2011 Toyota RAV4

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2011 Toyota RAV4 has 402 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 5.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is speed control problems (17% of all complaints), specifically: on dec. 11, 2010, i purchased my 2011 rav4. since that time, i have had to contact toyota and the dealer and take my rav4 to the dealer service dept. multiple times due to unintended acceleration. each time i was told nothing was wrong with the vehicle. this unintended acceleration occurs randomly w. ⚠️ 8 fire reports filed.

8 fire reports 58 crash reports 23 injuries

402

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

5.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

SPEED CONTROL

70 complaints

17%

• ON DEC. 11, 2010, I PURCHASED MY 2011 RAV4. SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE HAD TO CONTACT TOYOTA AND THE DEALER AND TAKE MY RAV4 TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT. MULTIPLE TIMES DUE TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. EACH TIME I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THIS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OCCURS RANDOMLY W
• TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, HIS FOOT MADE CONTACT WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SURGE FORWARD. THE DEALER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THE DESIGN COINCIDED WITH NHTSA STANDARDS AND OF
• TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE. SLIGHT PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SURGED BACKWARDS UNTIL CRASHING. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. UPON APPLYING SLIGHT PRESSURE TO TH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 21 crashes

“ON DEC. 11, 2010, I PURCHASED MY 2011 RAV4. SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE HAD TO CONTACT TOYOTA AND THE DEALER AND TAKE MY RAV4 TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT. MULTIPLE TIMES DUE TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. EACH TIME I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THIS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OCCURS RANDOMLY W”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

50 complaints

12%

• HAVING JUST DESCENDED A HILL, I TRIED TO BRAKE WHILE APPROACHING A SHARP CURVE. THE BRAKES WERE NOT RESPONDING, THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING AND THE ENGINE WAS REVVING. I PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AS I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF.
• THIS COMPLAINT RELATES TO THE VEHICLE I LEASE, BUT I SUSPECT IT APPLIES TO ALL TOYOTA RAV4 MODELS OF THIS SAME DESIGN VINTAGE, AND MAY ALSO APPLY TO OTHER TOYOTA MODELS. THE BASIC PROBLEM, AS SHOWN IN THE ANNOTATED PHOTO AVAILABLE AT HTTP://JRGSPACE.HOMESTEAD.COM/RAV4_ENGINEERING_DESIGN_FAIL__1.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STOPPING, HIS FOOT WOULD HAPHAZARDLY DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO REPAIR THE FLAW IN THE VEHICLE DESIGN. THE CURRENT AND THE F

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 15 crashes

“HAVING JUST DESCENDED A HILL, I TRIED TO BRAKE WHILE APPROACHING A SHARP CURVE. THE BRAKES WERE NOT RESPONDING, THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING AND THE ENGINE WAS REVVING. I PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AS I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

VISIBILITY

50 complaints

12%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV- 4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WA
• WHEN DRIVING AT TEMPERATURES BELOW 32 DEGREES (FREEZING) THE HEATING/COOLING SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK AND THE WINDSHIELD AND WINDOWS FOG COMPLETELY INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS CREATES AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS VISIBILITY ISSUE. THE ONLY WAY THE VEHICLE CAN BE DRIVEN IN COLD WEATHER IS IF THE DEFROST IS ON F
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V577000 (VISIBILITY/WIPER) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD N

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV- 4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

36 complaints

• TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF SULFUR EXHAUST FUMES EMITTING INSIDE OF THE CABIN. THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO SMELL THE STR
• STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. CAR STARTED MOVING FORWARD. THOUGHT SOMEONE WAS PUSHING CAR FROM BEHIND. ENGINE REVVED UP AND WE WERE MOVING INTO THE INTERSECTION AND THE LIGHT WAS STILL RED. PUSHED VERY HARD ON BRAKE AND QUICKLY PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL. ENGINE REVVED TO ABOUT 6,500 RPM IN NEUTRAL, THEN BACK TO
• ACCORDING TO OUR INSURED, THE INSURED HAD PULLED INTO HIS DRIVEWAY, AND THE VEHICLE HAD A SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RUN INTO THE HOUSE, DAMAGING THE WALL, THE SLIDING DOOR AND THE TYPHOON SHUTTERS. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 6 crashes

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF SULFUR EXHAUST FUMES EMITTING INSIDE OF THE CABIN. THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO SMELL THE STR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SEATS/RESTRAINTS

33 complaints

• THE THIRD ROW SEAT HEADRESTS ONLY HAVE TWO POSITIONS.(ALL THE WAY UP OR ALL THE WAY DOWN) NEITHER COVERS THE HEAD OF A CHILD. IN THE DOWN POSITION MY CHILD'S HEAD IS ABOVE THE HEADREST. IN THE UP POSITION, HIS HEAD IS BETWEEN THE TWO METAL BARS. THE THIRD ROW SEATS ARE VERY TIGHT AND CERTAINLY N
• WE PURCHASED THIS USED CAR IN THE FALL OF 2014. THANKS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION 49 CFR PART 571 [DOCKET NO. NHTSA-2004-19807] RIN 2127-AH09, HEAD RESTRAINTS, FINAL RULE, THE HEADRESTS ON THIS VEHICLE PROTRUDE SO FAR FORWARD THAT THE DRI
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DURING RAIN WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE RADIO FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V577000 (VISIBILITY/WIPES) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THE THIRD ROW SEAT HEADRESTS ONLY HAVE TWO POSITIONS.(ALL THE WAY UP OR ALL THE WAY DOWN) NEITHER COVERS THE HEAD OF A CHILD. IN THE DOWN POSITION MY CHILD'S HEAD IS ABOVE THE HEADREST. IN THE UP POSITION, HIS HEAD IS BETWEEN THE TWO METAL BARS. THE THIRD ROW SEATS ARE VERY TIGHT AND CERTAINLY N”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

SEATS/RESTRAINTS(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 402 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
SPEED CONTROL: ON DEC. 11, 2010, I PURCHASED MY 2011 RAV4. SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE HAD TO CONTACT TOYOTA AND THE DEALER AND TAKE MY RAV4 TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT. MULTIPLE TIMES DUE TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. EACH TIME I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THIS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OCCURS RANDOMLY W
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: HAVING JUST DESCENDED A HILL, I TRIED TO BRAKE WHILE APPROACHING A SHARP CURVE. THE BRAKES WERE NOT RESPONDING, THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING AND THE ENGINE WAS REVVING. I PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AS I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
VISIBILITY: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV- 4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF SULFUR EXHAUST FUMES EMITTING INSIDE OF THE CABIN. THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO SMELL THE STR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)