Toyota RAV4 stalling problems

Filed Oct 31, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · FL

Re: Formal complaint — dealer billed for unperformed work, uncompleted Special Service Campaign 26TC03, $6,000 transmission quote with zero diagnostic codes, lifetime powertrain warranty not honored On RAV4 stalled while I was driving. I brought it to the above dealer. The service advisor told me a sensor was replaced. It was not: the mass air flow sensor in the vehicle is dust-covered with inspection paint marks and is clearly not new (photo attached). Worse, the advisor's own TIS screenshot shows Special Service Campaign 26TC03 — Incorrect Mass Air Flow Sensor Reading — with Completion Status: NOT COMPLETED on my VIN. The campaign was never performed, yet work was represented as done. The dealer is now pushing a $6,000 transmission replacement, which I declined. Their own diagnostic scan shows 0 engine codes and 0 transmission codes — there is no diagnostic basis for this recommendation. The vehicle carries a lifetime powertrain warranty; the dealer has not filed a warranty claim and has provided no written denial citing a specific exclusion. I am requesting that Toyota: 1. Open a case and assign a regional case manager; 2. Investigate this dealer's representation of completed campaign/warranty work versus the TIS record and photographic evidence; 3. Ensure the [XXX] remedy is properly completed on my VIN at no charge; 4. Confirm how the lifetime powertrain warranty claim is being handled. Attachments: repair order / $6,000 estimate, sensor photograph, advisor's TIS screenshot, advisor's scan results, warranty contract. I expect a written [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Oct 17, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · MA

While in stop and go traffic during heavy rain, vehicle stalled and would not restart. After several attempts, it did restart but ran very rough. A couple days before, a red warning light came on for the steering system, also during a rain event.

Filed Oct 10, 2026 · Fuel system · NC

Fuel gauge needle drops to empty when approximately one-quarter tank or more of fuel remains. First noticedXXX; the exact day is approximate (first noticed sometime in XXX). Dealer (Toyota of Gastonia, [XXX], phone [XXX]; repair order XXX dated XXX) diagnosed a suspected deformed fuel tank and faulty fuel level sender causing improper fuel level readings, and quoted $1,788.85 for tank removal, inspection, and tank assembly replacement. This is the same defect family Toyota acknowledged in Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0109-20 and Customer Support Program 20TE04 (fuel tank shape variation causing the fuel sender gauge to read incorrectly) for 2019-2021 RAV4 Hybrids. The vehicle is a 2023 RAV4 Hybrid exhibiting the same failure. Inaccurate fuel level readings prevent the driver from knowing the actual fuel remaining, creating a risk of unexpected fuel exhaustion and stalling. Dealer has submitted a coverage request to Toyota; no resolution yet. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Oct 5, 2026 · Engine · 10,000 miles · NJ

The contact’s uncle owns a 2022 Toyota Rav4. While the uncle was driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled. During the failure, the instrument panel remained illuminated, but the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was later towed to the local mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. While with the local mechanic the vehicle was restarted and operated normally. The vehicle was immediately driven to the local dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The failure mileage was 10,000.

Filed Sep 19, 2026 · Engine, Steering · MI

I was stopped for one minute in a drive-thru, and when I took my foot off the brake to accelerate, the vehicle stalled. It told me "Engine Stopped Power Steering Low". I moved out of the drive-thru in neutral, turned off the car then turned it back on. Everything was okay and had no issues. At the time of the accident, my windshield wipers were on. My eninge's auto stop/start was also on. There was a safety risk because my car stalled out when starting up, causing me to have to turn off the car and turn it back on while stopped. I have not been able to reproduce the problem with my dealer yet. I have not had the vehicle inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives? I did not have any warnings of this incident. I got a "Engine Stopped Power Steering Low" message when the issue occurred.

Filed Sep 14, 2026 · Fuel system · AZ

While driving on the highway, the vehicle suffered a sudden loss of engine power and went into a low-power/vapor lock state due to severe fuel starvation. This created a major safety hazard by stranding the vehicle on the highway shoulder and exposing occupants to high-speed traffic. Prior to the power loss, there were no advance warning lights until the engine stalled. A diagnostic scan performed immediately following the incident confirmed code P0087 (Fuel Rail/System Pressure - Too Low), along with cylinder misfire codes P030027 and P030100. To allow the vehicle to safely limp home from a remote location, an independent technician cleared the diagnostic trouble codes. An independent scan tool report clearly documented and confirmed the low fuel pressure fault prior to code clearance. The dealership subsequently declined to perform a warranty or recall fuel pump replacement citing the absence of active codes upon arrival, despite receiving the timestamped diagnostic report of the failure. The component has not been inspected by the manufacturer beyond the dealership's initial turn-away, but the vehicle and diagnostic documentation remain available for inspection upon request.

Filed Aug 26, 2026 · Engine · IA

"Engine Coolant Bypass Valve failed suddenly on highway (Code P2681-15), risking engine overheat and stall. Toyota acknowledged this defect under CSP 24TE04 but refused assistance due to vehicle having 103,660 miles (just past 100k miles). Failure causes immediate safety and overheating hazard."

Filed Aug 22, 2026 · Steering · AZ

We were driving down the highway passing another vehicle when we lost steering and the dash said "Steering Power Loss". We pulled to the side of the road where the vehicle stalled and would not restart. Probably 10-15 minutes later the vehicle started and we eventually made it to our destination. It was quite scary trying to get to the side of the road, in heavy traffic, and pulling over where there really was no shoulder, and not knowing whether the car would eventually restart or what. Although 2019 Toyota Rav4's have been recalled for this very issue, for some reason our VIN is not listed.

Filed Aug 20, 2026 · Steering · 50,000 miles · NC

The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power, and the "Low Steering" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The check engine warning light was illuminated, the vehicle shuddered, and then stalled as the contact pulled into a parking lot. The failure had occurred on several different occasions. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to return to normal operation. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed with an inoperable port fuel injector. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to another dealer and was diagnosed with inoperable port fuel injectors. The contact was informed that the port fuel injectors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

Filed Aug 17, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · MA

2021 Toyota RAV4 (gas model) has experienced a sudden, unexpected engine stall/shutdown on a public road. The incident occurred while shifting into Drive after backing up in reverse. The engine immediately died without any prior dashboard warning lights or mechanical symptoms. The information screen displayed a message stating "Put Car in Park" or "Shift into Park." The vehicle safely restarted immediately after shifting back into Park and pressing the ignition button. This intermittent stall has happened three times under the exact same directional shifting conditions over the last 1.5 years, creating a high-risk scenario for a rear-end collision in active traffic. After previous incident (one year ago) when the engine stopped when shifting from reverse to drive, I took it to Toyota service. Dealership diagnostics could not previously replicate the issue due to its intermittent nature and the absence of a permanent check engine code. checked battery and performed health check.