On Friday February 27, 2026 as the vehicle was being driven it caught fire. Fire department and sheriffs office was called to the scene. Vehicle fire was put out but the whole front end burned.
2015 Toyota RAV4 engine problems
37 complaints (12% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 50,000. 1 crash reported.
- owner complaints
- 37
- of this car's complaints
- 12%
- typical mileage
- 50,000
- crashes
- 1
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Toyota RAV4 engine problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2015 Toyota RAV4 engine
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
What 2015 Toyota RAV4 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The oil filter housing is made of plastic and can crack when removing and installing and if not alert after an oil change, the engine can blow if oil drains out under pressure.
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle however, there were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electric System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 109,643. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The torque converter shudder is defective and causes jolting while driving between 30 and 40 mph
When I try to start up my car after a full month of parking as usual I knew already it has a dead battery so I jump started then once it started I heard a very small explosion with smoke coming from underneath the glove compartment then I found a very small fire started from the same place so I left the car and I called 911 who came and extinguished the fire after the entire car was already engulfed and exploded in fire. The car closed the other two cars on both sides to melt partially as well. The picture attached has the incident number.
This is concerning a recall. the federal safety agency recall No. 23V‑734. Which can has a potential for vehicle fire. The remedy will not be available to mid 2024. This is a long time to drive a vehicle like this with such a high safety risk. I have reached out to Toyota and they have refused to do anything about it such as provide a loaner vehicle while they rectify the issue. My life and my families life is at risk driving this vehicle .
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was inoperable and all the warning lights illuminated. The steering wheel was seized and the vehicle lost motive power in the middle of the street. The contact's daughter noticed the vehicle was smoking from under the hood. The contact's daughter exited the vehicle and the vehicle caught on fire. The fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. A fire or police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to the tow yard. The insurance company declared the vehicle a total loss. The contact was informed of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System), however, the contact stated he did not receive the recall notification. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
The engine oil is being consumed faster than normal. I have to keep taking it in for oil because the oil light turns on before the 5k miles!!
Approximately two minutes after turning the vehicle off, smoke started coming from the engine area. Within the next two minutes, flames emerged. The fire quickly engulfed the vehicle in flames causing a total loss. The fire department declared it a loss and stated a cause will likely not be known by them. I was not in the vehicle at the time of the smoke. A truck next to the vehicle quickly moved away. Insurance company is in route to investigate. No warning signs prior.
Today I started my RAV4 in my driveway to warm it up and went back in the house. Approximatly 5-10 minutes later someone knocked on the door to let me know the car was on fire. The fire department said it was likley that the fire started in the engine and spread to the rest of the vehicle.
Questions about the 2015 Toyota RAV4 engine
Does the 2015 Toyota RAV4 have engine problems?
Owners have filed 37 complaints about the engine of the 2015 Toyota RAV4, 12% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2015 Toyota RAV4 engine problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 50,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2015 Toyota RAV4 engine?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Toyota RAV4 have bad engine?
The Toyota RAV4 model years with the most engine complaints are 2007 (236 complaints), 2019 (216 complaints) and 2020 (193 complaints).
Other 2015 Toyota RAV4 problems
Electrical 85Steering 47Body 31Brakes 31Transmission 25Acceleration 21Airbags 15Fuel system 13Visibility 8Lights 6Seat belts 6Driver assistance 5Suspension 5Wheels 2
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