Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Problems — All Years, Common Issues & Reliability

un-commanded drivers seat movement

In regards to recal 25TA08/25TB08, Toyota has yet to release a fix for the very critical digital instrument cluster going blank forever. I got a notice in the mail that they had a software update for me but when I was able to schedule an appointment with the dealer, the dealer advised that within 10 days of Toyota releasing the “fix” they rescinded/repealed the “fix”. So by the time I got the letter giving me hope that my car would live, I realistically had 2 days to get it in to get updated with a fix that probably wouldn’t have worked. With such a critical part/software issue, I feel Toyota is massively dragging their feet and I am driving a ticking time bomb and possibly having this car become unsafe to drive and potentially useless all together.

Incident Detail: In April 2026, my 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime (VIN: [XXX] ) suffered a critical failure where the charging cable became physically locked in the vehicle’s high-voltage (HV) charging port. I transported the vehicle to Ken Garff Cheyenne (authorized Toyota dealer), where management allowed non-certified, non-technical staff to perform unauthorized physical interventions on the HV port. No manufacturer-certified technician was provided for a safe diagnostic. ​Safety Hazard and Immediate Consequence: Following these unauthorized interventions, my wife (an educated automotive technician) determined the vehicle was in a hazardous state, risking thermal runaway or electrical fire. This hazard was so severe that the owner of the property where I was staying in Cheyenne—a [XXX] dependent senior—was too frightened to allow the vehicle to remain on the premises. Due to this immediate safety risk and the dealership's refusal to coordinate a safe tow, I had to have the vehicle towed to a neutral facility to protect the life and property of a vulnerable widow. ​Legal and Technical Context: I am a permanent resident of San Diego, California, and this vehicle is covered under the California Song-Beverly Act. The vehicle is also subject to Federal Recall 23V478 (DC-DC Converter Fire Risk). The dealership’s unauthorized tampering with the HV system, combined with ambient temperatures in Cheyenne often falling below the 41°F safety threshold for this system, created an unmitigated fire risk that the manufacturer has failed to address. ​Request: I am seeking a federal investigation into the dealer’s failure to follow High-Voltage safety protocols. I demand that Toyota Motor North America provide a Field Technical Specialist (FTS) to perform a safe diagnostic at the neutral facility where the car is now located, as the dealership’s actions rendered the vehicle a public safety hazard. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Sunroof shattered (exploded) with a boom sound or gunshot when driving on highway.

The 12.3-inch display of the instrument panel went blank when I was driving and away from home. Operating the vehicle with this display blank resulted in usafe diriving conditions including inability to see speed, gas tank status, charge status and all malfunction indicators. Since the malfunction occured while driving, I was at an increased risk of a crash or an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash. I had to drive home and then later to the dealership with this malfunction occuring.

I am reporting a serious safety issue involving my vehicle where the braking system did not respond as expected during an emergency. While traveling southbound on I-575 in Georgia, I experienced a sudden tire blowout. As I moved to the shoulder and applied the brakes firmly, the vehicle did not slow down as expected. Despite pressing the brake pedal continuously and with significant force, the vehicle continued traveling for approximately 1–2 miles before finally coming to a stop near Exit 11. This was a highly dangerous situation, as the brakes appeared to be ineffective during a critical moment. Fortunately, there was no crash or injury. After the incident, the vehicle was towed to a Toyota service center (Cherokee Toyota) where the damaged tire was repaired/replaced. I was informed that no other mechanical issues were found. However, I remain concerned that the braking system may have a defect or intermittent issue that was not detected during a standard inspection. Given the severity of the incident, I request a thorough investigation into the braking system performance under such conditions. A failure or significant delay in braking response presents a major safety risk.

My 2023 RAV4 Prime is impacted by the 12.9" display screen issue currently under recall. After experiencing two incidents of my screen going blank, my dealership advised that my car was not safe to drive and I have been driving a dealer rental car for over 10 weeks now. This is not a satisfactory solution for me for multiple reasons: 1) I no longer have access to the features of my vehicle that led me to purchase this particular vehicle, namely it's size and being a plug-in hybrid (i.e., reduced fuel costs); 2) my partner is not allowed to drive the rental vehicle which limits its usefulness for trips together unless I want to do all the driving; 3) I have been advised by the dealership I am not allowed to put my pets in the vehicle, which further limits its usefulness since I have to seek alternative transportation to take them for veterinary care, etc. Further, I am forced to return to the dealership every 30 days to renew my rental agreement. I have been given no information as to when the remedy will actually be available for my specific vehicle.

