Crowned as the first compact crossover SUV way back in 1994, the Toyota RAV4 has been having a steady run in the market. Facing the heat from its rivals every year, the RAV4 has a decent reliability department when compared with its impressive sales figure for the year. The 2012 RAV4 faced 245 official complaints to date along with 5 recalls as well. The recalls were issued by the brand pertaining to different issues including occupant sensor malfunction and faulty wiper motors. In the complaints section, the reports against the powertrain and powertrain-related problems are on the higher side closely followed by electrical system issues and airbag issues. In its class, the RAV4 competes with the Honda CR-V, the Nissan Rogue, and the Kia Sportage.
Toyota RAV4 user complaints and problems
Engine problems
- Sudden acceleration: Multiple cases regarding this issue have been reported against the 2012 Toyota RAV4. In the scenarios, the vehicles were either driven at a constant speed or at slow speeds while entering a parking spot or coming to a halt at a stop light. During the process, the owners experienced a sudden and uncontrollable acceleration from the vehicles and in a few cases, the accelerator pedals were stuck to the floorboard.
- Vehicle rolling away: While the owners of the affected vehicles exited them without putting the transmission into park mode, the vehicles rolled away. The owners further mentioned that there was no warning to alert them about the transmission position and the rolling away incidents caused some of the vehicles to crash or injure the owners while they tried to stop the vehicles.
Safety problems
- Brake failure: Some 2012 RAV4 SUVs faced brake failures while running. The owners reported that while driving, the brakes of their vehicles failed to engage despite pressing the brake pedals hard. In some cases, the brake pedals went all the way to the floor but the brakes failed to work.
- Non-deployment of airbags: During crashes, the airbags of the affected vehicles failed to deploy. As a result, the owners were injured. Some users even mentioned that despite having active recalls regarding the airbag issues they were unable to get their vehicles fixed from the dealerships.
2012 Toyota RAV4 recalls
|
S.No. |
Recall Date |
NHTSA Campaign ID |
Issues noticed |
Additional remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
January 16, 2013 |
13V014000 |
Occupant Sensing System Calibration |
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. |
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. |
|
2 |
April 9, 2013 |
13V123000 |
Inaccurate Load Carrying Capacity Labels |
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. |
Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additional remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. |
|
3 |
February 12, 2014 |
14V054000 |
Brake Actuator Assembly may Disable ESC and ABS |
If this occurs, these systems could become inoperative, reducing the directional control assistance, and increasing the risk of a crash. |
Toyota will notify owners, and Toyota and Lexus dealers will update the software for the Skid Control electronic control unit, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2014. |
|
4 |
September 18, 2015 |
15V577000 |
Windshield Wipers may become Inoperative |
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. |
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. |
|
5 |
February 19, 2016 |
16V096000 |
Seat Belt Webbing may be Cut by Seat Frame |
A cut seat belt may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash. |
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. |
Should you buy a used Toyota RAV4?
The Toyota RAV4 is a practical and competitively priced crossover that gets a lot of things right. Apart from offering a cavernous boot and a flat floor for easier cargo loading, the SUV also offers a comfortable ride over bad patches of roads and lively handling for a crossover. On the downsides, the vehicle suffers from a budget-like interior fit and finish, a weak base engine, and a tight headroom for taller drivers. On the part of reliability, the SUV has been a commendable one but the current model has had some issues with its powertrain and brakes. Hence, while going for a used RAV4, make sure to check the vehicle thoroughly for the aforementioned issues.
