RAV4 rattles and leaks: what Toyota fixes for free, and what you fix yourself

Quick picks

Which rattles and leaks each RAV4 year has

So the table below shows which of these problems each RAV4 year has. I go through each problem after the table.

The roof rail leak on 2019 to 2021 RAV4s, and Toyota's free fix

So first, two Toyota terms that come up a lot on this page. A technical service bulletin, or TSB, is a repair Toyota sends dealers for a known problem. And a Customer Support Program is extra coverage Toyota adds for one known problem.

Now the roof rails are the two long bars that run front to back along the top of the RAV4. Basically, the roof rails are held on by clips that go through holes in the roof. Toyota says the seal on those clips can wear out and let water in.

And when water gets past the clips, it runs down inside the pillars. The pillars are the posts that hold up the roof. The A pillar is beside the windshield, the B pillar is between the front and back doors, and the C pillar is behind the back door.

Signs of a roof rail leak

• A stain or drip line on the headliner. The headliner is the fabric ceiling inside the car. Look first where the headliner meets the A pillar trim.
• Wet carpet or a puddle in the front footwells after rain. Owners often first notice a roof rail leak after a car wash too.
• Dampness at the top of the B pillar or the C pillar. Toyota says water can come in at the A, B or C pillar, not just the A pillar.
• A musty smell, or water at the glove box. Owners describe both in their complaints about the roof rail leak.

And something to note is that the floor mat can hide the water. Toyota's bulletin T-SB-0016-23 tells dealers that the floor mat backing can stop water from soaking into the carpet. So lift the mats and feel the carpet under each pillar. If you're shopping for a used 2019 to 2021, my used RAV4 buying guide has this headliner check too.

Which RAV4s are in program 22TE05

So Toyota's program for the roof rail leak is 22TE05, and the program covers these RAV4s:

• The 2019 to 2021 gas RAV4 built from early March 2018 to late August 2021, which is about 858,200 cars.
• The 2019 to 2021 RAV4 Hybrid built from late August 2018 to late July 2021, which is about 267,900 cars.
• The 2021 RAV4 Prime built from late November 2019 to early October 2020, which is about 2,000 cars.

That's about 1,128,100 RAV4s in all. And Toyota switched to better clips during production, mostly partway through the 2021 model year, so some late-built 2021s already have the better clips. All three roof rail styles are in the program: the normal rails, the rails on a RAV4 with the panoramic roof, and the raised off-road rails on the Adventure and the TRD Off-Road.

What 22TE05 covers, and the catch

So 22TE05 covers the repair for 10 years from the day the RAV4 was first put into use, with no mileage limit. Only a Toyota dealer can do the 22TE05 repair, and the repair is free. Basically, a high-mileage 2019 still qualifies, which I also point out in my 200,000-mile RAV4 guide.

But the catch is that the leak has to be confirmed first. Toyota's FAQ for the program says that if your RAV4 hasn't leaked, the dealer can't replace the clips ahead of time. And a RAV4 with a salvage, total loss or "true mileage unknown" title isn't eligible.

The repair takes 1 to 4 hours, and longer if there's water damage to clean up. Toyota started mailing letters to owners in mid-April 2023.

How to get the roof rail leak fixed for free

1. Take photos of the stain or the wet carpet as soon as you see the water.
2. Take everything off the roof before the dealer visit. Toyota's FAQ says to remove bike racks, cargo boxes and crossbars before the inspection.
3. Call a Toyota dealer's service department. Say you want the roof rail leak checked under Customer Support Program 22TE05.
4. If the dealer says no, call Toyota's Brand Engagement Center at 1-888-270-9371. The Brand Engagement Center is Toyota's customer help line.
5. If you already paid for the repair, ask Toyota to pay you back. Send Toyota the repair order, proof of payment and proof of ownership. The address is in Toyota's 22TE05 dealer letter, linked in the sources.

What the dealer does for the roof rail leak

So this is what Toyota's bulletin T-SB-0016-23 tells the dealer to do:

1. The dealer looks for water or stains on the headliner at the A, B and C pillars.
2. On a RAV4 with a moonroof or the panoramic roof, the dealer tapes over the glass and does a shower test, to rule out the moonroof.
3. If the headliner looks dry, the dealer lifts the floor mats and carpet under each pillar.
4. The dealer checks for mold under the carpet. If there's mold, or parts that can't be dried, the case goes to Toyota's field team for cleanup.
5. The dealer photographs the stains, then cleans the headliner or replaces the headliner.
6. The dealer replaces the roof rail clips and pads.

Does a roof rack cause the roof rail leak?

So Toyota says the cause is the clip seals wearing out, not a roof rack. And owners who say they never put anything on their rails have reported the leak too. So the clip seals can fail with age, with or without a rack. But Toyota's 22TE05 owner letter says that if a non-Toyota rack, cargo basket or rooftop tent causes or adds to the leak, 22TE05 won't cover the repair. The letter also says the dealer may charge to take a non-Toyota rack off before the repair. I cover racks and crossbars in my RAV4 roof racks guide.

