Fourth generation (XA40)
2018 Toyota RAV4
The most reported problem on the 2018 Toyota RAV4 is stalling, with 43 complaints, usually around 21,000 miles.
- 331owner complaints
- 3recalls
- 31involved a crash
- 17,300median miles at failure
Newest report Sep 13, 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 2018 model year.
Is the 2018 Toyota RAV4 reliable?
The 2018 Toyota RAV4 has 331 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, close to the median of 331 for 2018 SUVs on this site. Of the 12 RAV4 model years since 2014, it has the 4th 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 2017 and 2019
- Each model year from the 2017 to the 2019 draws more complaints for its age than the one before it: 31 a year, then 37 for the 2018, then 110.
- Top problem
- Two problems run close. Stalling has 43 complaints and dead battery has 38, out of 331 in all. A quarter of the 24 owners who gave a mileage for stalling saw it by about 9,000 miles, and half by about 21,000.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 62 of the 331 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), 31 reports mention a crash, 32 mention a fire and 18 people were hurt. The most crash reports, 12 of 31, fall under airbag.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- Dead battery has a recall on the same system (23V-734). Stalling and brake wear have 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
- Complaints are still climbing. 2025 brought 56, the most of any year so far. So far in 2026, 17 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: engine stalls or loses power while driving, 43 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
331 complaints is 1.2 times the median 2018 model on this site and about the median for a 2018 SUV. Among the 12 RAV4 model years here it ranks 4th 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 2018 Toyota RAV4
Toyota filed 183 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2018 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.
Battery dies or the car will not start 5 bulletins · 38 complaints
TT: When customers have a concern about a discharged battery, no start, or general battery concern, the DCA-8000 is the only appropriate tool to use for diagnosis
CONSUMER ADVISORY 21TG01 12-VOLT BATTERY SIZE/INSTALLATION CONDITION DISCLOSURE FORM
3 more on this problem
Some 2004 ? 2020 model year Hybrid vehicles may exhibit an excessive buildup of dust, lint, or debris in the HV battery intake filter or cooling fan. The condition could reduce the efficiency of the HV battery cooling system.
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.
TT: Some Customers may complain about a Hybrid Vehicle Battery cooling system warning message. This warning message may appear when the HV Battery cooling system loses efficiency due to debris on the filter and or some object obstructing the air inlet.
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 3 bulletins · 30 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.
Airbag warning light or recall 1 bulletin · 16 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 5 bulletins · 15 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.
3 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 vehicles may experience a navigation inoperative condition in which only the compass and latitude/longitude coordinates are shown during PDI or after installing a replacement radio.
Some customers may complain of the inability to use certain functions of the navigation/infotainment system while the vehicle is in motion. The following update modifies the system functionality while the vehicle is in motion, improving customer experience.
Wheel bearing, tires or wheels 1 bulletin · 6 complaints
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 · 5 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?.
Complaints filed by year
56 complaints came in 2025. 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 2018 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.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra, 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles. These vehicles may have incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels. 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: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge. The recall began on January 23, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are H0Z for Toyota vehicles, and HLF for Lexus vehicles.
All 3 recalls on the 2018 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 2018 Toyota RAV4?
Stalling, with 43 of the 331 complaints. Owners who gave a mileage for it put the median at about 21,000 miles.
At what mileage do 2018 Toyota RAV4 problems start?
Of the 142 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 7,000 miles and half by about 17,000.
Is the 2018 Toyota RAV4 better or worse than the 2017 and 2019?
Counted per year on the road, the 2018 has more complaints than the 2017 and fewer complaints than the 2019: 37 a year against 31 and 110.
How many 2018 Toyota RAV4 complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
62 of them (19%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for stalling on the 2018 Toyota RAV4?
No recall on file for the 2018 Toyota RAV4 is on the same system as stalling. Another recall may still cover your car, so check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.