repaired · 2018 Q1
Suspension: rear
Risk. Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
2010 Toyota RAV4Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 400 owner complaints about the 2010 Toyota RAV4, most often about the suspension. It is covered by 14 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-396 the manufacturer reports only 24% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 28, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2010 Toyota RAV4 has problems
400 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
101Suspension4 crash/fire/injury
83Vehicle speed control26 crash/fire/injury
38Power train3 crash/fire/injury
28Air bags17 crash/fire/injury
21Engine
20Visibility/wiper
19Service brakes, hydraulic
18Seat belts
18Steering
11419 other systems19 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 101 | 4 |
| Vehicle speed control | 83 | 26 |
| Power train | 38 | 3 |
| Air bags | 28 | 17 |
| Engine | 21 | 1 |
| Visibility/wiper | 20 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 19 | 6 |
| Seat belts | 18 | 3 |
| Steering | 18 | 3 |
| 19 other systems | 114 | 19 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
14 recalls
2010 Toyota RAV4 recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2017 Q4
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
repaired · 2017 Q3
Seat belts: rear/other
Risk. A cut seat belt may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.
repaired · 2017 Q1
Visibility: power window devices and controls
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…
Show 10 more recalls
repaired · 2018 Q1
Visibility/wiper
Risk. Over time, the dripping water may cause corrosion and wear at the joint, potentially resulting in the separation of the wiper linkage.
repaired · 2016 Q2
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
no report yet
Suspension: rear
Risk. Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires.
no report yet
Frontal: sensor/control module-inactive
Risk. 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…
no report yet
Suspension: rear
Risk. Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
no report yet
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
Risk. A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR…
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
no report yet
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
Risk. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY BECOME HARD TO DEPRESS, SLOW TO RETURN TO IDLE, OR, IN THE WORST CASE, MECHANICALLY STUCK IN A PARTIALLY DEPRESSED POSITION,…
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Toyota.
Mileage at failure
When do suspension problems start?
50kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 48 suspension complaints. 85% were reported before 100,000 miles.
8under 30k miles41under 100k miles7100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2010 vs. every other RAV4 year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the RAV4 median. How we score
'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2010 Toyota RAV4 safety ratings
2010 Toyota RAV4 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 4 stars (17.4% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2010 Toyota RAV4, and the recalls they led to.
- Unintended and Uncontrolled AccelerationLed to recall 11V-112
In owners' words
What RAV4 owners report
Recent suspension complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V383000 (Suspension) in 2015. The contact stated that in 2015 while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low tire pressure warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to…
Engine oil is burning with out discharging from the engine. Can find no leak anywhere in the engine compartment. Constantly adding oil to the car as the oil indicator isn’t working either. The engine compression is spot on to manufacturers specifications. If the engine runs out of oil it could lead…
NHTSa CAMPAIGN ID 16v596000 AUG 12, 2016 Recalls supercedes 13V-383 vehicles inspected but did not have both arms replaced. Vehicles need to have both arms replaced. Recall done on vehicle (RAV4 2010) were COJ - 1/9/2013 Stevens Creek Toyota CSJ - 9/21/2014 Capitola Toyota Control Arm were not…
Own a 2010 RAV4?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.