The car was under warranty and experienced a transaxle failure while on a highway between Yuma, AZ and Tucson, AZ. The dealer who inspected and repaired the car determined the cause to be a flawed cooler replacement by a body shop in which transmission fluid was not properly replaced subsequent to a left front fender bender accident, which voided the warranty. (Fluids were dry on inspection; no leaks/issues identified at our residence or during "Toyota Care" X2 following the body shop repair.) The car worked flawlessly for one year after the body shop repair until the transaxle failed. Issue: There were no warning messages to indicate a problem with the fluid level until immediately before the catastrophic failure; we were able to get the car to the side of the road right before the wheels locked but had we not, a serious crash could have occurred. Toyota tells us there is no alert for fluids since they have designed the transaxle as a "closed system". However, conditions exist that could compromise this closed system so consumers (and service dealerships) should have a way to proactively identify a fluid level problem so it can be remedied to avoid potential safety hazards related to an abrupt failure.

The instrument cluster (combination meter) failed completely and without warning, going entirely blank. This eliminated all speedometer, warning light, and indicator functionality. The failure began occurring intermittently before becoming persistent. No warning lamps or messages preceded the failure — the cluster simply went dark. The loss of speedometer functionality made the vehicle unsafe to operate, as the driver had no means of monitoring vehicle speed. The loss of all warning indicators eliminated visibility into any safety-critical vehicle alerts that may have been active during the failure periods. The problem was confirmed by the dealership and is the subject of Safety Recall 25TA08 (Combination Meter May Go Blank). The vehicle was brought to a Toyota dealership where the recall was documented and the repair was eventually completed. The replacement part required VIN-specific production and programming by Toyota, resulting in an extended out-of-service period of nearly two months at the dealership, and approximately five months from the first occurrence of the failure. During the out-of-service period, the vehicle could not pass state inspection and was legally inoperable. The component has been replaced and is no longer available for inspection.

The 12.3 inch display of the instrument panel, where the speedometer and malfunction indicator lights are shown, goes blank when I turn ON the engine. It remained blank even when I drive. It is NOT safe to drive as I will not know which part is malfunctioning. The dealer has confirmed that it is a known issue. There were NO warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure I took the car to the Toyota Dealer in Fremont, CA in October 2025. Till today ( March 29th 2026 ) the issue has NOT been repaired yet. The dealer has mentioned that they have NOT received any Fix for this issue from the Toyota Manufacturer.

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4 Prime. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V595000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the instrument panel occasionally failed to operate as intended. The failure persisted and the instrument panel went blank and became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and remained with the dealer, and a loaner vehicle was provided to the contact. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.

On December 29, 2025, the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster on my 2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime went completely blank upon startup. This failure immediately eliminated my ability to see the speedometer, fuel and battery levels, tire pressure warnings, and all critical brake and hybrid system malfunction indicators, rendering the vehicle completely unsafe and illegal to operate on public roads. I immediately brought the car to Wondries Toyota in [XXX] , where it has remained ever since. The dealership confirmed the failure is related to Toyota Safety Recall 25V595 (Toyota internal code 25TA08). The service department advised me that the vehicle is unsafe to drive, but they are unable to repair it because the required replacement combination meter is on national backorder with no estimated time of arrival. As of late March 2026, my vehicle has been sitting out of service at the dealership for approximately 90 days. Because Toyota has failed to provide a timely remedy for this severe safety defect, my vehicle has been abandoned on the dealer lot for a quarter of a year. Furthermore, this prolonged, unmaintained inactivity introduces secondary safety and vehicle integrity hazards. The plug-in hybrid high-voltage battery has been sitting idle and degrading for three months, and the fuel in the system is destabilizing. I am filing this complaint because Toyota's failure to supply replacement parts for a massive safety recall within a reasonable timeframe has permanently compromised the safety, use, and value of my vehicle, and I am currently proceeding with a Lemon Law repurchase that vastly exceeds the 30-day out-of-service threshold in [XXX] . Lastly, we got this RAV4 Prime new and have had all the services done at the authorized dealership since day one. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)