2007 Toyota RAV4 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1,004 owner complaints analyzed
14 distinct recall campaigns
64,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2007 model year. Data snapshot: . 807 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 268 of 1,004 complaints (26.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 279 | 27.8% |
| Braking behavior | 132 | 13.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 42 | 4.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 39 | 3.9% |
| Engine operation | 18 | 1.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 6 | 0.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering | 268 |
| Engine | 195 |
| Suspension | 123 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 91 |
| Air Bags | 90 |
| Electrical System | 72 |
| Unknown Or Other | 40 |
| Power Train | 38 |
Steering: 268; Engine: 195; Suspension: 123; Vehicle Speed Control: 91; Air Bags: 90; Electrical System: 72; Unknown Or Other: 40; Power Train: 38
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 117 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 191 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 165 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 140 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 155 |
| 150,000 and above | 39 |
Under 25,000: 117; 25,000 to 49,999: 191; 50,000 to 74,999: 165; 75,000 to 99,999: 140; 100,000 to 149,999: 155; 150,000 and above: 39
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (191). 197 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 23 |
| 2008 | 28 |
| 2009 | 31 |
| 2010 | 151 |
| 2011 | 74 |
| 2012 | 117 |
| 2013 | 133 |
| 2014 | 119 |
| 2015 | 80 |
| 2016 | 68 |
| 2017 | 66 |
| 2018 | 45 |
| 2019 | 21 |
| 2020 | 16 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 8 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2007: 23; 2008: 28; 2009: 31; 2010: 151; 2011: 74; 2012: 117; 2013: 133; 2014: 119; 2015: 80; 2016: 68; 2017: 66; 2018: 45; 2019: 21; 2020: 16; 2021: 9; 2022: 4; 2023: 4; 2024: 5; 2025: 8; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 279 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 132 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 42 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10199673 · 2007-08-15 (August 15, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING WITHOUT WARNING. THE POWER STEERING DID NOT RETURN UNTIL THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,600. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FIRST TIME THE STEERING MALFUNCTIONED, IT RESET ITSELF, HOWEVER THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED. THE THIRD TIME, A COMPUTER COMPONENT WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CA…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10199673 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10204740 · 2007-10-03 (October 3, 2007)
CLUNK IN POWER STEERING (RACK-AND-PINION) WHILE MAKING A TURN AT A SLOW SPEED (CAN BE HEART AND FELT ON STEERING WHEEL). *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 5,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10204740 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10210427 · 2007-11-30 (November 30, 2007)
I HAVE A TOYOTA RAV-4. IF I APPLY THE BRAKES AND MY FOOT IS PLACED PARTIALLY TOO FAR TO THE RIGHT, IT COMES IN CONTACT WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO RACE AND THE CAR TO LUNGE FORWARD. THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELS BELOW THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I NOTICE AN INCREASED LEVEL OF ACCIDENTS WHERE A VEHICLE CRASHES INTO A BUILDING. I BELIEVE THIS MIGHT BE A CAUSE OF THIS TYPE OF ACCIDENT. I DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM WITH THE TOYOTA SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AND HE SAID THAT THIS CONDITION IS TYPICAL WITH THE NEW TYPE OF BRAKING SYSTEM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10210427 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10215872 · 2008-01-24 (January 24, 2008)
ALL 2007 RAV4 V6 ENGINES HAVE A WHISTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES VACUUM BOOST LINE EITHER AT IDLE OR ESPECIALLY LOUDER WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES ON AND OFF AT IDLE SPEED. MY TOYOTA DEALER IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE ONLY NOTED THAT THEY HAVE FILED A CASE# WITH TOYOTA TO HELP RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. ONLY UNTIL 100'S OF OTHER 07 TOYOTA RAV4 V6 OWNERS COMPLAIN, WILL TOYOTA DEALERS FIX THE PROBLEM BY COMING UP WITH A PART IN THE BRAKES VACUUM BOOST LINE TO SILENT THIS ANNOYING WHINING NOISE AT IDLE/START UP WHILE APPLYING BRAKES ON AND OFF.…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10215872 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10212275 · 2007-12-18 (December 18, 2007)
