Toyota RAV4 2026 Problems

Close to 6000 examples of the 2026 Toyota RAV4 are the subject of a safety recall to rectify a manufacturing fault just months after it went on sale. The Federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts has issued a safety recall notice impacting 5925 RAV4s sold new in Australia in 2026. It said a potential fault with the hybrid system’s motor/generator may cause a “loss of motive power whilst driving, (increasing) the risk of an accident, causing serious injury or death to vehicle occupants and other road users.” It confirms that plug-in hybrid examples of front-wheel drive (AXAP62R) and all-wheel drive (AXAP64R) versions of the RAV4 have been impacted. The notice said, “Due to a manufacturing issue with the motor generator electronic control unit (MG-ECU), the motor initialisation process may not complete correctly. This may prevent the electric motor from operating as intended at higher speeds,” the notice said. The department added, “If the electric motor does not operate as intended, warning lights will illuminate and the vehicle may enter fail-safe mode or shut down, resulting in a loss of motive power. “A loss of motive power whilst driving increases the risk of an accident, causing serious injury or death to vehicle occupants and other road users.” All grades of the nominated models sold this year are potentially included and the department says owners of affected vehicles will be contacted in writing by Toyota requesting they schedule an appointment with their preferred authorised Toyota dealer for rectification, free of charge. Alternatively, Toyota can be contacted via the Toyota Recall Assist helpline on 1800 987 366 (Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 19:00 AEST / AEDT), email recallsupport@toyota.dataresponse.com.au or through its website https://toyota.com.au/recalls.