1997 Toyota RAV4 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe engine stalling, at idle, during startup, or at highway speed, and rust in the frame or subframe. Throttle and pedal sticking, and airbags or seat belts that did not work as expected in crashes, also come up. Rust complaints cluster between about 108,000 and 166,000 miles, while stalling and throttle reports tend to describe sudden events and often omit mileage.

1. 1
   Engine cooling

   Engine stalling at idle, on startup, or while driving

   • 8 complaints (15%)
   • typically at 3.3 yrs old
   • filed 1997–2003

   Owners describe the engine stalling at idle, right after starting, or while driving at highway speed. Some say the engine stalled shortly after cranking, and a complaint describes stalling after the engine went through a large puddle of water, with no warning beforehand. According to complaints, the dealer replaced parts such as the starter and the idle control valve, and an owner says the problem continued afterward. Mileage is not given in these complaints; they describe stalls at idle, during starting, and at highway speed.

   What to check: Ask for service records of starter, idle control or electrical work, and check that the engine idles steadily through a cold start and a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The car has a stalling problem. I have taken back to the dealership twice for this problem. The car initially just had a starting problem where it will start and stalls immediately. The last time I took it to the dealership they told me it the starter and I had it replaced, but it is still doing the same thing. It does not matter if the car is cold or warm. I could just pull into a gas station and it won't start. If I wait about ten minutes, it will start again. But, I have no idea when this will happen. …”

   NHTSA complaint #711787, filed 1999-09

   “My rav 4 has had a very costly and difficult-to-fix electrical problem the last 3 months. Sometimes it starts right up, but it has also had stalling problems and once died completely. Three different mechanics have worked on it and nobody has yet been able to correct the problem completely. It has always come back. The dealership even said that it has to fail completely again before they can attempt to know what's wrong. That means I will have to wait to be stranded until someone can maybe fix the vehicle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10041719, filed 2003-10
2. 2
   Air bags

   Airbags or seat belts did not work as expected in crashes

   • 10 complaints (19%)
   • typically at 2.0 yrs old
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2005

   Owners describe crashes in which the airbags did not deploy, in some cases with injuries. Other complaints describe seat belts that failed to retract, failed to lock, or released during a collision or spin. A complaint says the reason for the non-deployment is unknown. Mileage is not given in these complaints; they describe frontal, side and spinning crashes, with speeds of roughly 35 to 45 mph in some cases.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the service bulletin on SRS airbag and pretensioner concerns was checked on the vehicle, and check that the airbag warning light turns off normally after startup.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “It was raining, not heavy, though. I was going about 65 MPH on a major highway and tried to brake because the traffic in front of me was slowing down. The car started losing control and I couldn't brake and stop the car at all. Then the car started moving towards the left quickly and spinned for about 2 or 3 times. The rear end on the right side finally hit the middle barrier on the highway and the car turned out to be facing the incoming traffic. No airbags deployed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #746108, filed 2001-05

   “Consumer was involved in a side impact collision, traveling about 45 MPH. The shoulder belt failed to hold the occupant, forcing the driver's side occupant into the passenger's side seat, also the belt failed to lock up, and the belts became very loose, the seat belt were fully extended, causing injuries to the driver.”

   NHTSA complaint #816742, filed 1997-09
3. 3
   Body and structure

   Subframe and frame rust, including holes and breaks

   • 6 complaints (11%)
   • median 110,000 mi at 15.5 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2011–2016

   Owners describe rust in the subframe or frame, sometimes found during routine maintenance or an oil change, with holes eaten through the metal or a subframe that broke. According to complaints, a mechanic advised against driving the vehicle, and some owners say the manufacturer declined responsibility for the repair. Complaints that state mileage place the rust between about 108,000 and 166,000 miles, and it is sometimes noticed during routine maintenance.

   What to check: Look at the subframe and frame rails from underneath for flaking rust, holes or soft spots, and ask for any repair records covering those parts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I took my vehicle in for some routine maintenance to be done and was called to come in by the mechanic. He showed me under my car, more specifically the frame on my car. It had extensive rust damage. The rust was not just on the surface, but had large holes eaten away within the entire frame. The body of the vehicle is in very good condition. The mechanic stated it was not safe to drive, because of the holes/damage on the frame. He did not think it was normal wear. Updated 10/20/11”

   NHTSA complaint #10431133, filed 2011-10, 165,920 miles

   “We took our 1997 RAV4 to the mechanic for a routine tire rotation and oil change. The mechanic informed us the subframe was severely rusted and dangerous to drive. I did some research on the problem and found out it is a common occurrence with all RAV4's and that Toyota refuses to accept responsibility for a major design flaw in these vehicles. I've never heard of this happening in other vehicles I've owned. My mechanic whom I trust implicitly said they've replaced many sub frames on these vehicles exclusively.”

   NHTSA complaint #10554577, filed 2013-12, 110,000 miles
4. 4
   Vehicle speed control

   Accelerator sticking or unexpected acceleration

   • 9 complaints (17%)
   • median 119,002 mi at 13.5 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2015

   Owners describe a gas pedal that sticks after stopping, so the car lurches when pressed, and idle speed that surges when leaving a garage. Other complaints describe engine speed rising without control, and a collision after the accelerator stuck open, where an independent review of the crash pointed to a stuck accelerator. According to complaints, the dealer suspected the fuel injectors for the sticking pedal and replaced the idle control valve or thermostat in other cases. Complaints that state mileage place these between about 100,000 and 119,000 miles; the rest do not give mileage.

   What to check: Ask whether the idle control valve and throttle body have been inspected or replaced, and check that the pedal returns smoothly and the idle holds steady during a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 1997 Toyota rav 4 gas pedal was sticking I took it to two place they suggested that it was dangerous to keep driving the vehicle. I took it to dealership they fixed it. Was my vehicle a recall.”

   NHTSA complaint #10313982, filed 2010-02, 119,002 miles

   “The idle air control (iac) valve controls the idle speed by metering air around the throttle plate, under control of the engine computer. The iac valve on my vehicle sticks when the engine is cold, requiring me to hold a slight throttle pressure to keep the engine running after cranking. On several occasions, as I was easing the car out of the garage at idle, the iac valve unstuck and caused the car to surge ahead. This is very abrupt and disconcerting, but it has not (yet) caused an accident. …”

   NHTSA complaint #713560, filed 1999-10

Buying note. Someone considering a 1997 RAV4 may want to inspect the frame and subframe from underneath and ask for records of any idle, throttle, or starter repairs. Given the crash-related complaints, asking whether the service bulletin on airbag and pretensioner concerns was checked is also a reasonable step.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 41 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.