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Toyota RAV4 Problems by Year

Which Toyota RAV4 years have the most owner complaints, what goes wrong, and how many recalls each year has.

Toyota RAV4, 2019 to 2024 model years
Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0

Owners have filed 4,305 complaints with NHTSA about the Toyota RAV4 from 2012 to 2024. Across every year, the most reported problem areas are the electrical system, the engine and cooling and the fuel system. The years with the most complaints are 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Years to avoid

20192020

The most complaints compared with other RAV4 years.

Safer bets

2014

Clearly fewer complaints than a typical RAV4 year. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate.

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Complaints by year

Tap a year to see its most reported problems, its recalls and what to check before you buy. Newer years have had less time on the road, so they always look better here. Red marks the worst years, orange years worse than most, and green the better ones.

2012260201325720141972015305201624020173082018333201988620206392021389202215020231642024177

Every year at a glance

YearVs. other yearsComplaintsRecallsMost reported
2012 RAV4About average2605Lights, wipers and visibility
2013 RAV4About average2572Electrical system
2014 RAV4One of the better years1974Electrical system
2015 RAV4About average3054Electrical system
2016 RAV4About average2403Electrical system
2017 RAV4About average3083Electrical system
2018 RAV4About average3333Electrical system
2019 RAV4Among the worst years8867Fuel system
2020 RAV4Among the worst years6396Engine and cooling
2021 RAV4About average3891Air bags
2022 RAV4Too new to judge1501Electrical system
2023 RAV4Too new to judge1643Electrical system
2024 RAV4Too new to judge1773Engine and cooling

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Toyota RAV4 questions

What are the worst Toyota RAV4 years?

Compared with its other years, the RAV4 years with the most owner complaints to NHTSA are 2019 and 2020. The most reported problem area across all years is the electrical system.

What are the best Toyota RAV4 years?

The RAV4 years with clearly fewer complaints than a typical year are 2014. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly, since complaints keep coming in as cars age.

What are the most common Toyota RAV4 problems?

Across 2012 to 2024, owners report problems with the electrical system, the engine and cooling and the fuel system most often. Each model year has its own pattern, so check the year you are looking at.

How many recalls does the Toyota RAV4 have?

NHTSA lists 45 recalls across the 2012 to 2024 RAV4, counted per model year. A recall can cover several years.

Check the exact car

These problems are for the model year as a whole. Here is how to find out about the one you are looking at.

Decode its VINConfirm the year, trim and engine, and see recalls and safety ratings.Walk around and test drive itA step-by-step checklist you can use on your phone at the car.Read the history reportThe red flags in a Carfax or AutoCheck report, in plain English.

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Where these numbers come from. Complaints are reports that owners filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), counted from NHTSA’s complaint database as of November 5, 2026. Owners do not have to prove a problem to file one, so a complaint is a report, not a confirmed defect. Models that sell in big numbers get more complaints, and newer model years have had less time on the road, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Recalls come from NHTSA’s recall database and cover every vehicle of that model year, not one particular car. Quotes are trimmed, and anything that looks like a VIN is hidden.