Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2014 Toyota RAV4 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2014 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, it was noticed that there was smoke coming from under the hood of the vehicle, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact arrived at the residence and the vehicle burst into flames causing the rear of another vehicle to melt. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. A police report was filed. No one was injured. The vehicle was not towed or diagnosed. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 120,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop at 10-15 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the vehicle started shuddering, jerking, hesitated and responded in a surging manner. The contact stated that the failure stopped while driving above 25 MPH. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring increasingly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the torque converter needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that she would need to pay a repair fee as Toyota Technical Service Bulletin Number: POL17-06 had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
2014 Toyota RAV4 AWD XLE purchased June 2025. Multiple pre-existing safety defects confirmed by dealership personnel were never disclosed at time of sale. POWER TRAIN: Torque converter failure - vibration documented at pre-sale inspection, never disclosed or diagnosed. Axle bracket corroded so severely it was fused to axle and required cutting off - confirmed by service advisor on recorded call. BRAKES: Aftermarket brake parts installed pre-sale without disclosure. Brake system rated RED by dealership within 9,734 miles of purchase. Severe brake pedal pulsation confirmed on multiple invoices. ODY/STRUCTURE: Severe underbody and structural corrosion - subframe, crossmembers, fuel tank surfaces - never disclosed. Swollen lug nuts documented. Prior welded exhaust repair undisclosed. Exhaust flange separation and catalytic converter failure - repair quote $4,745. …
This matter is not related to a accident. This matter is related to a bad transmission on our Rava4. This started at a little over 100.000 miles. Toyota did replace transmission filter and torque converter at 102.000 miles and now we have 152.000 miles at this time, and now our 2nd gear is going out and the transmission needs to be replaced but can't found a rebuilt transmission. Due to back ordered parts. So what are we to do? The Rava4 is worthless without good transmission .Has there been any other related problems like this ? Toyota's are suppose to be good reliable cars.
Transmission fluid was serviced at Bill page Toyota, Falls Church, VA 22042 (102,468 miles on 11/2/2023) Transmission failed to operate at 104,771 miles. Car failed to go reverse, noise from transmission gear. Car was inspected at Toyota Ourishman, Fairfax, VA and concluded transmission problem failed.
My husband made sure he took the car into the dealership before his current deployment & records showed nothing was wrong. About 2 months ago I noticed the vehicle would jump from 2 to 3 RPM. He changed the spark plugs and battery. The drive improved but soon started revving again. In September, I called the dealership & described the issue & noted that there was no check engine light or any light indicating anything was wrong. The maintenance personnel said to drop it off for further diagnosis. On October 15, I took the vehicle in for a diagnostic it came back with another clean report and was advised to bring it back in if the problem persist. The next morning, I noticed the vehicle was still behaving the same way. I called the dealership and told them I will bring the vehicle back in. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 Toyota RAV4. While the contact was attempting to pull into a parking spot, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and crashed into a parked vehicle. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic who stated that the body repair would cost approximately $4,700. The mechanic suggested that the acceleration May have been caused by the transmission. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 32,000. The consumer stated that the front airbag did not deploy.
The incident occurred on 11/13/2019 @ 8:30 am. I had started my 2014 Toyota RAV4, pulled out from under the carport apprx. 25ft and put the vehicle in park and fully engaged the parking brake I always do this if I need to leave the vehicle running for any reason. In this case I was heating the interior as it was chilli. I went back inside my home to get the animal crate that contained my cat who needed to go to the vet. As I was loading the crate into the front seat the vehicle began moving in reverse. I was between the open door and the vehicle itself and after freaking out a second looked to see if the parking brake had disengaged. It had not.at that point I was along for the ride and the car drug me toward the laundry room and I went underneath the open door holding onto the armrest. When I had to release my trip I was laid out on my back with my arms and hands raised. …
Greetings and salutations. This communication is about the defective torque converter in the transmission that Toyota is aware of. I acquired the vehicle at about 33,000 miles and I noticed that it had this problem of a slight intermittent shudder, what some would call a shake or vibration, during acceleration coming from the transmission. It did not affect the performance of the vehicle so I ignored it mainly because I did not have the time to address it. As time went on the condition became much more noticeable and Toyota sent me a letter explaining that they were aware of the problem affecting some of their vehicles and that they were extending the warranty. I have attached photos of this letter with this communication. …
Purchased a used 2014 Toyota RAV4 on 01-2018 for the purchase price of $12,000. It had 36,198 miles at the time of purchase. Approximately one year after purchase, noticed a shuttering while at certain speeds. Looked into recalls and found that there was a service bulletin regarding these symptoms. Called Toyota and they took my car's information. They said that my car was 'eligible' for the repairs to be done. However, Toyota called the next day and said my car did not qualify because it was a 'total loss' vehicle. I was shocked to hear this as I purchased it with a blue title. Upon further investigation, I found the vehicle had hail damage and the insurance company opted to issue a total loss claim but did not feel obligated to badge the title as salvage. I filed complaint with texas board of insurance but they have been no help. …
Transmission complaints in other RAV4 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2014 Toyota RAV4?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2014 Toyota RAV4, 10% of the model year's 197 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2014 Toyota RAV4 transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2014 Toyota RAV4, though it has 4 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 2014 Toyota RAV4 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 59,000 miles, and 23% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 1 injury to transmission & drivetrain 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.