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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2015 Toyota RAV4 is associated with 303 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 4 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Electrical System, accounting for 51 reports (17% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 4 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2.5l 4-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 24 to 26 MPG combined. The 2015 Toyota RAV4 belongs to the 4th generation (XA40) RAV4 platform spanning model years 2015–2018.

Platform Architecture: 4th Generation (XA40) • Production Span: 2015–2018 • Platform Code: New MC • Lifecycle Note: Facelift (2016–2018, Hybrid Introduced)
Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 303 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 4 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Electrical System (51 / 17%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 37 crash / 41 fire / 21 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 24–26 MPG across 4 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2015 Toyota RAV4?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
RAV4 2.5L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 23 MPG 30 MPG 26 MPG — $2,350 / yr
RAV4 LE/XLE 2.5L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 23 MPG 30 MPG 26 MPG — $2,350 / yr
RAV4 AWD 2.5L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 22 MPG 28 MPG 25 MPG — $2,450 / yr
RAV4 Limited AWD 2.5L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 22 MPG 28 MPG 24 MPG — $2,550 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2015 Toyota RAV4?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV FWD Later Release 17.4%
SUV FWD Early Release 17.4%
SUV AWD Later Release 16.900000000000002%
SUV AWD Early Release 16.900000000000002%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as No and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2015 Toyota RAV4 models.
View complete 2015 Toyota RAV4 crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2015 Toyota RAV4?

Summary of 303 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
303
Crash Reports
37
Fire Reports
41
Complaints w/ Injury
21
Total Injuries
30

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Electrical System 51 complaints
Steering 31 complaints (1 crash)
Structure & Body 21 complaints (1 crash)
Powertrain 20 complaints (1 crash)
Engine 16 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2015 Toyota RAV4 problems & component breakdown (60 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2015 Toyota RAV4?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #23V734000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

Defect Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles. Certain replacement 12-volt batteries may not fit properly in the battery tray, allowing the battery to move and contact the hold-down bracket, possibly causing a short circuit.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 27, 2024, to 2013-2014 RAV4 owners. Additional owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, phase 2 will begin on May 14, 2025, and phase 3 in late July 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 23TB13 and 23TA13.
NHTSA Campaign #15V144000 Active Recall
Affected Component: STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

Defect Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2015 Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid, and 2014-2015 Rav4 vehicles. A component of the electric power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may have been damaged during the manufacturing process. Over time, this damage may result in failure of the electric power steering system.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number of the EPS ECU or steering column assembly. If the number is within the affected range, the EPS ECU will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on May 7, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
NHTSA Campaign #15V011000 Active Recall
Affected Component: TRAILER HITCHES

Defect Summary: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Toyota Rav4 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2013, to December 29, 2014, and equipped with an accessory trailer light module. The software within the module may incorrectly detect an electrical short and preventively turn off the electrical current and the trailer lights.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer light module with a new unit with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-15A.
View all 2015 Toyota RAV4 recalls & campaign history (4 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2015 Toyota RAV4

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2015 Toyota RAV4

How many safety recalls does the 2015 Toyota RAV4 have?

The 2015 Toyota RAV4 is associated with 4 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 4 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2015 Toyota RAV4?

NHTSA records list 303 consumer defect complaints for the 2015 Toyota RAV4. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Electrical System, appearing in 51 filings (17% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2015 Toyota RAV4 defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2015 Toyota RAV4?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2015 Toyota RAV4 earned Overall Safety Ratings ranging from 4 to 5 stars depending on tested variant across 4 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2015 Toyota RAV4 get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2015 Toyota RAV4 range from 24 to 26 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.