FREE VEHICLE RESEARCH
2018 Toyota RAV4
The 2018 Toyota RAV4 has 3 NHTSA safety recalls on file, 327 owner complaints, and gets about 25 mpg combined. Here's the full free record from NHTSA and the EPA.
SPECS
2018 Toyota RAV4 at a glance
- Engine
- 4-cyl 2.5L
- Cylinders
- 4
- Displacement
- 2.5 L
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Automatic (S6)
- Body
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
- Fuel
- Regular
Source: EPA / NHTSA vPIC, as of July 12, 2026.
SAFETY RECALLS · NHTSA
3 openEquipment
28/06/2019
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."
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.
Equipment
20/12/2017
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."
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.
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
327 filed- 115
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While I am driving my Toyota RAV4, the car will suddenly shut off and I can restart it and keep driving as the month is going on. The incidents are happening more often and now the dashboard is going black. I’ve had a couple of warning sign
- 51
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Iam having transmission issues. I have been to 3 different Mechanic shops, 2 being transmission specialist. Going to a Toyota dealership on 3/26/26 to confirm. Was told I need a whole new transmission, My rav4 is a 2018 with only 115k for m
- 25
POWER TRAIN
Malfunction: Mechanical failure of the Torque Converter Clutch. The vehicle exhibits a persistent transmission shudder during acceleration between 25–50 mph. Warning Signs: None. There were no dashboard warning lights or error messages prio
- 20
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Both headlights and taillights are stained on the inside of the lens with a white residue. My headlights are very streaky and it makes it difficult to see out of. Not the outside of the headlight, because when i rub my hands along the outsi
- 18
SERVICE BRAKES
I tried breaking and was on a hill with a small incline stopping behind a car as a pedestrian was crossing. When I pushed on the breaks lightly the car didn't break. So I pushed harder as the car in front of me was a few feet. When I pre
- 14
AIR BAGS
We were part of a 4 car collision on the freeway. A Ford Expedition that was slammed into then slammed into our RAV. The airbags never deployed and an error code came up saying fail for airbags.
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
- 25 mpg
- City / Hwy
- 23 / 29
- Est. fuel / yr
- $2,500
- CO₂ / mi
- 349 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 3 open NHTSA recalls (including the equipment). 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 2018 Toyota RAV4? +
NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls for the 2018 Toyota RAV4, including the equipment. See the full list above, and confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov.
What gas mileage does the 2018 Toyota RAV4 get? +
The EPA rates the 2018 Toyota RAV4 at 25 mpg combined (23 city / 29 highway), about $2,500 a year in fuel.
How safe is the 2018 Toyota RAV4? +
NHTSA's NCAP program gives the 2018 Toyota RAV4 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 stars for rollover resistance.
What do owners complain about on the 2018 Toyota RAV4? +
Owners have filed 327 complaints with NHTSA for the 2018 Toyota RAV4, including 31 involving a crash. The most-reported area is electrical system.
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