My 2024 Toyota RAV4 XLE With 4,000 Miles Started to Shake and the Engine Just Died, the Dealer Doesn’t Know What’s Wrong
Some 2024 Toyota RAV4 owners say their small SUV’s engine shuts down for no apparent reason. Is this a common problem?
Jennifer Partlow-Dube went to the Toyota RAV4 discussion Facebook group seeking answers. Her 2024 Toyota RAV4 XLE only has 3,900 miles on it, and she’s having problems with the small SUV.
Jennifer says, “It happened to me today while idling in my garage. I just got home from an appointment. I put the car in park, idling for a few minutes. Then my car started to shake a little, and the engine just died with the error message saying, “Engine Stopped Steering Power Low.”
Is the 2024 Toyota RAV4 facing reliability issues?
Several RAV4 owners have reported an alarming problem with their engine shutting down without warning. This issue is often accompanied by an error message and occurs during rainy conditions. Here’s what RAV4 owners should be aware of.
Picture driving your new Toyota RAV4 with only 4,000 miles, and the car starts to shake, the engine shuts off, and the check engine light comes on. The dash has an error message, and your car won’t restart.
Luckily, you are sitting in your garage, and it doesn’t happen while you are away from home. You finally get the car restarted. However, you are now concerned that it could happen again. You are afraid to drive your new SUV.
Let’s hear from Jennifer and other concerned RAV4 owners.
“The roads were wet/slushy...actively sleeting/raining outside. Has anyone else experienced this problem? My 2024 RAV4 XLE only has 3,900 miles.”
The Toyota Dealer Can’t Replicate the Problem
“The next thing that popped up on my dash said, 'Not Ready To Drive,' and I needed to press the brake and push the engine start switch. My car finally restarted, but I’m afraid to drive it now. I took it to the Toyota dealer where I bought the car, and they don’t know what’s wrong and can’t find any problem with it.”
Jennifer is not the only RAV4 owner having this problem.
On the Reddit/Toyota page, nautica246 says, "I was in a drive-through waiting when my 2024 RAV4 Premium made an odd sound and then would not move or drive. The message “Engine Stopped Steering Power Low” popped up, and the car would not move at all. I tried turning it off and on, but it would not start.”
“Thankfully, I could put it into neutral and roll out of the line into a parking spot. I tried to turn it on and off several times, and the engine sounded like it was having difficulty starting. I left it off for about 20 minutes while waiting for a tow truck and tried to turn it on again, and everything was fine. No messages appeared, and I was able to drive it home. I’m waiting to contact the dealer, as this happened a day before Christmas Eve, and they were closed. I’ve only had the car for a month, and it has 2,719 miles.”
Rainy and Wet is the Common Denominator
Another Reddit user, nanimal77, says, “I’m assuming your wipers were on? According to the service advisor at my dealership, Toyota knows about the problem and is working on the solution. When the wipers are on the intermittent setting, and the start/stop is on, it’s causing an issue with the steering, and the car stalls.”
“They replicated the problem at my dealership and advised that it should be solved in the next month or two. I turn the start/stop off all the time now.”
Another New RAV4 Owner Has the Same Issue
KapitanMitch says, "I bought my 2024 Toyota RAV4 last December 12, so it’s less than 4 months old, and we had the same issue. The worst part is that we are driving back from Washington DC to Indiana, so we still have 7 hours of driving.”
“We stopped for gas, and when my husband tried to start the car again, it wouldn’t start, and the error “engine stopped steering power low” showed up, “not ready to drive,” and the check engine light was on. It was raining, so the wipers were on, and the start/stop was also on when this happened."
"I called roadside assistance and the Toyota dealership and was told we needed to get it towed to the nearest dealer to get it checked. My husband waited 20 minutes and started it again, and it worked.”
“We’re not taking a chance driving it the next seven hours with children unless we get it checked in case it happens again. So, we waited at the dealership for two hours and paid the diagnostic fee, only for them to say there was nothing wrong with the car. Everything looks good, but they can’t say why it happened. So I guess we’ll keep the start/stop off until they get the issue fixed.”
What Does Toyota Say?
The Toyota Corolla owner’s manual says, “If Engine Stopped Steering Power Low” is displayed. This message is displayed if the engine is stopped while driving. When steering wheel operations are heavier than usual, grip the steering wheel firmly and operate using more force than normal.”
However, this Toyota description does not describe what’s going on with the 2024 Toyota RAV4 issue.
Note: The issue has also been reported by some 2021 and 2022 Toyota RAV4 owners in the RAV4World Forum. So, it doesn’t appear to be isolated to the 2024 model-year SUVs.
What Should RAV4 Owners Do?
Toyota knows there is a problem but has yet to determine the cause.
Possible Causes:
- Battery Issues: Some owners have reported battery problems, including batteries dying or not holding a charge, which can lead to engine shutdowns. However, this is not the issue with the “Engine Stopped Steering Power Low” error message.
- Loose Connections: A missing or loose screw that keeps two contacts together, causing a loss of power, has been reported as a potential cause.
- Faulty Solenoids: Faulty solenoids could also contribute to engine shutdowns.
What Should RAV4 Owners Do If It Happens?
- Contact a Toyota Dealer Immediately: If your RAV4 engine shuts down unexpectedly and you see the “Engine Stopped Steering Power Low” error message, take it to a Toyota dealer for diagnosis and repair.
- Document Issues: Take a picture of the error message and keep records of any incidents, including dates, times, and locations where the engine shut down.
Conclusion:
If Toyota has enough RAV4 customer complaints about this issue, they must address it. Currently, Toyota does not have any RAV4 recalls for this issue.
It’s Your Turn
Have you had your engine stall and have the “Engine Stopped Steering Power Low” error message appear on your Toyota RAV4? If so, click the red Add New Comment link below and let us know.
Check out my Toyota RAV4 story: I Paid Too Much For My 2024 Toyota RAV4 Because the Dealer Stung Me By Issuing a Verbally Undisclosed Credit Card For an Extra $1,500 Down Payment
I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.
Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Toyota dealer