Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
2006 Toyota Rav4 — Known Issues & Recalls
Complaints from Jan 2009 to Dec 2014
The most reported issue is steering problems (183 complaints). 26 complaints involved crashes. 5 involved fires.
Open Safety Recalls (11)
NHTSA Campaign: 16V596000
Component: SUSPENSION:REAR
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 31, 2005, to September 7, 2010, and 2010 Lexus HS250h vehicles manufactured July 6, 2009, to August 26, 2010. The affected vehicles have rear suspension arms (rear tie rods) with adjusting lock nuts that may have been improperly tightened after servicing. As a result of being loose, the arm may have thread damage and may rust, possibly leading to the failure of the arm and an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment.
Risk: Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners and dealers will replace both rear suspension arms and encapsulate the locknuts, free of charge. The recall began on September 30, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are G0V for Toyota vehicles and GLK for Lexus vehicles. Note: This recall supersedes recall 13V-383, in which some vehicles were only inspected, sealed, and did not have both arms replaced. The affected vehicles were previously recalled under 13V-383, but did not have both rear suspension arms replaced at that time. Those vehicles need to have both arms replaced as part of this recall remedy.
NHTSA Campaign: 16V096000
Component: SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 RAV4 vehicles manufactured July 28, 2005, to December 19, 2012, and 2012-2014 RAV4 EV vehicles manufactured July 24, 2012, to August 29, 2014. In the event of a frontal collision, the rear seat belts for the outboard seats may be cut by the seat cushion frame.
Risk: A cut seat belt may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a protector over both rear seat cushion frames, free of charge. The recall began on June 24, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0F.
NHTSA Campaign: 15V689000
Component: VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, and 2009-2010 Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. During the manufacturing of the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.
Risk: If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the PWMS circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 20, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is C0M.
NHTSA Campaign: 14V168000
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, 2008-2010 Highlander, and 2009-2010 Tacoma, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and General Motors Pontiac Vibe vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the steering column assembly contains electrical connections to the driver's airbag module housed in a spiral cable assembly, which includes a Flexible Flat Cable (FFC). Due to the shape and location of the FFC's retainer, the FFC could become damaged when the steering wheel is turned.
Risk: If the FFC is damaged, connectivity to the driver's air bag module could be lost and the air bag deactivated. The failure of the driver's air bag to deploy in the event of a crash that typically necessitates deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver.
Fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota vehicle owners, and General Motors will notify the Pontiac Vibe owners. Toyota sent owners an interim notification letter in May 2014 to advise owners of the recall. Toyota will mail owners a second letter when remedy parts are available. General Motors sent Pontiac Vibe owners an Interim letter on June 20, 2014 notifying them that parts are currently unavailable. General Motors sent notices to the Pontiac Vibe owners on September 15, 2014, that a remedy is available. The recall began on October 27, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-762-2737.
NHTSA Campaign: 16V396000
Component: SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.
Risk: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.
NHTSA Campaign: 12V373000
Component: SUSPENSION:REAR
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2011 RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS250h passenger vehicles manufactured from October 2005 through September 2010. If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear suspension arm (rear tie rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust, leading to thread damage and eventual failure. Failure of the rear tie rod will cause an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment.
Risk: Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear tie-rod nut for looseness and replace any suspect tie-rod found loose. Dealers will also affix instructions in multiple places to prevent improper servicing in the future. The recall began on November 30, 2012. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
NHTSA Campaign: 13V383000
Component: SUSPENSION:REAR
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2011 RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS250h passenger vehicles manufactured from October 2005 through September 2010. If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear suspension arm (rear tie rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust leading to thread damage and eventual failure. Failure of the rear tie rod will cause an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment.
Risk: Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tie rods and replace any that have rust or corrosion on the alignment adjustment threads. All of the rear tie rods will then be encased in an epoxy to prevent future environmental damage. Due to limitations in parts, the recall remedy will be launched in phases from September 2013 through mid-April 2014. All owners will receive notification of the recall, with most receiving second notifications when parts are available in their area. IMPORTANT: This recall supersedes Toyota and Lexus recall 12V-373. All vehicles that have been inspected and remedied under the previous recall need to be re-inspected and have the appropriate remedy applied.
