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1996 Toyota RAV4

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Toyota RAV4 are lower than the model-year median of 258.5.

About this comparison →
47Owner complaints

Model-year median: 258.5

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
4
19941
199547
199654
199777
199862
1999
Compare all RAV4 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
11Power Train
9Engine And Engine Cooling
5Air Bags
4Latches/locks/linkages
4
All reported categories
Electrical System
2Fuel System, Gasoline
2Seat Belts
2Seats
2Steering
2Suspension
2Engine
1Equipment
1Structure
1Tires
1Vehicle Speed Control
1Visibility
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 8 of 47 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports

Structure complaints

1 reports
Clear category filter
6,000 miles · Feb 7, 2014
Latches/locks/linkagesStructure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WOULD DROP, THE DOORS WOULD SHUT ABNORMALLY AND THE LOCKS WOULD MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS UNLESS THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY WARM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILU…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WOULD DROP, THE DOORS WOULD SHUT ABNORMALLY AND THE LOCKS WOULD MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS UNLESS THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY WARM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI #10563346

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Toyota RAV4 problems

Toyota RAV4 transmission problems →Toyota RAV4 electrical problems →