21TG01 Exprired - Replaced with Campaign 23TA13 During a recent investigation of reported battery fires in 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles with gasoline engines (excluding hybrid models), Toyota discovered that many non-Toyota retailers and others who sell or install replacement batteries were recommending a small size battery for replacement. Toyota specifies a particular size replacement battery for the RAV4 that does not include this small size. The smaller battery may not fit securely with the RAV4’s battery mounting parts, and, in some cases, can move around when the vehicle is driven, causing a short circuit. Using the wrong size battery, or not installing a replacement battery properly, can c
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2016 Toyota RAV4 electrical problems
severe Owners of the 2016 Toyota RAV4 have filed 50 NHTSA complaints about the electrical, typically surfacing around 63,500 miles at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
50
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 RAV4 | 25 |
| 2013 RAV4 | 67 |
| 2014 RAV4 | 61 |
| 2015 RAV4 | 75 |
| 2016 RAV4 (this page) | 50 |
| 2017 RAV4 | 98 |
| 2018 RAV4 | 115 |
| 2019 RAV4 | 87 |
| 2020 RAV4 | 110 |
2crashes
6fires
2injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 50 electrical complaints filed for the 2016 Toyota RAV4, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 50 electrical complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Electrical accounts for 21% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 10 categories tracked.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Campaign Expired - replaced with campaign 23TA13TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONSUMER ADVISORY 21TG01 12-VOLT BATTERY SIZE AND INSTALLATION INSPECTION CERTAIN 2013 – 2018 RAV4
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant leaks.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONSUMER ADVISORY 24TE03 Rav4 Battery Class Action Settlement CERTAIN 2013 – 2018 Model Year RAV4
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONSUMER ADVISORY 24TE03 Rav4 Battery Class Action Settlement CERTAIN 2013 – 2018 Model Year RAV4
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2016 RAV4s describe a cascade of electrical failures that escalate from annoying to dangerous. The most severe complaints involve sudden fires: vehicles catch fire while parked or during light driving (25–30 mph), with flames shooting from under the hood or out of dashboard vents. Fire Department reports and insurance documents confirm battery melting, dashboard destruction, and hood perforation. No warning lights appear before ignition.
Battery charging and starting issues plague these vehicles repeatedly. Owners report batteries that won't hold charge, corrode excessively at terminals despite replacement, and require 3–5 new batteries over ownership. One owner noted her RAV4 inherits this problem from a 2014 model she traded in—same dealer battery replacements, same recurrence.
Engine shutdown without warning hits owners at traffic stops, during highway cruise, and while turning. Dealerships claim diagnostics show nothing wrong. One owner's independent mechanic reproduced the failure twice; the dealer still found no fault codes. Another describes violent engine surging (3,500–5,500 rpm hunting) while cruise control is engaged in all drive modes—no codes, no warnings, just violent acceleration and deceleration that frighten highway traffic.
Infotainment displays and instrument clusters reset or go black for 5–10 seconds mid-drive. Trip odometers reset, cruise control settings revert to factory default. Some owners say Toyota issued a battery installation advisory but no recall or solution followed. Headlights cut off every 5–10 minutes when driven at night. Using the windshield wipers or turn signal causes headlights to fail; three owners report the engine stalled when turning on headlights.
NHTSA Campaign 23V734000 (Electrical System) was issued for these vehicles, but the recall repair parts remain unavailable indefinitely according to multiple owners, leaving them unable to comply with recall notifications.
Same Toyota RAV4 electrical reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Electrical system fire / battery thermal runaway
Battery catches fire or causes fires under the hood and dashboard area, some vehicles catching fire while parked or during normal driving. Fire Department and insurance reports document flames, melted battery cases, damaged hoods, and dashboard destruction. Owners report no warning lights before fire onset.
