Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2018 Toyota RAV4 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at 20-25 MPH and making a turn into a parking lot, the vehicle intermittently lost power steering and electrical power twice. The contact continued to drive and as she drove over a speed bump, the vehicle stalled and lost electrical power. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that she saw smoke coming out from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The contact quickly exited the vehicle and noticed that the vehicle was on fire. The contact did not sustain any injuries. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where it was totaled. The Chevrolet dealer who sold the vehicle to the contact was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while at a stop at a traffic light, the vehicle independently accelerated and rear-ended another vehicle. The engine revved during the acceleration while the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle continued to accelerate for 20 feet. No warning lights illuminated. No air bags deployed. No injuries were sustained, and medical attention was not sought. A police report was not filed. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred while at a stop, and the vehicle traveled approximately 20 feet before coming to a complete stop while forcefully depressing the brake pedal. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,368.
The contact owned a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving approximately at 35 MPH, the vehicle suddenly shut down completely. Prior to the shutdown, the instrument panel continuously was flashing. The contact drove safely to the side of the highway. The contact noticed smoke and fire being exhausted from under the driver side of the engine. The contact notified 911, and the fire department arrived on the scene. The fire department extinguished the fire with water and a fire extinguisher. There was a fire department report filed. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The fire department and towing company informed the contact the vehicle was completely lost. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000
The contact owned a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal odor of smoke detected from the vents. The contact pulled over and the vehicle caught fire. There were no warning lights illuminated. There were no reported injuries or air bag deployments. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The contact called the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
On the morning of November 4, 2021, at 6:15 a.m., driver was driving to her job as a shuttle driver. She made no stops on her way to work. At approximately 6:30 a.m, drive exited South Padre Island Drive off of Nile Road in her silver 2018 Toyota RAV-4. As she exited the freeway, her car's console screen went blank, all electricity to the car cut out, and the engine shut off. The car restarted once, cut out again, and then restarted again as she pulled into her employer's driveway. The car cut out once more, and coasted into the parking lot in front of employer. Driver smelled electrical burning and shortly thereafter saw black smoke coming out of the hood. She quickly got out of the car and called 911 after moving safely away from the vehicle and inside the building. A police patroller arrived first and was unable to put out the fire, and at about 6:45 a.m. …
I was on the freeway driving home and a vehicle cut me on the freeway which resulted in me breaking a little heavier than usual but wasn't abnormal and resulted in the vehicle shutting down due to the battery jumping around in the engine compartment and then instantaneously catching on fire with no way of steering or guiding myself to safety the highway did arrive on scene as well as ambulance and they only asked for registration and vehicle ownership which I hadn't presented but since a tow truck was on its way already they really had no reason to be there other than to make sure I was okay I do have case number and any other information needed for my vehicles abrupt explosion. This incident has been reported to Toyota of Anaheim as well as brand engagement been calling but haven't received helpful information on my loss
My husband and I were driving down the road when we had warning lights and signals going off in the car and the electric was trying to reset in the car. The car was sputtering and stalled out. we managed to pull the car over as white smoke came from under the hood of the car and we jumped out and grabbed our dog as flames started to shoot from under the hood. We have never had any incident happen prior to this to indicate there would be any problems. The car is available for inspection if requested. The insurance company has not inspected the vehicle yet and is transporting it to a salvage yard for inspection.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle was transmitting heat and a foul odor. The contact stated that the heat and odor entered the cabin of the vehicle even though the air condition was not activated. The contact stated that the heat was coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 55,000.
My car caught on fire due to the battery shifting in February. I have all documentation of the process it took for Toyota to ever reach out just to tell me there was nothing they could do. I had to file a claim through insurance and pay some out of pocket for a fix. All for them to still have no remedy almost a year later. I can't trade it in or else I'll be under and have nearly 4-5k in negative equity since the car is now worth nothing due to the safety recall.
All warning lights came on and started flashing, steering wheel locked completely and total system failure. Car suddenly died and I had no control of it. Engine started smoking with black smoke. I got out of car and engine immediately caught fire starting at the bottom left driver side of engine and within a few minutes vehicle was completely engulfed with flames. It exploded and car was gone.
Engine complaints in other RAV4 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2018 Toyota RAV4?
NHTSA has 35 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2018 Toyota RAV4, 11% of the model year's 333 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system › emission control (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2018 Toyota RAV4 engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2018 Toyota RAV4, though it has 3 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 2018 Toyota RAV4 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 48,000 miles, and 43% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 11 fires and 1 injury to engine & cooling 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.