1999 Toyota Rav4: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 75 complaints
75
Total Complaints
114,000mi
Median Mileage
Vehicle Speed Control
Top Issue
18
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
87,174
25th Percentile
114,000
Median Mileage
142,254
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Vehicle Speed Control
11
Air Bags
9
Frontal
5
Electrical System
4
Body
3
Frame And Members
3
Tank Assembly
2
Manual Transmission
2
Foundation Components
2
Control Arm
2
Severity Assessment
18
Crashes
4
Fires
17
Injuries
0
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"WHEN USING CRUISE CONTROL IT WOULD NOT DISENGAGE WHEN TOUCHING THE BRAKES LIGHTLY. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED. *AK"
"CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65- 70 MPH ON HIGHWAY AND DROVE OVER EITHER UNEVEN PAVEMENT OR SMALL ROCK, CAUSING VEHICLE TO FLIP OVER 3 TIMES OR MORE WHICH CAUSED SERIOUS INJURIES.*AK"
"VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 12 HOURS, FIRE STARTED UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DUE TO THE INSULATION BY THE FUSE BOX CATCHING ON FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#.*AK"
Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.
When Were Complaints Filed?
Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.
When Does Each Component Fail?
Median mileage at complaint for top components.
Vehicle Speed Control
11 complaints
Median: 89,348 mi
Body
3 complaints
Median: 189,198 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
CA: 13
WI: 9
NY: 7
IL: 5
KY: 4
PA: 4
CO: 3
TX: 3
VA: 3
CT: 3
Who Files Complaints?
29.3%
Original Owners
70.7%
Second+ Owners
Toyota Rav4 — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
Active Recalls (5)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Inflator Module
Campaign 20V033000 | 22/01/2020
In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant, and increases the risk of serious injury or death.
Toyota will notify owners, and owners will have the option to self-inspect, or have a dealer inspect the steering wheel on their vehicle to determine if their vehicle may be equipped with an affected inflator. Potentially affected steering wheel serial numbers will be inspected by a dealer. Based
Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch
Campaign 00V211000 | 09/08/2000
THIS CONDITION CAN RENDER THE SYSTEM INOPERATIVE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PARKING LOCK ROD.
Rotor
Campaign 00V212000 | 09/08/2000
THE DISC ROTOR COULD BREAK (WHERE IT MOUNTS TO THE WHEEL), RESULTING IN A LOSS OF BRAKING ACTION ON THAT WHEEL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DISC BRAKE ROTORS. IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS, TOYOTA WILL REPLACE THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND STEEL WHEELS WITH NEW DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND NEW ALUMINUM WHEELS. IN ADDITION A CAUTION LABEL THAT READS, "USE NEW GENUINE TOYOTA ALUMINUM WHEELS." WILL BE A
Control Module
Campaign 98V278000 | 19/10/1998
THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98
Control Module
Campaign 98E035000 | 19/10/1998
THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98
General Vehicle Maintenance
Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.
- Follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule in your owner's manual
- Don't ignore warning lights — early diagnosis prevents expensive repairs
- Keep records of all maintenance and repairs
- Use OEM or equivalent-quality parts for repairs
- Address unusual noises, vibrations, or smells promptly
Compare Toyota Rav4
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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.
Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.
Data through: 2026-03-28