When: 44,000–130,000 miles; some while parked; others during light driving (25–30 mph stops/turns) or after 5–10 minutes of normal driving
Symptoms owners cite: Smoke billowing from under hood; Burning odor from interior or under hood; Flames shooting from under hood or dashboard vents; Battery melted with fluid leaking; Hole burned through hood; Dashboard destroyed by internal fire
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple vehicles deemed total loss by insurance; dealership unable to diagnose or repair; one vehicle remained unrepaired at dealership after 22 days
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 23V734000 (Electrical System) issued; recall repair parts unavailable as of complaint dates; manufacturer acknowledges defect but repair delayed indefinitely
Battery charging system failure / failure to hold charge
Battery loses charge, corrodes excessively at terminals, requires repeated replacements, and vehicle will not start or starts only after multiple attempts with clicking sounds. Battery warning light illuminates but dealer diagnostics often return no codes or contradictory results.
When: Throughout ownership; corrosion and charge loss evident from early miles through 130,000+ miles; some vehicles had 3–5 battery replacements
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle will not start or slow to start (multiple clicking attempts needed); Battery warning light illuminated; Excessive terminal corrosion despite new batteries; Battery critical charging error message displayed; Battery diagnosed as melted with internal leakage
Codes mentioned: P0A00 (battery system fault, inferred from charging error messages)
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple battery replacements (3–5 per owner); dealership unable to resolve root cause; independent mechanic replaced battery but failure recurred; corrosion continues despite new terminals and batteries
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 23V734000 (Electrical System) issued; recall repair parts unavailable; Toyota stated in one case that battery issue was unrelated to recall and refused further service
Unexpected engine shutdown / loss of power while driving
Vehicle suddenly loses engine power or shuts off during normal driving (stops, turns, highway cruise) with no warning lights illuminated. Vehicle may restart within seconds or minutes but failure recurs unpredictably. Poses serious collision risk.
When: Various mileages (1,000 to 96,000+ miles); occurs at 25–60 mph, during turns, at traffic stops, and while in cruise control
Symptoms owners cite: Engine shuts off without warning; Complete loss of electrical power in some cases; Dashboard and radio display go black for 5–10 seconds then return; No warning lights illuminated before failure; Vehicle restarts on its own or after accelerator pedal depression; Failure recurs multiple times during same drive
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership diagnostics find no fault codes; independent service center reproduced failure twice; dealer inspection inconclusive; one owner notes failure occurred after jumping the vehicle following earlier power loss
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota dealership told one owner nothing was wrong despite repeated failures; another owner's dealer determined vehicle was 'performing as designed' and offered no remedy
Engine surge / uncontrolled acceleration (ECM malfunction)
Tachometer and engine hunting between 3,500–5,500 rpm without throttle input, causing violent acceleration and deceleration jerking during normal driving. Occurs in all drive modes (Cruise, Eco, Normal, Sport). No diagnostic codes retrieved despite reproduction by independent mechanic.
When: While accelerating and at speeds over 50 mph; reproducible event but no clear trigger identified
Symptoms owners cite: Tachometer yanks between 3,500 and 5,500 rpm; Vehicle physically jerks between hard acceleration and hard deceleration; Occurs in Cruise Control, Eco Mode, Normal Mode, and Sport Mode; Throttle position not changing during event; No warning lights, codes, messages, or notifications; Hazard noticed by other drivers on highway
Repairs/costs cited: Owner replaced battery, starter, spark plugs, and spark plug wires without resolving issue; independent service center reproduced twice; ECM suspected but not confirmed by dealership
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota dealership performed diagnostic and read computer but found no codes; told owner nothing was wrong and offered no repair
Infotainment and instrument cluster resets / display failures
Dashboard displays, radio screen, and instrument cluster turn off and on, reset to factory settings, or go completely black for 5–10 seconds during driving. Trip odometers reset unexpectedly; cruise control, blind spot monitor, and parking assist settings revert to default.
When: Various mileages; occurs during normal driving and at highway speeds; one instance immediately after consumer advisory regarding battery installation
Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard display and radio screen turn off and on repeatedly; Instrument cluster shuts down intermittently; Trip odometer resets unexpectedly; Lane Departure Assist triggers despite being turned off; Cruise control settings revert to default; Blind spot monitor and parking assist settings reset; Display shows 'System Malfunction' message
Repairs/costs cited: Shop diagnostics unable to retrieve fault codes; one failure wiped codes automatically, preventing diagnosis
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota issued consumer advisory regarding 12-Volt Battery Size and Installation (Winter 2020), but no recall or remedy specified
Battery terminal corrosion and electrical connectivity failure
Battery terminals corrode excessively and repeatedly despite new batteries and terminals being installed. Corrosion causes electrical issues including door lock failures and other auxiliary electrical problems.
