2017 Toyota RAV4 problems and complaints

Owners have filed 307 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Toyota RAV4. The most-reported areas: Electrical System (108), Unknown Or Other (62), Service Brakes (38).

Key takeaways

  • 307 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
  • 33 involve a crash, 24 a fire, 28 reported injuries.
  • Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
Complaints by component
ComponentComplaintsShare
Electrical System10835%
Unknown Or Other6220%
Service Brakes3812%
Exterior Lighting3210%
Engine3110%
Air Bags207%
Structure196%
Power Train165%
Vehicle Speed Control134%
Steering124%
Fuel/Propulsion System124%
Visibility/Wiper103%

One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.

NHTSA 5-Star crash ratings
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
2017 Toyota Rav4 SUV FWD5/54/55/54/5
2017 Toyota Rav4 SUV AWD5/54/55/54/5

Latest complaints, as filed

Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.

Electrical System,service Brakes,forward Collision Avoidance - filed 2026-09-11

Toyota ABS Actuator Accumulator shows problems after a while. Most common on hybrid vehicles. Signs comes up such ABS Malfunction, Pre-Collision Malfunction, Low Braking Power, and lose traction control.

Exterior Lighting - filed 2026-09-09

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 it’s become quite rid...

Vehicle Speed Control,service Brakes - filed 2026-08-29

I was pulling into a parking spot in a parking garage and pressed on the brake. The brake pedal did not offer the usual resistance and went flat to the floor. The car began to accelerate and smashed into a concrete I-beam on the wall of the garage. I put the car in park and kept my foot on the brake but it still kept t...

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More for the 2017 Toyota RAV4

Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.