Toyota RAV4 1996–2026
Summary
- 31 model years in 6 generations, 9,598 owner complaints in total.
- Within their own generation, 2019 and 2020 drew the most complaints in the first three years.
- 2011 and 2022 drew the fewest complaints of their generation over the same span.
- These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
- Half of the complaints that give a mileage were filed by 51,500 miles (5,546 of them give one).
- Owners reported 828 crashes, 291 fires, 604 injuries and 12 deaths across these model years.
- 58 recalls and 7 federal investigations cover these model years.
1996–2000
Each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Fewer than three years of this generation are comparable, so no year is named.
| Model year | All complaints | First three years | Most reported system | Note |
|---|
| 1996 | 47 | 22 | Brakes | not compared |
| 1997 | 54 | 20 | Engine | not compared |
| 1998 | 77 | 38 | Brakes | not compared |
| 1999 | 62 | 18 | Accelerator & Cruise Control | not compared |
| 2000 | 30 | 9 | Accelerator & Cruise Control | not compared |
2001–2005
Each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Fewer than three years of this generation are comparable, so no year is named.
| Model year | All complaints | First three years | Most reported system | Note |
|---|
| 2001 | 309 | 47 | Powertrain | not compared |
| 2002 | 527 | 27 | Powertrain | not compared |
| 2003 | 315 | 18 | Powertrain | not compared |
| 2004 | 154 | 19 | Airbags | not compared |
| 2005 | 141 | 10 | Airbags | not compared |
2006–2012
Each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 101.
| Model year | All complaints | First three years | Most reported system | Note |
|---|
| 2006 | 705 | 101 | Steering | |
| 2007 | 1,004 | 82 | Steering | |
| 2008 | 575 | 112 | Engine | |
| 2009 | 327 | 135 | Accelerator & Cruise Control | |
| 2010 | 400 | 137 | Suspension | |
| 2011 | 287 | 61 | Accelerator & Cruise Control | fewest complaints |
| 2012 | 266 | 81 | Windows, Wipers & Visibility | |
Steering is the largest group in 2 of the 7 compared years.
2013–2018
Each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 107.
| Model year | All complaints | First three years | Most reported system | Note |
|---|
| 2013 | 262 | 99 | Electrical System | |
| 2014 | 207 | 46 | Electrical System | not compared |
| 2015 | 305 | 86 | Electrical System | |
| 2016 | 257 | 107 | Electrical System | |
| 2017 | 321 | 111 | Electrical System | |
| 2018 | 348 | 122 | Electrical System | |
Electrical System is the largest group in 5 of the 5 compared years.
2019–2025
Each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 137.
| Model year | All complaints | First three years | Most reported system | Note |
|---|
| 2019 | 906 | 437 | Fuel & Propulsion | most complaints |
| 2020 | 651 | 248 | Engine | most complaints |
| 2021 | 411 | 137 | Airbags | |
| 2022 | 154 | 75 | Electrical System | fewest complaints |
| 2023 | 171 | 117 | Electrical System | |
| 2024 | 177 | 177 | Engine | not compared |
| 2025 | 106 | 106 | Electrical System | not compared |
Electrical System is the largest group in 2 of the 5 compared years.
2026–2026
Each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Fewer than three years of this generation are comparable, so no year is named.
| Model year | All complaints | First three years | Most reported system | Note |
|---|
| 2026 | 42 | 42 | Driver Assistance | not compared |
Every model year
A model year gets its own page when four sources cover it, it holds at least 50 complaints, and it either compares with the other years of its generation or shows one system in 40% or more of the complaints that name a component. The rest are listed here with their figures.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Bulletins | Combined MPG | Page |
|---|
| 1996 | 47 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 21–24 | listed here |
| 1997 | 54 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 21–23 | listed here |
| 1998 | 77 | 5 | 0 | 66 | 21–23 | listed here |
| 1999 | 62 | 5 | 0 | 58 | 21–23 | listed here |
| 2000 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 80 | 21–23 | listed here |
| 2001 | 309 | 0 | 0 | 127 | 22–24 | yes |
| 2002 | 527 | 0 | 0 | 116 | 22–24 | yes |
| 2003 | 315 | 0 | 1 | 102 | 22–24 | yes |
| 2004 | 154 | 2 | 0 | 135 | 21–23 | listed here |
| 2005 | 141 | 5 | 0 | 142 | 21–23 | yes |
| 2006 | 705 | 11 | 2 | 308 | 21–24 | yes |
| 2007 | 1,004 | 14 | 4 | 309 | 21–23 | yes |
| 2008 | 575 | 14 | 4 | 340 | 21–24 | yes |
| 2009 | 327 | 15 | 3 | 287 | 21–24 | yes |
| 2010 | 400 | 14 | 1 | 313 | 21–24 | yes |
| 2011 | 287 | 11 | 1 | 283 | 21–24 | yes |
| 2012 | 266 | 6 | 1 | 640 | 22–24 | yes |
| 2013 | 262 | 5 | 2 | 718 | 25–26 | yes |
| 2014 | 207 | 7 | 2 | 650 | 24–26 | listed here |
| 2015 | 305 | 4 | 1 | 313 | 24–26 | yes |
| 2016 | 257 | 3 | 1 | 288 | 24–32 | yes |
| 2017 | 321 | 3 | 2 | 374 | 24–32 | yes |
| 2018 | 348 | 3 | 2 | 259 | 24–32 | yes |
| 2019 | 906 | 8 | 1 | 467 | 28–40 | yes |
| 2020 | 651 | 6 | 1 | 476 | 27–40 | yes |
| 2021 | 411 | 1 | 1 | 391 | 28–40 | yes |
| 2022 | 154 | 2 | 1 | 312 | 28–40 | yes |
| 2023 | 171 | 3 | 0 | 228 | 28–40 | yes |
| 2024 | 177 | 4 | 0 | 151 | 28–39 | listed here |
| 2025 | 106 | 4 | 0 | 102 | 28–39 | listed here |
| 2026 | 42 | 2 | 0 | 62 | 38–43 | listed here |
What owners report across all years
| System | Complaints | Share | Median mileage |
|---|
| Engine | 1,653 | 19% | 75,000 mi |
| Powertrain | 1,418 | 16% | 90,000 mi |
| Electrical System | 1,407 | 16% | 60,000 mi |
| Steering | 954 | 11% | 45,000 mi |
| Accelerator & Cruise Control | 911 | 10% | 22,000 mi |
Shares are over complaints that name a component; a complaint naming several systems is counted under each.