NHTSA Campaign: 11V113000
Component: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
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.
Risk: A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
Fix: THE REMEDY IS NOW AVAILABLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN EARLY APRIL 2011. THE REMEDY WILL INVOLVE MODIFICATION OR REPLACEMENT OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND REPLACEMENT OF ANY TOYOTA ALL-WEATHER FLOOR MAT. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.
NHTSA Campaign: 09V223000
Component: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
TOYOTA IS RECALLING 27,080 MODEL YEAR 2005 THROUGH 2010 PASSENGER CARS BUILT FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 TO MAY 4, 2009. THESE VEHICLES WERE NOT EQUIPPED WITH LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS."
Risk: INCORRECT LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE BEING OVERLOADED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH A NEW, ACCURATE LABEL TO BE INSTALLED OVER THE INACCURATE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 18, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371.
NHTSA Campaign: 10V036000
Component: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.
Risk: A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.
NHTSA Campaign: 10V035000
Component: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AND JUNE 2, 2008 WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.
Risk: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.
Fix: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GULF STATES TOYOTA AT 713-580-3300.
Owner-Reported Issues (20 of 703)
Steering →5 issues
Your power steering intermittently fails while driving at low speeds (5-20 mph), making the steering wheel extremely difficult or impossible to turn. When this happens, you must safely pull over and turn off the car, and the problem usually resolves after several minutes. This issue is becoming more frequent and creates a serious safety hazard, especially in traffic where pulling over isn't possible. The fix will likely require a thorough diagnostic of the power steering system components, including the pump, hoses, and control modules.
Parts you may need:
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While driving, your steering wheel suddenly locked and became impossible to turn. This caused the vehicle to leave the road and go down a steep hill, resulting in a crash. The steering failure happened without any prior warning signs, and the driver had no way to avoid the accident or steer away from obstacles.
Parts you may need:
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Your steering wheel makes a loud popping noise when you turn left or right, and the noise gets progressively louder as you turn. A dealer diagnosed that your steering linkage needs to be replaced. No warning lights appear on your dashboard.
Parts you may need:
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Your steering wheel makes a clunking noise when you turn it left or right. This appears to be caused by a defective intermediate steering shaft that several 2006 RAV4 owners have reported. Toyota currently will only repair this under warranty and has not issued a recall. The repair will likely involve replacing or repairing the intermediate steering shaft component.
Parts you may need:
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When you turn the steering wheel left or right, you hear a clunking sound coming from the steering column area. The intermediate steering shaft appears to be loose or worn, which creates this noise and a concerning feeling that something might break or come loose while driving. This repair will likely involve inspecting and either tightening or replacing the intermediate steering shaft assembly.
Parts you may need:
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Engine →5 issues
Your car's oil pressure warning light came on while driving, and you've discovered it's consuming over a quart of oil per week. After adding oil, multiple warning lights appeared (check engine, VSC, four-wheel drive) and you received a diagnostic code P0012. Your engine is now making a rattling sound, which suggests internal damage may be occurring.
Parts you may need:
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Your engine consumed oil excessively due to faulty piston rings, requiring frequent oil changes. While driving at highway speeds, your engine lost power, made unusual high-RPM sounds, then made a loud boom and shook violently—smoke came from the engine and all dashboard lights came on. A piston blew through the bottom of the engine block, causing complete power loss and requiring engine replacement. The repair will likely involve a complete engine rebuild or replacement.
Parts you may need:
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Your 2006 RAV4 is burning oil very quickly — about 4 quarts every 3,000 miles — even though you keep up with regular maintenance. Around 2,800 miles after an oil change, you may notice the engine sounds like it's struggling to accelerate at low speeds and the check engine oil light briefly comes on and then goes off. Multiple mechanics have told you this is a common issue with your year and engine model. The oil burning problem could be caused by worn piston rings, valve seals, or other internal engine wear, and may require internal engine inspection or rebuild.
Parts you may need:
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Your engine is consuming an excessive amount of oil — about 1.5 quarts every 600 miles. This is well above normal consumption rates and suggests an internal engine problem. You'll need to check your oil level frequently and may need engine repair or rebuilding to address the underlying cause.
