Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Toyota RAV4 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I turned the key and started the RAV4 parked in my driveway. It immediately made unusual noices (gurgling, spitting, etc.). Within a minute, there was a loud "BOOM" under the hood and fire began coming out from underneath the car. I got out of the car and got a safe distance from it. My neighbors came running over as they heard subsequent explosions and saw black smoke billowing from my direction. Within a matter of a few minutes, the entire car was engulfed in flames. The fire department came and extinguished it. There is nothing left! BTW, I am 91 years old. This could have had a very different and sad outcome!
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that large pieces of paint had separated from the hood and contacted the front windshield while driving, creating a visibility hazard for the driver. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 120,000.
The paint on the roof of my 2013 Toyota Rav4 has begun to peel (delaminate). I first noticed it in May 2025. More recently, in June, while driving I saw in my rearview mirror what was clearly a chunk of white paint fall off the blowing from the top of my vehicle behind me - which is poses a safety hazard on the road. There are two areas on the roof now peeling. One is about 8inches in diameter (which has grown since May) and the newest area peeling and flaking/flying off is 1 foot long and 4 to 5 inches wide. Areas of the roof where the paint has peeled are beginning to rust and compromise the integrity of the body. I contacted Toyota twice recently regarding my case (#250701000710) which is considered closed. Two representatives said they were sorry I was having this issue but advised that I would have to go to a dealer and take care of it myself. …
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. This condition is consistent with a known manufacturing defect affecting certain Toyota vehicles, which Toyota acknowledged through a Customer Support Program. The defect results in exposed metal and body surfaces, increasing the risk of corrosion and long-term structural damage. The issue has been visually confirmed and documented and is reproducible across affected panels. No warning indicators were present prior to the failure. The vehicle remains available for inspection upon request.
I am reporting a paint peeling issue on my 2013 Toyota RAV4 Limited that has the potential to be a safety hazard. Large sections of paint have peeled off, exposing bare metal on the hood, roof, and/or doors, and I am concerned about its impact on visibility, corrosion, and potential flying debris while driving. 1.Visibility Obstruction & Glare Risk: The paint on my hood is peeling off in patches, causing sun glare and reflection issues that impair my ability to see the road under certain lighting conditions. This is particularly dangerous during sunrise, sunset, or nighttime driving under streetlights. 2.Risk of Corrosion Leading to Structural Integrity Issues: With the bare metal exposed, the affected areas are at risk of rusting and corrosion, which could weaken the vehicle's structure. …
The engine started on fire under normal driving conditions. The car was not involved in any accident. The RAV4 limited was totaled. It was less than 3 years old and had 17,500 miles on it. The car was serviced regularly by Toyota. The last service was about 4 months prior to the fire. Toyota has not honored their 3yr/36,000 mile warranty coverage on the car. Toyota has not offered a replacement car, rental or anything. Every time we call our Toyota case manager or legal department managers, we have to leave a message and they never return our calls.
The throttle stuck on the car. I could not stop the car and it went over a 10 foot fall and crashed to the ground. It was a very scary ride. I tried every way to stop the car but could not . I had my foot on the brake the entire time of the unintended event. I am still very sore three weeks later and have some spinal sprain and wrist sprain, cervical sprain and both knees bruised both knees. The car was taken to a collision center for repairs after I consulted my insurance company....updated 06-16-15 updated 10/2/2017
La pintura de la guagua se esta saliendo. Las puertas delanteras tienen problemas cuando quieres abrir o cerrar las mismas con el llavero. Se le dao a ambas puertas delanteras el motor o lo que le llaman "actuator" a una semana de diferencia y cuando intento abrir la puerta desde adentro para bajarme se queda cerrada y no me permite abrirla tengo que estar dndole lock/unlock hasta que me deja quitarle el seguro para poder bajarme de la guagua; esto asunto en particular me preocupa en caso de algn accidente no pueda abrirla. Otro problema que tiene es que cada 3 meses, es que las bombillas de "stop" del lado derecho se daa y tengo que estar cambindola. Esto ha sucedido desde aproximadamente diciembre 2015. The paint is coming out. The front doors have problems when you want to open or close them with the key ring. …
2/20/2017 2013 Toyota RAV4 limited pear white. One week age on a Saturday I was wetting my SUV with a garden hose while it was parked and the engine off before washing and when I got to the passenger door on drivers side paint started flaking off. I stopped spraying at that time and I was left with a 3 inch diameter area that has no paint left, but a gray base. I did report this to lake charles Toyota in louisiana and was told since the factory warranty has ended and I have 60,000 miles, that Toyota would not cover, to have it repaired. I questioned them about my 'bumper to bumper' extended warranty and it was left up to the manager of the service department and he said the extended warranty would not cover it. This is the worst treatment I have ever received from them. The service starting going downhill about two years ago at lc Toyota. …
Toyota RAV4 with the blizzard white paint have a paint peeling problem which can quickly become a safety issue when it peels off the engine hood and flies up on the windshield blocking your field of vision on I-84 at 90ft/sec.Toyota will only paint parts of the car as they peel from the primer but they should paint the entire car since the paint and primer are the same on the entire car.they did some bogus tests and told me the rest of car was okay.I picked the car up on February 6 and one week later the passenger car door started to peel.I have another appointment on March 9 to paint the passenger side door.the work is being done at greentree Toyota in danbury,ct.Toyota is procrastinating hoping these problems will disappear.
Body complaints in other RAV4 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2013 Toyota RAV4?
NHTSA has 28 complaints about the body & structure of the 2013 Toyota RAV4, 11% of the model year's 257 complaints. The component named most often is body (18 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Toyota RAV4 body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2013 Toyota RAV4, though it has 2 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 2013 Toyota RAV4 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 36,000 miles, and 50% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 0 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.