According to the NHTSA's reported complaints, the 2019 RAV4 problems are related to Faulty fuel systems, defective electrical systems, and unreliable engines, along with faulty powertrain issues.
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Since introduced in 1996, Toyota RAV4 became one of the most popular compact crossover SUVs in the United States and abroad.
The vehicle attracts thousands of customers every year. Despite the three designs in 2019, the vehicle introduced some major mechanical problems that disappointed tons of loyal Toyota customers.
Just by driving the vehicle for a couple of years, customers reported many complaints about major mechanical problems with this vehicle, which raised several concerns and resulted in at least seven recalls.
If you are a current owner of a 2019 RAV4, you need to know what to expect in terms of mechanical problems. At some point, if you feel that mechanical problems are getting a headache, it's never too early or too late to get rid of this vehicle and sell it to Cash Cars Buyer.
This article summarizes a detailed review of all reported customer complaints about the 2019 RAV4 problems. We explored the nhtsa.gov website along with other larger forums like edmunds.com, repairpal.com, and more.
We also summarize the top issued recalls along with the focused category to help you determine what to look for in your 2019 RAV4 vehicle.
2019 RAV4 Overview
In 2019, Toyota decided to completely redesign the RAV4 to introduce a long list of changes to the engine, the fuel rating, etc. Several of the great safety features and others were added to the base model, including the Wi-Fi hotspot, the Apple car play, the traffic sign recognition, and more.
The 2019 RAV4 is a great compact as UV that was featured in many larger websites. It received a ranking of seven in the 2019 affordable compact SUV category, according to cars.usnews.com.
This vehicle was featured for the amazing cargo space, the long list of safety features, the comfortable ride, and their very good gas mileage.
The 2019 RAV4 comes with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and an 8-speed automatic transmission. The vehicle achieves up to 26 miles per gallon on city roads and 35 miles per gallon on the highway.
The vehicle seats up to five passengers and comes with either a full-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. With the 2019 RAV4, you can achieve about 203 of horsepower.
With this combination, the towing capacity of the 2019 Toyota RAV4 ranges from 1500 to 3500 pounds. The cargo space ranges from 37.5 to 37.6 cubic feet.
2019 RAV4 problems
According to automotive experts, although the new redesigned 2019 RAV4 model is considered the “engineered for versatility” vehicle, there were tons of reported complaints about major mechanical issues.
In general, the vehicle suffered from problems with the fuel system, the engine's defects, defects in the powertrain, and some malfunction in the electrical system.
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2019 RAV4 Fuel system problems: fuel tank capacity issues
When you buy an expensive vehicle like the 2019 RAV4, you never expect to deal with the fuel tank's problems.
Surprisingly, several customers of newer vehicles indicated that they had to replace the entire fuel tank without any previous warning reason. The only thing that they saw is a check engine light illuminating frequently.
Unfortunately, the automaker remained silent regarding this issue; however, it was one recall related to the fuel system, but it has to do with fuel leak issues. When writing this article, there is nothing reported or released to address this problem by the automaker.
Customer complaints #1
“Purchased 2019 RAV 4 on Feb 9th with 10miles on it.Last client to leave the dealership that evening. Drove home, car stood parked all day February 10th. Turned the car on February 10th with engine light on. Took back to dealership, and told the whole fuel tank had to be replaced. A week after servicing, car came to a complete stop, and shut off in the middle of the highway. Had to get towed back to dealership. Was told the fuel gauge was not accurately showing gas amount, and the car ran out of gas. Fixed again…. currently driving waiting for another problem to occur. DO NOT PURCHASE 2019 RAV 4. All stories about engine and problems are true. When contacted Toyota HQ they don’t care about customer service. They refer you to the state lemon law policy. And send you off wishing u luck. Thank god it’s a lease, and the crappy car will go back to them in 3 years. They lost my business along with everyone who hears my story.”
