1994 Toyota RAV4 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1994 Toyota RAV4, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Airbags250.0%
- Engine125.0%
- Fuel system125.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V033000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT COLLISION WITH A DEER. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ALSO, NO AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT APPEARED PRIOR TO THE CRASH. DRIVER WAS WEARING SEAT BELT. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS DEALER REPLACED VALVES AND CONSUMER DRIVES VEHICLE WITH THE OVERDRIVE ON. THIS SEEMED TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM STALLING. *TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
AS I WAS DRIVING HOME (APPROX. 30 MILE DRIVE), I WAS HEARING SOMETHING THAT WAS THUMPING, THINKING IT WAS JUST MY SEAT BELT HANGING OUT THE DOOR. I TRIED THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT AND IT WAS TIGHT, SO I ASSUMED IT WAS JUST MY SEAT BELT HANGING OUT THE DOOR. AFTER ARRIVING HOME, I NOTICED THE SEAT BELT WAS NOT HANGING OUTSIDE THE DOOR. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR TO FIND A "L-SHAPED" BAR HANGING OFF THE CAR. IT WAS THE BAR THAT HELD THE GAS TANK. I NEVER EXPECTED SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT TO A CAR WOULD HAVE LET GO. ALL ALONG I AM THINKING IS IT STILL SAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC BECAUSE THERE MUST BE A SECOND BAR HOLDING THE TANK UP. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC, THERE IS NOT. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME I WAS A VERY LUCKY GIRL AS THE METAL BAR WAS THE ONLY BAR HOLDING THE TANK UP. THERE SHOULD BE A ADDITIONAL BARS INSTALLED TO GIVE EXTRA PROTECTION IF ONE SHOULD FALL OFF OR BECOME LOOSE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .