2007 Toyota RAV4 Problems

Severe Issues

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2007 Toyota RAV4. Part of Generation 3 — 2006–2012.

20062008
Complaints
1,240
per 10K Sold
71.8
US Sales
172,752
Crashes
72
Fires
56
Injuries
54
Fatalities
Recalls
13

Worst 2007 Toyota RAV4 Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1268 complaints

Steering Defects

Avg mileage:59,304 mi
Crash-related:5
Fires:1
#2195 complaints

Engine Problems

Avg mileage:103,855 mi
Crash-related:2
Fires:4
#3123 complaints

Suspension Failures

Avg mileage:101,344 mi
Crash-related:9
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2007 Toyota RAV4.

Steering Defects
268
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
1
Avg Miles
59,304
Engine Problems
195
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
4
Avg Miles
103,855
Suspension Failures
123
complaints
Crashes
9
Fires
Avg Miles
101,344
Unintended Acceleration
91
complaints
Crashes
21
Fires
Avg Miles
37,449
Airbags
90
complaints
Crashes
15
Fires
2
Avg Miles
90,596
Electrical Faults
72
complaints
Crashes
Fires
26
Avg Miles
77,957
Transmission / Drivetrain
38
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
69,807
Engine & Cooling
29
complaints
Crashes
Fires
2
Avg Miles
71,567
Brakes
26
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
70,632
Wipers & Visibility
24
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
80,566
Wheel Issues
22
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
73,899
Electronic Stability Control
17
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
51,231
Seat Belt Issues
17
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
95,925
Hydraulic Brakes
15
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
73,268
Body Structure
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
77,006
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
12
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
30,508
Visibility
12
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
55,423
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls
12
complaints
Crashes
Fires
10
Avg Miles
92,663
Automatic Transmission
11
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
24,361
Fuel System
10
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
75,863
Gasoline Fuel System
8
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
41,774
Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
13,034
Air Bags:Side/Window
6
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
49,114
Seat-Related Issues
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
49,761
Suspension:Rear
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
307,500
Air Bags:Frontal
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Headlight/Taillight Failures
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2007 Toyota RAV4. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2007 Toyota RAV4

13 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~10,949,399 vehicles.

16V596000Suspension:rear
~337,449 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 31, 2005, to September 7, 2010, and 2010 Lexus HS250h vehicles manufactured July 6, 2009, to August 26, 2010. The affected vehicles have rear suspension arms (rear tie rods) with adjusting lock nuts that may have been improperly tightened after servicing. As a result of being loose, the arm may have thread damage and may rust, possibly leading to the failure of the arm and an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment.

16V396000Seats:front Assembly:seat Heater/cooler
~7,749 affected

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

16V096000Seat Belts:rear/other
~1,123,752 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 RAV4 vehicles manufactured July 28, 2005, to December 19, 2012, and 2012-2014 RAV4 EV vehicles manufactured July 24, 2012, to August 29, 2014. In the event of a frontal collision, the rear seat belts for the outboard seats may be cut by the seat cushion frame.

15V689000Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls
~1,814,284 affected

Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, and 2009-2010 Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. During the manufacturing of the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.

14V743000Seats:front Assembly:seat Heater/cooler
~3,233 affected

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.

14V168000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~1,486,413 affected

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, 2008-2010 Highlander, and 2009-2010 Tacoma, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and General Motors Pontiac Vibe vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the steering column assembly contains electrical connections to the driver's airbag module housed in a spiral cable assembly, which includes a Flexible Flat Cable (FFC). Due to the shape and location of the FFC's retainer, the FFC could become damaged when the steering wheel is turned.

13V383000Suspension:rear
~780,584 affected

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2011 RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS250h passenger vehicles manufactured from October 2005 through September 2010. If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear suspension arm (rear tie rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust leading to thread damage and eventual failure. Failure of the rear tie rod will cause an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment.

12V491000Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls
~2,519,424 affected

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 Camry, Camry Hybrid, RAV4, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Tundra, Sequoia, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Yaris, Scion xB, Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The power window master switch assemblies in some of these vehicles were built using a less precise process for lubricating the internal components of the switch assemblies. Irregularities in this lubrication process may cause the power window master switch assemblies to malfunction and overheat.

12V373000Suspension:rear
~780,584 affected

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2011 RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS250h passenger vehicles manufactured from October 2005 through September 2010. If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear suspension arm (rear tie rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust, leading to thread damage and eventual failure. Failure of the rear tie rod will cause an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment.

11V245000Air Bags:side/window · Airbags
~307,848 affected

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 HIGHLANDER, HIGHLANDER HYBRID, AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2008 RAV4 VEHICLES. IN THE CURTAIN SHIELD AIRBAG (CSA) SYSTEM, THERE ARE TWO SENSORS IN THE AIRBAG SENSOR ASSEMBLY WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO DETECT VEHICLE ROLL ANGLE. IF ONE OF THESE SENSORS MALFUNCTIONS, THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT (MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT: MIL) WILL ILLUMINATE AND THE ROLL DETECTION SYSTEM WILL BE SUSPENDED; HOWEVER, THE AIRBAG CSA REMAINS AVAILABLE IN THE EVENT OF A SIDE CRASH. IF BOTH SENSORS FAIL NEARLY SIMULTANEOUSLY AFTER INITIAL AIRBAG SYSTEM CHECK, THE CSA AND THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER COULD BE INADVERTENTLY ACTIVATED.

+ 3 more recalls

Other Toyota RAV4 Years

2007 Toyota RAV4 — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2007 Toyota RAV4 reliable?
Verdict: Severe Issues. The 2007 Toyota RAV4 has 1,240 NHTSA complaints, 72 crash-related, and 13 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Steering Defects with 268 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2007 Toyota RAV4?
Top reported problems: Steering Defects (268 complaints, avg 59,304 mi); Engine Problems (195 complaints, avg 103,855 mi); Suspension Failures (123 complaints, avg 101,344 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2007 Toyota RAV4?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 76,407 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2007 Toyota RAV4?
NHTSA complaints for the 2007 Toyota RAV4 include 72 crash-related reports, 56 fire reports, 54 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2007 Toyota RAV4 have any recalls?
Yes — 13 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 10,949,399 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2007 Toyota RAV4?
Proceed with extreme caution. The 2007 Toyota RAV4 shows significantly more complaints than average for its class. If you're buying one, a pre-purchase inspection and a VIN history check are essential — skip them and you're gambling.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Toyota RAV4 reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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