Toyota recalls 1.85 million RAV4s over battery clamp shorts
The fault appears when a smaller replacement battery shifts in a hard turn. One RAV4 complaint in ten from these years reports a fire, far above the norm.
What the recall covers
Toyota's recall 23V-734 covers 1,853,568 RAV4s from the 2013 to 2018 model years, built from November 2012 to November 2018 (Part 573 report, 23V-734). The RAV4 is specified for a Group 24F battery. Some replacement batteries sold for it are Group 35, with a smaller top. If one of those is fitted and the hold-down is not tightened properly, a hard turn can slide the battery until its positive terminal touches the metal clamp. The short can heat up and start a fire in the engine compartment.
The remedy does not replace the battery. Dealers fit a redesigned clamp, tray and positive terminal cover that hold either battery size and keep the terminal covered, free of charge. Owners who paid for the same repair earlier can ask for reimbursement.
How it reached a recall
NHTSA opened a preliminary evaluation, PE21-005, in February 2021, after fires on the left side of the engine bay where the battery sits (NHTSA opening resume, PE21-005). In half the cases that happened while driving, the car stalled before the fire. Toyota filed the recall in November 2023, parts were planned for late 2024, and NHTSA closed the evaluation in August 2024.
What owners reported
As the federal complaint file stood on September 21, 2026, 163 of the 1,695 owner complaints for the 2013–2018 RAV4 report a fire: about one in ten. Across the 156 Ford and Toyota model years from 2010 to 2020 with at least 200 complaints, the typical share is about 0.6%, and nine in ten are below 2.5%. Only 7 battery-fire complaints were filed before 2021; their median stated mileage is about 70,000 miles, the age at which a car is on its second or third battery. That timing fits the cause: the risk arrives with the replacement battery, not with the car.
What to do if you own one
Check your VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup and book the repair. Until then, open the hood: the battery label shows its group size. A Group 35 battery, or one that looks loose in its tray, should be checked first. If the car stalls or you smell burning from the left front, pull over, turn it off and get everyone out. The 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 RAV4 pages carry each year's record, and our RAV4 battery recall guide explains the mechanism in full.
What this page cannot tell you
How many RAV4s carry the condition. Toyota's filing says it cannot estimate it, and the complaint counts are unverified owner reports.
The vehicles this covers
Toyota RAV4 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Sources
This piece reads recall, complaints, investigation, Toyota Part 573 report 23V734, NHTSA ODI resume PE21-005. Recall campaign 23V734000. How every figure on this site is counted is set out on the methodology page. Whether a particular car is affected by a recall depends on its VIN.
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