LEADS TO BATTERY WERE COLORED WRONG. THE POSITIVE LEAD WAS PAINTED BLACK AND THE NEGATIVE LEAD WAS PAINTED RED. WHEN I JUMP-STARTED THE CAR I PUT THE BATTERY CABLES TO THE ASSOCIATED COLORS. IT WAS CONNECTED FOR ABOUT 1 MINUTE WHEN I NOTICED SOMETHING SMOKING. AFTER I FOUND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS I CORRECTED THE CONNECTION AND STARTED THE CAR. THE CAR WOULD ONLY IDLE DUE TO A BLOWN FUSE, WHICH THE CAR DEALERSHIP HAD TO FIND. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10212275 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10234899 · 2008-07-19 (July 19, 2008)
TOYOTA RAV4, 2007, 2WD, 2.4LTR. DROVE THROUGH DEEP WATER AFTER TORRENTIAL STORMS IN UPPER OHIO. CHECK ENGINE , VSC, AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. FOUND THE EVAP SYSTEM CHARCOAL CANISTER FILTER HOSE BROKEN OFF AT THE FILTER ASSEMBLY. WATER HAD FILLED UP THE CHARCOAL CANISTER AS WELL AS GRAVEL AND SAND. IN ADDITION, THE ELECTRICAL MODULE ATTACHED TO THE CANISTER WAS FILLED WITH GRAVEL, SAND AND WATER. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234899 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10192790 · 2007-06-08 (June 8, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 45 MPH AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE TO PASS A VEHICLE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS TO A PASSING GEAR BUT THE VEHICLE WILL SWERVE TO THE RIGHT WITHIN 100 FEET. A REPRESENTATIVE OF TOYOTA AND A REGIONAL MANAGER DROVE THE VEHICLE AND EXPERIENCED THE EXACT PROBLEM. AFTER TWO SUSPENSION ALIGNMENTS, THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER STILL SAYS THAT THIS IS NORMAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 530. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3000.
Owner-reported narrative. 530 miles reported. Look up ODI 10192790 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10200176 · 2007-08-20 (August 20, 2007)
TRANSMISSION HAS GONE UP. NO EXCESSIVELY HARD DRIVING IN THE PAST. APPARENTLY TRANSAXLE SHIFT NOT SHIFTING INTO GEAR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 89,079 miles reported. Look up ODI 10200176 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10326797 · 2010-04-21 (April 21, 2010)
THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT HAS EXISTED SINCE I OWNED THE VEHICLE. MORE THEN HALF THE TIME WHEN I STEP DOWN ON THE GAS HARD, MY VEHICLE NEARLY STALLS, SEVERE HESITATION, THEN SLOWLY RECOVERS AND APPLIES POWER. THIS WOULD BE WHEN YOU HAVE TO PASS A CAR ON A TWO LANE ROAD OR MERGE INTO HEAVY TRAFFIC. IT IS HARD TO KNOW IF IT WILL BE THERE WHEN I NEED IT OR IF I WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE ENGINE TO CATCH UP. I HAVE REPORTED IT TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT MULTIPLE TIMES; THEY HAVE TEST DROVE IT, HAD A FACTORY REP. LOOK AT IT AND AT COM…
Owner-reported narrative. 221 miles reported. Look up ODI 10326797 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10351981 · 2010-08-26 (August 26, 2010)
ENGINE APPEARS TO STALL UNDER LIGHT THROTTLE. RPM GAUGE SHOWS THE ENGINE SPEED FLUCTUATION. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS IN AND OUT OF GEAR RAPIDLY WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS ON AND YOU ARE GOING UP AN INCLINE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 47,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10351981 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10203803 · 2007-09-18 (September 18, 2007)
2007 TOYOTA RAV4 SIDE IMPACT CRASH CONCERNS. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE TEST HAD ANY IMPACT ON THE FUEL TANK OR FILLER TUBE. HE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THEY WERE DAMAGED BECAUSE THEY ARE CLOSE TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR. *KB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10203803 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10234770 · 2008-07-18 (July 18, 2008)
I BOUGHT MY 2007 RAV4 IN NOVEMBER 2006 AND TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS BECAUSE OF THIS HUMMING/WHISTLING/WHINING NOISE THAT OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED. HOWEVER, MY HUMMING NOISE IS INTERMITTENT WHICH MAKES IT HARD TO FIND, AND IT SEEMS TO BE MORE PREVALENT IN THE WARMER MONTHS, NOT THE COLDER MONTHS. I ASKED MY MECHANIC ABOUT IT, BUT HE COULDN'T RECREATE THE NOISE THE DAY MY CAR WAS IN THE SHOP. HOWEVER, I INTEND TO TAKE IT BACK THERE IF I'M EVER DRIVING IT IN THE AREA AND THE NOISE CROPS UP AGAIN. TO ME IT SOUNDED …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10234770 at NHTSA ↗