Customer complaints #2
“The 2019 rav4 hv gas tank dry fill capacity is 14.5 gal us. Refueling always automatically stops prematurely at fuel gauge 3/4 full, which corresponds to several gallons dispensed less than a properly full tank. The gas gauge is accurate. This has occurred with every refueling since the first fueling when the car was new. The problem reduces the effective range on one tank of normally dispensed gas by around 100 miles or more. Range is a big selling point of the hybrid model! Furthermore, filling very very slowly to coax the tank to accept a properly full fill can cause no automatic shutoff of the gas pump to occur, which can result in excessive fumes or overfilling. This is unsafe. The problem has been reported to toyota usa by me and by the dealer. The dealer has a technical case number and i have a technical assistance case number. Toyota’s response for the last 5 months has been that there is no fix available. The car is still eligible for refund or replacement under the lemon law provisions (<15k driven or 1 year). The problem has been reported by others:”
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2019 RAV4 Transmission problems: vehicle stop suddenly!
Sadly, one of the tops reported complaints about the 2019 RAV4 vehicle deals with major transmission problems.
Several customers indicated that there were almost going to get involved in car accidents due to transmission problems. This problem prevented the vehicle from moving and passing the upfront vehicle.
Although Toyota did not release any recall for transmission problems, they have a built-in service discussing some weird buzzing noises that might come when the driver drives the vehicle at 20 to 30 mph. They indicated that the problem might be coming from the AWD system. Technicians were advised to replace the transfer case electromagnetic clutch to resolve the issue.
Customer complaints #1
“I have a 2019 RAV4 with only 2000 miles and when I accelerate the transmission slips. I almost got into an accident because I went to pass someone and the damn car didn’t move!! When accelerating from a standstill the transmission bucks and makes noise when in traffic. The engine is also load. Very disappointed in the performance of the vehicle.”
Customer complaints #2
“condition 1 : heavy thumping in rear driveline when coming to a near stop, in traffic or parking causing vehicle lurch forward, as if hit from behind from behind? Such can be heard and felt by occupants in vehicle. Condition 2: when coming to a near stop when accelerating back again vehicle delays down shift causing momentary hesitation before responding do to lapse in transmission gearing to find proper gear response which leaves a second or too hesitation upon re-acceleration in traffic condition. Condition 1: above is due to un-coupling and coupling or read driveline wheels to mainly mileage rating. Which creates a feeling of heavy wear and tear to placed upon driveling components. Vehicles in question gas powered models only for further information look upon toyota drivers forum and edmonton’s customer complaints. Condition on going, contacted both dealer and toyota direct, dealer had no idea what i was talking about nor did toyota, this condition is not isolated to my car, there are many of same on sites mentioned with same issues”
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2019 RAV4 Engine problems: engine stopped shift to P!
The 2019 RAV4 has major issues in the transmission; several customers had problems with the engine.
Within the top reported complaints to the nhtsa.gov website, customers indicated that the vehicle might stop working suddenly without any previous warning signs.
Still, the automaker remains silent and didn't issue any recall or service bulletins to focus on this specific problem. However, they have a service bulletin talking about engine issues that might have to deal with engine stop working or slowing. If that happens, technicians were advised to repair the ECM component to resolve the issue.
Customer complaints #1
“Lease to buy the brand new 2019 Rav4 and all was good until the 4th day after purchase. I leave for work at 7am and when turning on my car – it wouldnt start. A message on the dash saying “Engine Stopped – Shift To P”. My car was still in park so I have no idea what else to do. After an hour of trying it finally starts. A week later it happened again and I was able to start the car after 90minutes. The next day, 12th day of having the car it happens again, finally call a tow guy to jump start my car and I finally decided to bring in the car. Thinking this would only take a few days…. boy was I wrong. As of right now, Thursday February 28th the dealership services still have my car 3weeks and won’t be ready for another week which will be a total of 4 weeks.”
Customer complaints #2
“vehicle will not accelerate when pushing down on the gas pedal. This can occur when leaving a parking place or from a traffic light. The engine does not stop running. It has only happened three times, but could cause an accident.the toyota dealer could not duplicate this at the 5000 mile inspection and there are no codes set nor does it set a check engine light when it happens.”
Are there any recalls on the 2019 RAV4?
Although the 2019 RAV4 hasn't been on the road for a long time, there are already seven recalls issued by the NHTSA regarding the time of writing this article. In this recall, we're either focused on the sensing system, the fuel system, the equipment, the suspension system, and more.
Let's take a closer look at some of the top reported recalls about the 2019 RAV4:
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2019 RAV4 Sensing system recalls
On August 6th, 2019, the automaker decided to recall several vehicles from the 2019 model year due to an issue with the sensing system and, more specifically, with the camera.
