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
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Vehicle speed control7
- Power train5
- Engine and engine cooling5
- Tires4
- Visibility4
- Service brakes, hydraulic3
- Wheels3
- Structure2
- Engine2
- Suspension2
- Fuel system, gasoline2
- Electrical system1
- Air bags1
- 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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
4
2
6
5
3
0
2
2
1
1
4
2
1
2
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2000 | 4 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 6 |
| 2003 | 5 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
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.
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”
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.”
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”
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”
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”
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”
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.