YearToAvoid

2019 Toyota RAV4 Electrical System Problems

NHTSA lists 105 Electrical System complaints for the 2019 Toyota RAV4, about 12% of its 878 total complaints for the year. Owners reported failures involving fires, headlight malfunctions, hybrid system warnings, and a heated steering wheel smoking, with a median mileage at failure of 25,000. No related recall is listed in NHTSA data.

Electrical System complaints
105
12% of 878
Crashes reported
4
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
3
Median mileage
25,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical electrical symptoms owners report

  • Owners report the vehicle losing motive power and stalling at highway speed with warning lights blinking and the steering wheel becoming firm.
  • Some describe a hybrid system malfunction warning tied to a corroded high-voltage hybrid cable, with the dealer calling the vehicle unsafe to drive.
  • Several owners report the Data Communication Module failing, disabling the hands-free microphone and the Safety Connect SOS emergency system without warning.
  • Owners describe headlights that failed to produce adequate lighting at night, in one case leading to a crash while turning.
  • One owner reported a heated steering wheel section becoming extremely hot and then smoking, which the dealer could not diagnose.
  • Owners report a fuel pump fire and a separate under-hood smoking and burning incident suspected to involve failed electrical parts.

When 2019 Toyota RAV4 electrical complaints were filed

First complaint Jun 29, 2019, latest Sep 9, 2026.

2019 Toyota RAV4 electrical system complaints: complaints filed per quarter82019 Q22020 Q22021 Q22022 Q22023 Q22024 Q32025 Q32026 Q3
105 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2019 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2023 Q1 (8).

Electrical System recalls for the 2019 Toyota RAV4

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Electrical System complaints by RAV4 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201016 (4%)
  2. 201121 (7%)
  3. 201232 (12%)
  4. 201376 (30%)
  5. 201473 (37%)
  6. 201590 (30%)
  7. 201685 (35%)
  8. 2017136 (44%)
  9. 2018149 (45%)
  10. 2019105 (12%)
  11. 2020120 (19%)
  12. 202150 (13%)
  13. 202238 (26%)
  14. 202342 (27%)
  15. 202434 (20%)
  16. 202519 (22%)

Frequently asked questions

How many Electrical System complaints does NHTSA list for the 2019 Toyota RAV4?
NHTSA lists 105 Electrical System complaints for the 2019 RAV4, which is about 12% of the 878 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2019 RAV4 electrical system?
No related recalls are listed in the NHTSA data provided for this issue.
At what mileage do 2019 RAV4 electrical problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure for Electrical System complaints on the 2019 RAV4 is 25,000 miles.
What kinds of electrical failures do owners report on the 2019 RAV4?
Owners report stalling with warning lights, hybrid system malfunction warnings tied to a corroded high-voltage cable, a failing Data Communication Module that disables hands-free calling and the SOS system, inadequate headlight output, and a heated steering wheel that overheated and smoked.
Were there any crashes or fires linked to these complaints?
Of the 105 Electrical System complaints for the 2019 RAV4, NHTSA data shows 4 crashes, 2 fires, and 3 injuries associated with this problem area.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.