RAV4 Hybrid Fuel Tank Issue Fixed By Toyota Program - UPDATE! Class Action Settlement

Toyota really wants to sweep this under the rug. I didn't get a letter from Toyota - I only learned that a 'fix' was available by googling it and finding this website. I called Toyota, and the rep says my car qualifies and the program details are on the Toyota Owners website. Well, guess what isn't on the Toyota Owners website...(and since another rep told me to look on the owner site, it's clear that Toyota really doesn't have much of a plan in place to help owners get this fixed. They made a bundle selling cars after they knew they had a major problem. Their work here is done.)

Anyway, I'm going to contact my dealer (who has already made the diagnosis) and see if they have received anything regarding the fix from Toyota. If it can get fixed, great. In a few years, I'll probably trade out of what I thought would be a 10-year car. There's a volvo in my future now.

I just had my 2019 RAV4 Hybrid returned to me after supposedly being repaired. I had not received a recall letter but had been after the dealership about the repair within 2 months of my original new purchase, when I had verified there was an issue by testing at multiple gas stations and gas pumps. I cannot say that anything was done to repair the RAV4. The supposed courtesy wash was definitely not done and it was returned dirtier than when I brought it in. The gas tank was only 3/4 full, because that is what I brought it in with (roughly). You would think they would fill it completely to test the repair. On the way home I stopped off to make sure it would fill completely. The gas pump shut off after filling with 4.1 gallons. The miles to empty was slightly over 400. It took 2.1 more gallons of slowly filling for the tank to reach full (508 miles to empty), the same behavior before the "fix".

Just curious, would the current 2021 RAV4 Hybrids for sale on dealer lots right now have the fix already, or would that still be something that would have to be taken care of post-sale?

I have a 2021 RAV4 Hybrid XLE and I love it. However I have notice that i'm only getting 400 miles between fill up at 37 MPG. I understand that millage may very but not a 150 mile difference. So I ran a test with my scan gauge plugged into my OBD 2 port and have it all on video and it shows me that @ 1 mile to empty I still have 3.4 gallons of fuel so I took it 3 miles down the road for fuel and still 3.2 gallons left so I filled up and the car only took 10.737 Gallons so at 10.7 gallons of fuel + 3.2 gallons left that now puts the total @ 13.9 Gallons of fuel in the take something is not right here and my dealership told me that because I have a 2021 it already has the new parts... should I still press the issue?

2021 Rav4 Hybrid owner - We've been experiencing the dreaded refill issue so many owners have experienced. Took our Rav4 to the dealer this past weekend and said they were unable to find any issues. We brought it in with a full tank of gas and they said after they measured our tank we over filled our tank at 12.95 gallons. Spoke with Toyota and they said they are starting to hear similar issues with 2021 models but no service program has been announced. When we asked the dealership what can be done to resolve this issue they said wait and see.

We have a 2021 RAV4 XLE and have been frustrated that the low fuel indicator light comes on much sooner than we anticipated it would, and if we fill up when the DTE computer says 25 miles, the tank accepts only ~10.5 gallons to fill.

I conducted a bit of an experiment which bears out what Steven reported above about the "reserve" tanks. Decided to keep driving past the DTE 0 indication (dash gives a "Refuel" message instead of numbers). The car traveled an additional 80 miles (after DTE=0) before we filled it up. I wanted to keep driving, but the wife insisted we fill it up. The car accepted 13.5 gallons, which tells me we had another gallon to go, or between 30-40 miles farther we could have travelled. Incidentlaly, after filling up the tank completely, the dash computer told me we had a DTE of 370!!! I know we get far more than that and am disappointed by this inconsistency.

In all, I've also been disappointed with the overall mpg. We are getting only ~33 mpg driving in a Boston winter -- splitting about 1/2 our miles on highways and surface streets. I'm not new to driving hybrids, as we've had a Prius for 15 years. I thought I'd be getting closer to the advertised 40 mpg.

I had the Toyota dealer fix the gas tank issue a month ago. Pre-fix, tank was only filling 9-10 gallons when low fuel light turned on. Post-fix, i am getting 11.2 gallon filled which is much less than I thought it would since the tank should hold more. Had the dealer check the tank capacity just in case, and got 14.8 total capacity. Wondering if this is a software or fuel gauge issue now. Will be sending it back to the dealer to hopefully find a final fix.

I bought a 2020 Rav4 hybrid late October 2019 with the same gas filling issue as described. Since the pandemic, I don't drive much since I am retired. I know the sending sensor trips the low fuel light with 4+ gal reserve since I have driven 50 miles on "empty" with no problem. When I filled up, it took 11 gals which is more than the usual 9 or 10. I received the "fix" letter from Toyota but hesitate to waste my time until I am sure that a permanent fix is available. Otherwise, I have no complaints at 40+ mpg.

