2007 Toyota RAV4 Steering Problems

UNKNOWN

NHTSA ID

11710612

Incident

Jan 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the steering wheel seized. The contact was able to regain control of the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 222,822.

NHTSA ID

11661161

Incident

May 15, 2025

Mileage

222,822 mi

while driving down the big bear mountain, the vehicle lost power steering i could not turn the wheel and hit the railing, thank god i didn't hit another car. The battery light was flashing steering locked up other dash lights came on. The mechanic could not give me any answers, Toyota says there is no recall on this and after reading other complaints about the 2007 Toyota RAV 4 i am shocked that the dealership has nothing to say and can not fix the problem, this is so dangerous and i am at a loss on how to fix the problem. who has to die for them to take this problem seriously!!!

NHTSA ID

11487914

Incident

Oct 4, 2022

AT 65270 MILES RAV4 FAILED STEERING INSPECTION WHICH IS MANDATED BY NC. PARTS REPLACED PASSED INSPECTION BUT SQUEALING CONTINUES GETS WORSE AFTER ABUT 15 MINUTES OF CITY DRIVING - METAL TO METAL CONTACT? 265 COMPLAINTS SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE OVERALL STEERING SYSTEM SQUEALING OCCURS AT IDLE WITH BRAKE DEPRESSED, RELEASE BRAKE TURN LEFT OR RIGHT SQUEALING STARTS UNTIL ENGINE SHUTDOWN. NO VIBRATIONS FELT STEERING WHEEL. SUNDAY IN CITY DRIVING - 15 MINUTES AFTER START UP.

NHTSA ID

11390835

Incident

Jan 27, 2021

Mileage

56,270 mi

OIL BURNING. MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL BURNING. A QUART EVERY 200 500 MILES ON AVERAGE.

NHTSA ID

11339848

Incident

May 10, 2017

Mileage

150,000 mi

KNOCK IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING AND HAVE PAID OVER $2,500.00 WITH THE PROBLEM NEVER GETTING FIXED BECAUSE EVERYONE THINKS IT IS SOMETHING ELSE AND THEY ARE ALWAYS WRONG.

NHTSA ID

11322740

Incident

Mar 3, 2020

Mileage

141,000 mi

FOR ENGINE, IT HAS EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. I NEED TO ADD 1 QTR OF OIL AFTER 1.5K MILES DRIVE. FOR STEERING, IT MAKES CRACKING SOUNDS WHEN HAVING TURN THE STEERING IN A SLOW MOTION DRIVE BACKING UP FROM GARAGE.

NHTSA ID

11319591

Incident

Jan 20, 2019

TOYOTA 2007 RAV4 STEERING MAKES A KLUNKING / POPPING NOISE WHILE DRIVING, WHEN TURNING EITHER DIRECTION, WHILE PULLING OUT OF DRIVING. NO SOUNDS ON FREEWAY. ISSUES SEEMS TO BE STEERING COLUMN.

NHTSA ID

11245523

Incident

May 1, 2019

Mileage

149,000 mi

DEFECTIVE STEERING ASSEMBLY, MAKES A CLUNKING SOUND WHEN TURNING SLOWLY. I FOUND MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND A SERIOUS ACCIDENT RESULTED WHEN THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF STEERING

NHTSA ID

11245106

Incident

Aug 17, 2019

Mileage

143,000 mi

I WAS TRAVELING DOWN ARROW HWY IN THE RAIN WHEN MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. I LOST POWER FROM BOTH MY ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY INTERMITTENTLY. I WAS COASTING DOWN TO AN APPROACHING INTERSECTION WHEN I MADE THE DESCISION TO TURN RIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION. THE STEERING WAS SO HARD THAT I NEARING HIT THE CENTER DIVIDE. MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE BARELY WORKING AND MANY OF MY DASH ICONS WERE COMING ON RANDOMLY. THROUGH IT ALL, MY ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN AND I MADE TO THE NEXT STREET THAT TURNED INTO CONDOS THAT HAD PARKING SPACES. I SHUT MY ENGINE OFF AND TRIED A RESTART. THE ENGINE,OF COURSE,DID NOT START. AFTER BEING HAULED TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALER THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS AN ALTERNATOR THAT SHORTED THE BATTERY. HAVING A LITTLE EXPERIENCE IN THIS ELECTRICAL AREA, I UNDERSTAND HOW THIS CAN HAPPEN BUT WITH PROPER DESIGN IT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. THE BATTERY WAS SAVED AFTER RECHARGING. HERE IS MY POINT; I DON'T WANT ANY ONE THAT I KNOW AND LOVE TO GO THROUGH WHAT I HAD TO. THOSE THAT DRIVE THIS CAR SHOULD BE MADE AWARE THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN WITH A CAR EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRICAL STEERING. THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN MORE SEVERE IF THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE STALLED; WHICH, BY THE WAY WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN A SHORT TIME.

