2016 Toyota RAV4 problems and complaints
Owners have filed 238 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Toyota RAV4. The most-reported areas: Electrical System (58), Service Brakes (46), Unknown Or Other (33).
Key takeaways
- 238 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 33 involve a crash, 12 a fire, 27 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 58 | 24% |
| Service Brakes | 46 | 19% |
| Unknown Or Other | 33 | 14% |
| Exterior Lighting | 28 | 12% |
| Engine | 24 | 10% |
| Air Bags | 19 | 8% |
| Structure | 15 | 6% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 12 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 12 | 5% |
| Power Train | 11 | 5% |
| Steering | 10 | 4% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 4 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Toyota Rav4 SUV AWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2016 Toyota Rav4 SUV FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Electrical System,structure,lane Departure - filed 2026-09-03
I was driving 9/3 and my left blinker light came on solid. I was not using my blinker. Within a few seconds my check engine light came on and another light. Then within 2 minutes the front left engine/tire caught fire.
Air Bags - filed 2026-08-30
"The red master warning triangle and an 'SRS Airbag System Malfunction' message illuminated unexpectedly on the dashboard of my 2016 Toyota Rav4 XLE under normal driving conditions. I contacted a certified Toyota dealership, and they confirmed that this dashboard warning indicates the vehicle's airbag system is comple...
Electrical System - filed 2026-08-14
The repair shop I was able to pull into as I was experiencing the issue with my vehicle reported: "Battery is unstable and is arcing off of the positive terminal. Battery tray, battery hold down tie, and battery j hook hold down were missing upon arrival." The issue was fixed by a Brakes Plus location, given I was able...
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More for the 2016 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.