MODELYEARINDEX

Which Toyota RAV4 years to avoid

Across 12 scored model years, the 2019, 2020 and 2021 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Toyota RAV4 Full report
F
Grade 2010–2021
2019 vs model median 2.7×
Model median3× median
Fuel System 260
Engine 72
Electrical 60
Avoid

2019 · 2020

Best

2013 · 2014

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
1.05× 232 C
2011
0.72× 148 C
2012
0.95× 198 C
2013
0.74× 170 B
2014
0.54× 96 B
2015
0.91× 158 C
2016
0.67× 147 B
2017
1.10× 230 C
2018
1.35× 254 C
2019
2.75× 770 F
2020
2.03× 613 F
2021
2.49× 559 F
2022 P
1.03× 247 B
2023 P
1.63× 352 D
2024 P
1.43× 296 C
2025 P
0.51× 117 B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2019 F 770 reports · median 4,000 mi

  1. Fuel System 260

    When filling my tank, auto-shutoff happens when the tank is at least 2 gallons shy of being full. I know this because my gas gauge does not indicate full and I AM able to add an additional 2-2.5 gallons to my tank… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Engine 72

    Vehicle will not accelerate when pushing down on the gas pedal. This can occur when leaving a parking place or. From a traffic light. The engine does not stop running. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Electrical 60

    I bought a brand new 2019 rav4 limited with 150 miles on the odometer, now has about 460 miles. A few days into the purchase, I noticed yellow tick marked glitches showing up on my drivers center main console. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

25 crash · 14 injuries

2020 F 613 reports · median 3,200 mi

  1. Engine 142

    The gas tank will hold up to 10 gallons of gas and trying to add more causes the tank to overflow, even when the fuel light indicates the gas tank isn't full. Vehicle is advertised to hold 14.5 gallons. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Electrical 99

    I purchased a new 2020 rav4 xle in december 2020, it is not even 3 months old. I parked my rav4 in my driveway after getting home from work. The following morning my car had a dead battery. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Fuel System 91

    Gas light comes on after the car has consumed ~10 gallons. The vehicle is advertised having 14.5 gallon tank with 580 mile trip. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

24 crash · 7 fire · 26 injuries

The best year for the RAV4

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2013 is the best-scoring RAV4 model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 76.6 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations. On complaint rate alone the lowest is 2014 at 0.54× this model’s median, against 0.74× for 2013.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2013 0.74× 170 B
2014 0.54× 96 B
2016 0.67× 147 B

Recalls

39 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
10V017000 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL 2010 2,230,661
23V734000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY 2013–2018 1,853,568
15V689000 VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS 2010, 2011 1,814,284
20V682000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2019, 2020 1,525,742
11V113000 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL 2010 1,363,244
16V096000 SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER 2010–2012 1,123,752
25V744000 BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION 2023–2025 1,024,407
23V865000 AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION 2020, 2021 999,901
12V373000 SUSPENSION:REAR 2010, 2011 780,584
13V383000 SUSPENSION:REAR 2010, 2011 780,584
25V595000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL 2023–2025 591,377
15V577000 VISIBILITY/WIPER 2010–2012 423,456

+ 27 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2019 were reported at a median of 4,000 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Toyota RAV4 years should you avoid?
2019, 2020, 2021 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Toyota RAV4 model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Toyota RAV4?
2013 is the best-scoring Toyota RAV4 model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 76.6 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Toyota RAV4 have?
39 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Toyota RAV4 model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2019 RAV4
Complaints in window
770
Severity-weighted
1,024
Model median (weighted)
373
vs model median
2.75×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
7
Open investigations
0
Score 16.4 F