2017 Toyota RAV4 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2017 Toyota RAV4 has a complaint index of 55, ranking 10th worst out of 21 model years, and carries a Caution verdict. Electrical System issues dominate at 44% of complaints (136), with 3 recalls including a battery fire risk affecting 2013-2018 models.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 55/100
- #10 of 21 RAV4 years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 307
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 3
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 33
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 24
- Injuries
- 28
- Top issue
- Electrical System
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 25
- 22.5 city / 28.5 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 28 / 2
Top 2017 Toyota RAV4 problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System136 (44%)
- Other63 (21%)
- Engine46 (15%)
- Brakes39 (13%)
- Structure & Body23 (7%)
- Airbags20 (7%)
- Transmission & Powertrain16 (5%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires14 (5%)
- Fuel System13 (4%)
- Steering12 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners report the 12-volt battery moving out of its tray and contacting nearby components, in some cases leading to fire after a crash.
- Some drivers describe the engine compartment catching fire following a rear-end collision.
- Several owners report brakes that failed to slow or stop the vehicle, including one case where the vehicle lurched forward instead of stopping when shifted to park.
- Multiple owners report side and frontal airbags failing to deploy during moderate to severe crashes, including side-impact and highway-speed collisions.
- One owner described the vehicle jumping a curb into a tree with all airbags deploying unexpectedly at low speed.
2017 Toyota RAV4 recalls
3 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 19V503000Jun 28, 2019Other1,325 vehicles
Equipment:other:labels
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: An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
- NHTSA 17V295000May 2, 2017Suspension, Wheels & Tires409 vehicles
Tires:temporary/emergency spare tire
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: A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
2017 Toyota RAV4 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 22.5 MPG
- Highway
- 28.5 MPG
- Combined
- 25 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,600
- 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.
2017 compared with other RAV4 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2017 Toyota RAV4 reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2017 RAV4 has a complaint index of 55 and ranks 10th worst among 21 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Electrical System complaints, including a 12-volt battery recall, make up 44% of all reports for this year.
- What problems does the 2017 RAV4 have?
- NHTSA data shows 307 complaints for the 2017 RAV4, led by Electrical System issues (136 complaints, 44% share, 15 fires), followed by Engine problems (46 complaints, 14 fires) and Brakes (39 complaints).
- Does the 2017 RAV4 have a recall?
- Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2017 RAV4, including a 2023 campaign for 2013-2018 models where a replacement 12-volt battery can shift out of its tray, plus a 2019 floor mat label recall and a 2017 spare tire pressure recall.
- How does the 2017 RAV4 compare to other RAV4 years?
- The 2017 RAV4's complaint index of 55 is worse than the Best-rated 2012 through 2014 models (index 15, 10, and 5) and the Good-rated 2016 and 2018 models, but better than Avoid-rated years like 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2024.
- Were there airbag deployment failures reported in the 2017 RAV4?
- NHTSA logged 20 airbag-related complaints for the 2017 RAV4, including 13 crashes, with several owners reporting that side or frontal airbags did not deploy during collisions.