2008 TOYOTA RAV4 — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 570 complaints · 14 recalls
Most-reported system: ENGINE (132 complaints · 23.2%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 42
  • Fires 15
  • Injuries 32
  • Deaths 2
Compare with 2007 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution ENGINE appears in 132 of 570 owner complaints (23.2%) in this vehicle snapshot. ENGINE: 132 complaints, 23.2% of reports ENGINE 132 · 23.2% · 1 crash reports 4 fire reports SUSPENSION: 77 complaints, 13.5% of reports SUSPENSION 77 · 13.5% VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 77 complaints, 13.5% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 77 · 13.5% · 19 crash reports STEERING: 61 complaints, 10.7% of reports STEERING 61 · 10.7% · 3 crash reports 1 fire reports AIR BAGS: 49 complaints, 8.6% of reports AIR BAGS 49 · 8.6% · 6 crash reports 1 fire reports POWER TRAIN: 31 complaints, 5.4% of reports POWER TRAIN 31 · 5.4% · 1 crash reports 1 fire reports SERVICE BRAKES: 24 complaints, 4.2% of reports SERVICE BRAKES 24 · 4.2% · 6 crash reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 21 complaints, 3.7% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 21 · 3.7% · 1 crash reports 5 fire reports VISIBILITY: 17 complaints, 3.0% of reports VISIBILITY 17 · 3.0% · 2 fire reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 103 complaints, 18.1% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 103 · 18.1% · 10 crash reports 3 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
ENGINE 132 23.2% 1 crashes · 4 fires
SUSPENSION 77 13.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 77 13.5% 19 crashes · 0 fires
STEERING 61 10.7% 3 crashes · 1 fires
AIR BAGS 49 8.6% 6 crashes · 1 fires
POWER TRAIN 31 5.4% 1 crashes · 1 fires
SERVICE BRAKES 24 4.2% 6 crashes · 0 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 21 3.7% 1 crashes · 5 fires
VISIBILITY 17 3.0% 0 crashes · 2 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 103 18.1% 10 crashes · 3 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 2008; the first recall shown was reported in Jun 2009. 2008-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2009-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2009-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2009-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2010-Q1: 56 owner reports 56 2010-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2010-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2010-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2011-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2011-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2011-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2011-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2012-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2012-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2012-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2012-Q4: 21 owner reports 21 2013-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2013-Q2: 18 owner reports 18 2013-Q3: 22 owner reports 22 2013-Q4: 13 owner reports 13 2014-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2014-Q2: 25 owner reports 25 2014-Q3: 16 owner reports 16 2014-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2015-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2015-Q2: 16 owner reports 16 2015-Q3: 10 owner reports 10 2015-Q4: 17 owner reports 17 2016-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2016-Q2: 14 owner reports 14 2016-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2016-Q4: 11 owner reports 11 2017-Q1: 18 owner reports 18 2017-Q2: 22 owner reports 22 2017-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2017-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2018-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2018-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2018-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2018-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2019-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2019-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2019-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2020-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2020-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2022-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2025-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 2008 Apr 2026 Recall campaign 09V223000 ◆ Recall campaign 09V223000 