Fixing the roof rail leak yourself

So owners on YouTube fix the leak by lifting off the rail, cleaning off the old gaskets and sealing the clip holes with RTV silicone. RTV silicone is a silicone gasket maker, like Permatex 82180 Ultra Black ($7.56 on Amazon, checked Oct 15, 2026).

But if your 2019 to 2021 RAV4 is still within 10 years of first use, the dealer fix is free and includes a headliner cleanup and a mold check. So I'd only seal the clips yourself once the 10 years are up.

How many owners have reported the roof rail leak

So the NHTSA is the government's car safety agency, and owners can file complaints with the NHTSA. I found about 74 NHTSA complaints that describe a roof or headliner leak on a 2019 to 2021 RAV4. About 62 are on the 2019, 10 on the 2020 and 2 on the 2021. Two of those are moonroof leaks, so about 72 are roof rail leaks. And there are none on the 2022 or newer.

My years to avoid guide covers the roof rail leak along with the other problems on the 2019 gas RAV4.

Now many owners worry about water running down the A pillar onto the side curtain airbag and the wiring. Toyota hasn't called the roof rail leak a safety recall. And one 2019 owner's dealer found the headliner stain came from a clogged moonroof drain, not the rails, so the dealer check is worth doing either way.

Side mirrors that shake at highway speed on 2019 to 2021 RAV4s

So on some 2019 to 2021 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid models, the picture in the side mirrors shakes or blurs at about 50 to 70 mph. Toyota's bulletin for the mirror shake is T-SB-0079-20.

Basically, the dealer fixes both mirrors, even if only one shakes. The dealer swaps the three short studs that hold each mirror on for longer ones, with thread-locking glue. Then the dealer glues a reinforcement bracket inside each front door.

The bracket glue takes 24 hours to fully cure, and Toyota allows 2 hours of labor per side. And something to note is that Toyota says the repair will "improve this condition," not that the repair ends the shake for good.

Who pays for the mirror fix

So the mirror fix is only free under the basic warranty, which is 3 years or 36,000 miles from the day the RAV4 went into service. After that, you'd pay, or ask Toyota for goodwill. Goodwill is when Toyota pays for a repair it doesn't have to.

So to ask for goodwill, call Toyota's Brand Engagement Center at 1-888-270-9371 and mention T-SB-0079-20. A 2022 RAV4 Hybrid owner got a rattling driver's mirror replaced with goodwill, even though the 2022 isn't in the bulletin. But goodwill isn't guaranteed.

And keep in mind that T-SB-0079-20 lists only the RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid, not the 2021 RAV4 Prime.

What owners report about the mirror shake

So I count 8 NHTSA complaints about shaking side mirrors on the 2019, 6 on the 2020, 11 on the 2021, 1 on the 2022, 1 on the 2023 and 1 on the 2024. Here's what those owners ran into:

• Dealers said no once the RAV4 was past 36,000 miles or 36 months. One 2019 had only 23,500 miles but was past 36 months.
• A 2021 sat on a dealer lot before it was sold, so the warranty ran out early.
• One dealer couldn't find the repair kit, and another dealer fixed only the passenger side, even though the bulletin says to do both.
• A 2023 owner's dealer called the shake normal.
• A 2021 RAV4 Hybrid owner's dealer confirmed the shake.

And the mirror shake isn't the same as loose mirror glass wobbling on its backing, or a mirror that rattles when the door shuts. T-SB-0079-20 is about the whole mirror shaking on its mount. So if your RAV4 is a 2019 to 2021 and still under 36,000 miles, I'd watch both mirrors at 60 mph and get the fix done while the repair is still free.

The B-pillar seat belt rattle, which Toyota has no fix for

So a lot of owners hear a rattle from the B pillar, the post between the front and back doors where the front seat belt comes out. Toyota has no bulletin for a seat belt or B-pillar rattle on any 2019 to 2026 RAV4. And the B-pillar rattle isn't only a 2019 to 2022 problem. A 2025 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid owner fixed one on video in April 2026.

Basically, owners on RAV4World, a big RAV4 owner forum, have found a few different causes. None of these causes is confirmed by Toyota, but they're a good place to start:

• The seat belt height adjuster. The height adjuster is the sliding piece on the B pillar that moves the belt up and down. Owners say pressing the plastic next to the height adjuster stops the noise.
• A broken clip behind the B-pillar trim. One owner's dealer found a broken clip behind the trim, and replacing the clip fixed the rattle.
• A steel piece lower in the pillar. The 2025 Plug-in Hybrid owner found the noise came from a steel piece, not the belt.
• Something that isn't the B pillar at all. Owners traced "B pillar" rattles to the sun visor's mirror cover and to sunglasses in the holder above the rearview mirror.

And something to note is that dealers struggle with the B-pillar rattle. A 2021 owner's dealer replaced the whole seat belt, and the noise was still there. And an Australian 2019 owner went back to the dealer more than 5 times, and a new height adjuster didn't stop the noise.

