10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 5
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
59,365 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2007 Toyota RAV4 miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2007 Toyota RAV4 Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #35

Oct 042022

RAV4

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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!!!

- Big Bear Lake , CA, USA

problem #34

May 282022

RAV4

  • miles
I noticed the steering wheel was becoming stiff and I resolved to immediately bring the car to the shop given that the mechanic was less than a mile away. The dashboard showed no sensors were off, but I figured it was best to double check. We were fortunately driving on local streets when we smelled smoke. I pulled over, checked the dashboard again to see that the battery light and the airbag light had turned on and off. No other sensor went off. I turned off the engine and turned on the hazards. Although the temperature gauge on the dashboard was normal,  I figured that the car was overheating, which would be a first. I retrieved my son from the car, and thought it would be best to call a tow truck. When connecting with AAA, the smoke coming from the car started to grow and I hung up to call the fire department. As I held my son,  a brave samaritan tried to help open the hood to extinguish the growing flame. The smoke was overwhelming, a crowd gathered to record the occurrence while I was fortunately able to shield my toddler in an apartment lobby. The fire could not be distinguished until the fire truck arrived. We had taken the car for a roadtrip in April, prior to which we got a check-up, we ensure that we pass our annual registration even though we're no longer paying for extended warranty, which we had til a few years ago.  I'm writing because I'm concerned given how quickly these circumstances had escalated. The fact that we didn't even have time to make it to a local auto shop, nevertheless, the service center,  or that no sensors or alerts went off prior to this, is truly shocking. Had we been on the highway, the situation would've been worse, where it would've taken longer for the fire department to arrive and the fire would've reached the gas tank, harming many other people.

- Sunnyside, NY, USA

problem #33

Mar 222021

RAV4

  • 129,000 miles
I bought the car 3 months ago from price auto. The tires wee fine at that point although after about 30 days I noticed the driver rear tiire was wearing a lot and the passenger rear was wearing also so I decided to buy new tires 4 of them from tire warehouse. When doing so I asked for an alignment thats when I found out that there was a recall on my vehicle and it was with the alignment. The rear alignment has to E sealed shut after initial adjustment or it could come loose and a bad accident could happen. I immedietly made grappone Toyota in concod nh aware of this and they scheduled me to come in so they could take pics and send a report to headquarters to see if they would cover the costs since it was a recall. I spoke with a scott at Toyota.. also at this point its almost 30 days since I ought the 4 new tires and as of yesterday 3/27 the driver back rear tire had to be replaced due to the fact it was down to the metal. All Toyota will do is pay for the parts which is $251. They want me to pay for the labor and the alignment and that comes to $484. So theyve admitted fault by offering to pay for any of it. I just believe they should be liable for all of it. I mean I already paid tire warehouse for an alignment but they cant touch it because of the recall only Toyota can and that is for the life of the vehicle thats not right. If the vehicle has a recall and you can only bandaid the problem then the recall isnt fixed and the car is unsafe.. I mean and what about the tires I have already gone through whos paying for those?

- Penacook, NH, USA

problem #32

Mar 312020

RAV4

  • 160,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My car is making the "growling" noise described in Toyota's warranty enhancement and Toyota will not honor the warranty enhancement. Because of the defect the car shakes at speeds more than 40 mph, sounds like it has a flat even though it doesn't (louder when making turns and switching lanes), and makes a banging noise in the rear (sounds like a car door slamming) when driving. Visor on driver's side will not stay up--falls and obstructs view while driving.

- Swampscott, MA, USA

problem #31

Jan 132020

RAV4

  • miles
The seller of the 2007 Toyota Rav4 V6 tried to sell it to me with 98,303 miles & I had a car sales appraiser run the VIN# on this vehicle which turned out to be roll-back miles. The last reported miles showing on carfax is 182,058 P.S. - the address & phone# listed on the complaint form is the seller/scammer information whom goes by the name "moises" from the offerup app that tried to sell me the 2007 Toyota Rav4 w/roll-back mileage.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

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problem #30

Oct 152019

RAV4

  • miles
Toyota has been claiming I have no open recalls and I learn I have two. They can not locate my VIN to remedy my issues... since I've own the vehicle in three states, and again now here in Wisconsin. My vehicle body is literally falling apart (on its own!) and I can't repair it or get recalls rectified. It's a 2007 with under 70K mikes! I paid for an extended warranty and they did nothing but oil changes which I paid for.

