2011 Toyota RAV4 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
287 owner complaints analyzed
11 distinct recall campaigns
45,468 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: . 192 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 68 of 287 complaints (23.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 97 | 33.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 27 | 9.4% |
| Steering behavior | 13 | 4.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 9 | 3.1% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 1.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 1.0% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 68 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 48 |
| Service Brakes | 43 |
| Engine | 33 |
| Seat Belts | 30 |
| Power Train | 23 |
| Air Bags | 20 |
| Suspension | 16 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 68; Visibility/Wiper: 48; Service Brakes: 43; Engine: 33; Seat Belts: 30; Power Train: 23; Air Bags: 20; Suspension: 16
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 64 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 39 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 34 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 28 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 21 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 64; 25,000 to 49,999: 39; 50,000 to 74,999: 34; 75,000 to 99,999: 28; 100,000 to 149,999: 21; 150,000 and above: 6
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (64). 95 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 |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 19 |
| 2012 | 26 |
| 2013 | 16 |
| 2014 | 31 |
| 2015 | 18 |
| 2016 | 62 |
| 2017 | 21 |
| 2018 | 22 |
| 2019 | 27 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 7 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 | 6 |
2011: 19; 2012: 26; 2013: 16; 2014: 31; 2015: 18; 2016: 62; 2017: 21; 2018: 22; 2019: 27; 2020: 7; 2021: 4; 2022: 5; 2023: 12; 2024: 7; 2025: 4; 2026: 6
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 97 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 27 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 13 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 10378897 · 2011-01-16 (January 16, 2011)
ON DEC. 11, 2010, I PURCHASED MY 2011 RAV4. SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE HAD TO CONTACT TOYOTA AND THE DEALER AND TAKE MY RAV4 TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT. MULTIPLE TIMES DUE TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. EACH TIME I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THIS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OCCURS RANDOMLY WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES AND IS MORE POWERFUL WITH EACH EPISODE. WHEN I DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ENGINE REVS VERY LOUDLY AND THE VEHICLE FEELS AS THOUGH IT WILL SPEED IN WHATEVER GEAR I AM IN (I.E., DRIVE OR REVERSE). IN ORDER TO KEEP THE VEHICLE U…
Owner-reported narrative. 165 miles reported. Look up ODI 10378897 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10384341 · 2011-02-24 (February 24, 2011)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, HIS FOOT MADE CONTACT WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SURGE FORWARD. THE DEALER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THE DESIGN COINCIDED WITH NHTSA STANDARDS AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10384341 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10393848 · 2011-03-31 (March 31, 2011)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE. SLIGHT PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SURGED BACKWARDS UNTIL CRASHING. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. UPON APPLYING SLIGHT PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD UNTIL IT CRASHED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN SHUT OFF. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED BUT THE DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNO…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10393848 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10378414 · 2011-01-24 (January 24, 2011)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE, VIBRATE AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A STEERING ANGLE SENSOR MALFUNCTION AND THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR ZERO POINT CALIBRATION. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE OF WHAT REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,039.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,039 miles reported. Look up ODI 10378414 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10437379 · 2011-11-27 (November 27, 2011)
WHEN EVER THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, IT MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE AND A CLUNK CAN ALSO BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL AT THE SAME TIME. I HAVE LOOKED ON LINE AND THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE TOYOTA RAV 4, ON 6 OR 4 CYLINDER MODELS. WHEN THERE IS NO STEERING INPUT, THERE IS NO NOISE OR CLUNKING FELT IN THE WHEEL AT ANY SPEED, ONLY WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED IN EITHER DIRECTION. I HAD REPORTS OF THIS BY OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS ABOUT A YEAR PRIOR, BUT WHENEVER I DROVE IT, IT DID NOT OCCUR, AS IT WAS …
Owner-reported narrative. 61,077 miles reported. Look up ODI 10437379 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10480118 · 2012-10-15 (October 15, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4 EQUIPPED WITH YOKOHAMA TIRES, SIZE P225/65/R17. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, ONE OF THE TIRES EXPLODED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT SAW THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE SIDEWALL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP BECAUSE THERE WERE EXTERIOR DAMAGES TO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FENDER, BUMPER, FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TRIM AND THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE BODY DAMAGE AND LATER TOWED T…
Owner-reported narrative. 19,985 miles reported. Look up ODI 10480118 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10525389 · 2013-07-17 (July 17, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING A LEFT TURN, HE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AT VERY LOW IMPACT. THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE ON SCENE TO ASSIST AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. THE HOOD AND THE BATTERY WERE MELTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED AS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THERE WAS NO INJURIES. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 56,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10525389 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10789400 · 2015-11-09 (November 9, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THERE WAS LEAKAGE FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TRANSMISSION OIL WAS VERY DIRTY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CHANGED THE FLUIDS TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 68,489.
Owner-reported narrative. 68,489 miles reported. Look up ODI 10789400 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11067207 · 2018-02-06 (February 6, 2018)
EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. AT LEAST ONE QUART OF OIL NEEDS BE ADDED EVERY 600 MILES. PROBLEM STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES. OIL SLUDGE BUILT UP IN A VALVE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL UNEXPECTEDLY.
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11067207 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10492856 · 2013-01-14 (January 14, 2013)
I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD INTENDING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. I THEN HEARD A BANG AND A POP SOUND. I COULD SMELL GASOLINE. WHEN I ARRIVED HOME I COULD SMELL GASOLINE. WHEN I LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE I COULD SEE THE GASOLINE DRIPPING FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I HAD A VEHICLE TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALER WHO INFORMED ME A DAY LATER THAT THE VEHICLE HAD INCURRED A RUPTURED GASOLINE TANK. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE AND CAN CAUSE A FIRE IF THE CAR IS DRIVEN ON A HOT DAY, OR SOMEONE THROWS A CIGARETTE STUB ON THE ROAD. I …
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10492856 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10574864 · 2014-03-26 (March 26, 2014)
DRIVING HOME FROM WORK . HIT SOME TYPE OF DEBRIS IN ROAD HEARD A LOUD NOISE IMMEDIATELY SMELLED GASOLINE GAS TANK HAD A LARGE HOLE IN IT. CONCERNED THAT THERE IS NO PROTECTION WHATEVER FOR GAS TANK .IT IS JUST THERE UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT . SEEMS LIKE THERE SHOULD BE A SKID PLATE OR SOME SORT OF PROTECTION FROM RUPTURE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 41,572 miles reported. Look up ODI 10574864 at NHTSA ↗