1996 Toyota RAV4 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RAV4 years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 29th of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 47 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Toyota RAV4. That ranks 29th out of 31 RAV4 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (11 complaints, 23%). Complaints mention 4 crashes, 2 fires, 5 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
- 47owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Toyota RAV4 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 11 | 23% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 9 | 19% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 11% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 9% | 55,600 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 9% | 6,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 4% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 4% | 367,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 2% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 2% | 6,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Toyota RAV4 recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 1996 Toyota RAV4.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Excessive engine oil use, 1 qt every 1000 miles
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 toyota rav4. The contact stated that when the temperature would drop, the doors would shut abnormally and the locks would malfunction. The contact was unable to open the doors unless the vehicle was completely warm. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the…
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 toyota rav4. The contact stated that the front driver's side seat belt became unlatched while driving. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis but the vehicle was not examined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The…
I got the car off of my brother for $4,000.00, it looks great, never ever been wrecked, paint great, brand new tires, new exhaust, new brakes, etc. I was waiting on him to get the title notarized and he brought it over today, but this morning when i shut the door in the driveway, the fuse box burst…
The catalytic converter is clogged up and i think it should have not happened like that. Nm
Other Toyota RAV4 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 RAV4 | 90 | 3 |
| 2024 RAV4 | 176 | 3 |
| 2023 RAV4 | 159 | 3 |
| 2022 RAV4 | 149 | 1 |
| 2021 RAV4 | 387 | 1 |
| 2020 RAV4 | 635 | 6 |
| 2019 RAV4 | 879 | 7 |
| 2018 RAV4 | 333 | 3 |
| 2017 RAV4 | 307 | 3 |
| 2016 RAV4 | 240 | 3 |
| 2015 RAV4 | 305 | 4 |
| 2014 RAV4 | 197 | 4 |
| 2013 RAV4 | 257 | 2 |
| 2012 RAV4 | 260 | 5 |
| 2011 RAV4 | 287 | 11 |
| 2010 RAV4 | 400 | 14 |
| 2009 RAV4 | 327 | 15 |
| 2008 RAV4 | 575 | 14 |
| 2007 RAV4 | 1,004 | 14 |
| 2006 RAV4 | 705 | 11 |
| 2005 RAV4 | 141 | 5 |
| 2004 RAV4 | 154 | 2 |
| 2003 RAV4 | 315 | 0 |
| 2002 RAV4 | 527 | 0 |
| 2001 RAV4 | 309 | 0 |
| 2000 RAV4 | 30 | 3 |
| 1999 RAV4 | 62 | 4 |
| 1998 RAV4 | 77 | 4 |
| 1997 RAV4 | 54 | 0 |
| 1996 | 47 | 0 |
| 1995 RAV4 | 1 | 0 |
See all Toyota RAV4 problems by year, every Toyota model, or the Toyota VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Toyota RAV4?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, power train, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 11 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Toyota RAV4?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 1996 Toyota RAV4 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other RAV4 model years, the 1996 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.