FREE VEHICLE RESEARCH
2013 Toyota RAV4 EV
The 2013 Toyota RAV4 EV has 2 NHTSA safety recalls on file, 254 owner complaints, and gets about 76 mpg combined. Here's the full free record from NHTSA and the EPA.
SPECS
2013 Toyota RAV4 EV at a glance
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Automatic (variable gear ratios)
- Body
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
- Fuel
- Electricity
Source: EPA / NHTSA vPIC, as of July 12, 2026.
SAFETY RECALLS · NHTSA
2 openTrailer Hitches
16/01/2015
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.
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.
Electrical System
01/11/2023
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.
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 has opened one or more investigations covering this model. Recalls can follow an investigation, so check NHTSA for the latest before you buy.
Open safety recalls are free to fix at any franchised dealer. What recalls mean → Source: NHTSA recalls, as of July 12, 2026. Recalls can be issued any time, confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
OWNER COMPLAINTS · NHTSA
254 filed- 67
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2013 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that a mileage discrepancy was discovered after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 105,836; however, Ca
- 33
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I have a Blizzard White RAV4 2013 that I just bought the paint is peeling from roof and side doors. I called a Toyota dealer and they told me that they wouldn’t be able to paint it beacause the warranty of repainting had expired. In some pa
- 28
POWER TRAIN
The vehicle shudders significantly when accelerating/cruising between 35-45 mph. The shudder started slight and did not pose an issue for a while, but now its significant enough that is causes erratic steering. The vehicle waved back and
- 23
STRUCTURE
The vehicle has experienced premature and widespread paint peeling and clear coat failure on multiple body panels. The paint began deteriorating without impact, collision, or environmental damage and has progressively worsened over time. T
- 16
SERVICE BRAKES
Brakes failed to stop while parking vehicle with a speed of less than 5 mph hitting landscaping with a young pine tree that made the vehicle stopped. Hit and went over some matured bushes on the landscaped parking lot. The SUV cannot be s
- 15
ENGINE
Over the course of the past two days, 2013 Toyota RAV4 has engine cut-off while moving on surface streets, tollroads, and Interstate Highways. Thus far, this has occurred 9 times without any warning whatsoever. Car is in otherwise fine me
Problems owners reported to the government, useful for spotting patterns, not proof any one car has them. What complaints mean → Source: NHTSA complaints, as of July 12, 2026. Owner-submitted reports, not verified diagnoses.
CRASH-TEST RATINGS · NHTSA NCAP
- Overall
- ★★★★☆
- Frontal
- ★★★★☆
- Side
- ★★★★★
- Rollover
- ★★★★☆
Government crash tests of this model; not every trim or year is tested. Source: NHTSA NCAP, as of July 12, 2026.
FUEL & RUNNING COST · U.S. EPA
- Combined
- 76 mpg
- City / Hwy
- 78 / 74
- Est. fuel / yr
- $1,000
- CO₂ / mi
- 0 g
EPA lab estimates; real mpg varies by how you drive. Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov, as of July 12, 2026. Annual cost assumes 15,000 mi/yr at EPA's reference price.
All figures above come from free U.S. government sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, investigations, crash tests) and the EPA (fuel economy and specs). We don't show market price, insurance cost, or proprietary reliability scores, because there's no free, reliable public source for them. For a verdict on a specific listing, with a fair-offer number and what to ask the seller, that's the VINly app.
BEFORE YOU BUY
What to check on this car
Confirm the recalls were fixed
This model has 2 open NHTSA recalls (including the trailer hitches). Recall repairs are free at the dealer, so ask the seller for proof the remedy was performed, or verify by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
Have a mechanic check the electrical system
Owners report problems with the electrical system more than anything else on this model. Call it out specifically during a pre-purchase inspection.
Watch for a pending investigation
NHTSA has an open investigation covering this model. A recall can follow an investigation, so check nhtsa.gov for the latest before you commit.
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Test-drive the basics
Cold start, full-lock steering both ways, firm brakes with no pulsing, smooth shifts, and every electronic feature. Warning lights should come on at key-on, then go out.
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Check the title and the VIN
Confirm the title status in hand matches the listing, and that the VIN matches across the dash, door jamb, and title. VINly does not show ownership or accident history, for that, run a paid report like Carfax.
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Ask the seller the right questions
Why they are selling, any service records, accident or panel-repaint history, how many owners, and whether any open recalls were completed.
See the full used-car inspection checklist. None of this replaces a hands-on inspection by a mechanic.
Quick answers
What is recalled on the 2013 Toyota RAV4 EV? +
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls for the 2013 Toyota RAV4 EV, including the trailer hitches. See the full list above, and confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov.
What gas mileage does the 2013 Toyota RAV4 EV get? +
The EPA rates the 2013 Toyota RAV4 EV at 76 mpg combined (78 city / 74 highway), about $1,000 a year in fuel.
How safe is the 2013 Toyota RAV4 EV? +
NHTSA's NCAP program gives the 2013 Toyota RAV4 EV 4 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 stars for rollover resistance.
What do owners complain about on the 2013 Toyota RAV4 EV? +
Owners have filed 254 complaints with NHTSA for the 2013 Toyota RAV4 EV, including 22 involving a crash. The most-reported area is electrical system.
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