2016 Toyota RAV4 · recalls

2016 Toyota RAV4 recalls

NHTSA lists 3 recalls that include the 2016 Toyota RAV4. The newest, 23V-734, was filed Nov 1, 2023 for the electrical system.

3recalls
3systems
239owner complaints

Newest recall or investigation Aug 12, 2024 · checked Sep 22, 2026

Whether your car is included depends on its VIN, and a finished repair drops it off the list. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Every recall, newest first

23V-734Nov 1, 2023NHTSA 23V734000

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.

Risk: 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.

59 of the 239 owner complaints on this car cite the electrical system.

16V-236Apr 22, 2016NHTSA 16V236000

Tires

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Yaris, Rav4, Land Cruiser and 4Runner vehicles, and Scion FR-S, iM, and TC vehicles manufactured January 28, 2016, to March 14, 2016. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

Risk: An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: SET will notify owners, and provide them a corrected label to be installed over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on June 3, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET16A.

1 of the 239 owner complaints on this car cite the tires.

16V-198Apr 7, 2016NHTSA 16V198000

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 30, 2015, to February 3, 2016, 2016 Lexus RX350 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2015, to February 8, 2016, and 2016 Lexus ES350 vehicles manufactured September 1, 2015, to February 29, 2016. These vehicles are equipped with an ABS actuator that may have a damaged O-ring which could result in improper brake fluid pressure control during ABS, Traction Control, or Stability Control activation. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."

Risk: Insufficient brake fluid pressure may cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 4, 2016, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0I, GLC.

2 of the 239 owner complaints on this car cite the service brakes, hydraulic. Symptom sheets that include this system: Brakes grind, pulse or wear early (46).

Complaints with no recall behind them

The systems owners of the 2016 Toyota RAV4 complain about most that none of these recalls covers, as of Sep 22, 2026. A problem can be widespread without being a safety defect NHTSA can order fixed.

Brakes: 44 complaints, no recallbrake wear
Exterior Lighting: 28 complaints, no recall
Engine: 25 complaints, no recall
Airbags: 19 complaints, no recall
Structure: 15 complaints, no recall

NHTSA investigations

PE21-005opened Feb 25, 2021

Electrical · model years 2013 to 2018

Battery hold down bracket thermal events. Closed aug 12, 2024, led to recall 23V-734.

NHTSA summary

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to understand the contributing factors and frequency of vehicle fires originating from the battery region of the engine compartment in Model Year (MY) 2013-2018 Toyota RAV4 vehicles on 25 February 2021. At the time of opening, ODI attributed eleven allegations and additional EWR events to this PE. PE21005 focused on replacement batteries installed in the subject vehicles. No reported fire event identified in PE21005 involved the originally supplied 12V battery. The reported fires took place in vehicles known to contain aftermarket batteries or whose age exceeded the expected life of the original equipment battery. ODI identified battery dimensioning as it relates to the battery retention system (hold down bracket, radiator support bolt, J-hook, and battery tray) as the main factor set in the contact between the battery hold down bracket contacting the positive terminal of the 12V battery. The subject vehicles carried over the same battery tray and retention system from the prior generation (MY2006 â MY2012) of RAV4 vehicles. However, the subject vehicles were equipped with a dimensionally smaller battery (Group 35) than the prior generation (Group 24F). The smaller- length measurement in the Group 35 battery size in a battery tray originally designed to fit a Group 24F battery contributed to increased potential for battery movement which was exacerbated by the diversity in aftermarket battery con