KnownCarProblems2010 Toyota RAV4 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 400 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Toyota RAV4, most often about the suspension (25% of complaints, typically around 51,000 miles). It is 7th of 26 RAV4 model years by number of complaints and has 14 recalls.
Most common 2010 Toyota RAV4 problems
Suspension
101 complaints · 25%Half of these problems showed up before 51,000 miles. Parts named most often: front, rear.
After a recall repair on the rear adjustment arms the adjustment of wheel alignment is prevented by epoxy resin applied to prevent rust. If the wheels are not properly aligned at time of repair or even if the alignment somehow changes there is no way to readjust the alignment.I experienced this and ruined my two rear…
There is a 3rd recall as of september 2016 for arm suspension arms to be replaced but 3 different dealerships do not have the parts to replace them. Problem needs to be corrected.
Speed control
83 complaints · 21%Half of these problems showed up before 7,500 miles. Parts named most often: accelerator pedal, cruise control.
Tl contact owns a 2010 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while waiting at a traffic light with his foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The contact pressed the brake pedal harder to keep control of the vehicle. This failure occurred after the repair for recall 10v017000 (vehicle speed control…
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated he was struck in the passenger side by another vehicle going 30 MPH. The side curtain air bags deployed but not the frontal air bags. After the contact was struck, the vehicle began to abnormally accelerate. The contact was unable to stop the vehicle despite his…
Transmission
38 complaints · 10%Half of these problems showed up before 30,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission, driveline.
We were pulling out of a paralllel parking spot on a residential street very slowly. Then suddenly the car unintendedly accelerated very fast and hit another parked car on the other side of the street. It seemed like the car took control on its own as we were pulling out very slowly.
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that the vehicle would start after several attempts. The contact stated that the failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the rear differential mount needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.…
Other or unspecified
37 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 49,500 miles.
I was coasting up to a red light at an intersection. I was going approximately 10 MPH when I applied the brakes. When I applied the brakes I heard the engine roar and I was propelled into the intersection. I continued to apply the brakes but the car was not stopping. I shifted into neutral and the car stopped. Three…
A/c stopped working and the dealer said the compressor need to be replaced. For a less than 5 year car to have a failed compressor is strange. When we are talking, they mentioned this is a known problem for Toyota with this model. When I asked about possible of recall, they said they don't think there will be a recall…
Brakes
33 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 26,000 miles. Parts named most often: pedals and linkages, foundation components, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip.
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle continued to accelerate. The vehicle crashed into the rear end of another vehicle. There was no personal injury. A police report was not filed of the incident. The vehicle was able…
I had been driving app. 10 minutes in snow covered road conditions when I was approaching an intersection with traffic stopped for a red light. As I applied the brake to ease into a stop, the vehicle accelerated uncontrollably. I was in the center lane with stopped vehicles in front of me. I had to exert hard force on…
Engine
31 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 60,000 miles. Parts named most often: cooling system.
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that the vehicle consumed too much oil and was taken every six months to be serviced at ira Toyota of danvers (99 andover st, danvers, ma 01923, ([phone]). The contact was never informed that there was an issue with the oil. The vehicle was not diagnosed or…
After completing a 5 block downhill drive in second gear with little use of either the accelerator or the brake, I then braked as I turned into my garage in order to park my vehicle. As I entered my garage and while still braking and at slowing speed the vehicle's engine suddenly accelerated and the vehicle lurched…
Air bags
28 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 56,000 miles. Parts named most often: frontal.
Wind shield wipers dont work, and my passengers seatbelt light turns on and off when no one is seating in ' the seat.the car has "turned off while driving. Took it to the mechanic they changed the oil.
While driving down the state highway scrt 31 at the posted speed limit, the driver side curtain air bag deployed. There was no collision or any other factor that would have caused this depoloyment. The deployment of the bag caused ringing in the driver's ear and potential ear drum damage. Doctor's exam is scheduled.…
Visibility and wipers
24 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 75,000 miles. Parts named most often: sun/moon roof assembly, rear window wiper/washer, power window devices and controls.
