Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 238 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Toyota RAV4, and it carries 3 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 35 | 15% |
| Service brakes | 30 | 13% |
| Unknown or other | 25 | 11% |
| Exterior lighting | 24 | 10% |
| Air bags | 15 | 6% |
| Structure | 12 | 5% |
| Engine | 9 | 4% |
| Power train | 8 | 3% |
| Visibility/wiper | 8 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 6 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
I was driving 9/3 and my left blinker light came on solid. I was not using my blinker. Within a few seconds my check engine light came on and another light. Then within 2 minutes the front left engine/tire caught fire.
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
"The red master warning triangle and an 'SRS Airbag System Malfunction' message illuminated unexpectedly on the dashboard of my 2016 Toyota Rav4 XLE under normal driving conditions. I contacted a certified Toyota dealer
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The repair shop I was able to pull into as I was experiencing the issue with my vehicle reported: "Battery is unstable and is arcing off of the positive terminal. Battery tray, battery hold down tie, and battery j hook h
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Intermittent stalling in various conditions including idling, highway driving and city driving.
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
I am filing a complaint regarding Toyota sending out letters to RAV4 owners reference factory paint peeling. The letter stated, “Customer Support Program Notification Paint Peeling (Vehicles Painted with factory-applied
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
Vehicle: 2016 Toyota RAV4 Color: Factory Super White / Blizzard Pearl (whichever applies) I am filing a complaint regarding a well-known latent manufacturing defect involving peeling factory paint on my 2016 Toyota RAV4
NHTSA complaint: Structure
I called for a jumpstart for my truck after it cut off while I was turning onto a parking lot I hit a bump and it just cut off. I had to turn the truck completely off then start it again, after it started I made it compl
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Air bags malfunction. There is a warning ️ pop up message on my dashboard that says, Air bags malfunction contact manufacturer dealer. This is clearly a safety issue and it should be part of a recall or a recall needs t
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2016 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 2016 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 30, 2015, to February 3, 2016, 2016 Lexus RX350 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2015, to February 8, 2016, and 2016 Lexus ES350 vehicles manufactured September 1, 2015,
Risk: Insufficient brake fluid pressure may cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 4, 2016, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service a
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Yaris, Rav4, Land Cruiser and 4Runner vehicles, and Scion FR-S, iM, and TC vehicles manufactured January 28, 2016, to March 14, 2016. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added
Risk: An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and provide them a corrected label to be installed over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on June 3, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-8
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles. Certain replacement 12-volt batteries may not fit properly in the battery tray, allowing the battery to move and contact the hold-down bracket, possibly causing a short circuit.
Risk: A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 27, 2024, to 2013-2014 RAV4 owners. Additional owne
| Reliability | 80 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 83 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 84 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 80 | excellent |
| Performance | 60 | average |
| Efficiency | 46 | below average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 238 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and electrical system is the most reported area with 35 of them (15%). There are 3 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 80/100 (excellent) 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 83/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2016 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 78/100. 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.