How owners fix the seat belt rattle

1. Ride as a passenger on a rough road. Press on the height adjuster, then the upper B-pillar trim, then the lower trim. If the noise stops when you press, that's your spot.
2. Move the height adjuster up or down a notch. Some owners find one position is quiet.
3. Check the easy things first. Empty the door pockets, then check the sun visor and the sunglasses holder.
4. If you're under warranty, take a phone video to the dealer. The dealer can't fix a rattle they can't hear, so record the sound and note the road and the temperature.
5. Or fix the rattle yourself. Pull the trim with nylon pry tools, and add felt tape or thin foam where plastic touches plastic or metal. One owner put a thin shim between the B-pillar trim and the height adjuster, and had no real noise after about 2,000 miles.

Dash, vent and cowl buzz, which Toyota has no fix for either

So Toyota has no bulletin for a dash, vent, glove box or cowl rattle on any 2019 to 2026 RAV4. The cowl is the plastic panel under the windshield, outside the car.

And owners on RAV4World describe the usual dealer story. The dealer can't hear the rattle, or the rattle is fixed but back in a week, or new rattles show up after the dash comes apart. But owners have found some real causes:

• One owner's friend found loose screws behind the center screen.
• One owner fixed some rattles with adhesive foam tape.
• Another owner says plastic pieces under the dash speakers flap and make noise.
• A 2019 owner traced a rattle at 45 mph and up to the sun visor's sliding mirror cover, with the visor up against the roof.
• A 2020 RAV4 Hybrid Limited owner traced a rattle above the driver to sunglasses in the holder. Another owner's rattle was a dealer license plate frame.
• A 2019 XSE owner found jumper cables touching the metal spare tire well in the back.

Now for the cowl, the foam fix you'll see online is from older RAV4s. So the cowl is worth a look, but there's no sign the cowl is a common rattle spot on the 2019 and newer RAV4. And for the 2026, I cover the dash and head-up display rattles in my 2026 RAV4 problems guide.

Where to look for a rattle, in order

1. Check for loose things in the car first. Look in the door pockets, the glove box, the sunglasses holder, the cargo well and jack area, and at the license plate frame.
2. Check the sun visors. Flip each visor down and back up, and slide the mirror cover shut.
3. Check the seat belt height adjuster and the B pillar, using the steps above.
4. Check the dash trim and the center screen by pressing on each piece while someone else drives.
5. Check the liftgate stoppers. The liftgate is the back door, and the stoppers are the rubber bumpers the liftgate closes against.
6. Check the moonroof last. On a 2019 to 2021, drive with the moonroof tilted open and then closed. If the rattle only happens tilted open, that's Toyota's bulletin T-SB-0014-23, which I cover in my road noise guide.

The tools and tape owners use for rattles

• Trim tools. The GOOACC 5-piece nylon trim removal kit is $7.64 on Amazon, checked Oct 15, 2026. Nylon tools pop trim off without scratching the trim.
• Felt tape. Tesa 51608 felt harness tape, 19 mm by 25 m, is $12.19 on Amazon, checked Oct 15, 2026. Tesa's felt tape is the kind carmakers use against rattles. The cheaper generic adhesive felt tape, 19 mm by 15 m, is $7.65 on Amazon, checked Oct 15, 2026, with only 4 left at the time.
• Foam tape for bigger gaps. Frost King R930H foam tape is $5.03 on Amazon, and Frost King P rubber foam weatherseal, 10 feet, is $6.69 on Amazon, both checked Oct 15, 2026. Both are thicker foam for gaps behind the trim.

Other places water gets into a RAV4

So not every wet floor is the roof rails. The table below shows where else water comes from, based on where the water shows up.

Now the A/C drain has the most Toyota bulletins. Basically, the A/C makes water when it cools the air, and a hose drains that water out under the car. If the drain hose is blocked or comes off, the water ends up on the passenger floor.

• T-SB-0007-22 is for 2020 and 2021 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid models built in Canada or Kentucky. Those RAV4s have a VIN, the 17-character vehicle ID number, starting with 2T3 or 4T3. The drain hose was blocked with plastic, and the dealer fits a new hose.
• T-SB-0021-23 is for every 2020 gas RAV4, plus some 2021 and 2022 gas RAV4s. The drain hose can fall off, and there may be a grease or oil smell from the vents.
• Tech tip T-TT-0628-20 covers a blocked A/C drain tube on 2019 to 2021 RAV4s, and T-SB-0080-19 covers insect nests in the drain. A tech tip is a shorter note from Toyota to dealer technicians.

T-SB-0007-22 and T-SB-0021-23 are covered under the 3-year, 36,000-mile warranty. And one 2022 owner's dealer found the A/C drain hose wasn't connected at all, so a dealer check is worth it on newer RAV4s too.

And a car wash is a good time to spot a leak. So on a 2019 to 2021 RAV4, check the headliner at each pillar after the wash. My car wash checklist covers the settings to turn back on after a wash.

Videos worth watching on RAV4 rattles and leaks

So these two videos show the roof rail leak and a seat belt rattle up close.

And The Yota Channel, run by a Toyota dealer technician, has a video called 19-21 Toyota Rav4 Roof Rail Water Leak Explained! (August 2025, 5 minutes). The video shows the holes under each roof rail clip, and the technician says Toyota covers the repair for free. The technician also says 2022 and newer RAV4s have the holes sealed and don't get this leak.