ToyotaRAV42013Overview/toyota/rav4/2013/base/

2013 Toyota RAV4

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2013 RAV4.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2013 Toyota RAV4 is an SUV equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission and calls for 4.6 quarts of 0W-20 or 5W-20 API oil, delivering an EPA-estimated 23 city, 30 highway, and 26 combined mpg. In the model's complaint history spanning 1994 through 2025, the 2013 year logged 254 owner complaints — well below the 2007 peak of 1,002 but far above the 1995 low of just one — with the electrical system emerging as the top complaint area and two recalls issued. This places the 2013 RAV4 in the middle of the pack for reliability within its generation, suggesting it avoids the worst trouble years but still warrants attention to electrical components.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182013

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.6 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20 / 5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy23/30/26 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24F · 585 CCA battery, OE oil filter 9672335028. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24F · 585 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnEHWOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225-65R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.0 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter9672335028 alt 9030179006
Engine air filter178010V020
Fuel filter7702442070 alt 770240R010
Spark plug9091901233
Battery2880036071
Front wiper blades852120R040 alt 852220R040
Serpentine belt90916A2021 alt 9091602668
Thermostat90916A3003 alt 163250T030
Cabin air filter8713907020 alt 8713950100

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length179.5 in
Overall width72.8 in
Overall height65.4 in
Wheelbase104.7 in
Curb weight3527 lb
Track (front / rear)61.8 / 61.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)58/42

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined23 / 30 / 26 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the RAV4 of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.2–8.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.20 sec — 2013 XLE
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2013XLE 2.5L I-48.20 sec16.50 sec176 hpAWD
2013XLE 2.5L I-48.40 sec16.40 sec176 hpFWD
2013Limited 2.5L I-48.90 sec16.80 sec176 hpFWD
2014XLE 2.5L I-48.70 sec16.70 sec176 hpFWD
2016XLE Hybrid 2.5L I-4 + Elec 1.6-kWh7.40 sec15.80 sec194 hpAWD
2016XLE Hybrid 2.5L I-4 + Elec 1.6-kWh7.80 sec16.00 sec194 hpAWD
2016Limited Hybrid 2.5L I-4 + Elec 1.6-kWh8.20 sec16.30 sec194 hpAWD
2016Limited Hybrid 2.5L I-4 + Elec 1.6-kWh8.30 sec16.40 sec194 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.6 qt of 0W-20 / 5W-20 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 9.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity2.9
Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity2.3
Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.1 Pints
Engine Oil0W-20 · API · 5W-20

Engine torques

Engine Flywheel Bolts72 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug27.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug9.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug36.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug36.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub215 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)770 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Timing8-12, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.03-1.16 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Standard BCI Group Number24F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance585 cca

Service checks

Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum44.0 psi
Fuel Pump Pressure Maximum50.0 psi
Residual Pressure21.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance0.3-100 ohms
Injector Primary Resistance11.6-12.4 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression142
Engine Oil Pressure4.4 psi @ Idle, 38 psi @ 4000 rpm psi
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle65 ft-lbs / 79 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.00197 in / 0.00591 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in / 0.472 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in / 0.472 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.984 in / 0.413 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
130 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9030 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 30 ft. lbs., Step 3: 9015 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 mi; spark plugs at 120,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miFloor Mat (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 10,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning Condenser (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 120,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2013 Toyota RAV4 recorded 254 complaints, 2 recalls, and 1 investigation, with the most frequent complaints involving the electrical system (42) and "unknown or other" categories (31). Compared to the 2012 model, which had 266 complaints and 6 recalls, the 2013 model shows a decrease in both total complaints and federal recalls. This year marks a transition from a high-recall period between 2006 and 2011, where annual recalls peaked at 15, into a more stable era from 2013 to 2018 where recalls never exceeded 4 per year. While the 2013 model has a high TSB count of 398, it maintains a lower recall volume than the subsequent 2014 model. Given its position at the start of a downward recall trend and lower complaint volume relative to the preceding years, this is a good year to buy.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
398
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
254
Owner complaints
22 involved a crash · 28 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 254 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System42
Unknown Or Other31
Power Train24
Structure18
Engine14
Service Brakes14
Air Bags10
Vehicle Speed Control6

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15V011000Trailer HitchesReported 16/01/2015

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Toyota Rav4 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2013, to December 29, 2014, and equipped with an accessory trailer light module. The software… Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer light module with a new unit with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began on March 17, 2015. Owners may…

23V734000Electrical System:12V/24V/48V BatteryReported 01/11/2023

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles. Certain replacement 12-volt batteries may not fit properly in the battery tray, allowing the battery to move and contact… Remedy: Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 27, 2024, to 2013-2014 RAV4…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 398 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
T-SB-0055-24 Rev22026-01-07Unknown Or OtherSome 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
21TG012025-06-18Electrical System21TG01 Exprired - Replaced with Campaign 23TA13 During a recent investigation of reported…
21TG012025-06-18Electrical SystemCampaign Expired - replaced with campaign 23TA13TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONSUMER…
T-SB-0058-23 Rev12025-06-13Electrical SystemThe air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the…
T-SB-0035-24 Rev22024-12-06StructureAcid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific RAV4. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2013 RAV4 take?

4.6 qt of 0W-20 API, 5W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2013 RAV4 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the RAV4 get?

EPA figures are 23 city / 30 highway / 26 combined mpg.