The Verdict
Worst problem area
Electrical
Electrical leads by volume: 131 of 348 complaints (38%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Airbags & Restraints include more reported injuries (11) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed rose from 322 in 2017 to 348 in 2018.
At a glance
- NHTSA complaints
- 348
- Recall campaigns
- 3
- EPA fuel cost per year
- $1,950–$2,600
- Combined MPG
- 24–32
Complaints by model year
Where owners report problems
Advertisement
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | vs. 2018 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 1,950–2,600 | 1,950–2,600 | 1,950–2,600 | 1,550–2,200 | 1,550–2,300 | |
| Combined MPG | 24–32 | 24–32 | 24–32 | 28–40 | 27–40 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 22–34 / 28–30 | 22–34 / 28–30 | 22–34 / 28–30 | 25–41 / 33–38 | 25–41 / 32–38 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 274–362 | 275–363 | 275–363 | 223–317 | 223–321 | |
| Complaints filed | 257 | 322 | 348 | 909 | 653 | |
| Recalls issued | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 6 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 37 | 34 | 33 | 28 | 17 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 12 | 24 | 33 | 3 | 5 | |
| Injuries reported | 27 | 30 | 19 | 24 | 14 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2018 Toyota RAV4 have?
3 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Nov 7, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2018 Toyota RAV4?
Electrical: 131 of 348 NHTSA complaints (38%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2018 Toyota RAV4 get?
EPA rates it 24–32 MPG combined.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2018 Toyota RAV4?
EPA estimates $1,950–$2,600 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (5)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (S6) | 4 | 2.5L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 23 mpg | 29 mpg | 25 mpg | $2,500 | 349 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (S6) | 4 | 2.5L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 23 mpg | 30 mpg (high) | 26 mpg | $2,400 | 338 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (S6) | 4 | 2.5L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 22 mpg (low) | 28 mpg (low) | 25 mpg | $2,500 | 357 g/mi |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic (S6) | 4 | 2.5L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 22 mpg (low) | 28 mpg (low) | 24 mpg (low) | $2,600 (high) | 363 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 5 | Automatic (AV-S6) | 4 | 2.5L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 34 mpg (high) | 30 mpg (high) | 32 mpg (high) | $1,950 (low) | 275 g/mi (low) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 36 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 28 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical | 131 | 5 | 23 | 3 | 0 |
| Brakes | 34 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Steering | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 21 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 30 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 19 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 44 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 76 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (3)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
- Defect
- 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.
- Consequence
- A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- 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.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
- Defect
- Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
- Consequence
- An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. SET's number for this recall is SET19A.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
- Defect
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra, 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles. These vehicles may have incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
- Consequence
- An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge. The recall began on January 23, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are H0Z for Toyota vehicles, and HLF for Lexus vehicles.