2005 Toyota RAV4 problems and complaints

Owners have filed 141 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Toyota RAV4. The most-reported areas: Air Bags (59), Vehicle Speed Control (13), Unknown Or Other (11).

Key takeaways

  • 141 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
  • 22 involve a crash, 2 a fire, 13 reported injuries.
  • Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
Complaints by component
ComponentComplaintsShare
Air Bags5942%
Vehicle Speed Control139%
Unknown Or Other118%
Service Brakes118%
Steering96%
Engine96%
Power Train86%
Tires86%
Electrical System64%
Visibility64%
Engine And Engine Cooling64%
Electronic Stability Control (esc)54%

One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.

NHTSA 5-Star crash ratings
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
2005 Toyota RAV4 4-DR.Not ratedNot ratedNot ratedNot rated

Latest complaints, as filed

Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.

Unknown Or Other - filed 2025-12-29

Electronic door locking mechanism on front passenger side has failed and cannot be controlled by the key fob like the other doors. Therefore, it is necessary for the driver to reach across the front seat to lock and unlock this door. The locking mechanism’s failure could be considered an inconvenience. However, there w...

Air Bags - filed 2025-08-11

The recall repair was completed 7/15/25. It never updated in anyone’s system. I have been fighting between Toyota corp and the dealership for weeks more like a month just to get them to do the repair. After it was done I got my car damaged. A whole separate issue. I need to get inspection done on the car; can’t get it ...

Unknown Or Other - filed 2024-06-20

Very often, while driving at normal speeds around curving and hilly roads, the traction control light comes on. It even locks the speed until the light goes off. And sometimes the VSC (Vehicle stability control) light comes on and takes control of the car. When the warning lights go off, the car returns to normal. I to...

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More for the 2005 Toyota RAV4

Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.