Can someone let me know if had issue with 2021 xse hybrid model just got car with full tank after week and a half had to fill tank it said 18 miles to empty I let get low to see how much it would take because I read of this issue for 19 and 20 model I only got 12 1/2 gallons on refill and I had to real push to get that last half gallon in and my miles per gallon also seem like crap thought would be a lot better with hybrid

I have the same issue with my 2020 RAV4 Hybrid just went to the Dealier they said they replaced the fuel tank and fuel gauge sender I will update in a week to see if the the issue is fixed!!!!

The RAV4 PRIME has the same issue. Tank is advertised as 14.5 gallons yet it marks empty at 11 gallons. For comparison my fiat 500 with a 10.5 gallon tank takes in 10.2 gallons when it reaches empty.

My fill from empty volume was 9.4 gal on my 2020 Rav4 hybrid. Took it in for regular warranty service and the gas tank recall. They replaced the gas tank and associated sensor in 4 hr.

The car came back half full and took 7.5 gal when I filled it. Reported range is up. So far so good.

You seem to have a high percentage of the 24 complaints. My small town dealer has at least 3 complaints - seems the number of complaints is under reported.

If I knew that my 2019 RAV4 hybrid fuel range would be so small, I would not have bought.

I have been complaining at service intervals for almost 2 years. In January 2021, my dealer had me call Toyota. Toyota had a program number which I relayed to me dealer. My dealer said they would contact me when parts where available. Almost the end of March and I have heard nothing other than just receiving Toyota’s letter. The letter does not take repair responsibility or promise fixes. Starting to look at Honda.

I have a brand new RAV4 Prime. I went in for my first fill at about 700 miles and the tank only took 10.7 gallons. The gauge had read nearly empty when I went to the gas station, and read full after I put in the gas. I will call the dealer tomorrow.

Just bought a 2021 Highlander Hybrid, having same issue, gauge showed 0 miles to empty, would only take 12 gallons. Bought it for the 600 mile range not 420. Bringing to the dealer, they say there is no TSB but they to my son that for 6 months before fixing his 2020 RAV4

Toyota diagnostic procedure is wrong, and based on full tank of 2020 RAV4 Hybrid. My dealer checked it out and "no problem".
Have contacted Toyota to open a new case.

When new miles to empty was 565 off the lot. Now with fill up only 422-430.
Last fill up I drove 63 miles past :REFUEL" or 0 miles to empty.
Only took 12.05 gallons for a 14.5 gallon tank. Based on my calculations and experience, there are 4 gallons left at REFUEL warning, or 160 miles.
I suspect that the tank level indicator has shifted, since "full" range has decreased significantly. We'll see what Toyota says now, but I think that the gas tank needs to be replaced. Doesn't help that my wife is terrified of a low fuel gauge.

Any other experiences of RAV4 Hybrid drivers continuing past empty, and how far? I'm headed for 80 miles below zero for next fill up.

So I took my brand new car down to the Toyota dealer today and had a full evaluation of the situation. I hope this will calm people down. My vehicle (RAV4 Prime) has a 14.5 gallon tank. I brought it in full, as instructed, and they were able to measure that it contained 13.9 gallons. This is as designed, because there needs to leave room for the vapor phase of the gasoline so it won’t take 14.5 gallons of fuel. The defective gas tanks only fill to about 11.5 to 12 gallons or so. And apparently, the fact that the fuel gauge reads empty and the tank only takes 10.7 gallons or so is BY DESIGN. The warning light comes on when there are about 3 gallons left, because they do not want you to run the tank dry. This seems a bit overly cautious to me, but it is apparently a Toyota thing, which is why so many people on this thread are experiencing this with multiple different Toyota models. So as long as you know that you can get 3 more gallons worth of miles when you get the low fuel warning, if you really want to, all is good.

Fuel Tank & Fuel Sender unit replaced on 03-30-21. Fixed the problem. Very satisfied.

The issues has not been resolved by them replacing the gas tank. My car only fills to 10.5 gallons. TofA said this is normal. It is not normal when they said the range for the car is 585 miles but filling to 10.5 gallons when it stops fillings gets less than 300 mile range. Serious issue that Toyota is denying is an issue. Please help if anyone was able to get this issue resolved. My service advisor recently quit who was trying to fix e issue and the new advisor said that there is nothing else that can be done.

We had our Tank and sending unit replaced....I have taken it down to 20, 39 and 35 miles left until empty....the most I have been able to get in was 11.2..tonight at 35 miles left I got 10.6 gal in it.. I have tried to put gas in after it clicks off and it will not take anymoire..is it possible it is the electronics....I'm tempted to put a can of gas ion the back and drive it past the low fuel warning and see. It always says @475 miles until empty after fill ups..when we bought it with a full tank of gas it said 570 miles..not happy...