2016 Toyota RAV4
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 239 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 18th highest complaint count among 26 RAV4 model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 33 involved a crash and 12 involved a fire. 27 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Electrical system, 12v/24v/48v batteryNov 1, 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles. Certain replacement 12-volt batteries may not fit properly in the battery tray, allowing the battery to move and contact the hold-down bracket, possibly causing a short circuit.
A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 27, 2024, to 2013-2014 RAV4 owners. Additional owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, phase 2 will begin on May 14, 2025, and phase 3 in late July 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 23TB13 and 23TA13.
Campaign 23V734000 on NHTSA.gov
TiresApr 22, 2016
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Yaris, Rav4, Land Cruiser and 4Runner vehicles, and Scion FR-S, iM, and TC vehicles manufactured January 28, 2016, to March 14, 2016. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."
An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
SET will notify owners, and provide them a corrected label to be installed over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on June 3, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET16A.
Campaign 16V236000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slipApr 7, 2016
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 30, 2015, to February 3, 2016, 2016 Lexus RX350 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2015, to February 8, 2016, and 2016 Lexus ES350 vehicles manufactured September 1, 2015, to February 29, 2016. These vehicles are equipped with an ABS actuator that may have a damaged O-ring which could result in improper brake fluid pressure control during ABS, Traction Control, or Stability Control activation. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Insufficient brake fluid pressure may cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 4, 2016, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0I, GLC.
Campaign 16V198000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: vehicle speed control
12 reports, newest first. Show all
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Aug 13, 2023
I was parking the car in a gravel parking lot. When I pressed the brakes and shifted into park it instead accelerated and went over the side of an enbankment. I could not stop it even though my foot was pressing hard on the brake. Luckily there was no other person or property affected by the error and my car did not suffer external damage. It damaged a sensor on the bottom side of the car which had to be replaced. There was no indication of any problems beforehand. My mechanic did an extensive review of the car and could not find anything that would have explained the unintended acceleration.
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 25, 2022
While changing the lane towards right, suddenly my vehicle over accelerated and was about to crash the vehicle ahead of me and quickly I decided to maneuver towards the right shoulder lane and within few seconds and speedy semi-truck passed from the left and saved our lives of 4 people in the car in the busy highway approaching the O'hare Chicago Airport. Safety: Had I not taken towards right to avoid crash on anther vehicle, the high speed truck from the back would have hit us within a few seconds of my alertness. Yes, during Feb.2019, due to excess acceleration, this car crashed towards thick ice and snow while driving through a street, and damaged front bumper.(my wife was seated at passenger side) Called the dealer and took the vehicle to them(Wilde Toyota-West allis), they knew the seriousness, serviced it in their workshop for over a week by changing timing belt, re-programming etc..etc. and returned back my car and said now it should work, it is okay as it should be. Yes, my vehicle was inspected twice by Insurance company, Toyota officials for airbag inspection, workshop mechanics, due to major road accidents (for not my fault) in Oct.2019 and Jan.2020 and repaired at another auto body service center in Milwaukee(Andrew Toyota) and in Madison(Ballbody-A division of Smart Motors). There was no warning signs in the Vehicle as the car runs very well on both highway and city roads.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Oct 7, 2021
- I believe the ECM has failed, and I believe this after replacing battery, starter, spark plugs, and spark plug wires. While accelerating, and while maintaining a consistent speed over 50 mph, the tachometer (and engine, accordingly) yanks itself back and forth between 3500 and 5500 rpm. The vehicle physically jumps back and forth between massive acceleration and decceleration, without any change in throttle/pedal placement. This occurs while in Cruise Control, Eco Mode, Normal Mode, and Sport Mode. There is not yet a discernable pattern or trigger identified in why this occurs. - My safety and the safety of others has been put at risk by the vehicle's jerking, halting, and unplanned acceleration in heavy traffic situations. It scares me and others in traffic, to the point that people have asked if I was okay after being able to visibly notice the car's behavior on the highway, and my reaction. - The problem has been reproduced twice by an independent service center. Toyota Dealership read the computer for the vehicle to pull codes, told me nothing was wrong, and sent me away. - The vehicle has been inspected by my local Toyota dealership (lackluster inspection, in my opinion). Nothing resulted from this inspection. - There were (and still are) NO warnings lamps, messages, reminders, codes, or notifications of any kind to show that something is abnormal in my engine. This is the most vexing part of this issue. As far as the computer in the Rav4 is concerned, everything is nearly perfect. and it IS NOT.