The automaker indicated that the backup camera might have issues preventing ads from activating at the right time. Thus, the driver won't fully see all the surroundings, which might increase the chances of crashes.
All affected vehicles were asked to visit the nearest dealership to get the backup camera inspected and get the audio display unit replaced if necessary, without charging the customers.
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2019 RAV4 fuel system recalls
On November 4th, 2020, the automaker also decided to recall several vehicles from the 2019 RAV4 vehicle and several model years Ann brands.
The vehicles were recalled due to an issue in the fuel pump that might fail, which could cause the engine to stall.
A stalling engine might increase the chances of getting involved in crashes. Thus, all affected vehicles were asked to visit the nearest dealership to get the problem inspected and resolved. In most cases, technicians were asked to inspect and replace the fuel pump assembly with another one without charging their customers.
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2019 RAV4 suspension system recalls
On May 20th, 2020, the automaker decided to call several vehicles from the 2019 and the 2020 RAV4 model years due to a problem with the front lower suspension arm.
The automaker indicated that this lower suspension arm might break, which has caused the engine tools to control. Thus, with a bad or fractured lower arm, the driver might get involved in crashes.
All affected vehicles were asked to visit the nearest dealership to get technicians to inspect the lower suspension arm and replace it free of charge.
Is the 2019 RAV4 reliable?
Yes, between 19 RAV4 is concerned with a reliable vehicle. According to the JD Power dependability study, it received a reliable score of 3.5 out of five, which is considered an above-average score.
Regarding safety, the 2019 RAV4 vehicle passed most safety crash tests done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Hwy safety during
The vehicle received five out of five in most of the NHTSA tests and a good score in all the six crash tests done by the Insurance Institute for Hwy safety.
Keep in mind that although they are liable to rank and the safety crash tests are important, if you're planning to purchase a used 2019 RAV4 vehicle, you should also consider customer reviews.
The vehicle has been on the road for a couple of years now, and there's a lot of information to come yet.
Thus, consider taking a closer look at what people think about their experience with this car. You might even need to relate to your environment because some of the mechanical problems might occur in a colder environment, not in a warm one. Also, you might be able to relate your driving style, which might introduce certain problems that might not occur for someone else with a different driving style.
The scum on the bottom line here is that do not rely on the common reliability ranking and the safety tests as the only component in evaluating whether it's worth purchasing a used 2019 RAV4 or not.
How to avoid purchasing a 2019 RAV4 with mechanical problems?
If you plan to invest in an expensive 24, you need to do your homework to prevent purchasing a 2019 RAV4 with mechanical problems.
If you are an inexperienced shopper, you can easily get scanned by purchasing a car with major problems that can cause you thousands of dollars down the road.
To prevent getting the situation, you could either bring in an experienced mechanic to inspect the vehicle before purchase or perform a thorough pre-purchase test drive.
It is recommended that you invest in bringing in a professional mechanic because he has a better sense and previous experience to detect any major problems by monitoring any vehicle's abnormal behavior.
However, if you still think that it's not worth the investment, you might do it yourself by performing a thorough test drive and monitoring any weird symptoms or noises coming from the vehicle.
For example, You mechanic will look for symptoms of a bad transmission, symptoms of a bad engine, symptoms of a bad steering system, etc.
Although most reported problems about the 2019 RAV4 have to do with major components, it is also worth testing the minor components.
For example, you can turn on and off the AC system. You might need to check the radio if you think that you will use it daily. If the vehicle has a heated system or heated seats, you might need to test them and see if they behave properly.
While these minor components might not be very expensive, they can become a headache for you, especially if you rely on them daily.
The bottom line
Although Toyota tried very hard to reduce the total number of complaints reported in 2018 by completely redesigning the 2019 RAV4 model year, several major mechanical problems were associated with the new vehicle.
Reported problems ranged from issues with the fuel system, problems with the electrical system, defects in the engine, and problems with the powertrain.
If you were planning to purchase a used 2019 RAV4, you need to be prepared for a thorough pre-purchase inspection to prevent buying a vehicle with major mechanical problems.
On the other hand, if your current owner of the 2019 RAV4, it's never too early to get rid of this vehicle and buy one that does not cause you any headache. Cash Cars Buyer is always ready to buy your 2019 RAV4 even if it has major issues.
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