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota RAV4. While driving 30 MPH, the driver's side sun visor fell down into the driver's line of sight. The vehicle was taken to muller Toyota (2019 nj-31, clinton, nj 08809, ([phone]) where the contact was advised that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The dealer stated that the sun…
Moonroof spontaneously exploded while sitting parked in driveway. Hole protruded outward which indicates build up of pressure and heat came from within the vehicle and not outside from foreign object. Engineers on abc also conclude the glass is defective and inferior to handle the pressure. This is a manufacturer…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2010 Toyota RAV4 recalls
Suspension: rear
Risk: Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners and dealers will replace both rear suspension arms and encapsulate the locknuts, free of charge. The recall began on september 30, 2016. Owners may contact toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are g0v for toyota vehicles and glk for lexus vehicles. Note: this recall supersedes recall 13v-383, in which some vehicles were only inspected, sealed, and did not have both arms replaced. The affected vehicles were previously recalled under 13v-383, but did not have both rear suspension arms replaced at that time. Those vehicles need to h
Full defect summary
Toyota motor engineering & manufacturing (toyota) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 toyota rav4 vehicles manufactured october 31, 2005, to september 7, 2010, and 2010 lexus hs250h vehicles manufactured july 6, 2009, to august 26, 2010. The affected vehicles have rear suspension arms (rear tie rods) with adjusting lock nuts that may have been improperly tightened after servicing. As a result of being loose, the arm may have thread damage and may rust, possibly leading to the failure of the arm and an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment.
Seats: seat heater/cooler
Risk: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Set will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on july 14, 2016. Owners may contact set customer service at 1-866-405-4226. Set number for this recall is set16b.
Full defect summary
Southeast toyota distributors, llc (set) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4runner, highlander, sequoia, and sienna, 2005-2010 avalon and tundra, 2006-2008 camry solara, 2006-2010 highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 rav4 and tacoma, 2007-2010 fj cruiser, 2007-2011 camry hybrid, 2009-2010 venza, 2010-2012 prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.
Seat belts: rear/other
Risk: A cut seat belt may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a protector over both rear seat cushion frames, free of charge. The recall began on june 24, 2016. Owners may contact toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is g0f.
Full defect summary
Toyota motor engineering & manufacturing (toyota) is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 rav4 vehicles manufactured july 28, 2005, to december 19, 2012, and 2012-2014 rav4 EV vehicles manufactured july 24, 2012, to august 29, 2014. In the event of a frontal collision, the rear seat belts for the outboard seats may be cut by the seat cushion frame.
Visibility and wipers: power window devices and controls
Risk: If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the pwms circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin december 20, 2015. Owners may contact toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is c0m.
Full defect summary
Toyota motor company (toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 tundra, sequoia, corolla, corolla matrix and scion xb, 2008-2011 highlander and highlander hybrid, 2007 camry and camry hybrid, 2009 camry and camry hybrid, 2006-2011 rav4, 2006-2010 yaris, and 2009-2010 scion xd and pontiac vibe vehicles. During the manufacturing of the power window master switch (pwms), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.
Visibility and wipers: visibility/wiper
Risk: Over time, the dripping water may cause corrosion and wear at the joint, potentially resulting in the separation of the wiper linkage. Once this occurs, the wipers would not function, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water diverter channel. In addition, a new wiper linkage with a wiper motor crank arm will be installed. The wiper linkage will have a protective cover over the wiper linkage joint to minimize water splash and a retainer ring to prevent the wiper arm from separating from the wiper motor. The recall began on november 7, 2016. Owners may contact toyota's customer service number at 1-800-331-4331.
Full defect summary
Toyota motor engineering & manufacturing (toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 rav4 vehicles manufactured october 27, 2008, to december 19, 2012 and 2012-2014 rav4 EV vehicles manufactured july 24, 2012, to august 29, 2014. In the affected vehicles, water may drip onto the joint that connects the wiper linkage to the wiper motor.
Seats: seat heater/cooler
Risk: Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
Fix: Set will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in january 2015. Owners may contact set customer service at 1-866-405-4226.
Full defect summary
Southeast toyota distributors, llc (set) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 prius and corolla, 2009-2011 venza, 2006-2010 avalon, 2007-2010 fj cruiser, 2005-2011 sienna and sequoia, 2006-2011 tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, camry, highlander, tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 rav4 and 4runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.
Suspension: rear
Risk: Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tie rods and replace any that have rust or corrosion on the alignment adjustment threads. All of the rear tie rods will then be encased in an epoxy to prevent future environmental damage. Due to limitations in parts, the recall remedy will be launched in phases from september 2013 through mid-april 2014. All owners will receive notification of the recall, with most receiving second notifications when parts are available in their area. Important: this recall supersedes toyota and lexus recall 12v-373. All vehicles that have been inspected
Full defect summary
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2011 rav4 and 2010 lexus hs250h passenger vehicles manufactured from october 2005 through september 2010. If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear suspension arm (rear tie rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust leading to thread damage and eventual failure. Failure of the rear tie rod will cause an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment.
