Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 703 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Toyota RAV4, and it carries 11 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 183 | 26% |
| Engine | 84 | 12% |
| Suspension | 52 | 7% |
| Air bags | 51 | 7% |
| Vehicle speed control | 46 | 7% |
| Power train | 28 | 4% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 27 | 4% |
| Visibility | 18 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 14 | 2% |
| Structure | 14 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2006 Toyota Rav4. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 122,000, and at the
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
My 2006 Toyota RAV4 was supposedly repaired under the rear suspension arm recall (C0J / G0V), but the rear tie rod ends still have yellow stickers reading “this is a recalled part” and no epoxy on the bolts. A Toyota dea
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
For several months the 2006 Rav4 with only 118k miles had been experiencing intermittent failure of power steering while driving at speeds between 5-20mph. These failures resulted in the steering wheel to become extremel
NHTSA complaint: Steering
Rear subframe rusted out. I took it in because my car started sounding like the Titanic after it hit an iceberg. The mechanic described it as “a giant hole in the bottom of the car.” I read there were recalls on frames f
NHTSA complaint: Structure
The vehicle is owned and operated in Costa Rica. I submitted the vehicle for the 4 incomplete recall items associated with its VIN. I was told by Grupo Purdy Toyota of Costa Rica that Manufacturer Recall Number G0V NHTSA
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
I notified Toyota of an issue with my car a couple years ago. One day I came out to find my car missing big portions of paint (it had been a windy night); all of the paint in the attached photos came off in a single nigh
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
The contact owned a 2006 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard a scraping and shuddering sound at the hood of the vehicle. The contact then stated that another
NHTSA complaint: Firerelated
Two days ago my car was driving perfectly on the highway. The oil pressure light turned on I turned off the highway immediately and put more oil in the car. At this point my car is consuming over a quart every week and I
NHTSA complaint: Engine
NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for the 2006 Toyota RAV4. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
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 t
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
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
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
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 Vib
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
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
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, 2008-2010 Highlander, and 2009-2010 Tacoma, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and General Motors Pontiac Vibe vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the steering column assembly contains electrical connections to the driver's airbag module
Risk: If the FFC is damaged, connectivity to the driver's air bag module could be lost and the air bag deactivated. The failure of the driver's air bag to deploy in the event of a crash that typically nece
Fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota vehicle owners, and General Motors will notify the Pontiac Vibe owners. Toyota sent owners an interim notification letter in May 2014 to advise owners of the recall. To
| Reliability | 55 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 72 | good |
| Maintenance | 84 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 80 | excellent |
| Performance | 67 | good |
| Efficiency | 40 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 703 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and steering is the most reported area with 183 of them (26%). There are 11 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 55/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density, adjusted for how many were sold so a popular model is not penalised for having more owners.
AVOIR scores its longevity 72/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2006 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 68/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.