# 2012 TOYOTA RAV4 EV — POWER TRAIN
> NHTSA complaint `1265930` · 2016-03-06 · Toyota Motor Corporation
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** TOYOTA
- **Model:** RAV4 EV
- **Year:** 2012
- **Manufacturer:** Toyota Motor Corporation
- **Component:** POWER TRAIN
- **Miles at failure:** 33,000
- **Speed:** 5 mph
## Narrative
MY 2012 RAV4 EV HAS AN UNSAFE CONDITION WHERE THE ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ACTUALLY ENGAGE FROM R TO D, OR D TO R WHEN STATIONARY, EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE INSTRUMENTATION INDICATES SO.  THE VEHICLE INSTEAD MOVES INADVERTENTLY IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.  IT HAS BEEN A CHRONIC ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE, AND I HAVE REPORTED IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.  EACH TIME I WAS TOLD THAT THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE CONDITION, BUT THAT A SOFTWARE UPDATE WOULD BE INSTALLED AND MIGHT CORRECT THE MATTER.  IT HAS NOT, AND MY WIFE AND I CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM RANDOMLY.    ON MARCH 5, 2016 HOWEVER, THE CONDITION CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AS I WAS LEAVING A PARKING SPOT ON THE STREET.  I INITIALLY HAD TROUBLE GETTING THE CAR TO ENGAGE IN REVERSE OR DRIVE.  I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT (REBOOTING THE SOFTWARE).  THIS TIME REVERSE ENGAGED AND I MOVED THE CAR BACKWARD TO MAKE ROOM TO EXIT THE PARKING SPACE AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP.  I THEN PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, HEARD THE REVERSE 'BEEP' STOP, VISUALLY CHECKED THE INSTRUMENTATION CLUSTER TO VERIFY THE INDICATOR WAS ON 'D', APPLIED THE HILL-ASSIST FUNCTION, AND PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR TO DRIVE FORWARD. THE CAR INSTEAD LUNGED BACKWARD AND SLAMMED INTO THE CAR BEHIND ME.    THIS IS A SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS CONDITION. IT COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN A PEDESTRIAN BEHIND ME INSTEAD OF A CAR.  I CAN NO LONGER DRIVE THIS CAR AND FEEL SAFE WITH MY FAMILY, OR FOR THE PEOPLE AROUND THE VEHICLE.    CHECKING THE OWNER FORUMS
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*