1996 Toyota Rav4 — Known Issues & Recalls

While driving at 55 mph, you heard a loud bang and your car swerved across the highway. Your transmission wouldn't shift into 5th gear, and 4th gear was also failing. After the manufacturer replaced the transmission, the same problem happened again at 40,000 miles. The repair will likely involve rebuilding or replacing the transmission assembly.

While driving on the highway, tapping or bumping the gear shift lever causes your transmission to slip into neutral, cutting engine power to the wheels. This happened multiple times and nearly caused an accident. The dealer has been contacted about the issue.

Your passenger accidentally knocked the gear shift into neutral while you were passing on a busy highway, causing a sudden loss of power to the wheels. You noticed the gear shift is positioned closer to the passenger side and is easy to bump accidentally. The dealer said this is by design to allow shifting to neutral on slippery roads and wouldn't address it. A gear shift guard or aftermarket shift lever lock might help prevent accidental shifting.

Your transmission unexpectedly shifts into neutral whenever you apply the brakes, even lightly. This happened repeatedly and the dealer test drove the vehicle multiple times but couldn't identify the cause. The transmission may need diagnostic testing or replacement of brake-transmission linkage components.

While driving at 45 mph, you hit a pothole covered in ice, lost control of your vehicle, and struck a guard rail. Your passenger's airbag deployed fully, but your driver's side airbag only deployed halfway. This incomplete deployment means you may not have received proper protection during the crash.

Your airbags deployed on their own without any significant impact or crash. This is a serious safety concern because airbags should only activate during actual collisions. The airbag control module or sensors may need to be inspected and repaired or replaced to prevent unwanted deployment.

Your airbags deployed while you were driving, even though there was no crash or impact. This is a serious safety issue because unexpected airbag deployment can cause injury and distract you while driving. The airbag control module or sensors likely need to be inspected and replaced to prevent this from happening again.

You heard a grinding noise from the front of your car, followed by a rolling sound near the driver's side wheel. When inspected, the mechanics found that your front axle had snapped at the wheel, with the broken piece and nut rattling around inside. This broken axle damaged your front brake pads, brake caliper, and front-end alignment, and the mechanics believe the axle had a material or design defect. The repair will involve replacing the broken front axle and inspecting/replacing the damaged brake components and realigning the front end.

Your front brakes have worn out repeatedly since you bought the vehicle in 1996, requiring brake pad replacements multiple times between 1997 and 1999, along with grinding and squeaking noises. Toyota refused to fully address the issue and directed you to arbitration, but wouldn't cover repairs at non-Toyota shops. A mechanic later told you that the rotors and cylinders should have been replaced back in 1997, suggesting the brake system has had an underlying defect from the start. Getting the brakes fully serviced will likely require replacing the brake pads, rotors, and brake cylinders.

Your front brakes are making squeaking noises at all speeds, whether you're braking or not, and you hear grinding sounds when you apply the brakes—especially as you come to a stop. Even after replacing the brake pads multiple times, the noise continues. The problem may require inspection of the brake rotors, calipers, or brake hardware to find the underlying cause.

Your driver's side seat belt keeps coming unlatched while you're driving, and it's happened multiple times. You took the vehicle to a dealer, but they didn't examine it, and the manufacturer was notified but hasn't provided a repair. The issue started at 367,000 miles and remains unfixed.

Your driver's seat belt is stuck and won't pull out smoothly—you have to jerk it hard to get it loose. Once released, it retracts very slowly. The seat belt also restricts your movement in the seat. The dealer identified that the internal retractor mechanism is broken and needs to be repaired or replaced.

While driving at 20 mph, your car suddenly accelerated on its own without warning. You turned off the engine and coasted safely to the side of the road. When you opened the hood, you noticed oil and smoke coming from the engine, and a mechanic discovered a hole had been blown through the engine block itself. The engine will likely need to be replaced or rebuilt to repair this catastrophic damage.

Your catalytic converter has become clogged. This is causing a restriction in your exhaust system that can reduce engine performance and fuel economy. The fix will likely involve replacing the catalytic converter with a new one.

Your car's fuse box caught fire and burst into flames when you closed the door, causing the windows to drop and destroying the vehicle's wiring within minutes. The fire spread rapidly and could have ignited nearby buildings if you hadn't been able to extinguish it immediately. This type of electrical fire is a serious safety hazard that could cause injury or total vehicle loss, especially if it occurred while driving on a highway.

While turning a corner at low speed, your RAV4's steering knuckle completely broke, causing the right side of the vehicle to drop and the tire to blow out instantly. You were only prevented from hitting a concrete barrier or another vehicle because of your low speed and location. A mechanic confirmed that a critical steering component severed in an unusual spot, and you were told that at highway speeds this would have caused the vehicle to flip multiple times.

Your engine is burning through oil much faster than normal, requiring about one quart every 1,000 miles. This excessive oil consumption could indicate worn engine seals, piston rings, or valve guides that allow oil to leak or burn. You should have a mechanic inspect your engine for internal leaks and wear, and may need to replace internal engine components or seals.

Your car's doors may slam shut abnormally and the locks may stop working when it's cold outside. You might find yourself unable to open the doors until the vehicle warms up. The dealer was aware of this issue but did not repair it. This typically involves inspecting and lubricating or replacing the door latch mechanisms and lock cylinders.

Your rear liftgate can slam shut unexpectedly in windy conditions or when the vehicle is parked on an incline, potentially injuring occupants nearby. The device that holds the liftgate open isn't strong enough to keep it from closing too easily. This issue may require replacing or upgrading the liftgate support strut or latch mechanism to provide better holding force.

Your front struts are leaking fluid, which was first noticed when your RAV4 had only 30,000 miles on it. Leaking struts reduce your vehicle's ability to absorb bumps smoothly and can affect handling and ride quality. The struts will likely need to be replaced to stop the leak and restore proper suspension performance.