- New Berlin, WI, USA

problem #29

May 312019

RAV4

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Power switch control on door panel was on smoke and melted. It was intoxicating and scary. Why dd it happen" very dangerous. Is there a recall for this " I was driving when it happened.

- San Lorenzo, PR, USA

problem #28

Oct 012018

RAV4

  • 105,000 miles
The LH sunvisor does not stay up. It continues to flip down midway blocking the driving view and at a position to hit the forehead if a jerk is there. I believe this issue has been been reported by multiple Rav4 owners with no known action from Toyota

- Aurora, IL, USA

problem #27

Apr 102017

RAV4

  • 0 miles
'tamara recall.' May 31,2016 center muffler was very loud, had rust perforation afraid of carbon monoxide coming in replaced asvany motorist would do with a after market part all I could afford. 2017 Toyota sends a recall for same for 'cold climate states' but sent same recall in Canada 2013. They should still be libel to replace my muffler as they knew about the problem and waited four years later to put this recall out in the United States,

- Windsor, CT, USA

problem #26

Nov 082018

RAV4

  • 173,000 miles
I have owned a 2007 Toyota rav 4 for 10 years. I was leaving a Delaware, Ohio, hospital parking lot, backing out slowly, my foot on the brake, while turning the wheel to the left. Suddenly the engine roared and I shot backward, smashing into the car parked behind where my car had been. The car I hit was somewhat damaged in the rear driver's side fender. The impact shoved it out of its space and almost into a small truck to the right. My car's rear windshield shattered and the right back bumper and side were crumpled. This was the second time this happened to me. The first time, I again was backing from a tight spot, this time turning the wheel to the right, when the engine roared and the car lurched backward. That time, I hit nothing. It happened another time when my husband was backing, again from a tight spot while turning the wheel. Back at the hospital lot. I informed the front desk employee, who informed the ohiohealth hospital police. Two officers reported, took my information and began searching for the other car's owner. I also called the city police; an officer came but left after conferring with ohiohealth's police. I then took the car directly to my local insurance agent, who connected me with a claims adjuster. At first I theorized that my foot on the brake must have pivoted slightly as I turned in my seat to ensure I could back safely. My foot must have pressed the gas pedal. Pressed with considerable power, given the car's backward leap. Nov. 8 I tested this theory on my driveway, and saw immediately it was impossible. I would have had to lift my foot from the brake deliberately to press the gas firmly. This car's regular maintenance has been done at the local Toyota dealer. My car was not among those recalled for sudden acceleration problems, but I believe it should have been. The car is registered in my husband's name, (xxxxx). Parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Delaware, OH, USA

problem #25

Mar 152016

RAV4

  • 90,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Limited edition Rav4: Driver side sun visor drops/will not stay up (flush with ceiling), limits visibility, and if lean forward, hit head on visor - design flaw, safety issue. Going over bumps, it falls further. Drooping visor for approx 2 or more years, now. Toyota only quotes full price ($240-300) to replace it, at my expense. Usage time with visor is less in first years with vehicle, but accumulation over years, then it's out of warranty timeframe. Trying to pin it up with velcro or anything does not work.

- Arlington, VA, USA

problem #24

Aug 102018

RAV4

  • 143,300 miles
After taking my 2007 Rav4 to the checkered flag dealership, from whom I purchased my vehicle, I was told my vehicle had an excessive oil consumption problem. My vehicle was then scheduled for free repairs. I was told this would take 3 days and be provided with a free rental vehicle. Now I am told Toyota will not fix for free, but I am responsible. Toyota addressed this customer complaint of excessive engine oil consumption in 2014. Because of this problem, Toyota extended the warranty coverage for ten years from date of purchase or 150,000 miles. Unfortunately for me, my vehicle did not show signs of this excessive oil consumption until now. Even though my vehicle falls within the mileage requirement, it does not fall within the date requirement. I don't think it is fair for me to pay $4,000 to repair my vehicle when Toyota has been aware of this since 2014. Every since date of purchase I have had all my oil changes done at checkered flag. It could have been repaired as preventive maintenance to avoid this excessive consumption in the future. I feel Toyota is being unreasonable and irresponsible in taking care of their problem which has now fallen on me. So now I must come up with $4,000 I don't have or find another form of transportation.

