2009 Toyota Rav4 Problems

Typical for Model

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2009 Toyota Rav4. Part of Generation 3 — 2006–2012.

20082010
Complaints
391
Crashes
69
Fires
5
Injuries
24
Fatalities
Recalls
15

Worst 2009 Toyota Rav4 Problems

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

#191 complaints

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Avg mileage:24,183 mi
Crash-related:28
#252 complaints

SUSPENSION

Avg mileage:59,366 mi
#326 complaints

ENGINE

Avg mileage:69,230 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:1
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2009 Toyota Rav4.

ComponentComplaintsCrashesFiresAvg MileageVolume
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL912824,183 mi
SUSPENSION5259,366 mi
ENGINE261169,230 mi
STEERING24357,374 mi
UNKNOWN OR OTHER202178,734 mi
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM181234,279 mi
POWER TRAIN18176,829 mi
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC17315,449 mi
STRUCTURE:BODY14456,786 mi
AIR BAGS12867,066 mi
SERVICE BRAKES12389,248 mi
WHEELS997,668 mi
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL839,301 mi
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM73102,744 mi
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION773,613 mi
SEAT BELTS71
TIRES782,834 mi
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING51111,312 mi
SEATS4150,404 mi
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE319,558 mi
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT389,000 mi
VISIBILITY318,741 mi
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)217,500 mi
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE24,800 mi
STRUCTURE211,000 mi
VISIBILITY/WIPER278,000 mi
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY286,500 mi
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL11
CHILD SEAT11
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING17,000 mi

Recalls for 2009 Toyota Rav4

15 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~11,815,725 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.

15V577000VISIBILITY/WIPER
~423,456 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 27, 2008, to December 19, 2012 and 2012-2014 RAV4 EV vehicles manufactured July 24, 2012, to August 29, 2014. In the affected vehicles, water may drip onto the joint that connects the wiper linkage to the wiper motor.

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.

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.

13V014000SEATS
~3,235 affected

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.

13V014000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
~3,235 affected

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.

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.

+ 5 more recalls

Other Toyota Rav4 Years

Wider context: See the full Toyota Rav4 reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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