Problems · NHTSA complaints

2005 Toyota RAV4 problems

Owners filed 141 complaints about the 2005 Toyota RAV4 with NHTSA between Jun 2005 and Dec 2025. The most-cited component is air bags (59).

Complaints
141
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
22
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
13
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags59
  2. Vehicle speed control13
  3. Steering9
  4. Engine9
  5. Power train8
  6. Tires8
  7. Service brakes6
  8. Electrical system6
  9. Visibility6
  10. Engine and engine cooling6
  11. Electronic stability control (esc)5
  12. Service brakes, hydraulic5
  13. Structure4
  14. Suspension4

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 Oct 27, 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
20054
20062
20074
20086
20094
201016
20110
20123
20134
201410
201541
201620
20177
20187
20197
20201
20211
20221
20230
20241
20252

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

Air bags

59 reports9 crashes3 related recalls
“The recall repair was completed 7/15/25. It never updated in anyone’s system. I have been fighting between Toyota corp and the dealership for weeks more like a month just to get them to do the repair. After it was done I got my car damaged. A whole separate issue. I need to get inspection done on the car; can’t get it registered and my insurance is hassling me. It’s been weeks of this nightmare. It still shows my car on the recall list. DMV says they didn’t receive updates, Toyota sends me to the dealership and the dealership does nothing. All this over a car problem that wasn’t my fault in the first place. How do I proceed please”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 11, 2025Air bagsODI 11679796

Vehicle speed control

13 reports10 crashes
“On 10/1/2022 in Berwick, PA while pulling into the Dollar Tree parking lot, smoke appeared in the passenger cabin and the vehicle accelerated on it's own. The brakes were applied and the vehicle continue to accelerate. The vehicle went down through a yard, across a road through another parking lot and crashed into a high curb before stalling out. The airbags deployed. My mother was transported to the hospital and is still in ICU with broken ribs, cuts and bruises. She was able to steer the vehicle away from a parked car, a person on a bicycle and missed a rose bush, no one else was injured in the incident. A police report has been completed, the vehicle is still in the custody of the towing company and has not been released to the insurance company.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 4, 2022Power train, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 11487875

Steering

9 reports1 crash
“WHEN DRIVING AT OR UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT ON SOME TURNS MY CARS SLIP INDICATOR GOES OFF WITHOUT ANY APPARENT ISSUES AND IT WILL START BEEPING AND SOMETIMES IT EVEN BREAKS ON IT'S OWN AND JERKS THE CAR. THE SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT HAS TURNED ONE WHILE DRIVING UNDER 30 MPH IN A DRY AND PAVED ROAD. THE BEEPING AND JERKING HAS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 4, 2021Steering, Unknown or other, Service brakesODI 11394746

Engine

9 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DAN CAVA TOYOTA WORLD LLC. (2510 WHITE HALL BLVD, FAIRMONT, WV 26554, 304-366-2720) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VAPOR CANISTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TT *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 13, 2018EngineODI 11111208

Power train

8 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CLUTCH MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SWITCHED OUT OF THIRD GEAR INDEPENDENTLY INTO NEUTRAL. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID SPILLED OUT OF THE TRANSAXLE AND THAT THE CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. A DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 93,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 13, 2018Power trainODI 11072758

Tires

8 reports
“TIRE FAILURE FOR WILD TRAIL TOURING CUV R601 215/70R16, DOT KAEH C27 W 4615 D13L. BLOW OUT TRAVELING 45MPH WITH NO PRECIPITATING EVENT. LESS THAN 1 YR OF USE AND LESS THAN 8000 MILES”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 5, 2017TiresODI 10993132
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026

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