Parts you may need:
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Your RAV4 is consuming oil much faster than normal due to an oil leak and excessive burning inside the engine. A mechanic warned this could eventually cause engine failure if not addressed. Toyota has issued a warranty campaign for this engine issue, but your vehicle may be outside the coverage timeframe.
Parts you may need:
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Unknown Or Other →3 issues
Your car started smoking near the headlights while you were driving on the highway, and when you opened the hood to investigate, it burst into flames and burned completely. This appears to be a serious electrical or fuel system fire that requires immediate investigation by Toyota and NHTSA, especially since other owners report similar incidents. The repair would involve a complete vehicle replacement, but more importantly, the root cause of the fire needs to be identified to prevent this from happening to other vehicles.
Parts you may need:
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Your car's pearl white paint peeled off in large sections during windy weather, which is not normal and exposed bare metal underneath. The exposed areas have begun to rust, which could weaken your vehicle's structure and compromise safety in a crash, plus moisture could leak into the interior. Toyota denied your recall coverage claim even though other RAV4s had a known pearl white paint issue, leaving you to pay for a full repaint out of pocket.
Parts you may need:
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The rear subframe of your RAV4 has rusted through, which is concerning because all rear suspension components attach to it. You discovered this issue while checking another part underneath the car — there were no warning lights or symptoms beforehand. Addressing this will likely require professional inspection and possible subframe replacement or repair by a qualified mechanic.
Parts you may need:
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Suspension →2 issues
Your 2006 RAV4 has recalled rear tie rod ends that still have yellow recall stickers on them and appear not to have been properly repaired — the bolts lack the epoxy coating that should have been applied during the recall service. Your car now rides roughly, and you're concerned that other suspension components may have been damaged as a result. The repair should involve removing and replacing the rear tie rod ends with properly repaired or new parts and applying the required epoxy to secure the bolts.
Parts you may need:
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You brought your 2006 RAV4 to a Toyota dealership in Costa Rica to have four recall repairs completed. The dealer told you that one specific recall (NHTSA 16V596) doesn't apply in Costa Rica and refused to do that repair. You're asking whether the dealership should be completing this recall work anyway.
Parts you may need:
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Structure →1 issue
Your car's rear subframe has rusted through completely, creating a large hole in the bottom of the vehicle. The mechanic indicated the subframe could snap while driving, which is unsafe. This issue was not identified during regular dealership inspections or covered under any recalls you've maintained.
Parts you may need:
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Firerelated →1 issue
While your wife was driving, she heard scraping and shuddering sounds from under the hood, and another driver noticed sparks underneath the vehicle. The hood then caught fire, but your wife was able to safely pull off the road and exit. The fire department extinguished the fire, and the vehicle was deemed a total loss. No warning lights appeared before the fire started.
Parts you may need:
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Wheels →1 issue
Your Cooper Discoverer SRX tires (P215/70R16) have experienced multiple failures since purchase in October 2018, including two blowouts, a sidewall bulge, and a tire that failed while turning and caused damage to your wheel and rim. You've had to replace these tires multiple times and paid out of pocket for repairs. The tire manufacturer acknowledged the failures match a known recall pattern, but your tire size isn't currently included in that recall.
Parts you may need:
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Electrical System →1 issue
You discovered that your 2006 Toyota RAV4 has a mileage discrepancy—the odometer showed 122,000 miles when you bought it, but the registration revealed the actual mileage was 199,694 miles. This suggests the odometer may have been tampered with or rolled back before your purchase. Resolving this may require having a mechanic inspect the odometer and instrument cluster, and you may need to contact your local authorities or consumer protection agency about potential odometer fraud.
Parts you may need:
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Steering,electrical System,exterior Lighting →1 issue
Your dashboard lights flicker on and off intermittently, and at the same time you lose power steering assist. The problem has been checked by multiple mechanics including a Toyota dealership, but they haven't been able to identify the cause. This has happened both when the car is parked and while driving. The issue likely involves an electrical connection problem that's causing both the lighting and power steering to lose power at the same time.
Parts you may need:
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