 5 |
| 2011 RAV4 | 287 | 11 |
| 2010 RAV4 | 400 | 14 |
| 2009 RAV4 | 327 | 15 |
| 2008 RAV4 | 575 | 14 |
| 2007 RAV4 | 1,004 | 14 |
| 2006 RAV4 | 705 | 11 |
| 2005 RAV4 | 141 | 5 |
| 2004 RAV4 | 154 | 2 |
| 2003 RAV4 | 315 | 0 |
| 2002 RAV4 | 527 | 0 |
| 2001 RAV4 | 309 | 0 |
| 2000 RAV4 | 30 | 3 |
| 1999 RAV4 | 62 | 4 |
| 1998 RAV4 | 77 | 4 |
| 1997 RAV4 | 54 | 0 |
| 1996 RAV4 | 47 | 0 |
| 1995 RAV4 | 1 | 0 |
See all Toyota RAV4 problems by year, every Toyota model, or the Toyota VIN decoder.
Similar Toyota models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Toyota RAV4?
Owners most often report electrical system, unknown or other, steering problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 85 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2015 Toyota RAV4?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2015 Toyota RAV4 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other RAV4 model years, the 2015 has about as many complaints as a typical year, and NHTSA rates it 4–5 out of 5 stars (varies by version) overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.