Toyota RAV4 steering problems
1,053 complaint narratives mention steering terms.
Key facts
9,267 owner complaints analyzed
50 distinct recall campaigns
52,730 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1994 to 2025 model years. Data snapshot: . 5,429 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Steering behavior evidence
1,053 of 9,267 complaints match this topic (11.4%). The keyword filter can include complaints that mention a transmission without reporting its failure. View matching rules.
Owner report 10093012 · 2004-09-22 (September 22, 2004)
NOTE: TOYOTA CALLED AND SAID THAT SINCE I HAD THE CAR REPAIRED, THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING.....I SAVED THE PART. I AM WRITING NOW BECAUSE I SAW A TV NEWS STORY ABOUT THE ROLL-OVER CONCERN WITH SUV'S. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGIC ROLL-OVER IF NOT FOR THE LOCATION AND LOW SPEED. DEAR TOYOTA (EDITED FOR SPACE), IT IS RARE THAT I WOULD TAKE THIS STEP UNLESS I THOUGHT NOT SPEAKING UP COULD BE FAR MORE TRAGIC OR DISASTROUS. LAST WEEK, AS I WAS SLOWLY TURNING THE CORNER DOWN A SIDE STREET AT WORK (I WORK ON AN ARMY INSTALLATION), I HEARD AND…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10093012 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 724176 · 2000-06-19 (June 19, 2000)
UPON START UP OF ENGINE, BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL "LOCKED UP" AS PUTTING CAR INTO GEAR. TURNED OUT ENGINE WAS STALLING OUT. CAR ALSO WOULD TAKE OFF ON ITS OWN AFTER RESTARTING ENGINE AND PUT INTO DRIVE. DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS IDLE CONTROL VALVE PROBLEM AND REPLACED PART. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 724176 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 874720 · 2000-11-09 (November 9, 2000)
STEERING WHEEL NUT BECAME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING, DAMAGING CABLE REEL ASSEMBLY WHICH CONTROL AIRBAG, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. CONSUMER STATED STEERING WHEEL NUT MUST HAVE COME FROM MANUFACTURER LOOSE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 874720 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10560765 · 2014-01-21 (January 21, 2014)
DURING SLOW TURNS SUCH AS THROUGH INTERSECTIONS THERE IS A KNOCKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAS BEEN PRESENT SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2008 AND HAS BEEN GETTING SLOWLY WORSE. DHL TOYOTA IN WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE STEERING CAN GO AT ANY TIME. THERE ARE 2 TOYOTA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS DATING FROM 2008 ON HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM: T-SB-0308-08 AND T-SB-0318-08. I WAS TOLD TOYOTA WILL NOT PAY FOR IT AND THE FIX IS $2800. SINCE TOYOTA TOLD ME THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, THEN THERE SHOULD BE A …
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10560765 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10637042 · 2014-09-17 (September 17, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT THE FRONT CRADLE WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND THE ONLY THING KEEPING IT FROM FRACTURING WAS THE STEERING LINKAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 220,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10637042 at NHTSA ↗