Toyota RAV4 Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 302 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the Toyota RAV4 across 23 model years. The 2002 model year has the most (41). The words owners use most often: “engine control module” (5% of reports).
- 302engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 9mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $2,600typical repair cost reported by owners
- 38%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Engine control module: mentioned in 16 of 302 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the Toyota RAV4 at $2,600, and half of them between $1,450 and $9,250.
Based on 38 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2025), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 228 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 302 complaints, 9 mention a crash, 11 a fire, 3 an injury.
Toyota RAV4 engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 RAV4 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2022 RAV4 | 1 | 1% | 10,000 |
| 2020 RAV4 | 15 | 2% | 37,750 |
| 2019 RAV4 | 8 | 1% | 60,000 |
| 2018 RAV4 | 2 | 1% | 6,900 |
| 2017 RAV4 | 2 | 1% | 30,263 |
| 2013 RAV4 | 2 | 1% | 4,750 |
| 2012 RAV4 | 2 | 1% | 138,000 |
| 2011 RAV4 | 3 | 1% | 20,750 |
| 2010 RAV4 | 10 | 3% | 17,100 |
| 2009 RAV4 | 8 | 2% | 9,500 |
| 2008 RAV4 | 24 | 4% | 58,150 |
| 2007 RAV4 | 41 | 4% | 39,500 |
| 2006 RAV4 | 40 | 6% | 52,056 |
| 2005 RAV4 | 6 | 4% | 73,825 |
| 2004 RAV4 | 18 | 12% | 88,000 |
| 2003 RAV4 | 26 | 8% | 89,000 |
| 2002 RAV4 | 41 | 8% | 88,000 |
| 2001 RAV4 | 28 | 9% | 96,162 |
| 1999 RAV4 | 4 | 6% | 70,000 |
| 1998 RAV4 | 5 | 6% | 87,953 |
| 1997 RAV4 | 10 | 19% | 113,000 |
| 1996 RAV4 | 5 | 11% | 130,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling
Model years: 2019, 2020
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Toyota Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid and Lexus ES300h and 2019-2020 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles equipped with 2.5L 4-Cylinder engines. Porosity in the engine castings may result in cracks than can allow coolant to leak internally and/or externally.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA02.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contactâs uncle owns a 2022 Toyota Rav4. While the uncle was driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled. During the failure, the instrument panel remained illuminated, but the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was later towed to the local mechanic who was unable to…
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, coolant was observed leaking from the engine compartment with no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine casing had failed, and the contact was…
Was moving forward when all of the sudden the tailpipe flew off (metal thing in the muffler). No real cause, moves the vehicle normally oyt of the driveway and it just flew off.
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local Auto…
See attached document for complaint.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Toyota RAV4s have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 302 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the Toyota RAV4. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Toyota RAV4 engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the Toyota RAV4?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,600 (half paid between $1,450 and $9,250), from 38 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the Toyota RAV4?
The most frequent phrase is “engine control module”, in 16 of 302 complaints.
Other Toyota RAV4 problems
- Power Train problems (1,395)
- Electrical System problems (1,375)
- Engine problems (1,337)
- Steering problems (948)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (901)
- Air Bags problems (837)
- Suspension problems (549)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (518)
See all Toyota RAV4 problems.