NHTSA ID

11157206

Incident

Dec 6, 2018

Mileage

110,000 mi

MY 2007 RAV4 IS EXPERIENCING A CLUNKING SOUND IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS AND THE STEERING FEELS SUSPECT AT TIMES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. A ONLINE SEARCH, REVEALED THAT THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM FOR SOME TIME WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR. TOYOTA DIAGNOSES THIS AS A PROBLEM WITH THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING COLUMN.IS THE NHTSA AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND IS IT A SAFETY CONCERN?

NHTSA ID

11151291

Incident

Nov 1, 2018

STEERING WHEEL FEELS LIKE LOSE AND THERE IS A THUNDER NOISE COMING FROM RACK AND PINION ACCORDING TO MECHANIC, ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVES IN THE CITY OR OVER A HUMP.NO MATTER HOW SMALL IS, ALSO WHEN DRIVING AND MAKE RIGHT TURN

NHTSA ID

11130364

Incident

Jun 5, 2018

Mileage

1 mi

WHEN TURNING OR ACCELERATING, THERE ARE VIBRATIONS. TOYOTA DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT SHOUD BE REPLACED AND THE INTERMEDIATE LINKAGE RACK LEAKS. THE SOUND SYSTEM MAKES NOISE WHEN STOP OR DRIVING DOWNHILL OR UPHILL.

NHTSA ID

11034746

Incident

Oct 1, 2017

ONGOING AND VERY LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WHEN THE WHEEL IS TURNED AT LOW SPEEDS, AT TIMES THE NOISE CAN ALSO BE HEARD WHEN GOING STRAIGHT. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THIS RAV4 MODEL AND IT SEEMS TOYOTA HAS NOT TAKEN ANY STEPS TO REMEDY THIS. IT IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN, THE PROPER FUNCTION OF THE STEERING MECHANISM IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE SAFETY OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS AT ALL TIMES.

NHTSA ID

11023722

Incident

Sep 15, 2017

Mileage

80,000 mi

I RECEIVE LETTER BY MAIL, ABOUT TAKADA AIR BAGS, AND THANKS BECAUSE DEALERS,NEVER MENTION THAT PART,AND IS UNFAIR, SPECIAL WENT BUY A USED CAR,AND PAY MORE MONEY,,WELL RECEIVE A FEW MONTHS LATER A RECALL FOR COMPSUPTION MOTOR OIL, NEED TO BE DONE, AND TRIED 2 OR 3 TIMES,BUT THE ADVISOR AND TECH,ARE MERO WORRY ABOUT FIXED UNCOVER WARRANTY REPAIRS, BECAUSE TRANSMISSION GOES BAD,TOW 140 TO DEALER,AND MAKE ALL KIND OT TRICKS TO MAKE ME PAID,FINALLY THEY ADMIT TO FIXED BUT CHARGE ME $618.00 FOR ALIGNMENT THE 4 TIRES,REPLACE REAR SEAL, THE INTAKE FUEL SYS AND USE THE WORD, PER CUSTOMER REQUEST,CUSTOMER AUTHORIZED, BUT NEVER COMMENT OH IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW THE TECH RECOMMENDS,WARRANTY IS GOING TO AVOID,DECLINE THE REPAIR, AND GET SERVICE HISTORY AND FOUND THEY DID ALL THE WORK FOR THE CAR RECALLS TO,AND I'M THE ONLY OWNER,BUT BUY THE CAR IN 2015 WITH 80,000 MILES AND A LOT OF FALSE,IRREGULARITIES, SO WANT TO KNOW IF THIS CAR IS FOR THE LEMON LAW CASE MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILY TRAVEL TO MEXICO,ENSENADA, AND I'M WORRY,CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE,MY CAR DON'T WANT TRAVEL IN THE CAR,AND IS CORRECT,BUT I'M SCARE TO BE INVOLVE IN ACCIDENT,CAR NEED TO BE CHECK BUT BY A DEALER,A GOV TECH,OE A SERIOUS ORG. OK TM.

NHTSA ID

11020001

Incident

Aug 7, 2017

Mileage

105,550 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A METAL TO METAL GRINDING NOISE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN MIDDLE SHAFT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ID

