Problems · NHTSA complaints

2000 Toyota RAV4 problems

Owners filed 40 complaints about the 2000 Toyota RAV4 with NHTSA between Dec 1999 and Nov 2025. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (7).

Complaints
40
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Vehicle speed control7
  2. Power train5
  3. Engine and engine cooling5
  4. Tires4
  5. Visibility4
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic3
  7. Wheels3
  8. Structure2
  9. Engine2
  10. Suspension2
  11. Fuel system, gasoline2
  12. Electrical system1
  13. Air bags1
  14. Seat belts1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19991
20004
20012
20026
20035
20043
20050
20062
20072
20081
20091
20104
20112
20121
20132
20140
20153
20160
20170
20180
20190
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20251

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Vehicle speed control

7 reports3 crashes
“I SENT INFORMATION PREVIOUSLY RE MY MOTHER'S ACCIDENT BUT DID NOT HAVE THE VIN. SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE CAR, FATAL FRONT-END MVA INTO A SMALL, RESULTING IN WHAT THE MECHANIC CALLED "INCREDIBLE DAMAGE TO ENGINE - IT CAUSED MORE INTERNAL DAMAGE THAN YOU'D THINK" AND HE WONDERED ABOUT HIGH SPEED. I AM ASKING YOU TO LOOK INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF RAPID ACCELERATION VS BRAKE ISSUE, RESULTING IN A HIGHER ENERGY (THAN WOULD BE EXPECTED) CRASH. I HAVE THE POLICE REPORT ETC. PREVIOUSLY, SHE HAD NEVER EVEN RECEIVED A TICKET (AND WAS ALMOST 59 YRS OLD). THANK YOU. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 12, 2013Service brakes, hydraulic, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10506041

Power train

5 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLIPPED OUT OF FIFTH GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 145,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 30, 2013Power trainODI 10532662

Engine and engine cooling

5 reports
“COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AT 21,000 MILES. MAIN BEARINGS, CROSS-HATCHING GONE FROM CYCLINDERS WALLS, WATER PUMP LEAKING. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 18, 2004Engine and engine coolingODI 10066392

Tires

4 reports2 crashes
“I BOUGHT 4 NEW GOODYEAR TRACKER 2 TIRES SIZE P22570R16 FROM WALMART THAT ARE WARRANTIED FOR 50,000 MILES. AFTER ABOUT 10,000 I NOTICED SOME DRY ROT AND CRACKING IN BETWEEN THE TREADS. I TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK TO WALMART AND SHOWED THEM. THE TIRE MANAGER SAID HE'S SEEN A LOT OF THIS WITH THESE TIRES BUT SAID THEY HAD TO CONTACT GOODYEAR BEFORE ANYTHING COULD BE DONE. THE NEXT DAY THE STORE MANAGER CALLED ME BACK AND SAID THEY SPOKE WITH GOODYEAR AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND POSES A SAFETY HAZARD. I WOULD LIKE THIS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND HAVE SOMETHING DONE AND THE TIRES REPLACED BEFORE IT DOES CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND/OR FATALITIES. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 3, 2009TiresODI 10267612

Visibility

4 reports
“FUEL TANK ACCESS DOOR HAS DESIGN DEFECT. WHEN OPENED (TO GAIN ACCESS TO FUEL CAP), IT RUBS THE EDGE OF THE VEHICLE BODY PANEL SURROUNDING THE ACCESS DOOR. THIS IS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH MODEL 2001, AS A FRIEND HAS REPORTED THE SAME COMPLAINT. AS FOR THE VEHICLE GLASS, IT WAS SCRATCHED EASILY FROM ROAD DEBRIS BEING RUBBED BY THE WIPERS, AND ALSO INSIDE OF THE GLASS GRIT. THIS HAS NEVER OCCURRED WITH PREVIOUS VEHICLES OWNED, SO THE GLASS MUST BE UNUSUALLY SOFT.**** DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****760761. *AK *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 16, 2002Fuel system, gasoline, VisibilityODI 10008771

Service brakes, hydraulic

3 reports2 crashes
“THE ABS ON MY CAR ACTIIVATED WHEN I WAS TRAVELING ROUGHLY 26 MPH CAUSING ME TO ENTER AN INTERSECTION 2000 TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 3, 2004Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10100978
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.