Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Toyota RAV4 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while making a right or left turn, there was a loud popping sound coming from the steering wheel. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the popping noise was progressively louder while steering to make a turn. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering linkage needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 86,000.
While my son was driving me the vehicles steering wheel locked and he was unable to steer the vehicle. It caused us to go off the road down a steep hill and wreck. I've never had any problems with this vehicle so it was completely unexpected. If there had been anyone in our path we wouldn't of been able to stop from hitting them. It has not been inspected but there are witnesses to the accident
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 extremely difficult if not impossible to turn while the car is driving. In each incident, this resulted in stopping the car and putting on emergency lights until we can safely turn off the car and hopefully the issue goes away several minutes later. This issue has proven to be very dangerous when in traffic with no place to pull over and with the steering tightening up, it is not even possible to pull over in most cases. Four different mechanical shops tried to replicate the issue and none were able to determine the root cause nor replicate it consistently. This issue has been happening more frequently now and the car cannot be taken out safely. …
Clunking noise when turning steering wheel right or left. Numerous complaints from 006 RAV 4 owners. Fear that my steering will fail and cause an accident or Death. The issue is a defective intermediate steering shaft. Toyota will not issue a recall and will only repair if vehicle is still under warranty. How many complaints, accidents, or deaths will it take for this manufacturer to do the right thing???
My wife's 2006 RAV4 has a "clunking" noise in the steering that is worrisome to us. It has been present and getting worse for seven or eight years, now. I noticed the noise as being faint but didn't think much of it until my stepson asked me one day what the noise was. It occurs when driving the vehicle and turning the steering wheel. It got progressively louder and when I mentioned it to the Toyota dealer where we have the vehicle serviced they basically blew us off and implied that it was our faulty driving. I have seen other complaints about this same problem from other rav 4 owners but Toyota doesn't seem to want to fix this very dangerous problem. The fix will cost from 5 to 7 hundred dollars. …
To whom it May concern, while driving on highway today the car did not stall but all the dash lights came on and there was a complete loss of power steering. Luckily I was in the right Land and on a straight roads I glided to the shoulder and stopped. I could not start the car so I jumped started the car and proceeded to get off next exit and problem happened again!!!! I read about issues with the electronic steering on Toyota vehicles. I am checking the charging system and battery but want to find out if there is a recall. There were other people with this issue while searching the internet. I understand that batteries and alternators do go bad but loss of steering while moving could have resulted in a serious accident had I been in a curve in the road. I had previous cargo in the car too.....my 22 month old granddaughter!!! Please advise if this is a known problem. …
Tl* - the contact stated that his 2006 Toyota RAV4 accelerated while his foot was on the brake. The contact took the vehicle to dealer and the computer was replaced. On 12/27/06 the contact stated he was involved in an accident. While his foot was on the brake and he was stopped at a light, the vehicle lurched forward and struck the vehicle in front of him. The contact heard a loud noise before the incident. The failure mileage on the vehicle was 94000. The contact was able to drive the vehicle. There was damage to the front of the vehicle. The dealer told the contact that the front end damage will need to be repaired before they can diagnose errors in the computer. The contact has a police report and a repair invoice from the first incident. When making turns left or right the consumer indicated that the steering wheel felt hard. The dealer ordered a power steering computer. …
While sitting in slow 5-10mph traffic on the freeway, the power steering seized and the airbag dashboard warning light came on at the same time (for about 2-3 seconds at a time). A few miles later, other warning lights (vsc, slip, ABS, engine, battery) all illuminated on and off randomly. Took it to the mechanic to have it looked at. They replaced the battery, but the problem happened again about 12 hours later. The alternator is a year old and the battery, tires, alignment, and engine coils are all brand new. After half a dozen calls to the dealership, come to find out, the problem is the computer that controls the power steering... A problem which has been acknowledged and recalled for 2014-15 model year rav4s. This is a serious safety flaw, and it is insulting and negligent that Toyota is pretending this isn't a serious problem for other model years.
My 2006 Toyota RAV4 limited edition, I heard a clunking noise coming from the front steering column each time I turned the wheel right or left. The noise occurs only when you turn the steering and it is a clunking noise along with a vibration in the steering when you turn the wheel. This has been an ongoing problem and when I brought it up with the Toyota dealership the attendant said that it wasn't an issue. The problem isn't going away and the noise and clunky feeling when turning steering has been increasing. The problem started when the car was about 40K miles (out of warranty @ 36K). Few mechanics from other places looked at it and said it need to be fixed asap. I read blogs and noticed many of these vehicle have similar issues. I hope Toyota won't wait until an accident happen because of the problem.
While driving on a suburban nj road at around 30-40mph, the vehicle lost steering control out of the blue. The car veered into the left lane, I attempted to right the car and simultaneously hit the breaks. The ABS response kicked in, and the car veered drastically to the right, going off the road, across the sidewalk, and finally coming to a stop in the woods. The repair shop discovered that the cause of accident was a broken tie rod of the back right wheel, that had been broken for a while because the sleeve encasing had rusted over. The damage to the car totalled $10,000, and the shop would have totaled the car if the milage hadnt been so low.
Steering complaints in other RAV4 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2006 Toyota RAV4?
NHTSA has 230 complaints about the steering of the 2006 Toyota RAV4, 33% of the model year's 705 complaints. The component named most often is column (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Toyota RAV4 steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2006 Toyota RAV4, though it has 11 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2006 Toyota RAV4 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 42,000 miles, and 20% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.