- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 4
- on record
- MPG
- 26
- combined
Fatalities reported
Owner complaints to NHTSA include 1 report involving a death. Read the complaint record closely.
Vehicle Summary
2015 Toyota RAV4
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 4
- Owner complaints
- 302
- Complaints citing a crash
- 37
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
4 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
4 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 14V828000high
Equipment issue
EQUIPMENT
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.
Consequence
Accessories that detach from a vehicle may result in a vehicle crash and/or personal injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 15V011000high
Trailer hitches
TRAILER HITCHES
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.
Consequence
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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 15V144000high
Steering issue
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
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.
Consequence
An unexpected loss of power steering increases the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 23V734000high
Battery sensor problem
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2015 Toyota RAV4.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 16.9%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2015 Toyota RAV4 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 5 comparable 2015 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 16.9% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2015 Toyota RAV4, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
23
City
30
Hwy
26
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,350
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 344 g/mi
How this compares
At 26 MPG combined, the 2015 Toyota RAV4 ranks 3rd of 5 small SUVs (2WD) EPA rated for 2015 — exactly the 26 MPG median for that group.
That places it a little below the middle of its class. If annual mileage is high, the running-cost gap against a class-average rival compounds quickly.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,350, within $0 of the $2,350 typical for the class — roughly $11,750 over five years.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 344 grams per mile — about 5.2 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
302 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 302
- Total
- 37
- Crashes
- 41
- Fires
- 30
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ELECTRICAL60
- ENGINE54
- OTHER50
- STEERING36
- BRAKES28
Serious Concerns
302 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves a death. 30 reports involve injuries. 37 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2015 Toyota RAV4, newest first.
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation PE21005
Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events
- Recall
A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation PE21005
Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events
- Recall
An unexpected loss of power steering increases the risk of a crash.
- Recall
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.
- Recall
Accessories that detach from a vehicle may result in a vehicle crash and/or personal injury.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
23
City
30
Hwy
26
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,350
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation PE21005
Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events
- Recall
A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation PE21005
Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events
- Recall
An unexpected loss of power steering increases the risk of a crash.
- Recall
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.