Vehicle speed control, Mar 27, 2021
I WAS IN A PARKING LOT WHEN I STARTED MY CAR AND PUT IT IN REVERSE. WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE CAR REED WITH THE TACHOMETER REACHING THREE. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE CAR FROM JUMPING BACKWARD. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. I HAD THE CAR CHECKED OUT ON APRIL 19, 2012. AT THAT TIME I WAS TOLD THAT I MUST HAVE HIT THE BAKE AND GAS AT THE SAME TIME. THEN I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR COMPUTER HAS TO LEARN THE WAY I DRIVE. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR NOW BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. I AM THROUGH BEING INSULTED.
Vehicle speed control, Mar 30, 2019
2016 TOYOTA RAV4 WAS STOPPED AT RED LIGHT AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH RPM CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LUNG FORWARD. HOLDING THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD DID NOT KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM GOING FORWARD. THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC AT THE TIME, WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT WITH BRAKE ENGAGED, AT INTERSECTION ON US17, JACKSONVILLE, FL. VERY SERIOUS SAFETY DISCREPANCY THAT HAS POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SEVERE ACCIDENT AND OR FATALITY.
Vehicle speed control, Oct 9, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA RAV4. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS PLACED IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN WITHOUT A CRASH. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 55 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE THEN IDLED AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH RPM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED. CITY TOYOTA (255 SAN PEDRO RD, DALY CITY, CA 94014, (650) 204-8135) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER WOULD GIVE THE CONTACT A CALL BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 1810082932. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,744.
Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (ESC), Service brakes, Oct 23, 2017
PASSENGER FRONT WHEEL SENSOR HARNESS WAS DAMAGED BY RODENT. VEHICLE HAS 26K MILES AND TOYOTA REFUSED TO REPAIR THE BREAK, AND WOULD ONLY REPLACE THE ENTIRE HARNESS AT A COST NOT COVERED OF $6300. THE MATERIAL CHANGE OF THESE PARTS ATTRACT RATS. THIS DAMAGED CAUSE ABS, LANE DEPARTURE, BLIND SPOT MONITORING AND CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEMS TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND I LIVE IN A GATE COMMUNITY. I CALLED THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER LINE AND WAS GIVEN THE SAME EXPLANATION OF THE LACK OF WARRANTY COVERAGE. CASE #1710230814
Vehicle speed control, Apr 20, 2017
THE RAV 4 HAS AN AGGRESSIVE IDLE SPEED WHICH CAUSE THE CAR TO "CREEP" FORWARD WHEN STOPPED. IF EXCESS FORCE ISN'T APPLIED TO THE BRAKE, THE CAR WILL MOVE FORWARD AT STOP LIGHTS ETC. I INITIALLY REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO TOYOTA OF VACAVILLE CA. ON 8/25/216. I HAD RENTED A TOYOTA COROLLA WHILE THE DEALERSHIP INVESTIGATED THE PROBLEM ALONG WITH ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE REPORT CAME BACK THAT THE CAR OPERATED NORMALLY. I THEN ASKED TO DO A "TEST DRIVE" WITH THE CHIEF MECHANIC. WE WENT OUT IN THE COROLLA FIRST TO A FLAT LEVEL LOCATION IN THE PARKING LOT. AFTER STOPPING THE CAR I RELEASED THE BRAKE TO DEMONSTRATE HOW DOCILE THE CAR REACTED WHEN THE BRAKE WAS RELEASED. WE THEN GOT INTO MY RAV 4 AND RETURNED TO THE SAME LOCATION. I REPEATED THE PROCESS AND NOTED WITH THE MECHANIC HOW MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE THE RAV REACTED WHEN THE BRAKE WAS RELEASED. MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE IDLE IS SET TOO HIGH WHICH CAUSES THIS PROBLEM OF "CREEPING" WHILE STOPPED. THE MECHANIC AGREED THAT IT APPEARED MORE AGGRESSIVE BUT WANTED TO DO FURTHER TESTING, SO ON 8/28/2017 I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE MECHANIC TEST DROVE ANOTHER RAV 4 AND DID A TIME TEST ON HOW FAST IT WENT FROM POINT A TO POINT B. HE REPEATED THE PROCESS WITH MY CAR. HIS REPORT STATED THAT BOTH RAV 'S PERFORMED THE SAME. UNSATISFIED WITH THE TESTING DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE ON 8/30/207 AND STATED MY CONCERN. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT ADJUST THE IDLE ON THE CAR BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY THE CAR WAS DESIGNED AND TO CHANGE IT WOULD VOID THE WARRANTY. SO TOYOTA ENGINEERED INTO THE RAV 4 A PROBLEMATIC IDLE SPEED? I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND ONE DAY I WILL REAR END SOMEONE. I HAVE OWNED OVER 30 TOYOTAS DURING MY LIFE, RENTED HUNDREDS OF CARS DURING MY CAREER AND HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR RESPOND THE WAY THIS RAV 4 DOES.
