2013 Toyota RAV4: engine stalls while driving

Filed Oct 14, 2025 · Engine · TX

Over the course of the past two days, 2013 Toyota RAV4 has engine cut-off while moving on surface streets, tollroads, and Interstate Highways. Thus far, this has occurred 9 times without any warning whatsoever. Car is in otherwise fine mechanical condition, with all four new tires, new brake rotors & ceramic brake pads, new battery & cables inspection, professional throttle body cleaning, 5,000 mile full-synthetic oil change & oil filter, new engine air filter, and all features and functions in what was known as 100% condition with no Engine Fault indicator on or subsequent OBD II codes. Yet it stalls at all speeds, including street traffic speeds and cruise at 70mpg. No indication whatsoever.

Filed Oct 29, 2024 · Engine · NJ · fire

I was traveling south on [XXX] when the vehicle stalled. I started the engine and proceeded. I noticed my Rav4 smoking from the engine so I turned off into a Extra Space Storage parking at 1415 Bergen Boulevard, Fort Lee N.J. 07024 were it stalled again. I then exited the vehicle and opened the hood and observed a burst flames coming from the engine/battery area. I ran to a Wendy's and asked for a fire extinguisher, but the fire escalated rapidly, burning the entire interior and exterior of the vehicle. It was towed to Sanos Towing Company 344 Bergen Blvd. Palisades Park. N.J. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 20, 2024 · Electrical · 166,744 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. 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 contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle failed to restart and was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that a thermal event had occurred, causing the battery to overheat and engine components to fail. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 166,744. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Filed Jan 9, 2024 · IL · fire

While driving the car, it stalled on the expressway and then started to smoke and seconds later started on fire.

Filed Nov 1, 2023 · IL · fire

The car stalled on the expressway. Then started smoking and was on fire seconds later.

Filed Mar 21, 2022 · Engine · MI

While driving , the dashboard lights start flicker off first as a warning before the entire car shuts completely down. The car was start having those issues back in 2014 and delaer told us it was the battery negative wire that causing the issue. Suddenly, it start doing the same thing and in my opinion very dangerous to drive on street and highways. No one wnats to have a car that just suddenly stalled on highway.

Filed Sep 13, 2021 · Electrical, Engine · WA

Note: This is a fully electric vehicle. It was made by Toyota, but the drive train (electric motor, battery, etc.) is made by Tesla. Earlier this summer (Around June 2021) while starting the vehicle from a stop, the vehicle either shifted to neutral (halfway through an intersection) or stalled. The vehicle displays a message saying "Check EV System". We have since taken it to two Toyota dealerships. The first (Toyota of Tacoma in Tacoma WA) said the 12V battery needed to be replaced, but the issue happened again almost immediately after we took the vehicle off the lot and completely stalled in the middle of a busy intersection. We brought it back to the same dealership who then said nothing was wrong with the vehicle. We also took the vehicle to a local auto repair shop that specializes in electric vehicles where they were able to recreate the issue but unfortunately were unable to work on the car as Tesla had locked the codes needed to diagnose the issues. The second dealership (Titus Will Toyota in Tacoma WA) was able to reproduce the issue, but they didn't have the equipment to work on the vehicle. They said that they spoke to the Toyota engineering team who told them that the speed sensor had moisture on it, and the coolant on the right side was low which indicates that coolant was leaking into the electric motor and the vehicle needed a new drive train. Toyota said that since the drive train was made by Tesla, they are unable to work on the vehicle and we would need to figure out how to get the vehicle from Washington to California to find a shop that could service the vehicle and completely replace the entire drive train - a diagnosis made and given over the phone. We purchased the vehicle just over a year ago in Washington and now it has a dangerous safety issue that neither Toyota nor Tesla is wanting anything to do with and that local repair shops cannot address.