Engine
Owner report was parking car in parking space when applying brakes the car revved up and lunged forward hitting a curb and with foot more firmly pressing brake pedal the car revved up more lunged forward with enough force to jump the curb and ran into a dirt embankment stopping the car. There were no warning lights, messages or oth…
Owner report Approximately 6 weeks ago I was driving on the Garden State Parkway North in the middle lane at about 65mph when the car just stopped. A voice came over the car speaker asking if I had a problem. I was panicked for fear I would be rear ended so rather than talk to the person I tried to restart the car. This took may…
Powertrain
Owner report "I am filing a deceptive trade practices and fraudulent service documentation complaint against Rodland Toyota of Everett. I brought my 2019 Toyota RAV4 in for a critical drivetrain defect under an active corporate warranty program. The dealership returned the vehicle to me with official invoice documentation stating t…
Owner report The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the transmission failed to function properly. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the transmission while shifting from fourth to fifth gear. The transmission was whining while accelerating and de…
Electrical System
Owner report The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4. The vehicle was previously taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V595000 (Electrical System); however, the dealer repeatedly delayed the repair due to parts availability issues. The dealer kept the vehicle for the duration due to the instrument panel fail…
Owner report While in stop and go traffic during heavy rain, vehicle stalled and would not restart. After several attempts, it did restart but ran very rough. A couple days before, a red warning light came on for the steering system, also during a rain event.
Largest recalls
| Campaign | Component | Filed | Vehicles |
|---|
| 12V491000 | VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 2012-10-10 | 2,519,424 |
| 10V017000 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 2010-01-21 | 2,230,661 |
| 23V734000 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 2023-11-01 | 1,853,568 |
| 15V689000 | VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 2015-10-22 | 1,814,284 |
| 20V682000 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 2020-11-04 | 1,525,742 |
Whether a recall has been done on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Open investigations
None open.
Service bulletins
Toyota issued 8,195 service bulletins covering these model years, most often about equipment.
A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so a bulletin listed here may not be specific to one year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.
| Date | Component | Summary |
|---|
| 2026-09-14 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Please do not disassemble or make any repairs. Request: - Save Health Check, then Clear DTC - Test drive to see if the DTC is easy to duplicate or not - Create a TAS case and contact TAS for special instructions If it is a weekend or holid… |
| 2026-08-20 | ENGINE | This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge at battery on high voltage (HV) Ni-MH and Li-ion batteries. |
| 2026-08-20 | ENGINE | OBSOLETE NOTICE August 20, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0051-26. |
| 2026-08-19 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | A head unit software update (version 8612G42397) is now available for 2026 model year RAV4 Hybrid, and RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid vehicles via OTA or USB. Vehicle operators can perform this update directly by accepting the on-screen notification … |
| 2026-07-22 | ENGINE | State of Health (SOH): An estimate of battery health that is updated as the vehicle learns from operating and charging conditions over time. Distance Since Last Update: Indicates the distance accumulated since the last SOH calculation. A d… |
| 2026-07-16 | ENGINE | TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR EMISSION NONCOMPLIANCE RECALL 26TC03 Certain 2022 – 2025 Model Year RAV4 Incorrect Mass Air Flow Sensor Reading |
| 2026-07-09 | ENGINE | In wet conditions, water contacting the radiator in the subject vehicles after idling for an extended period can create steam that can cause an incorrect engine sensor reading. This can lead to a warning light, a rough-running engine, or a… |
| 2026-07-09 | ENGINE | TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR EMISSION NONCOMPLIANCE RECALL 26TC03 Certain 2022 – 2025 Model Year RAV4 Incorrect Mass Air Flow Sensor Reading |
| 2026-06-25 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2026 model year Toyota vehicles are equipped with driver side floor mat retainers to secure the floor mat in the correct position. In addition, some models may also utilize retainers for passenger side and rear seat floor mats. During Pre-D… |
| 2026-06-10 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Long-term or off-site storage requires special care to maintain vehicle condition. The following guidelines should be performed to minimize vehicle component/part degradation due to extendedvehicle storage conditions. Long-term storage can … |
How to read this page
Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more after news coverage or a recall. That is why years are compared only with other years of the same generation, over the same span, and never with other models.
Sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications (data as of 2026-10-28).
- U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines and fuel economy.
This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection.