FaultScore

Worst years for a Toyota RAV4

Owners have filed 12,161 complaints about the Toyota RAV4 with NHTSA across model years 1994 to 2025. More of them are about the engine & cooling than anything else.

Avoid

2021 Toyota RAV4

519 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly airbags.

Cleanest on record

1997 Toyota RAV4

61 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Toyota RAV4 year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2025 C 114 15 0 4,250 Other & Unspecified
2024 D 264 47 0 12,024 Other & Unspecified
2023 D 255 36 3 57,079 Electrical System
2022 C 219 26 0 36,000 Electrical System
2021 F 519 70 16 15,900 Airbags
2020 F 800 30 7 3,011 Engine & Cooling
2019 D 1,181 40 5 3,895 Fuel & Propulsion
2018 D 443 53 49 11,244 Electrical System
2017 D 413 53 41 22,910 Electrical System
2016 D 295 43 19 19,500 Electrical System
2015 D 400 61 62 34,000 Electrical System
2014 D 279 35 43 43,017 Electrical System
2013 D 332 29 34 17,450 Electrical System
2012 D 357 56 8 27,000 Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
2011 D 403 68 10 45,936 Acceleration & Cruise Control
2010 D 498 80 4 34,662 Suspension
2009 D 397 69 5 30,000 Acceleration & Cruise Control
2008 D 708 56 20 66,000 Engine & Cooling
2007 D 1,240 72 56 65,000 Steering
2006 D 880 37 10 55,508 Steering
2005 C 168 31 4 80,858 Airbags
2004 C 183 23 5 80,125 Airbags
2003 C 392 24 4 95,500 Transmission & Drivetrain
2002 D 682 49 20 93,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2001 C 418 28 2 104,568 Transmission & Drivetrain
2000 B 34 6 0 96,000 Acceleration & Cruise Control
1999 B 75 18 4 114,000 Airbags
1998 B 92 22 0 109,000 Brakes
1997 B 61 10 2 110,000 Engine & Cooling
1996 C 54 4 4 70,000 Brakes
1995 1 0 0 Other & Unspecified
1994 4 1 0 Airbags

What breaks on a Toyota RAV4

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Engine & Cooling 1,636 13.5%

Worst in 2007

Worst in 2002

Electrical System 1,369 11.3%

Worst in 2018

Other & Unspecified 1,077 8.9%

Worst in 2019

Steering 945 7.8%

Worst in 2007

Worst in 2007

Airbags 852 7.0%

Worst in 2021

Brakes 674 5.5%

Worst in 2011

Worst in 2019

Suspension 550 4.5%

Worst in 2007

Body & Structure 515 4.2%

Worst in 2019

Worst in 2012

Worst in 2023

Seat Belts 214 1.8%

Worst in 2011

Exactly what failed on a Toyota RAV4

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Automatic Transmission 559 43.2%
Body 363 28.0%
Engine 69 5.3%
Warnings 57 4.4%
Frontal 54 4.2%
Automatic Emergency Braking 47 3.6%
Accelerator Pedal 46 3.6%
Sun/Moon Roof Assembly 41 3.2%
Adaptive Cruise Control 32 2.5%
Hinge AND Attachments 27 2.1%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Toyota RAV4, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Nov 1996 peak 242 Aug 2026

Toyota RAV4 problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Toyota RAV4

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.