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1996 Toyota RAV4

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Toyota RAV4 are lower than the model-year median of 258.5.

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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

All reported categories

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: 8 of 47 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.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports

Power Train complaints

9 reports
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60,000 miles · Jan 27, 2004
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE OWNER HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE VEHICLE SWERVED ALL OVER THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER GO INTO 5TH GEAR. THE 4TH GEAR ALSO BEGAN SHOWING SYMPTOMS OF FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER EVENTUALLY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER 40,000 MILES THE EXACT SAME FAILURE RECURRED WITH THE 5TH GEAR FAILING. …

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WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE OWNER HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE VEHICLE SWERVED ALL OVER THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER GO INTO 5TH GEAR. THE 4TH GEAR ALSO BEGAN SHOWING SYMPTOMS OF FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER EVENTUALLY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER 40,000 MILES THE EXACT SAME FAILURE RECURRED WITH THE 5TH GEAR FAILING. THEY ARE NOT CLAIMING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10055930

Mileage unknown · Aug 14, 2002
Power Train

WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, MY FRIEND (WHO WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND LIKES TO SIT WITH HIS KNEES UP) ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED THE GEAR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. I WAS IN THE PASSING LANE ON A BUSY HIGHWAY AND FOUND THAT ALL OF THE SUDDEN I HAD NO POWER TO THE WHEELS. IT WAS VERY FRIGHTENING. I PULLED OVER AS SOON AS …

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WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, MY FRIEND (WHO WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND LIKES TO SIT WITH HIS KNEES UP) ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED THE GEAR SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. I WAS IN THE PASSING LANE ON A BUSY HIGHWAY AND FOUND THAT ALL OF THE SUDDEN I HAD NO POWER TO THE WHEELS. IT WAS VERY FRIGHTENING. I PULLED OVER AS SOON AS I COULD. I FEARED THAT IF I PUT THE GEAR SHIFTER BACK INTO DRIVE, THE CAR WOULD DRASTICALLY LURCH (FASTER OR SLOWER). AFTER THIS HAPPENED, I NOTICED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT IS ACTUALLY LOCATED CLOSER TO THE PASSENGER SIDE THAN THE DRIVER SIDE AND EASILY BUMPED INTO NEUTRAL. I CALLED A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND ASKED THAT THEY FIX THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT ALL CARS ARE DESIGNED TO BE ABLE TO SWITCH INTO NEUTRAL SHOULD YOU BE SLIDING ON A SLIPPERY ROAD. AND THAT THEY THEREFORE COULD AND WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE READ ONLY GREAT THINGS ABOUT TOYOTAS BUT AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE, I PLAN TO SELL THIS CAR AND NEVER GET ANOTHER TOYOTA. THIS, I THINK, IS A VERY, VERY SERIOUS SAFETY DESIGN FLAW. PEOPLE WITH KIDS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT MUST HAVE THIS HAPPEN TO THEM ALL THE TIME. I THINK THESE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED. NO AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFT SHOULD BE EASILY ACCIDENTLY TAPPED INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #765655

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2002
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WITH ANY PUMP OR TAP TO GEAR SHIFT IT WILL GO INTO NEUTRAL, LOSING ALL POWER, ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.CONTACTED DEALER.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8014149

Mileage unknown · Sep 15, 1999
Power Train

WHENEVER THE BRAKES ARE APPLIEDTHE TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL ON ITS OWN. TOOK TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES & HAD VEHICLE TEST DRIVEN. BRAKES WERE TAPPED LIGHTLY & TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #847842

Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 1998
Power TrainCrash

VEHICLE PARKED ON SLIGHT HILL LOCKED IN REVERSE, ROLLED FORWARD DOWN HILL AND HIT ANOTHER CAR. CAUSE OF THIS HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #821030

Mileage unknown · Sep 9, 1997
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #603893

Mileage unknown · Aug 29, 1997
Power Train

TRANSMISSION SOLENOID FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #605381

Mileage unknown · May 6, 1997
Power Train

TRANSMISSION SOLENOID FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #516958

Mileage unknown · Apr 10, 1997
Power Train

SPEEDOMETER REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI #603008

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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