2007 Toyota RAV4 Problems & Complaints

Avoid3.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the RAV4 at the same age

Owners have filed 1,004 complaints about the 2007 Toyota RAV4 with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That is 3.8× as many as a typical RAV4 model year at the same age, which makes the 2007 one of the RAV4 years to avoid. The most reported problem area is the steering (271 complaints, typically around 46,000 miles). 14 recalls cover this model year.

1,004complaints
14recalls
53crashes
37fires
41injuries
0deaths

Most common 2007 Toyota RAV4 problems

Share of the 1,004 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

Toyota RAV4 complaints by model year

’96’97’98’99’00’01’02’03’04’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’2547547762303095273151541417051.0k57532740028726025719730524030733388263538714916117690
Owner complaints per model year, Toyota RAV4. Colour = our verdict for that year (red: avoid, orange: caution, green: better than average, blue: too new).

Best RAV4 years: 2014. Years to avoid: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, 2025. Compare all years →

2007 Toyota RAV4 recalls (14)

Suspension › Rear

NHTSA recall 16V-596 · Aug 12, 2016 · 337,449 vehicles

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.

Remedy: 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.

Seats › Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler

NHTSA recall 16V-396 · Jun 2, 2016 · 7,749 vehicles

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010…

Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016.

Seat belts › Rear/other

NHTSA recall 16V-096 · Feb 19, 2016 · 1,123,752 vehicles

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.

Remedy: 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 1-800-331-4331.

Visibility › Power window devices and controls

NHTSA recall 15V-689 · Oct 22, 2015 · 1,814,284 vehicles

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 Vibe vehicles.

Remedy: 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.

Seats › Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler

NHTSA recall 14V-743 · Nov 19, 2014 · 3,233 vehicles

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner.

Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge.

Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module

NHTSA recall 14V-168 · Apr 9, 2014 · 1,486,413 vehicles

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 housed in a spiral cable…

Remedy: 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.

Show 8 more recalls

Suspension › Rear

NHTSA recall 13V-383 · Aug 28, 2013 · 780,584 vehicles

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2011 RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS250h passenger vehicles manufactured from October 2005 through September 2010. If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear suspension arm (rear tie rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust…

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tie rods and replace any that have rust or corrosion on the alignment adjustment threads.

Visibility › Power window devices and controls

NHTSA recall 12V-491 · Oct 10, 2012 · 2,519,424 vehicles

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 Camry, Camry Hybrid, RAV4, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Tundra, Sequoia, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Yaris, Scion xB, Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles.

Remedy: Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will inspect the switch and apply a special grease that inhibits heat build up or replace any switch damaged by the defect, free of charge.

Suspension › Rear

NHTSA recall 12V-373 · Aug 2, 2012 · 780,584 vehicles

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2011 RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS250h passenger vehicles manufactured from October 2005 through September 2010. If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear suspension arm (rear tie rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust,…

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear tie-rod nut for looseness and replace any suspect tie-rod found loose.

Air bags › Side/window

NHTSA recall 11V-245 · Apr 21, 2011 · 307,848 vehicles

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 highlander, highlander hybrid, and model year 2007-2008 rav4 vehicles. In the curtain shield airbag (csa) system, there are two sensors in the airbag sensor assembly which are designed to detect vehicle roll angle.

Remedy: Toyota will replace the airbag sensor assembly with a new one containing improved roll rate sensors, free of charge. Toyota intends to send an interim owner notification to owners early to mid-May, 2011 when sufficient…

Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal

NHTSA recall 11V-113 · Feb 24, 2011 · 1,363,244 vehicles

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2011 Lexus lx570, 2003 through 2009 Toyota 4runner, and 2006 through 2010 rav4 vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat.

Remedy: The remedy is now available. The safety recall began early April 2011. The remedy will involve modification or replacement of the accelerator pedal and replacement of any Toyota all-weather floor mat.

Equipment › Other › Labels

NHTSA recall 10V-035 · Feb 3, 2010 · 271,417 vehicles

Gulf states Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between September 1, 2005 and June 2, 2008 without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.

Remedy: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. Dealers will also correct the owner's manual.

Equipment › Other › Labels

NHTSA recall 10V-036 · Feb 3, 2010 · 153,418 vehicles

Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 passenger vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.

Remedy: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The safety recall began on May 27, 2010.

Equipment › Other › Labels

NHTSA recall 09V-223 · Jun 15, 2009 · 27,080 vehicles

Toyota is recalling 27,080 model year 2005 through 2010 passenger cars built from September 1, 2005 to May 4, 2009. These vehicles were not equipped with load carrying capacity modification labels which fails to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims."

