2020 Toyota Rav4: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 778 complaints
778
Total Complaints
2,800mi
Median Mileage
Engine
Top Issue
28
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
500
25th Percentile
2,800
Median Mileage
9,000
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Engine
177
Unknown Or Other
118
Electrical System
115
Fuel/Propulsion System
89
Air Bags
53
Body
39
Power Train
36
Steering
26
Service Brakes
16
Engine And Engine Cooling
14
Severity Assessment
28
Crashes
7
Fires
28
Injuries
0
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"SIDE VIEW MIRRORS ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SHAKING WHEN ON HIGHWAY SPEED"
"GAS LIGHT COMES ON AFTER THE CAR HAS CONSUMED ~10 GALLONS. THE VEHICLE IS ADVERTISED HAVING 14.5 GALLON TANK WITH 580 MILE TRIP."
"VEHICLE INDICATES FUEL EMPTY (GAS GAUGE AND WARNINGS) AFTER APPROX 350 MILES. FUEL TANK SUPPOSED TO BE 14.5 GAL., BUT TANK ONLY ACCEPTS 9-10 GALLONS FUEL BEFORE SHUTOFF. 1 FULL TANK FROM DEALER PLUS 1 FILL-UP WITH SAME RESULT. VEHICLE ALSO ONLY AVERAGING 36 MPG AFTER 2 TANKS MOSTLY HIGHWAY & NOW INT..."
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.
Engine
177 complaints
25th: 637 mi
Median: 6,000 mi
75th: 22,482 mi
Unknown Or Other
118 complaints
25th: 1,369 mi
Median: 5,275 mi
75th: 6,800 mi
Electrical System
115 complaints
25th: 932 mi
Median: 2,450 mi
75th: 6,200 mi
Fuel/Propulsion System
89 complaints
25th: 350 mi
Median: 500 mi
75th: 1,193 mi
Air Bags
53 complaints
25th: 8,000 mi
Median: 34,000 mi
75th: 47,000 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
CA: 116
TX: 74
FL: 71
NY: 59
NJ: 33
VA: 32
NC: 30
GA: 30
MD: 25
AZ: 24
Who Files Complaints?
0.9%
Original Owners
99.1%
Second+ Owners
Toyota Rav4 — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
Active Recalls (6)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Fuel Pump
Campaign 20V682000 | 04/11/2020
If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy par
Frontal
Campaign 20V734000 | 25/11/2020
In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not perform as designed can increase the risk of injury.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering column, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB17/20TA17.
Engine And Engine Cooling
Campaign 20V064000 | 06/02/2020
A coolant leak can cause the engine to overheat and cause a vehicle stall in conventional gasoline vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, for all involved vehicles, the engine may get damaged mechanically, possibly resulting in an engine oil leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the engine including the engine block, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 3, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA04.
Electric Power Assist System
Campaign 20V373000 | 24/06/2020
A loss of power steering assist could increase steering effort at low vehicle speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering gear box, free of charge. The recall began August 17, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB11 / 20TA11.
Lower Arm
Campaign 20V286000 | 20/05/2020
If a suspension control arm breaks, it can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front lower suspension arms, free of charge. This recall began August 10, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's interim numbers for this recall are 20TB08 / 20TA08.
Occupant Classification
Campaign 23V865000 | 20/12/2023
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may con
Extend Your Engine Life
Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.
- Change oil on schedule — this is the single most important thing you can do
- Use the manufacturer-recommended oil weight and type
- Replace the air filter every 15,000-30,000 miles
- Don't ignore the check engine light — small issues become expensive fast
- Let the engine warm up for 30 seconds before driving hard in cold weather
- Address coolant leaks immediately to prevent overheating damage
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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