2013-2018 Toyota RAV4s Models Are Under NHTSA Investigation

Eleven fire claims from the Toyota RAV4s models (2013-2018) were enough to determine the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to begin the investigation and determine that nearly 1.9 million Toyota RAV4s will be properly investigated.

Owners made complaints about the fires starting on the left side of the engine compartment in both of the possible situations – when the vehicle was being driven and when the engine was off. There was even a complaint about a fire braking due to the terminal on a 12-volt battery which sorted the frame, causing loss of the electrical power and stall the engine or to set it on fire.

There were no official statements from Toyota whether the SUVs should be parked outdoors as a safety precaution, but the company is ready to cooperate in the probe. Still, NHTSA wants to investigate the possibility of such a recommendation.

So far, after investigating the possible scenarios, NHTSA stated that the main source of the matter could be improper battery installation or repair after a front-end collision. Further investigation should decide if a recall is necessary for the safety of the customers.