2016 Toyota RAV4 Electrical System Problems

NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · data through 09/08/2026

58Electrical System complaints

24.3%Of all 239 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How electrical system ranks on this vehicle

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM58 · 24.3%

SERVICE BRAKES44 · 18.4%

Unspecified / other33 · 13.8%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING28 · 11.7%

ENGINE25 · 10.5%

Share of the 239 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2016 Toyota RAV4 overview page.

What owners report

“REAR HATCH MOTOR FAILED. HATCH WILL NOT OPEN. TOYOTA ADMITS FAULT/DEFECT, BUT REFUSES TO COVER COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH FIXING IT.”NHTSA complaint 11310180 — filed 02/19/2020

“THE WIRING HARNESS WAS CHEW COMPLETELY UP. THIS AFFECTED MY POWER BRAKES, ENGINE,STEERING SYSTEM, ETC. THESE LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE DRIVING THE CAR! RATS CHEWED…”NHTSA complaint 11297434 — filed 01/06/2020

“MY CAR PHONE DOES NOT WORK WITH MY IPHONE 11 PRO MAX. I HAVE A 2016 TOYOTA RAV4 HYBRID. THE BLUETOOTH ON MY NEW PHONE…”NHTSA complaint 11290997 — filed 12/23/2019

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Electrical System complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2016 Toyota RAV4 have electrical system problems?

Electrical System is the most-reported problem area on the 2016 Toyota RAV4: 58 of 239 complaints on file (24.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2016 Toyota RAV4 have in total?

239 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 09/08/2026. Across all categories, 33 involved a crash, 12 involved a fire, 27 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's electrical system category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 09/08/2026.