2015 Toyota RAV4 Problems

By Max Anthony •  Updated: 06/26/21 •  4 min read

The Toyota RAV4 is currently the best-selling crossover on the market. It is a great mix of tech, roominess, and build quality with a reasonable price tag. The 2015 RAV4 also sold well, but owners have had a hard time with it. The car has had reliability issues. Let’s look closely at all of the 2015 Toyota RAV4 Problems.

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2015 Toyota RAV4 Problems You Shouldn’t Ignore

If you’re looking for a new car, the 2015 Toyota RAV4 is one of the most popular vehicles out there. The company has been making them since 1994 and they’ve sold more than 12 million to date.

But what are people saying about this model? And what do consumers have to say about their experiences with it? 2015 Toyota RAV4 problems include malfunctioning brakes,unintended acceleration/deceleration,poor paint job,faulty AC and engine problems.

 Malfunctioning Brakes

2015 Toyota RAV4 Problems
© topspeed

The first one of the 2015 Toyota RAV4 Problems is the brakes. This is the most major issue on the 2015 RAV4. Owners have reported all sorts of faults with the brakes.

Some say that their car’s brakes squeal and click around. Their sounds show that there might be issues with the caliper unit. Something could be stuck in it or it just might not be oiled up right. 

Even worse, some say their brake pedal gets stuck. On hitting the brakes, the pedal remains on the depreciated. To top it off, the braking effect doesn’t even work on some of these cars.

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This is usually due to the master cylinder, which must be replaced. The 2015 RAV4 is also prone to fluid leakage, and hence brake failure. The leakage occurs because of hydraulic pressure due to low power. 

Unintended Acceleration/deceleration

Unintended acceleration is one of the 2015 Toyota RAV4 Problems. This is a very dangerous issue to encounter. Owners say that the RAV4 could accelerate at any time, no matter what is in front of you.

This occurs because of a poor accelerator assembly. The throttle pedal can also stick to the floor mat. One should always ensure that the accelerator works and that the floor mat isn’t sticky. 

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The problem can also be because of the throttle being open wide. This is a problem with the electronics and must be diagnosed. The instantaneous solution is to turn off the vehicle and put it in neutral. The car might also hesitate to accelerate. 

Poor Paint Job

Moving on to less threatening 2015 Toyota RAV4 Problems. The paint job is known to be below average on some RAV4 models. This means that the paint starts to chip away.

2015 Toyota RAV4 Problems
© vehiclehistory

It happens in places such as the lower part of the doors. The hatch areas are also at risk. Rusting is another issue when the paint chips away. This should be fixed as soon as possible before the panels and doors get weaker.  

Faulty Air Conditioner and Heater 

2015 Toyota RAV4 Problems
© Wikipedia commons

Not even the AC has been spared. Owners have encountered several faults with the air conditioning and the in-car heating. The refrigerant is known to leak. Plus, issues with the climate control and/or the compressor sprout up.

The former is due to faults with the blend door actuator. This means that the AC or heater won’t work according to what you require. It won’t respond to your commands. 

Miscellaneous Engine Problems

Another one of the 2015 Toyota RAV4 Problems is when the car drinks up oil. This could be due to several reasons. One must ensure that the car’s gasket is not leaking and the seals are in working order. The oil should also be of the right quality and grade that the instruction manual suggests. 

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The 2015 RAV4 can also lose power while driving. One can attribute this to a bad fuel pump or worn-out spark plugs. Dirty/damaged air filters can also be the culprit, along with a ruined ignition coil. Make sure that the exhaust pipe is not jammed and that the airflow isn’t restricted. 

2015 Toyota RAV4 Recalls

Toyota has recalled the 2015 Toyota RAV4 due to a potential fire hazard. Toyota states that this recall is being issued because, “in certain circumstances, an engine may be damaged if there is an oil leak in the engine and it enters the hot exhaust system.”  The company also states that this can lead to power loss and a possible fire. 

Owners of these vehicles are encouraged to check their cars for any leaks under the hood or around the vehicle’s muffler area as well as checking their engines for any signs of leakage.

If you find anything out of place contact your local dealership immediately. This is not a safety issue but one which could potentially cause major damage to your car’s engine.

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Max Anthony

Max is a gizmo-savvy guy, who has a tendency to get pulled into the nitty gritty details of technology and cars. He attended UT Austin, where he studied Information Science. He’s married and has three kids, one dog and a GMC truck and a Porsche 911. With a large family, he still finds time to share tips and tricks on cars, trucks and more.

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