2018 Toyota RAV4 power train problems
26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the power train on the 2018 Toyota RAV4 — 8% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Malfunction: Mechanical failure of the Torque Converter Clutch. The vehicle exhibits a persistent transmission shudder during acceleration between 25–50 mph. Warning Signs: None. There were no dashboard warning lights or error messages prior to or during the failure. The only indicator was the…”
filed Apr 18, 2026
“XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 11/13/2025 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Defects Investigation 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE Washington, DC 20590 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. 19001 South Western Avenue Torrance, CA 90501 Subject: Complaint Regarding Torque Converter Shudder – 2018…”
filed Nov 13, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Power Train problems in other RAV4 years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 RAV4 | 6 | 8% |
| 2024 RAV4 | 7 | 4% |
| 2023 RAV4 | 10 | 7% |
| 2022 RAV4 | 10 | 7% |
| 2021 RAV4 | 20 | 5% |
| 2020 RAV4 | 36 | 6% |
| 2019 RAV4 | 80 | 9% |
| 2017 RAV4 | 16 | 5% |
| 2016 RAV4 | 11 | 5% |
| 2015 RAV4 | 25 | 8% |
| 2014 RAV4 | 20 | 10% |
| 2013 RAV4 | 29 | 11% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2018 Toyota RAV4
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.