10971956

Incident

Dec 6, 2011

Mileage

40,000 mi

AUDIBLE CLUNK SOUND IN THE STEERING WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DRIVER CAN ALSO FEEL A KNOCK THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. I AM WORRIED THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE FOR THIS MODEL AND YEAR (E.G., ABOUT 40 COMPLAINTS OF THIS KIND HAVE BEEN FILED FOR 2007 RAV4S ON CARCOMPLAINTS.COM). IT APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT; TOYOTA HAS FOR EXAMPLE ISSUED TSB 0318 08 TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO OUR TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, IT IS DUE TO A SHAFT TOLERANCE THAT IS TOO LOOSE; THE CLUNK SOUND WOULD ONLY BE AN ANNOYANCE, BUT NOT A SAFETY CONCERN. GIVEN THAT THE STEERING IS CRITICAL FOR CONTROL AND SAFE OPERATIONS OF THE CAR, I FEEL THAT ANY NOISE IN THE STEERING MIGHT INDICATE A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. WE BOUGHT THE CAR USED WITH 107874 MILES (FROM THE FIRST OWNER) ON 05/09/2014, AND NOTICED THE PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY DURING THE FIRST WEEKS OF USE. WE BELIEVE THE CONDITION HAD ALREADY EXISTED BEFORE WE PURCHASED THE CAR, BUT WE HAVE NO INFORMATION AT WHICH MILEAGE THE PREVIOUS OWNER STARTED TO NOTICE IT.

NHTSA ID

10954113

Incident

Jun 2, 2014

Mileage

108,250 mi

CONSTANT CLUNKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL

NHTSA ID

10949783

Incident

Feb 6, 2017

Mileage

100,000 mi

WHEN I BACK UP ON ANY KIND OF AN INCLINE, THE CAR JERKS AND THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES. IT FEELS LIKE I HAVE "HIT" SOMETHING IT JERKS SO BADLY. IF I LET OFF THE GAS PEDAL, IT STOPS THE JERKING BUT THE MINUTE I PRESS THE GAS PEDAL AGAIN, IT JERKS AGAIN AND MAKES A TERRIBLE NOISE. I CAN STILL BACK UP BUT IT FEELS LIKE THE UNDERSIDE OF MY CAR IS FALLING OUT. IT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE I PURCHASED IT USED 2 YEARS AGO. I KEPT THINKING IT WAS ME UNTIL I GOOGLED IT TODAY AND SAW SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I FEEL IT'S UNSAFE AND TOYOTA NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF IT. MY VEHICLE ALREADY QUALIFIED FOR THE OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE AND WAS REPAIRED EARLIER THIS YEAR. NEEDS TO BE A NATIONAL RECALL AND FIXED PROPERLY.

NHTSA ID

10920455

Incident

Nov 1, 2016

Mileage

141,000 mi

NHTSA RECALL NO 16V 596. ATTEMPTED TO HAVE RECALL COMPLETED AT WASHINGTON NC PECHELES TOYOTA. PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE AS OF 10 25 2016. WHAT IS THE HOLD UP? FAILURE OF RLSA WILL RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL- SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10918969

Incident

Oct 25, 2016

Mileage

51,607 mi

WHENEVER YOU MAKE A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THERE IS A CLUNKING NOISE. I HAVE CONTACTED SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS REGARDING THIS ISSUE FOR OVER 5 YEARS & YET THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BY A REMEDY. THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE FIXED BY TOYOTA. I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO MAKE THIS COMPLAINT. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE & FIX THE DANGEROUS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS ALL THE TIME WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION ON HIGHWAYS & CITY STREETS.

NHTSA ID

10888008

Incident

Jul 7, 2014

Mileage

45,000 mi

CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL ON VERY LOW SPEED OR ON CAR THAT IN NOT MOVING. IT WAS DISCOVERED DURING STATE INSPECTION [CAR WAS IN GARAGE AND WAS NOT MOVING]. CAR HAS JUST ABOVE 30,000 MILES, MOSTLY CITY DRIVING, REGULARLY, BUT SHORT DISTANCE COMMUTE.

NHTSA ID

10882833

Incident

Jul 2, 2016

I HEAR A CLUNK, POP OR KNOCK-TYPE NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS (TECH SERVICE BULLETIN ST001-08). TOYOTA REDESIGNED THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. HOWEVER, TOYOTA HAS NOT TAKEN THE STEPS TO ISSUE RECALL TO REPLACE THIS DEFECTIVE PART.

NHTSA ID

10882235

Incident

Jul 7, 2014

Mileage

98,000 mi

I HEAR A CLUNK, POP, OR KNOCK-TYPE NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. TOYOTA WAS ACUTELY AWARE OF THIS ISSUE (PLEASE SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ST001-08) AND HAD TO REDESIGN THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. UNFORTUNATELY, TOYOTA HAS NOT TAKEN THE STEPS TO RECALL ALL EFFECTED VEHICLES AND REPLACE THIS DEFECTIVE PART. I URGE THE NHTSA TO TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS TO FORCE TOYOTA TO ISSUE A RECALL AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS AS THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN WITNESSED IN A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE 06-07 TOYOTA RAV4 VEHICLES.

NHTSA ID

10874850

Incident

Feb 1, 2016

Mileage

66,000 mi

THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT IS MAKING CLUNK NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING AT LOW SPEEDS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I AM FEARED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AND THE STEERING IS DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ID

10872385

Incident

Jun 1, 2016

Mileage

65,000 mi