When: Throughout ownership; owner estimated 3–5 battery replacements between two RAV4 models (2014 and 2016)
Symptoms owners cite: Massive corrosion on battery terminals; Passenger door does not lock with key button; Electrical issues with lights and accessories; Vehicle unable to start when corrosion is severe
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replaced 3–5 times by Toyota dealership; terminals continue to corrode over even with new battery installed; no permanent solution found
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota dealership replaced batteries under warranty but did not address root cause of corrosion
Headlight and accessory power dropout
Headlights cut off intermittently every 5–10 minutes during night driving. Using windshield wipers or blinker signals causes headlights to fail. Stalling has occurred three times when turning on headlights; one stall during left turn.
When: Multiple occurrences during night driving
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights go out every 5–10 minutes during dark driving; Headlights turn off when using blinker or windshield wipers; Engine stalled when attempting to turn on headlights (3 instances); Engine stalled when making left turn (1 instance); No diagnostic codes found by Toyota or AutoZone
Repairs/costs cited: New battery installed but problems persist; Toyota diagnostic returned no faults; AutoZone battery test returned normal; third opinion with another new battery did not resolve issue
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota ran diagnostics and stated everything was fine despite repeated failures
Key fob and rear lighting electrical failure
Key fob fails to start vehicle. Rear brake lights filled with water and inoperable, indicating potential moisture intrusion or wiring failure in rear electrical harness.
When: 39,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Key fob does not start vehicle; Rear brake lights inoperable; Water present inside rear brake light housings
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not diagnosed or repaired; dealer did not investigate
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not contacted regarding failure
Safety system electrical dropout
Multiple safety systems fail simultaneously and without warning: anti-lock braking system, lane departure alert, pre-collision system, and adaptive cruise control all stop functioning at once after normal start-up.
When: After normal engine start-up; no mileage stated
Symptoms owners cite: Anti-lock braking system fails; Lane departure alert fails; Pre-collision system fails; Adaptive cruise control fails; All safety feature losses occur simultaneously; No warning or causal event identified
Repairs/costs cited: No repair information provided
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer response documented; owner notes this appears to be known issue among other Toyota owners
Infotainment navigation system limitations
Navigation system requires manual chip update instead of wireless update capability. Backup camera changes functions, preferences, and layout unexpectedly.
When: Throughout ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Navigation requires chip-based updates instead of wireless capability; Backup camera varies functions, preferences, and layout
Repairs/costs cited: No repair attempted; owner requesting design improvement
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer response documented
Electrical system misalignment requiring full system update
After minor collision (curb strike), all warning indicators illuminate and electrical system goes out of alignment, requiring complete system update and realignment at dealership.
When: After curb strike at approximately 200 miles
Symptoms owners cite: All warning indicators illuminate simultaneously after collision; Electrical system misalignment detected; Vehicle unable to operate normally
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership performed electrical system update and realignment; dealer noted additional undisclosed failures were found during repair
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified of failure after dealership repair
Synthesized from 50 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed…
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 well not pair with my etune software. Tbe phone can't even discover it. When it finally fails my screen on my cat phone says no microphone detected. Rotors says it's an apple software problem. Jus a safety issue. I drive and work out of my car six days a week.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Toyota Rav4. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was purchased from a private seller. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 98,000. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and a Carfax report indicated that in November 2025, the mileage was reported at 170,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The…
The car rapidly caught on fire while parked and off. Smoke first appeared from the hood and subsequently flames came out of the hood causing the entire car to catch in fire. There were no warning lights/messages. The car was inspected by our insurance, USAA
Had electrical trouble with your 2016 Toyota RAV4?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2016 Toyota RAV4?
It's a meaningful issue. 50 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Across the 20 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most electrical failures cluster between 39,000 and 96,000 miles, with the median around 63,500. A quarter of owners report trouble before 39,000; a quarter make it past 96,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2016/Toyota/RAV4.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.