Fourth generation (XA40)
2017 Toyota RAV4
The most reported problem on the 2017 Toyota RAV4 is brake wear, with 38 complaints, usually around 15,000 miles.
- 307owner complaints
- 3recalls
- 33involved a crash
- 25,000median miles at failure
Newest report Sep 11, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
What is your RAV4 doing?
Each one opens a sheet built from the owner reports of that problem on the 2017 model year.
Is the 2017 Toyota RAV4 reliable?
The 2017 Toyota RAV4 has 307 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, close to the median of 307 for 2017 SUVs on this site. Of the 12 RAV4 model years since 2014, it has the 5th most complaints. Complaint counts rise with sales as well as faults, so read what owners report below before deciding.
At a glance
- Next to the 2016 and 2018
- Each model year from the 2016 to the 2018 draws more complaints for its age than the one before it: 22 a year, then 31 for the 2017, then 37.
- Top problem
- Two problems run close. Brake wear has 38 complaints and dead battery has 31, out of 307 in all. A quarter of the 27 owners who gave a mileage for brake wear saw it by about 6,000 miles, and half by about 15,000.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 57 of the 307 complaints (19%) report a crash, a fire or an injury. The typical vehicle on this site sits at 6%, so this one runs well above it. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 33 reports mention a crash, 24 mention a fire and 28 people were hurt. The reports record 2 deaths. The most crash reports, 13 of 33, fall under airbag.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- Dead battery has a recall on the same system (23V-734). Brake wear has none. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2024 at 47 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 37. So far in 2026, 12 more have come in.
When each problem shows up
Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: brakes grind, pulse or wear early, 38 complaints.
middle half of reports, median tick. The heavier grey bars have 75 or more reports.
Behind you
Around your mileage
Ahead of you
How this compares
307 complaints is about the median for a 2017 model on this site and about the median for a 2017 SUV. Among the 12 RAV4 model years here it ranks 5th for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.
Service bulletins for the 2017 Toyota RAV4
Toyota filed 206 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2017 Toyota RAV4. 17 of them deal with a problem owners have reported on this car. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 3 bulletins · 38 complaints
TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
REVISION NOTICE September 26, 2019 Rev1: ? The Warranty Information, Parts Information, and Repair Procedure sections have been updated. Any previous printed versions of this bulletin should be discarded.
1 more on this problem
Some 2009 ? 2018 model year RAV4 and 2017 ? 2018 model year iM vehicles may exhibit a grind/groan noise from the front brake pads. An updated pad kit is now available as a service part. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to address this condition.
Battery dies or the car will not start 2 bulletins · 31 complaints
CONSUMER ADVISORY 21TG01 12-VOLT BATTERY SIZE/INSTALLATION CONDITION DISCLOSURE FORM
A BATTERY IN A STORED VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS THAT CAN REDUCE ITS PERFORMANCE AND LIFE. THESE CONDITIONS INCLUDE STORAGE PERIOD, TEMPERATURE, PARASITIC DRAIN, AND BATTERY LOAD.
Airbag warning light or recall 1 bulletin · 20 complaints
Some 2005 ? 2022 model year Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition.
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 6 bulletins · 10 complaints
TT: Some customers may encounter Bluetooth® connectivity concerns such as: ?Difficulty to pair the phone. ?Intermittent Bluetooth® failure to connect to the vehicle when first turning on the vehicle.
TT: Some customers may experience poor outgoing Bluetooth sound quality, this can occur for various reasons. Current multimedia systems are designed with the ability to adjust Bluetooth sound quality to compensate for echo or excessive background noise.
4 more on this problem
TT: Some customers may experience a call failure when attempting to call a conference call number that has been saved in their phonebook (ex: ?8005550122,,,1.,2;;;2#?).
TT: Some customers may experience greyed out buttons or inactive screens (lockouts) while driving. This is to promote safe driving practices and reduce the amount of distractions while driving.
TT: Some customers may experience Bluetooth disconnections or loss of SMS text message functionality on the navigation/audio system with Android phones running OS 4.4 or later.
TT: Some customers may encounter Bluetooth connectivity concerns such as: ? Difficulty pairing the phone. ? Intermittent Bluetooth failure to connect when first turning on the vehicle.
Wheel bearing, tires or wheels 2 bulletins · 10 complaints
Tire Positioning Before New Vehicle Delivery During the manufacturing process, tires are nounted on the vehicle as matched sets to help reduce conditions such as pulling or drifting.
DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS, TIRES ARE MOUNTED ON THE VEHICLE AS MATCHED SETS TO HELP REDUCE CONDITIONS SUCH AS PULLING OR DRIFTING.
Seat belt or seat problems 2 bulletins · 7 complaints
Some 2010 ? 2022 model year Toyota vehicles may exhibit paint stains after the removal of Rapgard?. The paint stains may appear to be under the clear coat but are usually under wrinkles in the Rapgard?.
Some 2010 ? 2021 model year Toyota vehicles may exhibit paint stains after the removal of Rapgard?. The paint stains may appear to be under the clear coat but are usually under wrinkles in the Rapgard?.
Suspension noise, struts or alignment 1 bulletin · 6 complaints
Some AWD 2014 - 2017 model year Sienna and 2016 - 2018 model year RAV4 customers may experience an abnormal noise from rear coupling unit while driving. This condition can be caused by utilizing an improper towing method when transporting vehicles.
Complaints filed by year
47 complaints came in 2024. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.
NHTSA investigations
Battery hold down bracket thermal events. Closed aug 12, 2024, led to recall 23V-734.
NHTSA summary
Recalls that include the 2017 Toyota RAV4
Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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 and remedy
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.
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk and remedy
Remedy: SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. SET's number for this recall is SET19A.
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated on the Tire Pressure Label.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074. Toyota's number for this recall is 17R2.
All 3 recalls on the 2017 Toyota RAV4, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
Guide Buying one used? How to research one car’s history before you pay
Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2017 Toyota RAV4?
Brake wear, with 38 of the 307 complaints. Owners who gave a mileage for it put the median at about 15,000 miles.
At what mileage do 2017 Toyota RAV4 problems start?
Of the 161 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 10,000 miles and half by about 25,000.
Is the 2017 Toyota RAV4 better or worse than the 2016 and 2018?
Counted per year on the road, the 2017 has more complaints than the 2016 and fewer complaints than the 2018: 31 a year against 22 and 37.
How many 2017 Toyota RAV4 complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
57 of them (19%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for brake wear on the 2017 Toyota RAV4?
No recall on file for the 2017 Toyota RAV4 is on the same system as brake wear. Another recall may still cover your car, so check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.