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U.S. public vehicle records

1997 Toyota RAV4: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

34 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

111,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 14 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 34 complaints (8.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Engine operation514.7%
Braking behavior411.8%
Transmission and shifting25.9%
Steering behavior25.9%
Electrical and battery issues12.9%

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.

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
3
Power Train:Manual Transmission
3
Structure:Frame And Members:Underbody Shields
3
Vehicle Speed Control
3
Electrical System
2
Engine
2
Structure:Frame And Members
2
Air Bags
1
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine3
Power Train:Manual Transmission3
Structure:Frame And Members:Underbody Shields3
Vehicle Speed Control3
Electrical System2
Engine2
Structure:Frame And Members2
Air Bags1

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 3; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 3; Structure:Frame And Members:Underbody Shields: 3; Vehicle Speed Control: 3; Electrical System: 2; Engine: 2; Structure:Frame And Members: 2; Air Bags: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
2
75,000 to 99,999
1
100,000 to 149,999
9
150,000 and above
2
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0000
25,000 to 49,9990
50,000 to 74,9992
75,000 to 99,9991
100,000 to 149,9999
150,000 and above2

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 2

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 20 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.

2000
6
2001
2
2002
3
2003
5
2004
2
2005
2
2006
1
2007
1
2008
1
2010
2
2011
1
2012
2
2013
1
2014
1
2015
2
2016
1
2019
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20006
20012
20023
20035
20042
20052
20061
20071
20081
20102
20111
20122
20131
20141
20152
20161
20191

2000: 6; 2001: 2; 2002: 3; 2003: 5; 2004: 2; 2005: 2; 2006: 1; 2007: 1; 2008: 1; 2010: 2; 2011: 1; 2012: 2; 2013: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 2; 2016: 1; 2019: 1

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 5 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10010157 · 2003-03-08 (March 8, 2003)

MY RAV HAS HAD 2 ENGINE REPLACEMENTS THE FIRST AT 16,000 MILES AND THE SECOND AT 49,000 MILES. THE FIRST ONE HAPPENED WHEN IT STALLED OUT GOING THROUGH AN EXTREMELY LARGE PUDDLE OF WATER ON THE ACCESS ROAD AND THE SECOND FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010157 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10010158 · 2003-03-08 (March 8, 2003)

MY RAV 4 - 57348 MILES. IT STARTED MAKING A TAPPING SOUND IN THE ENGINE AND IT HAS MAKES A METAL ON METAL VIBRATION UPON ACCELERATION AND ESPECIALLY WHEN I MAKE A GRADUAL LEFT TURN AND DECELERATE. I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALER. THEY SAY IT MAY BE THAT THE LIFTERS ARE A BIT WORN AND THAT THIS WILL NOT HARM ANYTHING. THIS IS ODD BECAUSE A NEW ENGINE WAS PLACED IN THE CAR AT 49,000 + MILES. THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY WHAT THE VIBRATION NOISE WAS AND SAID THAT IT IS POSSIBLY A ROCK IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM. I KNOW WHAT THAT SOUNDS LIKE AND STRONGLY DIS…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010158 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10013717 · 2003-03-31 (March 31, 2003)

THE SUBJECT IS "IMPROPER CIRCUIT DESIGN CAUSED SELF IGNITED FIRE TO THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF AN ELECTRIC ABNORMALITY WITHIN THE RADIATOR FAN MOTOR" . THE TIME THAT HAPPENED THE MOTOR WAS OFF AND CAR IN PARK IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. VEHICLE IS A 1997 TOYOTA RAV-4 MANUFACTURED IN APRIL 1997 BY THE TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION AT THEIR ASSEMBLY PLANT IN MOTOMACHI-THARA, JAPAN. AT THE TIME OF ITS FABRICATION , THE VEHICLE WAS ASSIGNED UNIQUE PUBLIC IDENTIFICATION NUMBER [XXX]. COMPUTERIZED SCRUTINY OF THIS NUMBER RELATIVE TO CHECK DIGIT"4" AND SEQUENCE N…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10013717 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10041719 · 2003-10-13 (October 13, 2003)

MY RAV 4 HAS HAD A VERY COSTLY AND DIFFICULT-TO-FIX ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THE LAST 3 MONTHS. SOMETIMES IT STARTS RIGHT UP, BUT IT HAS ALSO HAD STALLING PROBLEMS AND ONCE DIED COMPLETELY. THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS HAVE WORKED ON IT AND NOBODY HAS YET BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM COMPLETELY. IT HAS ALWAYS COME BACK. THE DEALERSHIP EVEN SAID THAT IT HAS TO FAIL COMPLETELY AGAIN BEFORE THEY CAN ATTEMPT TO KNOW WHAT'S WRONG. THAT MEANS I WILL HAVE TO WAIT TO BE STRANDED UNTIL SOMEONE CAN MAYBE FIX THE VEHICLE. I MAY BE FORCED TO SELL THE VEHICLE FO…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10041719 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10048841 · 2003-11-29 (November 29, 2003)

PRIOR TO A TURN, WHEN THE LEFT OR RIGHT BLINKER IS PUT ON, THE HEADLIGHTS GO OFF. AFTER ABOUT 4 SECONDS THEY COME BACK ON. THEN, AFTER THE TURN, AS THE BLINKER AUTOMATICALLY CANCELS, THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT AGAIN FOR ABOUT 15 SECONDS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10048841 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10068418 · 2004-05-06 (May 6, 2004)

MANUFACTURER RECENTLY ISSUED A WARRANTY EXTENTION TO CERTAIN COMPONENTS OF THE EMISSION SYSTEM AND SELECTIVELY EXCLUDED MY COMPONENT (EGR VALVE) EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATOR. I BELEIVE THIS COMPONENT SHOULD BE INLCUDED IN THE LIST OF EXHAUST SYSTEMS WHICH SHOULD RECEIVE EXTENDED CARE DUE TO POOR WORKMANSHIP.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10068418 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10090936 · 2004-09-13 (September 13, 2004)

FIFTH GEAR FAILED, NEED TO REPLACE ENTIRE MANUAL TRANSMISSION.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 114,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090936 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10111434 · 2005-02-14 (February 14, 2005)

WHILE DRIVING AND APPROACHING A STEEP HILL AT 35 MPH, AND UPON GOING DOWN A HILL, VEHICLE FISH TAILED OUT OF CONTROL. HITTING A MEDIAN STRIP. CONSUMER HAD TO SWERVE RIGHT, AND WENT INTO A TAIL SPIN OUT OF CONTROL. THE SEAT BELT EITHER RELEASED OR BROKE. THE ROOF CAVED IN. ALL THE WINDOWS BROKE. CONSUMER WAS INJURED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10111434 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.