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with a new, accurate label to be installed over the inaccurate label free of charge. The safety recall began on August 18, 2009. Owners May contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371.

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2007 Toyota RAV4:

Unintended and Uncontrolled Acceleration

NHTSA investigation RQ10003 · opened Feb 16, 2010 · closed Mar 1, 2011 · led to recall 11V-112

On February 16, 2010, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened RQ10-003 to determine whether the scope of prior Toyota recalls relating to potential unintended acceleration were sufficiently broad, including, among others, Toyota recalls 07E-082, 09V-388, 10V-017, and 10V-023.NHTSA also requested information regarding potential electronic causes of unintended acceleration in Toyota and Lexus vehicles.I.

Rear Suspension Arm Assembly Failure

NHTSA investigation PE12013 · opened Jun 4, 2012 · closed Sep 13, 2012 · led to recall 12V-373

In a letter dated August 1, 2012 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (Toyota) submitted a Defect Information Report (NHTSA Recall No. 12V-373) to the NHTSA identifying a safety defect regarding possible separation of the Rear Suspension Arm No.

Power Window Master Switch Fire

NHTSA investigation PE12002 · opened Feb 6, 2012 · closed Jun 14, 2012

ODI has identified certain Toyota vehicles experiencing a higher rate of fire and thermal event incidents among all Toyota vehicles that use the same power window master switch design.They include a total of approximately 1.4 million model year (MY) 2007 through 2009 Camry, Camry Hybrid, RAV4 and Yaris vehicles built from approximately September 2006 through August 2008, as well as all MY 2008 Highlander Hybrid…

Power Window Master Switch Fire

NHTSA investigation EA12006 · opened Jun 14, 2012 · closed Feb 12, 2013 · led to recall 12V-491

On October 10, 2012, Toyota initiated a safety recall of approximately 2.5 million U.S. vehicles involving the following models and model years:2007-2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Corolla and Corolla Matrix, 2008 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007-2009 RAV4, 2008-2009 Scion xB and xD, 2008-2009 Sequoia, 2007-2008 Tundra, 2007-2008 Yaris, and 2009 Pontiac Vibe.See NHTSA recall number 12V-491 for more details,…

What 2007 Toyota RAV4 owners say

Steering all 271 →

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.

223,000 miles · May 2025

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!!!

Oct 2022

Engine & cooling all 236 →

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of oil. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that a quart of oil each was added each week. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the charcoal canister needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

150,000 miles · Mar 2019

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Rav4. The contact noticed that his vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of oil upon inspection. The contact stated that he had to add two quarts of oil to the engine every five weeks. The contact went to a dealer where he purchased a PCV valve and a hose connection; the contact's neighbor performed the work on the vehicle. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

106,000 miles · Jan 2020

Suspension all 125 →

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the vehicle could not be aligned. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was previously taken to the local dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V596000 (Suspension). The vehicle was taken to a tire shop, and the contact was informed that the rear tie rods were welded, and an alignment was impossible. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 182,342.

182,000 miles · Sep 2025

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while installing new tires on the vehicle, the mechanic stated that the wheel bearings fractured and that both front axles were rusted. The vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics, and it was confirmed that the wheel bearings were fractured and that the front axles were rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted, and the contact left a message. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 179,000.

Front › Wheel bearing · 179,000 miles · Oct 2022

2007 Toyota RAV4 engines & fuel economy

EngineTransmissionDriveMPG city / hwy / combined
2.4L 4-cyl4-speed automaticFWD21 / 27 / 23
3.5L 6-cyl5-speed automaticFWD19 / 27 / 22
2.4L 4-cyl4-speed automatic4WD/AWD20 / 25 / 22
3.5L 6-cyl5-speed automatic4WD/AWD19 / 26 / 21

EPA ratings. Class: SUV.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2007 Toyota RAV4 a good car?

Based on 1,004 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2007 RAV4 rates avoid: 3.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the RAV4 at the same age. It is one of the RAV4 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.

What is the most common problem with the 2007 Toyota RAV4?

The steering — 271 complaints, 27% of all complaints for this model year, most often about linkages › tie rod assembly. Next are the engine & cooling (236) and suspension (125).

How many recalls does the 2007 Toyota RAV4 have?

There are 14 recalls for the 2007 Toyota RAV4, the most recent from August 12, 2016 (rear). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.

What are the best and worst years of the Toyota RAV4?

The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024 and 2025. See the full Toyota RAV4 years comparison.

At what mileage do 2007 Toyota RAV4 problems happen?

The median mileage reported in complaints is about 63,000 miles; 38% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.

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.