Recall campaign 10V035000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V035000 Recall campaign 10V036000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V036000 Recall campaign 11V113000 ◆ Recall campaign 11V113000 Recall campaign 11V245000 ◆ Recall campaign 11V245000 Recall campaign 12V373000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V373000 Recall campaign 12V491000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V491000 Recall campaign 13V383000 ◆ Recall campaign 13V383000 Recall campaign 14V168000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V168000 Recall campaign 14V743000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V743000 Recall campaign 15V689000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V689000 Recall campaign 16V096000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V096000 Recall campaign 16V396000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V396000 Recall campaign 16V596000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V596000 Investigation RQ10003 ● Investigation RQ10003 Investigation PE12002 ● Investigation PE12002 Investigation PE12013 ● Investigation PE12013 Investigation EA12006 ● Investigation EA12006
  • Campaign 09V223000 was reported 501 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 10V035000 was reported 734 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 10V036000 was reported 734 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 11V113000 was reported 862 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 12V373000 was reported 588 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 12V491000 was reported 1,714 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 13V383000 was reported 979 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V168000 was reported 1,704 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V743000 was reported 2,484 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 15V689000 was reported 2,821 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V096000 was reported 2,684 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V396000 was reported 3,045 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V596000 was reported 2,059 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2008-Q1 Owner reports 1
2008-Q2 Owner reports 2
2008-Q3 Owner reports 2
2008-Q4 Owner reports 2
2009-Q1 Owner reports 6
2009-Q2 Owner reports 4
2009-Q3 Owner reports 4
2009-Q4 Owner reports 7
2010-Q1 Owner reports 56
2010-Q2 Owner reports 11
2010-Q3 Owner reports 7
2010-Q4 Owner reports 9
2011-Q1 Owner reports 10
2011-Q2 Owner reports 5
2011-Q3 Owner reports 4
2011-Q4 Owner reports 10
2012-Q1 Owner reports 9
2012-Q2 Owner reports 5
2012-Q3 Owner reports 9
2012-Q4 Owner reports 21
2013-Q1 Owner reports 10
2013-Q2 Owner reports 18
2013-Q3 Owner reports 22
2013-Q4 Owner reports 13
2014-Q1 Owner reports 11
2014-Q2 Owner reports 25
2014-Q3 Owner reports 16
2014-Q4 Owner reports 11
2015-Q1 Owner reports 14
2015-Q2 Owner reports 16
2015-Q3 Owner reports 10
2015-Q4 Owner reports 17
2016-Q1 Owner reports 12
2016-Q2 Owner reports 14
2016-Q3 Owner reports 12
2016-Q4 Owner reports 11
2017-Q1 Owner reports 18
2017-Q2 Owner reports 22
2017-Q3 Owner reports 8
2017-Q4 Owner reports 12
2018-Q1 Owner reports 10
2018-Q2 Owner reports 7
2018-Q3 Owner reports 5
2018-Q4 Owner reports 9
2019-Q1 Owner reports 8
2019-Q2 Owner reports 4
2019-Q3 Owner reports 6
2019-Q4 Owner reports 8
2020-Q1 Owner reports 4
2020-Q2 Owner reports 3
2020-Q3 Owner reports 2
2020-Q4 Owner reports 3
2021-Q1 Owner reports 3
2021-Q3 Owner reports 2
2021-Q4 Owner reports 2
2022-Q1 Owner reports 4
2022-Q2 Owner reports 2
2022-Q3 Owner reports 1
2023-Q2 Owner reports 1
2023-Q3 Owner reports 2
2024-Q4 Owner reports 1
2025-Q1 Owner reports 1
2025-Q2 Owner reports 3
2025-Q3 Owner reports 1
2025-Q4 Owner reports 1
2026-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 09V223000
Recall campaign 1 10V035000
Recall campaign 1 10V036000
Recall campaign 1 11V113000
Recall campaign 1 11V245000
Recall campaign 1 12V373000
Recall campaign 1 12V491000
Recall campaign 1 13V383000
Recall campaign 1 14V168000
Recall campaign 1 14V743000
Recall campaign 1 15V689000
Recall campaign 1 16V096000
Recall campaign 1 16V396000
Recall campaign 1 16V596000
Defect investigation 1 RQ10003
Defect investigation 1 PE12002
Defect investigation 1 PE12013
Defect investigation 1 EA12006
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (14)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 09V223000

