IllustrationWHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 40MPH, REAR PASSENGER TIRE WITH OUT BLEW OUT. TOYOTA, TRANPATHS SIZE# 21570R16-99S DOT#- - - - - - - - - - - - - -DEALER NOTHING WE COULD DO. *AK
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.
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
140–25K
3425–50K
7550–75K
15475–100K
157100–150K
44150K+
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
What owners actually said
527 reports2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE LUGGAGE COVER HAS A RUBBER STOP ON EACH SIDE TO HOLD IT UP IN ORDER FOR THE HOOKS THAT ARE INSTALL ON THE BACK OF THE SEATS TO BE USED. IN COLD AND HOT WEATHER, THE RUBBER STOPS DO NOT HOLD THE COVER UP. IN APRIL 2002, THE COVER CAME DOWN AND HIT ME ON THE BRIDGE OF MY NOSE SO HARD THAT I WAS ALMOST KNOC…
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2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE LUGGAGE COVER HAS A RUBBER STOP ON EACH SIDE TO HOLD IT UP IN ORDER FOR THE HOOKS THAT ARE INSTALL ON THE BACK OF THE SEATS TO BE USED. IN COLD AND HOT WEATHER, THE RUBBER STOPS DO NOT HOLD THE COVER UP. IN APRIL 2002, THE COVER CAME DOWN AND HIT ME ON THE BRIDGE OF MY NOSE SO HARD THAT I WAS ALMOST KNOCKED OUT. IT WAS DARK AND FREEZING COLD. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED, ROBBER OR ATTACKED. IF I HAD A CHILD IN MY ARMS, I WOULD HAVE DROPPED IT. TOYOTA DEEMS THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE SHIELD. I AM PROOF THAT THERE IS AND ASKED THEM TO PLACE A RECALL ON IT BUT THEY REFUSE. *NLM
VEHICLE ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN.
WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE SURGED FOWARD DUE TO FUEL THROTTLE LEAKAGE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *JB
A "BAFFLE" IS INSTALLED INTO THE OIL FILLER CAP BEGINNING WITH THE 2002 TOYOTA'S. WHILE DRIVING THE "BAFFLE" BROKE CAUSING THE TIMING CHAIN AND CONSEQUENTLY THE ENGINE TO FAIL. TS
VEHICLE ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN WITHOUT PRESSING ACCELERATER. VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN TWO COLLISIONS BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB....*AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH, VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
CONSUMER WAS IN A ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY UPON CRASH.CONSUMER ALSO THAT SHE WAS GOING 35 MPHAT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. PH
DEFECTIVE TIRES, VEHICLE JACK EQUIPMENT. WHILE DRIVING ONE OF THE VEHICLE'S TIRE EXPLODED WHEN IT RAN OVER AN ORANGE IN THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT TIRE AND WOULD LIKE THE REMAINING 4 TIRES REPLACED. THE CONSUMER RETAINED THE TIRE FOR INSPECTION. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE THE BLOWN TIRE…
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DEFECTIVE TIRES, VEHICLE JACK EQUIPMENT. WHILE DRIVING ONE OF THE VEHICLE'S TIRE EXPLODED WHEN IT RAN OVER AN ORANGE IN THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT TIRE AND WOULD LIKE THE REMAINING 4 TIRES REPLACED. THE CONSUMER RETAINED THE TIRE FOR INSPECTION. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE THE BLOWN TIRE THE CONSUMER REALIZED THAT THE JACK WAS NOT DESIGNED PROPERLY TO REPLACE THE BLOWN TIRE. WITH THE JACK PROPERLY PLACED AND FULLY EXTENDED THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE TO REPLACE THE BLOWN TIRE. THE CONSUMER REQUEST THAT THE JACK BE REPLACED. *NM
THE DASHBOARD RATTLES WHEN DRIVING. TOOK TO DEALER AND THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE DASHBOARD ABOUT FOUR TIMES. THE DASH IS STILL RATTLING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.