Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2010 Toyota RAV4 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I have a 2010 Toyota rav4 limited and sometimes the car starts and sometimes it doesn't but all the light come on but the car itself doesn't start I replaced the battery, starter, starter safety switch but it still doesn't start sometimes
A few days ago, I turned on my vehicle and saw three lights, check engine, electronic stability control, and 4wd. I took my vehicle into the Toyota dealer, which diagnosed my problem as water in the charcoal canister that is part of the evaporative fuel system. Problem is that fuel vapors can now accumulated in and about the vehicle. The dealer checked with Toyota to see if it would pay for the repair. They wouldn't. The total parts to fix this problem cost about $1000, and the 3 hrs' labor is over $500. I was shocked. But shock turned to outrage when I saw, among the parts, a $14 part to cover the canister and prevent water on the road from contaminating and ruining the replacement charcoal canister. Why didn't Toyota inform me of this before? I would have spent $14 plus an hr's labor to install this cover to avoid a $1500-1600 repair. …
When driving the vehicle at approximately 40-50 MPH, in 4th gear, a vibration or shudder is felt in the transmission. It is a slight loss of power. It can be felt intermittently as long as you are holding a constant speed. If you manually or automatically shift down it stops, but as soon as you maintain speed again it will come back. It doesn't necessary matter which roadway you are driving on. From my understanding there is a malfunction in the torque converter. A "lock-up clutch" design flaw in the damper plate and springs. This is already a known issue for some models and recalls have been issued. It is becoming a bigger, more wide spread issue and the recall needs to be expanded to include all models with this problem.
I was on the freeway and entering a freeway ramp to another freeway in a turn and I let my foot off the gas and the throttle stuck and actually my car began to speed up on its own! My foot was not the gas at the time I let it for a sec and than it was like I slammed on the gas going into the turn on the ramp it scared the hell out of me its the first something like that happen to me. It sped up from 65 to around 68 and than it was off to the races so I hit gas pedal and than the breaks and it started to slow down I was at the turn of the ramp witch didnt help it was really bad for a second I was like what the hell and when I noticed I made sure my foot was not on the gas and than it accelerated even more!!!
When I slow down to approach a stop sign or wait to make a turn on a city street, the car stalls. It happens with left hand and right hand turns. I have to put it in park and start it again. It has happened over weeks. I put 3/4 of a tank of premium gas to see if that helped and it stalled on the way home. It can stall 3-4 times in a day or not at all. The cause is unknown. I brought it to a private mechanic shop and they could not find a cause. I notice a 'rattling' noise now when I start the car. I am afraid that I May turn in front of a car and stall so that the car will not accelerate when I expect it to.
April 2014: at approximately 50,000 miles, check engine light and stability controls on dash while driving. Dealer informs that there is a charcoal canister malfunction and the part needs to be replaced. Dealer performed repair and replacement of Toyota parts. Paid ~$900. February 2016: same lights on dash while driving. Take to the dealer and the error codes indicate the charcoal canister needs to be replaced again. Estimate $1020. The part is no longer under 12-month warranty as it was replaced 20 months ago.
Left a Toyota dealership after having service . It was raining outside I had just jumped on the highway and my 4 wheel drive check engine light and a third light all came on. I then drove to autozone I was told that I needed a 02 sensor. But I had just left the Toyota dealership and was told there was no problems with my vehicle. I read a post on your website and with the same concern and decided to add my complaint. I will be taking my car back to the dealership on Friday.
I bought the car 8/31/2010. The car always jumped for no reason. Henderickson Toyota said nothing was wrong. I saw 2010 RAV4 was involved in a lawsuit that Toyota corporation lost in 2013. I was never notified. The car was rpaired for a floor mat problem, but not the motor jump. I sold the car because the car was in 2015 because it had a second major problem with poor control of backend.
In October of 2018 paid to have the charcoal cannister replaced at a cost of $1500..now the same trouble codes are in the system, requiring rerplacement of cannister again. I found TSB 009809 from Toyota cocerning water in the evaporative emissions system. Problem occured when started engine at home.
Dealer says that charcoal cannister, which is part of evaporative system, has failed by allowing water to ruin charcoal. Wants $1500 to repair. Says TSB for this doesn't cover my vehicle due to mileage (would be covered in ca). Fuel fumes can accumulate if this is not repaired.
Fuel System complaints in other RAV4 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2010 Toyota RAV4?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2010 Toyota RAV4, 5% of the model year's 400 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2010 Toyota RAV4 fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2010 Toyota RAV4, though it has 14 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2010 Toyota RAV4 fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles, and 31% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.