2016 Toyota Rav4: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 289 complaints
289
Total Complaints
19,000mi
Median Mileage
Electrical System
Top Issue
43
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
4,000
25th Percentile
19,000
Median Mileage
47,000
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Electrical System
55
Service Brakes
43
Unknown Or Other
32
Exterior Lighting
28
Engine
24
Air Bags
18
Visibility/Wiper
12
Vehicle Speed Control
12
Body
12
Steering
10
Severity Assessment
43
Crashes
19
Fires
34
Injuries
0
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"MY CAR WAS 4 DAYS OLD. I WAS DRIVING IN THE POURING RAIN, ON A HIGHWAY GOING 55-60MPH, WITH NO OTHER VEHICLES AHEAD OF ME OR ON THE SIDE OF ME. MY SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED! THE SUNROOF WAS IN THE CLOSED POSITION AT THE TIME BUT THE CLOTH COVER WAS OPEN. LUCKILY IT EXPLODED OUTWARD BUT SOME..."
"NOTICED THE BRANDNEW 2016 RAV4 XLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT STRONGLY AFTER 3 DAYS OWNING THE CAR WITH 200 MILES. WENT TO THE DEALER TWICE AND DID 2 ALIGNMENTS AND CROSS TIRE ROTATION. THE SERVICE ADMITS THE PULLS AND CLAIM THEY FIXED IT THE 1ST TIME. HOWEVER ACTUALLY NOTHING IS CHANGED. STILL PULLS TO TH..."
"TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA RAV4. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD WHILE THE CONTACT'S FATHER WAS GENTLY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONTACT'S FATHER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND STRUCK A GATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER FATHER HA..."
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.
Electrical System
55 complaints
25th: 12,150 mi
Median: 49,500 mi
75th: 86,618 mi
Service Brakes
43 complaints
25th: 5,100 mi
Median: 21,000 mi
75th: 41,000 mi
Unknown Or Other
32 complaints
25th: 7,000 mi
Median: 15,000 mi
75th: 47,000 mi
Exterior Lighting
28 complaints
25th: 3,625 mi
Median: 13,400 mi
75th: 38,875 mi
Engine
24 complaints
25th: 5,722 mi
Median: 14,600 mi
75th: 56,000 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
NY: 29
CA: 29
TX: 26
FL: 25
MA: 14
VA: 14
NC: 13
MD: 11
GA: 10
TN: 10
Who Files Complaints?
2.1%
Original Owners
97.9%
Second+ Owners
Toyota Rav4 — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
Active Recalls (3)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Campaign 16V198000 | 07/04/2016
Insufficient brake fluid pressure may cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 4, 2016, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0I, GLC.
Tires
Campaign 16V236000 | 22/04/2016
An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
SET will notify owners, and provide them a corrected label to be installed over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on June 3, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET16A.
12V/24V/48V Battery
Campaign 23V734000 | 01/11/2023
A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
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 owners. Additional owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, phase 2 will begin on May 14, 2025, and phase 3 in
Maintain Your Electrical System
Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.
- Clean battery terminals annually with baking soda and water
- Replace the battery every 3-5 years before it leaves you stranded
- Don't leave accessories running with the engine off
- Check for corroded ground connections if you have intermittent electrical issues
- Replace dim headlights promptly — they're a safety issue and a wiring symptom
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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