Problems · by component

2010 Toyota RAV4 vehicle speed control problems

83 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2010 Toyota RAV4 cite vehicle speed control, 21% of all 400 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

Complaints
83
21% of all complaints
Crashes
26
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the vehicle speed control

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Steering becomes very hard to control with no slack and in the wheel and occasionally it feels like you hit ice and sliding when you change lanes, happens on dry paved road without warning. Also when using cruise control hitting button to slow down the headlights and dash lights fade out and then brighter when acceleration”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 2, 2023Steering, Vehicle speed controlODI 11553136
“On August 10 2022 I was pulling slowly into a parking spot with foot lightly on brake to control forward motion car attempted to surge /accelerate . I stepped firmly on brake and since car was nearly stopped I put it in to park. RPM's went up dramatically and then car reverted to normal rpms. I estimate that the entire process.I estimate that the entire process took place in about 30 seconds or less. I immediately took vehicle to the Toyota dealer and they presumably checked it out and found no problems with vehicle. They "deemed it accidental accelerator pedal engagement by customer" which it was definitely not! A similar situation occurred about 3 months earlier. That time I was pulling slowly into traffic and suddenly car tried to accelerate. I pressed firmly on brake pedal and acceleration stopped. Entire event was very brief seconds and I ignored it as a possible anomaly not requiring attention. I reported that to dealer as well when I took it in for the 10 August incident.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 14, 2022Vehicle speed control, Unknown or otherODI 11479222
“I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND ENTERING A FREEWAY RAMP TO ANOTHER FREEWAY IN A TURN AND I LET MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND THE THROTTLE STUCK AND ACTUALLY MY CAR BEGAN TO SPEED UP ON ITS OWN! MY FOOT WAS NOT THE GAS AT THE TIME I LET IT FOR A SEC AND THAN IT WAS LIKE I SLAMMED ON THE GAS GOING INTO THE TURN ON THE RAMP IT SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME ITS THE FIRST SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPEN TO ME. IT SPED UP FROM 65 TO AROUND 68 AND THAN IT WAS OFF TO THE RACES SO I HIT GAS PEDAL AND THAN THE BREAKS AND IT STARTED TO SLOW DOWN I WAS AT THE TURN OF THE RAMP WITCH DIDNT HELP IT WAS REALLY BAD FOR A SECOND I WAS LIKE WHAT THE HELL AND WHEN I NOTICED I MADE SURE MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE GAS AND THAN IT ACCELERATED EVEN MORE!!!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2019Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11269832
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA RAV 4. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, BUT IT KEPT GOING. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH FORCE AND WAS FINALLY ABLE TO STOP AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BRIAN EASLEY TOYOTA (409 SPARTANBURG HWY, HENDERSONVILLE, NC 28792, (828) 693-7261) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 3, 2018Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 11155565
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE SPEED ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY CAUSING THE CONTACT TO REAR END THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER, WHILE SHE HAD THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO MEDICAL INJURIES THAT WERE SUSTAINED THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED, THE CONTACT ABLE WAS TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED TO BUY BACK THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000. *TT UPDATED 9/18/18*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 5, 2017Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 11052465
“I WAS ON A TEST DRIVE TO BUY THE VEHICLE.. IT WAS VERY COLD OUT,TEENS, BUT NO ICE ON ROAD. RIDING ALONG 20-25MPH SLOWING DOWN FOR RED LIGHT--APPLIED BREAK -- SEEMED CAR WAS STILL ACCELERATING HAD TO STAND ON BREAKS TO STOP A COUPLE OF FEET FROM CAR IN FRONT. RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM , THEY LOOKED UP VIN SAID THERE AS NO RECALL. I SAW ON THIS SITE THERE IS A VERY SIMILAR ISSUE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR. SHOULD TOYOTA TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS VEHICLE? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 3, 2015Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 10681052

Showing 6 of 83 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

2 recalls on this component

Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal

Free remedy

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2011 LEXUS LX570, 2003 THROUGH 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, AND 2006 THROUGH 2010 RAV4 VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR INCOMPATIBLE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT.

Vehicle speed controlReported Feb 24, 2011NHTSA 11V113000

Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal

Free remedy

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 AVALON, MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 CAMRY, MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 COROLLA, COROLLA MATRIX, RAV4, MODEL YEAR 2010 HIGHLANDER, MODEL YEAR 2008-2010 SEQUOIA, AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 TUNDRA VEHICLES. DUE TO THE MANNER IN WHICH THE FRICTION LEVER INTERACTS WITH THE SLIDING SURFACE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL INSIDE THE PEDAL SENSOR ASSEMBLY, THE SLIDING SURFACE OF THE LEVER MAY BECOME SMOOTH DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. IN THIS CONDITION, IF CONDENSATION OCCURS ON THE SURFACE, AS MAY OCCUR FROM HEATER OPERATION (WITHOUT A/C) WHEN THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY IS COLD, THE FRICTION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS OPERATED MAY INCREASE, WHICH MAY RESULT IN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECOMING HARDER TO DEPRESS, SLOWER TO RETURN, OR, IN THE WORST CASE, MECHANICALLY STUCK IN A PARTIALLY DEPRESSED POSITION.

Vehicle speed controlReported Jan 21, 2010NHTSA 10V017000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 27, 2026

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