Toyota RAV4 Exterior Lighting Problems
Owners have filed 142 complaints with NHTSA about exterior lighting problems on the Toyota RAV4 across 22 model years. The 2017 model year has the most (32). The words owners use most often: “high beams” (14% of reports).
- 142exterior lighting complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 36%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- High beams: mentioned in 20 of 142 complaints (14%)
- Low beam: mentioned in 13 of 142 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems happen?
Based on 84 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 142 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 7 a fire.
Toyota RAV4 exterior lighting complaints by model year
| Model year | Exterior Lighting complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 RAV4 | 4 | 4% | — |
| 2024 RAV4 | 2 | 1% | 13,189 |
| 2023 RAV4 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2021 RAV4 | 6 | 2% | — |
| 2020 RAV4 | 2 | 0% | 8,500 |
| 2019 RAV4 | 3 | 0% | 7,550 |
| 2018 RAV4 | 23 | 7% | 5,600 |
| 2017 RAV4 | 32 | 10% | 6,000 |
| 2016 RAV4 | 28 | 12% | 13,400 |
| 2015 RAV4 | 6 | 2% | 49,000 |
| 2014 RAV4 | 8 | 4% | 45,000 |
| 2013 RAV4 | 5 | 2% | 150 |
| 2012 RAV4 | 2 | 1% | 50,000 |
| 2011 RAV4 | 2 | 1% | 4,000 |
| 2010 RAV4 | 1 | 0% | 30,000 |
| 2008 RAV4 | 3 | 1% | 70,000 |
| 2007 RAV4 | 4 | 0% | 71,400 |
| 2006 RAV4 | 5 | 1% | 102,000 |
| 2002 RAV4 | 2 | 0% | 1,189 |
| 2001 RAV4 | 1 | 0% | 260,000 |
| 1998 RAV4 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1997 RAV4 | 1 | 2% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Trailer hitches; exterior lighting
Model years: 2013, 2014, 2015
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The tail light assembly on these vehicles seems to be a reoccurring issue reported by other owners on online forums and unfortunately we seem to fall under the same category. Water and moisture constantly gets into the rear brake/turn lighting assembly and has been constantly burning out the bulbs…
Driving my one owner 2025 Rav 4 Hybrid- pulling into a parking spot while gently pressing on the brake to slow car. Car was slowing then suddenly accelerated while brake pedal still being pressed, lunged forward and hit a wall in front of the parking space. No warning lamps/alarms went off and…
This is not about my car. It is about other cars. I have seen multiple SUVs traveling on the highway with their front lights on, but no rear lights. This happened the other day when it was dark and with heavy rain. This is a safety issue. A Gemini AI search says this is a problem with many new…
I am writing to formally express my concern regarding the premature oxidation developing inside the tail lights on my 2023 Toyota RAV4 XLE. The oxidation is present on both the driver and passenger side tail light assemblies. As the oxidation continues to worsen, it reduces the clarity and…
While I am driving my Toyota RAV4, the car will suddenly shut off and I can restart it and keep driving as the month is going on. The incidents are happening more often and now the dashboard is going black. Iâve had a couple of warning signs on the dashboard. I brought the car to Toyota and Pep…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Toyota RAV4s have exterior lighting problems?
No. NHTSA has 142 owner complaints about exterior lighting for the Toyota RAV4. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Toyota RAV4 exterior lighting?
Yes: 1 safety recall list exterior lighting. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about exterior lighting problems on the Toyota RAV4?
The most frequent phrase is “high beams”, in 20 of 142 complaints, followed by “low beam” (13).
Other Toyota RAV4 problems
- Power Train problems (1,395)
- Electrical System problems (1,375)
- Engine problems (1,337)
- Steering problems (948)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (901)
- Air Bags problems (837)
- Suspension problems (549)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (518)
See all Toyota RAV4 problems.