    Report date
    Component:
    EQUIPMENT
    Consequence:
    INCORRECT LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE BEING OVERLOADED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH A NEW, ACCURATE LABEL TO BE INSTALLED OVER THE INACCURATE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 18, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 10V035000

    Report date
    Component:
    EQUIPMENT
    Consequence:
    THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GULF STATES TOYOTA AT 713-580-3300.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 10V036000

    Report date
    Component:
    EQUIPMENT
    Consequence:
    A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 11V113000

    Report date
    Component:
    VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
    Consequence:
    A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
    Remedy:
    THE REMEDY IS NOW AVAILABLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN EARLY APRIL 2011. THE REMEDY WILL INVOLVE MODIFICATION OR REPLACEMENT OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND REPLACEMENT OF ANY TOYOTA ALL-WEATHER FLOOR MAT. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 11V245000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    INADVERTENT ACTIVATION OF THE CSA AND/OR THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER CAN CAUSE INJURY TO A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.
    Remedy:
    TOYOTA WILL REPLACE THE AIRBAG SENSOR ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW ONE CONTAINING IMPROVED ROLL RATE SENSORS, FREE OF CHARGE. TOYOTA INTENDS TO SEND AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION TO OWNERS EARLY TO MID-MAY, 2011 WHEN SUFFICIENT PARTS AND REMEDY BECOMES AVAILABLE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 12V373000

    Report date
    Component:
    SUSPENSION
    Consequence:
    Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear tie-rod nut for looseness and replace any suspect tie-rod found loose. Dealers will also affix instructions in multiple places to prevent improper servicing in the future. The recall began on November 30, 2012. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 12V491000

    Report date
    Component:
    VISIBILITY
    Consequence:
    If the switch overheats, it may melt, possibly resulting in a fire.
    Remedy:
    Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will inspect the switch and apply a special grease that inhibits heat build up or replace any switch damaged by the defect, free of charge. Toyota owners that experience a problem with a switch should not attempt to make repairs, but should contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331. General Motors will contact the Pontiac Vibe owners affected by this recall and GM dealers will inspect and repair switches as necessary. Those owners may contact Pontiac Customer Care at 1-800-762-2737.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 13V383000

    Report date
    Component:
    SUSPENSION
    Consequence:
    Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tie rods and replace any that have rust or corrosion on the alignment adjustment threads. All of the rear tie rods will then be encased in an epoxy to prevent future environmental damage. Due to limitations in parts, the recall remedy will be launched in phases from September 2013 through mid-April 2014. All owners will receive notification of the recall, with most receiving second notifications when parts are available in their area. IMPORTANT: This recall supersedes Toyota and Lexus recall 12V-373. All vehicles that have been inspected and remedied under the previous recall need to be re-inspected and have the appropriate remedy applied.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 14V168000

    Report date
    Component:
    AIR BAGS
    Consequence:
    If the FFC is damaged, connectivity to the driver's air bag module could be lost and the air bag deactivated. The failure of the driver's air bag to deploy in the event of a crash that typically necessitates deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver.
    Remedy:
    Toyota will notify the Toyota vehicle owners, and General Motors will notify the Pontiac Vibe owners. Toyota sent owners an interim notification letter in May 2014 to advise owners of the recall. Toyota will mail owners a second letter when remedy parts are available. General Motors sent Pontiac Vibe owners an Interim letter on June 20, 2014 notifying them that parts are currently unavailable. General Motors sent notices to the Pontiac Vibe owners on September 15, 2014, that a remedy is available. The recall began on October 27, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-762-2737.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  10. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 14V743000

    Report date
    Component:
    SEATS
    Consequence:
    Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
    Remedy:
    SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  11. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V689000

    Report date
    Component:
    VISIBILITY
    Consequence:
    If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the PWMS circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 20, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is C0M.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  12. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 16V096000

    Report date
    Component:
    SEAT BELTS
    Consequence:
    A cut seat belt may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.
    Remedy:
    Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a protector over both rear seat cushion frames, free of charge. The recall began on June 24, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0F.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  13. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 16V396000

    Report date
    Component:
    SEATS
    Consequence:
    If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  14. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 16V596000

    Report date
    Component:
    SUSPENSION
    Consequence:
    Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Toyota will notify owners and dealers will replace both rear suspension arms and encapsulate the locknuts, free of charge. The recall began on September 30, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are G0V for Toyota vehicles and GLK for Lexus vehicles. Note: This recall supersedes recall 13V-383, in which some vehicles were only inspected, sealed, and did not have both arms replaced. The affected vehicles were previously recalled under 13V-383, but did not have both rear suspension arms replaced at that time. Those vehicles need to have both arms replaced as part of this recall remedy.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 570 complaints · page 1 of 23

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources