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2021 Toyota Rav4 Fuel System Problems

14 owner-reported fuel system complaints from NHTSA data

14
Complaints
Jan 2022Aug 2021
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (14)

highFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Mar 2026

Your fuel gauge isn't showing accurate fuel levels and sometimes displays nothing at all, making it hard to know when to refuel. Your fuel warning light comes on and off unexpectedly while driving and parked. The dealer found that your fuel tank can only hold about 11.5 gallons instead of the expected 14.5 gallons, and both the fuel tank and fuel level sensor have failed. Fixing this will require replacing the fuel tank and fuel level sensor.

NHTSA #: 11721491
mediumFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Apr 2024

Fuel pressure line leaking gas

NHTSA #: 11581523
mediumFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Feb 2024

My 2021 Rav 4 Premium I Bought new @ 84 miles from Toyota Town of Stockton,Ca I noticed Once in November 2023 Gas gauge not read gas level properly. December at least twice I noticed issue progress from gas Gauge reading inconsistence to Gas tank failure to fill up or failure to Allow gas. [XXX] I am at Gas station, while trying to fill up Based on my tank level at half a tank My gas tank did not allow gas in I got Push back. I retried 2 more times And gas went in slowly but gas gauge after still read half tank. Local Toyota [XXX] Said they cannot duplicate problem. I cannot rely on accuracy of gauge Or tank I have had same problem gas gauge failure read & tank no accept gas issues In previous Toyota’s bought new. 2008 PRIUS Prius safety issue found by Local Toyota who switched out Gas gauge & possibly gas tank but Issue continued never could be fixed. Reported to Toyota corporation, [XXX] issue started Until I got ride of it 2021. When Prius Deceleration happened for first time On my way to Toyota. I was drove from work I could guide steering but power dropped, deceleration stayed active. So thankful no accident. Toyota Tech said I had gas. They did whatever problem Paused but came back! I HAD TO GET RIDE OF PRIUS SAFETY AT STAKE! [XXX] The Prius decelerated hazards On Prius system on a red Triangle On my computer saying need gas But, it had plenty gas and Technician Found it had gas, that was not cause Of problem. 2020 Hybrid RAV 4 delivered by Roseville Toyota of CA When they delivered SUV on less than full tank to my home. Waited 2 days for insurance Fully ensure car. 3rd day first day I Drove car and I went to gas station Twice to try fill up, but Gas gauge no respond to input of gas In tank. I did a video address issues With Roseville Toyota and Toyota Corporation. I returned car, I did Not know Toyota Corporation Rejected Contract until I spoke to Roseville Toyota in person. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA #: 11571289
mediumFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Feb 2023

I purchased car in 12/20. The car has a 14.5 gal sized tank, and gets avg 42 mpg -calculated by miles driven to empty divided by gas pumped when empty- as well as on dashboard display. Since purchase the car registers empty 150 or more miles sooner than the 560 dashboard estimate and than 14.5*42 mpg. I am only able to fill less than 11 gallons when the fuel Guage reads empty with less than 20 miles remaining. The service dept assures me the car is able to drive 560 on a full tank, as the fuel Guage and miles-to-empty ignore a "buffer " of several gallons in the tank. It is unsafe to drive over 150 miles with the car registering no miles remaining. It is unsafe to plan a trip based on dashboard or tank size/gallons mileage, where I could run out of gas in an unsafe region.

NHTSA #: 11508350
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Jun 2022

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal fuel odor in the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 7,500.

NHTSA #: 11470674
mediumFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Jun 2022

2021 RAV4 Hybrid exhibits fueling problems, consistently. Parked on level concrete, shut off, in "Refuel" status, at the fuel island, it dependably suffers abject failure at attempts to refill the gasoline tank at the fuel pump. With the fuel pump nozzle set to lowest flow setting, at any moment, the fuel being pumped down the filler tube surges back up the filler tube, occasionally spilling out onto the side of the car and the ground. Other times, with the pump nozzle set to lowest flow settings, it may automatically and arbitrarily shut off after 1 gallon or 4 gallons, when the miles driven along with the fuel gauge indicates the tank requires at least 10 gallons. It is impossible to know from one fill-up to the next fill-up if the tank is full, close to full, or several gallons shy of full. Refueling the RAV4 Hybrid is a challenge that defeats the best mechanical and fluid dynamics aware person trying to fill the tank. This issue is ongoing and has been occurring since the vehicle was purchased NEW with 9 miles on the odometer in November 2020. Toyota even sent out a letter to get to dealership to have this fixed, it did nothing to solve problem.

NHTSA #: 11467595
mediumFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Filed: Feb 2022

Toyota RAV4 2021 fuel tank capacity should be 14.5 Gallons as per manufacturer but never managed to pump close to 12 Gallons. Called Dealer but refuse to acknowledge the defect

NHTSA #: 11449666
mediumFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Jan 2022

Toyota of Portland sold me a used 2021 RAV4 hybrid XSE with a defective gas tank. The gas tank does not carry the 14.5 gallons as advertised, the gas gauge cluster is inaccurate, and the mileage remaining on the dash cluster is inaccurate. These defects were not disclosed to me prior to the sale. Immediately after seeing the problem, I brought the vehicle in for service at Vancouver (WA) Toyota. They botched the repair job and the vehicle is emitting gas vapors non stop. Over the weekend, my house was inundated with gas vapors and my household and I experienced dizziness, irritability, poor eyesight, and nausea.

NHTSA #: 11445937
mediumFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Aug 2021

Since buying this 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid vehicle in 12/2020 gas tank only takes about 10-11 gallons of fuel when refueling , whereas tank capacity is 14+gallons. This leads to trickle filling to get a full tank which Toyota advises against as unsafe. Toyota has agreed to pay for fixing this manufacturing defect for 2020 model RAV 4's with the same manufacturing defect, but so far Toyota holding back issuing authorization to fix the 2021 RAV4 Hybrids . Car available for inspection upon request. Toyota dealer wants me to pay for diagnosis, manufacturer unwilling to pay for inspection of this safety risk despite paying for it in 2020 RAV4's with same defect.

NHTSA #: 11428217
mediumFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Mar 2021

CAR HAD A LOW FUEL INDICATOR ON (APPROX. 15MILES DISTANCE TO EMPTY LEFT ON A DASHBOARD). UPON REFUELING, THE CAR ONLY TOOK ABOUT 11.38 GALLON OF FUEL TO REFILL THE EMPTY TANK. THIS IS VERY ANNOYING AS I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW THINKING IT HAS 14.5 GALLON FUEL TANK CAPACITY BUT IN REALITY IT HAS A DEFECTIVE FUEL TANK AND IT ONLY TAKES ABOUT 11 GALLON OF FUEL.

NHTSA #: 11399965
mediumFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Mar 2021

THE GAS TANK OF 2021 RAV4 HYBRID DOES NOT FILL IN AS ADVERTISED. TOYOTA ADVERTISES THAT IT CAN TAKE 14.5 GALLONS OF FUEL, HOWEVER WHEN THE FUEL LOW WARNING LIGHT IS ON AND YOU TRY TO FILL THE FULL TANK, IT NEVER TAKES MORE THAN 10 GALLONS, THUS THERE'S DISCREPANCY OF 4 GALLONS. THIS REDUCES THE CAR'S ADVERTISED RANGE FROM 550 MILES TO LESS THAN 400 MILES. TOYOTA CLAIMS THIS IS A DESIGN MISTAKE AND DOESN'T OFFER ANY FIX.

NHTSA #: 11399666
mediumFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Feb 2021

CANNOT FILL FUEL TANK COMPLETELY FULL. HAD SOME TESTS RUN BY TOYOTA AND THEY FOUND THAT THERE WERE ONLY 12.5 GALLONS IN THE 14.5 GALLON TANK WHEN THE PUMP SHUTS OFF. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS "WITHIN THE SPEC" AND OFFERED NO FURTHER HELP.

NHTSA #: 11394555
mediumFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Jan 2021

HAVE A 2019 AMS 2021 RAV4 HYBRID XSE THAT WILL NOT FILL TO ITS 14.5 GAL CAPACITY. TOYOTA NEEDS TO MAKE A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT HERE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE AND A TIMELINE ON A FIX. WITH NOTING, THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT TOOK 14 GAL ON INITIAL FILL WHEN PURCHASED, SO NOT SURE WHAT TO THINK HERE - CAN PROVIDE PHOTOS AS WELL

NHTSA #: 11389684
mediumFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Jan 2021

WHEN THE LOW FUEL LIGHT COMES ON IT ONLY TAKES 10 GALLONS TO REFILL. THIS GIVES ME A RANGE OF 400 MILES ON A TANK OF FUEL. I WAS EXPECTING A RESERVE AMOUNT OF FUEL AFTER THE LOW FUEL LIGHT COMES ON TO DRIVE TO A FUEL STATION BUT ONLY USING 10 GALLONS OUT OF A 14 GALLON TANK SEEMS WRONG.

NHTSA #: 11387955

Other 2021 Toyota Rav4 Issues