- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 3
- on record
- MPG
- 25
- combined
Open recalls on record
3 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2016 Toyota RAV4
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 3
- Owner complaints
- 234
- Complaints citing a crash
- 33
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
3 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
3 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 16V198000high
Brake system issue
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
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, to February 29, 2016. These vehicles are equipped with an ABS actuator that may have a damaged O-ring which could result in improper brake fluid pressure control during ABS, Traction Control, or Stability Control activation. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Consequence
Insufficient brake fluid pressure may cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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 at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0I, GLC.
- 16V236000high
Tire/wheel issue
TIRES
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 weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."
Consequence
An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET16A.
- 23V734000high
Battery sensor problem
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
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.
Consequence
A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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 owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, phase 2 will begin on May 14, 2025, and phase 3 in late July 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 23TB13 and 23TA13.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2016 Toyota RAV4.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 16.9%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- No
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2016 Toyota RAV4 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 5 comparable 2016 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 16.9% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2016 Toyota RAV4, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
23
City
29
Hwy
25
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,450
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 349 g/mi
How this compares
At 25 MPG combined, the 2016 Toyota RAV4 ranks 3rd of 5 small SUVs (2WD) EPA rated for 2016 — exactly the 25 MPG median for that group.
That places it a little below the middle of its class. If annual mileage is high, the running-cost gap against a class-average rival compounds quickly.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,450, within $0 of the $2,450 typical for the class — roughly $12,250 over five years.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 349 grams per mile — about 5.2 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
234 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 234
- Total
- 33
- Crashes
- 11
- Fires
- 27
- Injuries
Most reported components
- BRAKES42
- ELECTRICAL38
- OTHER36
- ENGINE31
- LIGHTING25
Notable Issues
234 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 27 reports involve injuries. 33 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2016 Toyota RAV4, newest first.
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation PE21005
Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events
- Recall
A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation PE21005
Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events
- Recall
An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
Insufficient brake fluid pressure may cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
23
City
29
Hwy
25
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,450
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation PE21005
Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events
- Recall
A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation PE21005
Battery Hold Down Bracket Thermal Events
- Recall
An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
Insufficient brake fluid pressure may cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.