Filed Mar 15, 2021 · Engine · 39,187 miles · TX · fire

Tl* the contact owned a 2013 toyota rav-4. The contact stated that vehicle was parked in a parking space when she shifted the gear shifter into reverse and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle restarted itself. The contact drove the vehicle around the corner and the vehicle stalled once more. The contact looked up and saw gray smoke coming from under the hood and all of the warning lights illuminated. The contact exited the vehicle when she saw gray smoke billowing and within seconds of exiting the vehicle, it was engulfed in flames. The police and fire rescue were on the scene and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a lot and the insurance company deemed it totaled, but couldn't diagnose what the failure was since the vehicle's exterior frames were only left. The contact informed charles maund toyota (8400 research blvd, austin, tx 78758) of the failure. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a claim, however they later informed the contact that the claim was denied since there was no indication that a defect caused the fire. The manufacturer informed the contact that upon inspection, the j hook was missing and the positive battery cable was welded to the battery hold down bracket as the failure. The contact stated that she saw a news article that the federal safety agency was probing engine compartment fire for 2013-2018 toyota rav4, and believed the failure was related. The failure mileage was 39,187. *bf

Filed Jul 13, 2020 · Electrical, Engine · 95,000 miles · PA

While driving, the vehicle started to shut off while driving with all lights coming on on the dash board. It cuts on when you put car back in park then turn the key, but still turns off again when you take it past a certain speed or when stopping to hard.

Filed Oct 23, 2017 · Transmission · 44,000 miles · MN

At first it happened only when turning corners or starting from a stop light. The car would just seem to stall for 3-4 seconds, then resume normal acceleration. This has happened several times over past year. Yesterday it happened while on main highway at 65 MPH. "scary!" I started losing speed, then it resumed normal speed after 3-4 seconds. I talked to toyota service manager today. He says there's no way to diagnose the problem unless they can duplicate it. That might take 100s of miles as it"s so intermitant. He claims their computer won't show a code for the problem. I am at a loss as to what to do. If it loses power on a crowed freeway it could be quite dangerous. The vehicle has 44000 miles.

Filed Nov 16, 2015 · Acceleration, Engine · 23,000 miles · ID

On at least 5 different occasions since owning this toyota rav4 I have experienced a serious engine control problem. It happens in the economy mode of the car which is the default mode you start the car up in. What happens is when pulling into traffic and you push down on the accelerator to get fast speed to merge into traffic the engine stalls. You can have the accelerator pushed all the way down and the engine gives you no power. This creates a very dangerous condition on the road as my car is actually stalling when it should be accelerating. I have tested and done the same thing in the 'sport mode' of the vehicle and it does not create the same stall situation. Thus my conclusion is the problem rests in the 'economy mode'. I have asked the dealer about this and they say they do not know why. I am going back tomorrow to as them to take back this car, as it is dangerous and is not predictable or dependable in driving.

Filed Mar 11, 2015 · Transmission · 12,000 miles · MA

Potentially lethal transmission failure in toyota rav4 in march 2013 I bought a new toyota rav4 at acton toyota, in massachusetts. On february 21st 2014, I was driving the vehicle in sudbury, massachusetts on route 20 when suddenly it went completely haywire. The engine stalled out ? Restarted ? Stalled out again ? Restarted. This was all while the vehicle was moving. I drove into the local citizens bank car park, where I parked head in to a very large snow drift. I then discovered that all the gears were gone except for 'd'! Oi cycled several times through closing the car down and restarting it - no change. Oi could not push the car backwards away from the snow drift on my own. Oeventually I was towed to the dealership. Oon arrival at acton toyota, the service director - randy irwin - tested the car and immediately encountered the issue - shifter in reverse - revving the engine - nothing. He tried this with all the different shifter positions other than 'd', always with the same result. He then engaged 'd' and moved the car forward slightly. He then slowly engaged reverse and there was a huge clunk from under the car. And now reverse was engaged! The dealership gave me a loaner vehicle and kept the rav4. On march 3rd 2014, I phoned irwin - he said a toyota representative drove it the previous week. There had been no recurrence of the problem - now they were doing a 'visual inspection' (whatever that is!) since nothing came up in diagnostic tests. On march 5th 2014 I phoned irwin again ? He said that toyota had taken the case over. Toyota then called - they said they had not been able to get the issue to recur, and so they requested that I pick up the vehicle at the dealership. This I did. At no point did toyota ever acknowledge a problem ? They always stated simply that they had not been able to get the issue to recur.