Vehicle speed control, Dec 15, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE IN PARK ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,025.
Steering, Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Jun 28, 2016
TOYOTA RAV4 LIMITED-AT ALL TIMES OF INCIDENCES THIS VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. SAFETY ISSUE!!! 1. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE MARCH 26, 2016, TO COMMUTE TO NEW JOB. 2. HIGHWAY-WARNING 1 ON APX 4/4 MONDAY (9 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE) "CHECK TOYOTA PARK ASSIST HAVE VEHICLE CHECKED BY A DEALER" THE CAUSE WAS SNOW ON SENSORS....SINCE WE ARE IN MONTANA THERE WILL BE SNOW ON SENSORS AT LEAST 8 MONTHS A YEAR. 4. HIGHWAY-WARNING 2 ON APX 4/18/16 "AWD SYSTEM MALFFUNCTION 2 WHEELDRIVE MODE ENGAGED DEALER SAID LOOSE GAS CAP CAUSED THIS. 5. HIWAY-APX 4/12/16-4/14/16 I WAS PASSING A DOUBLE CAR HAULER. THE CAR HAULER WAS GOING ABOUT 50-60 ON INCLINE AROUND A CORNER. I WAS GOING 80 (SPEED LIMIT) WITH 2 VEHICLES BEHIND ME AT THE SAME SPEED. WE WERE ALL PASSING THE CAR HAULER. ALL OF A SUDDEN WARNING SOUNDS IN FRONT OF CAR WENT OFF AND CAR BRAKED TO ALMOST AN IMMEDIATE STOP THEN ALARMS IN BACK OF CARS WERE GOING OFF BECAUSE THE CARS BEHIND ME WERE COMING UP ON MY REAR. I PRESSED THE GAS AND THE BRAKE AND NOTHING, TURNED THE WHEEL TOWARD LEFT AND CAR STARTED TO GO. I AM FEARFUL OF THIS VEHICLE. I AM A WIDOW AND AM AFRAID TO PUT MY CHILDREN IN IT. I PARKED THE CAR AFTER THIS INCIDENT AND CONTACTED TOYOTA MANUFACTURER. THEY REJECTED REPURCHASE. I HAD BEEN IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH DEALER (OVER 20 LOGGED CALLS AND ALMOST 100 TEXTS) THEY OFFERED TO TRADE VEHICLE AT $28K FOR A VEHICLE THAT WAS 2 WEEKS OLD. I OWED $34K ON IT. THAT IS A LOSS OF $6000 IN 2 WEEKS ON A VEHICLE WITH SAFETY ISSUES. THE CAR HAD 63 MILES ON IT WHEN I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT, I DROVE FROM DEALERSHIP TO HOME WHICH WAS 225+ MILES. THEN I COMMUTED FROM HOME TO NEW JOB FROM (80 MILES EACH WAY TO WORK) FROM MARCH 28-APRIL 18=16 WORK DAYS AND 1 OR 2 OVERTIME DAYS/VISIT FRIENDS (3,168 MILES) I AM AT ABOUT 3,300 MILES NOW.
Vehicle speed control, Jun 20, 2016
THE CRUISE CONTROL ON MY 2016 RAV4 LE AWD WITH 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS VERY ERRATIC. AT HIGHWAY SPEED (60-70 MPH) IT IS FINE ON A FLAT ROAD, BUT AT THE SLIGHTEST INCLINE WILL DOWNSHIFT TO FIFTH, THEN SLAM INTO FOURTH GEAR WITH THE ENGINE RPMS GOING UP TO OVER 4000. IT WILL THEN EITHER STAY DOWNSHIFTED OR CONSTANTLY SHIFT UP AND DOWN UNTIL I AM WELL OVER THE TOP OF THE HILL. THE DEALER SAID THEY ALL DO THAT, SO IT'S NORMAL. I'VE STOPPED USING THE CRUISE BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION DAMAGE FROM THE HARSH SHIFTING AND HIGH RPMS, BUT IT ALSO IS VERY DISTRACTING TO THE DRIVER WHICH MAKES IT A SAFETY ISSUE. I'VE COMPLAINED TO "ASK TOYOTA" CUSTOMER SERVICE TWICE. THEY JUST SAY THEY'LL PASS ALONG MY COMPLAINT TO THE PROPER DEPARTMENT.
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Apr 8, 2016, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA RAV4. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD WHILE THE CONTACT'S FATHER WAS GENTLY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONTACT'S FATHER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND STRUCK A GATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER FATHER HAD TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND DIAGNOSED, BUT NO FAILURE WAS DETECTED. THE FRONT BUMPER WAS DAMAGED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,500.