Problems · NHTSA complaints

2012 Toyota RAV4 problems

Owners filed 266 complaints about the 2012 Toyota RAV4 with NHTSA between Feb 2012 and Jun 2026. The most-cited component is visibility/wiper (54).

Complaints
266
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
39
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
23
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Visibility/wiper54
  2. Vehicle speed control50
  3. Service brakes34
  4. Electrical system31
  5. Seat belts31
  6. Engine23
  7. Power train22
  8. Air bags22
  9. Structure16
  10. Steering10
  11. Fuel/propulsion system9
  12. Electronic stability control (esc)7
  13. Suspension6
  14. Visibility6

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 3, 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
201218
201329
201434
201523
201663
201721
201817
201919
202010
20219
20222
20238
20243
20257
20263

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

Visibility/wiper

54 reports1 related recall
“The windshield pump is not working front and back The wipers turn but no liquid comes out though the tank is full It does not make the sound it normally does when it pumps the windshield liquid Dealer wants almost $200 just to look at it and verify the problem”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 16, 2025Visibility/wiperODI 11687761

Vehicle speed control

50 reports13 crashes
“Over the last several years, I have experienced a minimum of four, possibly one or two more, incidents of this vehicle accelerating at a high rate while I have had my foot on the brake. In all of these cases, I was braking to come to a stop - braking quickly and hard in a couple cases. While braking and slowing, my engine revved/accelerated at a very high rate. In all of these incidents, I changed gears to neutral, and the acceleration stopped. These incidents were random and very far apart from one another in terms of time. In all cases, my foot was firmly (and only) on the brake pedal, and my floor mat was in the proper position and secure. There was nothing in contact with the acceleration pedal. On Monday, March 10, 2025, I got into my car in our garage to go to work. The car started normally. When I put my car into reverse, the engine started revving/accelerating at a very high rate and it was lurching, like it was trying to move. Luckily, my foot was firmly on the brake, and the brake held. I quickly put the car back into park, and the engine began revving/accelerating at an even higher rate. I then turned the car off. Again, I checked my floor mat, and…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 25, 2025Vehicle speed controlODI 11650394

Service brakes

34 reports11 crashes1 fire
“While at the end of a car wash with the car in neutral, the car accelerated by itself. It reached 60 mph for over a half mile, and was unresponsive to steering and brakes. The left front wheel was severely damaged. Fortunately, there were no accidents.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 14, 2025Steering, Power train, Service brakesODI 11660962

Electrical system

31 reports3 crashes3 fires
“Over the last 4 years I have had 2 prior occurrence where I've lost power turning or stopping, causing the engine to stall. Both times the vehicle was taken to our mechanic and he replaced the connectors to the battery. On January 18th, 2024, while turning off of a rural highway onto the street we live on I again lost power and the engine stalled and smelled a faint electrical smell. I called my mechanic and he said he could get it in on January 22nd. We checked all connections to the battery, made sure the battery terminals were clean. The morning of January 22nd, while on my way to the mechanic the vehicle in front of me stopped quickly. I started to stop a little quicker than normal, causing the front of the vehicle to tip down. I immediately lost power and the engine died, causing me to rear end the vehicle in front of me. The collisions was at slow speed, but it also caused disproportionate damage to my vehicle. Over the weekend of January 20th, we became aware if a recall for 2013 to 2018 Rav4s regarding the tops of newer batteries being smaller and causing problems with the battery shifting causing loss of power and potential fires. We strongly believe…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 7, 2024Electrical systemCrash reportedODI 11587409

Seat belts

31 reports1 crash1 related recall
“ON JUNE10TH. I HAD A MAJOIR ACCIDENT IN WHICH BOTH MY WIFE & MYSELF SUFFERED FRACTURED STERNUMS & FRACTURED RIBS. WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT I PULLED INTO A LOT IN PRINCETON, N.J. & AFTER STOPPING TO SET MY GPS, I JUST TAPPED THE ACCELERATOR & THE CAR SHOT FORWARD, AS IF SHOT OUT OF A CANNON. WHILE STOPPED I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE & THE CAR SHOT BACKWARDS IN THE SAME MANNER, THEREBY STRIKING A WALL. NOW I WENT FORWARD LIKE A ROCKET, WITH NO TIME TO HIT THE BRAKE, THEREBY GOING HEADFIRST INTO A PARKED CONSTRUCTION TRUCK.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 7, 2020Air bags, Seat belts, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 11343888

Engine

23 reports2 crashes
“The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local Auto Zone, where it was scanned with an OBD2 scanner and DTC: P0607, P1603, and P1604 were retrieved. The vehicle was taken to another local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with an unknown electrical failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact related the failure to an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 2, 2026Engine and engine cooling, EngineODI 11715035
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026

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