IllustrationCRUISE CONTROL KICKS OUT WHILE GOING UP HILL, BUT ONLY WHEN YOU ARE GOING WEST NOT EAST. GO FIGURE. *AK
1998 Toyota RAV4
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Toyota RAV4 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 258.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAV4 years →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
00–25K
125–50K
150–75K
475–100K
12100–150K
2150K+
20 reports with mileage · 57 unknown
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 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
19 crash reports0 fire reports7 injury reports
What owners actually said
77 reportsIN COLD WEATHER DRIVESHAFT FREEZES, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STOP. VEHICLE SLAMS TO A HALT AFTER A KNOCKING SOUND IS HEARD FROM THE UNIVERSAL JOINTS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THERE WAS A TIRE AND A RIM ON THE ROAD, AND VEHICLE RAN OVER THE TIRE, CAUSING A ROLLOVER ONTO THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE SLID DOWN FOR ABOUT A MILE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
THE VEHICLE IS PULLING TO THE LEFT INTERMITTENTLY & THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL GET'S VERY HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS FOR SERVICE. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *YC
TRANSMISSION FAILED TO HOLD VEHICLE IN PLACE WHEN STOPPED ON INCLINES. TRANSMISSION WOULD MAKE A THUNKING NOISE. TRANSMISSION WOULD BE RELEASED. VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY & HIT A TREE. VEHICLE HAS A STANDARD TRANSMISSION WHICH WAS IN GEAR. THE HAND BRAKES WERE NOT APPLIED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED (12/97). *…
Read full complaint
TRANSMISSION FAILED TO HOLD VEHICLE IN PLACE WHEN STOPPED ON INCLINES. TRANSMISSION WOULD MAKE A THUNKING NOISE. TRANSMISSION WOULD BE RELEASED. VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY & HIT A TREE. VEHICLE HAS A STANDARD TRANSMISSION WHICH WAS IN GEAR. THE HAND BRAKES WERE NOT APPLIED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED (12/97). *AK
VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT ABOUT 40 MPH. THE DRIVER / PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *YC
CRUISE CONTROL.
DISSATISFACTORY SERVICE TO VEHICLE BY PERSONNEL. NO SAFETY DEFECT MMENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK
BRAKES FAILED.
SECURITY (ANTI THEFT) ALARM FAILED. YH
Official recalls
420V033000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
Jan 22, 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 1998-2000 RAV4, 1998-1999 RAV4 EV and Celica and 1997-1998 Supra vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant, and increases the risk of serious injury or death.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and owners will have the option to self-inspect, or have a dealer inspect the steering wheel on their vehicle to determine if their vehicle may be equipped with an affected inflator. Potentially affected steering wheel serial numbers will be inspected by a dealer. Based on the inspection, dealers will replace the front driver air bag inflator with an alternate one, as necessary. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 28, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall is 20TB01 and 20TA01.
00V211000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:park/neutral Start Interlock Switch
Aug 9, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY ELECTRIC VEHICLES. IF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE REPEATEDLY PARKED BY PLACING THE SHIFT LEVER INTO THE "P" POSITION WITHOUT APPLYING THE PARKING BRAKE, THE PARKING LOCK ROD, A COMPONENT OF THE TRANSMISSION PARKING LOCK SYSTEM, COULD BREAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RENDER THE SYSTEM INOPERATIVE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PARKING LOCK ROD.
00V212000 · Service Brakes, Air:disc:rotor
Aug 9, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY ELECTRIC VEHICLES. THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTOR, WHEN EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS, CAN DEVELOP STRESS FRACTURES IF THE LUG NUTS ARE TIGHTENED WITH EXCESSIVE TORQUE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE DISC ROTOR COULD BREAK (WHERE IT MOUNTS TO THE WHEEL), RESULTING IN A LOSS OF BRAKING ACTION ON THAT WHEEL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DISC BRAKE ROTORS. IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS, TOYOTA WILL REPLACE THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND STEEL WHEELS WITH NEW DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND NEW ALUMINUM WHEELS. IN ADDITION A CAUTION LABEL THAT READS, "USE NEW GENUINE TOYOTA ALUMINUM WHEELS." WILL BE AFFIXED. VEHICLES ALREADY EQUIPPED WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS WILL ONLY REQUIRE CAUTION LABEL INSTALLATION.
98V278000 · Electrical SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL Module
Oct 19, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEMS (TDS) SUPPLIED BY AUDIOVOX CORPORATION AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, INC. IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. THE ALARM WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE ALARM HARNESS TO COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT. A PERCENTAGE OF THE FEMALE TERMINALS USED IN THE ALARM CONNECTOR WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE, CAUSING AN 'OPEN CIRCUIT' CONDITION WHEN MATED TO THE MALE IGNITION SWITCH TERMINALS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98, 9/2/98, AND 9/3/98.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.