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1994 Toyota RAV4

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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

What owners reported most

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: 3 of 4 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

4 reports
Mileage unknown · Jun 23, 2020
Air Bags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V033000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE …

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V033000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #11330319

1,650,000 miles · Mar 4, 2014
Fuel System, Gasoline

AS I WAS DRIVING HOME (APPROX. 30 MILE DRIVE), I WAS HEARING SOMETHING THAT WAS THUMPING, THINKING IT WAS JUST MY SEAT BELT HANGING OUT THE DOOR. I TRIED THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT AND IT WAS TIGHT, SO I ASSUMED IT WAS JUST MY SEAT BELT HANGING OUT THE DOOR. AFTER ARRIVING HOME, I NOTICED THE SEAT BELT WAS NOT HANGING OUTSIDE TH…

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AS I WAS DRIVING HOME (APPROX. 30 MILE DRIVE), I WAS HEARING SOMETHING THAT WAS THUMPING, THINKING IT WAS JUST MY SEAT BELT HANGING OUT THE DOOR. I TRIED THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT AND IT WAS TIGHT, SO I ASSUMED IT WAS JUST MY SEAT BELT HANGING OUT THE DOOR. AFTER ARRIVING HOME, I NOTICED THE SEAT BELT WAS NOT HANGING OUTSIDE THE DOOR. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR TO FIND A "L-SHAPED" BAR HANGING OFF THE CAR. IT WAS THE BAR THAT HELD THE GAS TANK. I NEVER EXPECTED SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT TO A CAR WOULD HAVE LET GO. ALL ALONG I AM THINKING IS IT STILL SAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC BECAUSE THERE MUST BE A SECOND BAR HOLDING THE TANK UP. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC, THERE IS NOT. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME I WAS A VERY LUCKY GIRL AS THE METAL BAR WAS THE ONLY BAR HOLDING THE TANK UP. THERE SHOULD BE A ADDITIONAL BARS INSTALLED TO GIVE EXTRA PROTECTION IF ONE SHOULD FALL OFF OR BECOME LOOSE.

NHTSA ODI #10567334

32,000 miles · Feb 20, 2004
Air BagsCrash

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT COLLISION WITH A DEER. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ALSO, NO AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT APPEARED PRIOR TO THE CRASH. DRIVER WAS WEARING SEAT BELT. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10059461

61,000 miles · Jan 17, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS DEALER REPLACED VALVES AND CONSUMER DRIVES VEHICLE WITH THE OVERDRIVE ON. THIS SEEMED TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM STALLING. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10004179

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.

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