Equipment: labels
Risk: An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
Fix: Southeast toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on may 28, 2013. Owners may contact southeast toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Full defect summary
Southeast toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 toyota tundra, 2010-2012 rav4, 2012 toyota sequoia, 2010-2011 toyota corolla, 2010-2011 toyota camry and camry hybrid, 2010-2013 toyota highlander and highlander hybrid, 2010-2013 toyota fj cruiser, 2011 toyota land cruiser, 2010-2013 toyota venza, 2010-2011 toyota 4runner, 2010-2013 toyota tacoma, 2011-2012 toyota sienna, 2012 toyota prius, 2013 scion fr-s, 2011 scion xd, 2011 scion xb, and 2012 scion tc vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 110, "tire selection and rims."
Seats
Risk: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Fix: Southeast toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on march 21, 2013. Owners may contact southeast toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Full defect summary
Southeast toyota distributors, llc (set) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 tacoma, 4runner, camry, camry hybrid, prius, and rav4; model year 2009-2010 avalon, fj cruiser, and highlander hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year corolla, sienna and tundra; model year 2009-2013 highlander and venza; model year 2012 prius v; and model year 2010-2012 sequoia. During modification by set to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest dvd systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
Suspension: rear
Risk: Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear tie-rod nut for looseness and replace any suspect tie-rod found loose. Dealers will also affix instructions in multiple places to prevent improper servicing in the future. The recall began on november 30, 2012. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
Full defect summary
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2011 rav4 and 2010 lexus hs250h passenger vehicles manufactured from october 2005 through september 2010. If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear suspension arm (rear tie rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust, leading to thread damage and eventual failure. Failure of the rear tie rod will cause an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment.
Speed control: accelerator pedal
Risk: A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.
Fix: The remedy is now available. The safety recall began early april 2011. The remedy will involve modification or replacement of the accelerator pedal and replacement of any toyota all-weather floor mat. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
Full defect summary
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2011 lexus lx570, 2003 through 2009 toyota 4runner, and 2006 through 2010 rav4 vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat.
Equipment: labels
Risk: This does not meet the standard requirements.
Fix: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. Dealers will also correct the owner's manual. The safety recall began on may 27, 2010. Owners may contact gulf states toyota at 713-580-3300.
Full defect summary
Gulf states toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between september 1, 2005 and june 2, 2008 without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Equipment: labels
Risk: A driver may overload a vehicle which may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The safety recall began on may 27, 2010. Owners may contact southeast toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Full defect summary
Southeast toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 passenger vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Speed control: accelerator pedal
Risk: The accelerator pedal may become hard to depress, slow to return to idle, or, in the worst case, mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a reinforcement bar in the accelerator pedal which will allow the pedal to operate smoothly. Gm will notify owners for the pontiac vibe please see 10v-018. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on february 5, 2010 and will be completed on march 15, 2010. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Full defect summary
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 avalon, model year 2007-2010 camry, model year 2009-2010 corolla, corolla matrix, rav4, model year 2010 highlander, model year 2008-2010 sequoia, and model year 2007-2010 tundra vehicles. Due to the manner in which the friction lever interacts with the sliding surface of the accelerator pedal inside the pedal sensor assembly, the sliding surface of the lever may become smooth during vehicle operation. In this condition, if condensation occurs on the surface, as may occur from heater operation (without A/C) when the pedal assembly is cold, the friction when the accelerator pedal is operated may increase, which may result in the accelerator pedal becoming harder to depress, slower to return, or, in the worst case, mechanically stuck in a partially depressed position.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Unintended and uncontrolled acceleration
Summary
On february 16, 2010, NHTSA's office of defects investigation (odi) opened rq10-003 to determine whether the scope of prior toyota recalls relating to potential unintended acceleration were sufficiently broad, including, among others, toyota recalls 07e-082, 09v-388, 10v-017, and 10v-023.NHTSA also requested information regarding potential electronic causes of unintended acceleration in toyota and lexus vehicles.I. Pedal interference from floor mats, carpet covers and plastic pads in carpets.during the rq10-003 investigation, odi reviewed a large volume of documents to assess whether additional vehicles should be recalled.following the agency's analysis, NHTSA requested that toyota recall ad
Questions about the 2010 Toyota RAV4
- What are the most common problems with the 2010 Toyota RAV4?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: suspension (101 complaints, typically around 51,000 miles); speed control (83 complaints, typically around 7,500 miles); transmission (38 complaints, typically around 30,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2010 Toyota RAV4 have?
- 14 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from August 12, 2016 (suspension). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2010 a bad year for the Toyota RAV4?
- It is 7th of 26 RAV4 model years by number of complaints, with 400 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.