2015 Toyota RAV4 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
53/100
#8 most-complained of 16 RAV4 years
The 2015 Toyota RAV4 has 304 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 53, and 4 recalls, ranking 8th worst out of 16 model years — a Caution verdict relative to other RAV4 years. Electrical system issues, especially fires, dominate owner reports.
- Complaints
- 304
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes / fires
- 37 / 41
- Injuries / deaths
- 30 / 1
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 25.5
- 22.5 city / 29 hwy
Top 2015 Toyota RAV4 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System90 (30%)
- Other62 (20%)
- Engine56 (18%)
- Steering46 (15%)
- Brakes33 (11%)
- Structure & Body31 (10%)
- Transmission & Powertrain25 (8%)
- Airbags15 (5%)
- Fuel System13 (4%)
- Visibility & Wipers8 (3%)
What owners report
- Owners report engine compartment fires starting shortly after parking or while driving, sometimes with black smoke before flames appear.
- Battery cable and 12-volt battery problems near the engine are described as melting, sliding out of place, and igniting.
- Some drivers report sudden unintended acceleration or stalling with loss of braking response, leading to crashes into stationary objects.
- Airbag-area complaints include a low-speed engine fire that spread quickly and destroyed much of the vehicle interior.
- Alternator failures are linked to a shifting battery, with owners noting burnt wiring near the alternator.
2015 Toyota RAV4 recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 23V734000Nov 1, 2023Electrical System1,853,568 vehicles
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.
- NHTSA 15V144000Mar 13, 2015Steering110,085 vehicles
Steering:electric power assist system
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2015 Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid, and 2014-2015 Rav4 vehicles. A component of the electric power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may have been damaged during the manufacturing process. Over time, this damage may result in failure of the electric power steering system.
Risk: An unexpected loss of power steering increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number of the EPS ECU or steering column assembly. If the number is within the affected range, the EPS ECU will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on May 7, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
- NHTSA 15V011000Jan 16, 2015Structure & Body1,140 vehicles
Trailer hitches
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Toyota Rav4 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2013, to December 29, 2014, and equipped with an accessory trailer light module. The software within the module may incorrectly detect an electrical short and preventively turn off the electrical current and the trailer lights.
Risk: If the system incorrectly detects an electrical short and turns off the trailer lights while the trailer is being towed at night, there is an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer light module with a new unit with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-15A.
2015 Toyota RAV4 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 22.5 MPG
- Highway
- 29 MPG
- Combined
- 25.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,550
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2015 compared with other RAV4 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2015 Toyota RAV4 reliable?
- NHTSA lists 304 complaints and a complaint index of 53 for the 2015 RAV4, giving it a Caution verdict and the 8th worst rank among 16 RAV4 model years.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2015 RAV4?
- Electrical System complaints lead with 90 reports, 30% of the total, including 26 fires and a median failure mileage of 49,972.5 miles.
- Does the 2015 RAV4 have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2015 RAV4, covering the Electrical System, Steering, Structure & Body, and an Other category for accessory bolts; none are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2015 RAV4 compare to other RAV4 years?
- The 2015 model's complaint index of 53 is worse than 2011 through 2018 model years but better than 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2024, which carry Avoid verdicts with indexes of 100, 80, 93, and 87.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2015 RAV4?
- EPA rates the 2015 RAV4 at 25.5 mpg combined (22.5 city / 29 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,550.