- Newport News, VA, USA

problem #23

Aug 262017

RAV4

  • 171,000 miles
2007 Toyota Rav4, on sat August 26th we were driving from madison wi to milwaukee wi on I94. Just shortly before we reached johnson creek the car made a strange noise and then the noise went away. As we were driving past johnson creek the engine made a pop sound and I lost power and I coasted to a stop along the side of the freeway. I noticed smoke or steam coming from the engine compartment, I opened the hood and there was a fire in the engine compartment. I removed some items in the car and my wife called 911. By the time the johnson creek fire department arrived the rav 4 was completely engulfed in fire. The car was a complete loss

- Whitefish Bay, WI, USA

problem #22

Jan 022017

RAV4

  • miles
I got a recall notice several months ago. I called the dealership and Toyota every month to schedule the recall service, but they always say that they are waiting for parts (lower extension arm). This is an emergency safety recall, yet the service can't be done for at least 4 months. A lot of things could happen in this period of time. I have to drive it and I am very much concerned. This is totally unacceptable. Please help me to resolve this problem. Many thanks.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #21

Feb 132017

RAV4

  • 130,000 miles
Driver's side visor will not stay up. It also will not stay in place when pushed forward towards the windshield. The visor had been slowly dropping within 5 months. It is now at a 45 degree angle from the headliner and it is in my direct line of sight while driving. It is distracting while driving and obstructs my view which is a safety hazard. Why has this issue not been addressed? from the Toyota owner's forums that I have been reading, this is also been a problem with other years and models due to the ridiculously heavy visors.

- El Sobrante, CA, USA

problem #20

Jun 012015

RAV4

  • 115,000 miles
The driver side visor has begun to droop when placed in the up (touching the roof) position or in the down (blocking the sun). I noticed this in June 2015 and has significantly gotten worse. There was no one incident that caused the visor to fall and this seems to be more than just a normal wear and tear issue. There is no way to manually tighten the visor and it now falls down whenever I brake, turn or stop the vehicle. I have been hit in the head when leaning forward to look in my blind spot when merging and high speeds and the visor falling scared me. Toyota knows that this is an design flaw with 2006-12 Rav4S, as per the dealerships I spoke with and with customer care. Because the vehicle is out of warranty, they will not replace the part. I have contacted Toyota and they stated the only way they will do a recall is if enough customers complain to nhsta about the problem. This is a safety issue and defective visors should be replaced by Toyota.

- Makawao, HI, USA

problem #19

Jul 302015

RAV4 4-cyl

  • 62,808 miles
Engine is consuming 1 qt. Of oil every 1000 miles. John elway Toyota Ontario, ca. Performed oil consumption test. My vehicle failed the test. I called Toyota corporate at 18003314331 per [xxx]. I was given case # [xxx]. I was told that there are no parts available to fix the issue. I was told to drive to john elway Toyota dealership every 1000 moles to add 1 qt. Of oil to the engine. I have done this twice. Now I need to have the vehicle smog checked this month. My concern is that since the car is consuming 1 qt. Of oil. It will fail the smog test required by the state of California and will be tagged as a "gross polluter". then the state requires that I repair the car. By doing the repairs it would interfere with the recall and void the repairs that john elway Toyota and Toyota corporate has said has stated that are required to fix the high oil consumption cause by defective engine parts and the recall Toyota issued. If I don't have the car smog tested the state wont issue license plate tags and registration as required by law. Please reply with instruction as to what I should do. Thank you, [xxx]. information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #18

May 012015

RAV4

  • 75,000 miles
Driver's side visor hangs loosely down in front of driver. Have had two close calls with staying on road while trying to deal with defective driver's side visor.

- Missoula, MT, USA

problem #17

Jun 032013

RAV4

  • 90,000 miles
The driver side sun visor continuously falls down blocking the drivers view out the front window. O one instance aas I was driving at 60 plus miles per hour at freeway speeds and my vision was blocked as I was trying to change lanes while turrning my head at the same time holding up the visor and trying to look behind to be sure the lanes were clear to safely change lanes. This has almost caused a serious accident on the freeway on many occasions!. in addition, the passenger side visor also falls fown ( I am the sole owner of this car and very seldom even have passengers so the passenger side visor is not even used very often. This is a critical safety issue and a major design flaw that makes it unsafe to drive! I believe this is a serious safety issue as it's only a matter of time before it causes a serious accident. Toyota should fix this faulty design!

- El Dorado Hills, CA, USA

problem #16

Aug 012014

RAV4

  • miles
Air bag issue.

- Wheeler, IL, USA

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