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2002 Toyota RAV4

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most RAV4 years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Toyota RAV4 are substantially higher than 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 →
527Owner 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

2002 Toyota RAV4

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 527 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: 376 reports
  • Electrical System: 92 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 41 reports
  • Vehicle Speed Control: 36 reports
  • Unknown Or Other: 23 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
    62
    1999    30
    2000    309
    2001    527
    2002    314
    2003    154
    2004    141
    2005
    Compare all RAV4 years →

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

    What owners reported most

    Power Train
    376    Electrical System
    92    Engine And Engine Cooling
    41    Vehicle Speed Control
    36    Unknown Or Other
    23
    All reported categories
    Air Bags
    22    Engine
    22    Electronic Stability Control (esc)
    16    Steering
    8    Latches/locks/linkages
    5    Structure
    5    Equipment
    4    Fuel System, Gasoline
    4    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    4    Suspension
    4    Tires
    3    Exterior Lighting
    2    Seat Belts
    2    Visibility
    2    Back Over Prevention
    1    Equipment Adaptive/mobility
    1    Fuel System, Other
    1    Fuel/propulsion System
    1    Interior Lighting
    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

    478 reports with mileage · 49 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 376 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Electrical System. Review the 92 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

    NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

    36 crash reports15 fire reports26 injury reports

    Visibility complaints

    2 reports
    Clear category filter
    88,000 miles · Aug 14, 2007
    Visibility

    DURING HEAVY RAIN STORM PASSENGER SIDE WIPER LINKAGE/MECHANISM BROKE. LUCKILY, THIS WAS WHILE THE BLADE WAS ON THE DOWN STROKE, OTHERWISE IT WOULD HAVE BROKEN OFF THE DRIVER'S SIDE BLADE. WAS TOLD ENTIRE MECHANISM HAD TO BE REPLACED, AT A COST OF ABOUT $450. *JB

    NHTSA ODI #10199594

    Mileage unknown · Aug 8, 2002
    Visibility

    BY ACCIDENT, I PUT MY DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW APPROX. 1/2 WAY DOWN . UNKNOWINGLY, I LEFT THE WINDOW DOWN. WHEN I REACHED AN APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 40MILES PER HOUR, A VERY SEVERE NOISE AND VIBRATION OCCURRED. IT WAS SO SEVERE, I PULLED OVER TO CHECK THE VEHICLE. I THOUGHT A TIRE HAD BLOWN. THE VIBRATION AND NOISE IS VERY INTENSE…

    Read full complaint

    BY ACCIDENT, I PUT MY DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW APPROX. 1/2 WAY DOWN . UNKNOWINGLY, I LEFT THE WINDOW DOWN. WHEN I REACHED AN APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 40MILES PER HOUR, A VERY SEVERE NOISE AND VIBRATION OCCURRED. IT WAS SO SEVERE, I PULLED OVER TO CHECK THE VEHICLE. I THOUGHT A TIRE HAD BLOWN. THE VIBRATION AND NOISE IS VERY INTENSE. ONCE THE WINDOW IS UP, THE NOISE AND VIBRATION STOPS. IF A COMBINATION FRONT/REAR WINDOW DOWN HAPPENS, IT IS NOT AS NOTICABLE. I CALLED TOYOTA, AND THEY SAID IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW. FLAW OR NO, IT IS HORRIBLE. IT COULD BE TRAGIC IF A DRIVER UNAWARE PULLS OVER QUICKLY BECAUSE THEY FEAR A TIRE IS GOING TO BLOW.AT THE MINIMUM, I FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD SEND OWNERS A LETTER DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM S THEY WILL NOT BE ALARMED. I WILL NOT PUT MY REAR WINDOWS DOWN, AND THAT IN ITSELF IS SAD TO SPEND 23 THOUSAND DOLLARS ON A NEW VEHICLE AND BE LIMITED IN THAT RESPECT. THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. LINDA JONES. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #765398

    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 →