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2001 Toyota RAV4

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2001 Toyota RAV4 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 258.5.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
309Owner complaints

Model-year median: 258.5

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2001 Toyota RAV4

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 309 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Power Train: 190 reports
  • Electrical System: 60 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 28 reports
  • Vehicle Speed Control: 22 reports
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 19 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    77
    1998    62
    1999    30
    2000    309
    2001    527
    2002    314
    2003    154
    2004
    Compare all RAV4 years →

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

    What owners reported most

    Power Train
    190    Electrical System
    60    Engine And Engine Cooling
    28    Vehicle Speed Control
    22    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    19
    All reported categories
    Air Bags
    13    Unknown Or Other
    12    Engine
    9    Electronic Stability Control (esc)
    8    Visibility
    8    Structure
    7    Steering
    6    Seat Belts
    5    Fuel System, Gasoline
    4    Suspension
    4    Equipment
    3    Service Brakes
    3    Tires
    3    Exterior Lighting
    1    Fuel/propulsion System
    1    Parking Brake
    1    Service Brakes, Electric
    1

    Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

    When problems were reported

    Mileage at the reported incident

    236 reports with mileage · 73 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.

    • Power Train. Review the 190 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Electrical System. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

    NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

    18 crash reports2 fire reports9 injury reports

    Tires complaints

    3 reports
    Clear category filter
    72,000 miles · May 20, 2008
    Tires

    MY FIANCE WAS DRIVING MY RAV 4 THIS PAST SATURDAY. THE CAR HAS 4 COPPER DISCOVERER TIRES (DOT# UTDAC5T0704) THAT WERE PURCHASED IN EARLY 2006. THEY WERE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 70 MPH ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. ONE OF THE TIRES COMPLETELY CAME APART, LEAVING ONLY SOME RAGGED SIDEWALLS ON THE WHEEL. THERE WERE (MIRACULOUSLY) NO INJURIES AND H…

    Read full complaint

    MY FIANCE WAS DRIVING MY RAV 4 THIS PAST SATURDAY. THE CAR HAS 4 COPPER DISCOVERER TIRES (DOT# UTDAC5T0704) THAT WERE PURCHASED IN EARLY 2006. THEY WERE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 70 MPH ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. ONE OF THE TIRES COMPLETELY CAME APART, LEAVING ONLY SOME RAGGED SIDEWALLS ON THE WHEEL. THERE WERE (MIRACULOUSLY) NO INJURIES AND HE WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR UNDER CONTROL AND OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10228322

    10,100 miles · Nov 9, 2003
    Tires

    A CONSTANT RATTLE/SQUEAK IN FRONT DASH. THE REAR TIRE MOUNT RATTLES/SQUEAKS TO THE POINT THAT I HAVE TO REMOVE THE TIRE MOUNT. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #10045833

    Mileage unknown · Apr 11, 2002
    TiresCrash

    TIRES PROVIDE EXTREMELY POOR TRACTION IN RAIN OR SNOW. AT THE RECOMMENDED PSI, THE TIRES SPIN WHEN ACCELERATING AND SKID WHEN STOPPING ON WET PAVEMENT AT ANYTHING OTHER THAN EXTREMELY SLOW SPEEDS. WITH ANY SNOWCOVER ON PAVEMENT, THE VEHICLE IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO PREVENT FROM SLIDING OR SKIDDING AT VIRTUALLY ANY SPEED. THE…

    Read full complaint

    TIRES PROVIDE EXTREMELY POOR TRACTION IN RAIN OR SNOW. AT THE RECOMMENDED PSI, THE TIRES SPIN WHEN ACCELERATING AND SKID WHEN STOPPING ON WET PAVEMENT AT ANYTHING OTHER THAN EXTREMELY SLOW SPEEDS. WITH ANY SNOWCOVER ON PAVEMENT, THE VEHICLE IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO PREVENT FROM SLIDING OR SKIDDING AT VIRTUALLY ANY SPEED. THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO USE THE VEHICLE AT ALL DURING THE WINTER WAS TO REDUCE THE AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRES DRAMATICALLY ... AND EVEN THEN I WAS TAKING MY LIFE IN MY HANDS EVERYTIME I DROVE ON EVEN LIGHTLY SNOW DUSTED PAVEMENT. I HAVE DRIVEN IN SNOW FOR 30 YEARS AND THESE ARE THE WORST TIRES I '*AK (TIRESIZE: P215/70R16)

    NHTSA ODI #760604

    Recall campaigns

    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 ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.

    Go deeper into Toyota RAV4 problems

    Toyota RAV4 transmission problems →Toyota RAV4 electrical problems →