1999 Toyota RAV4 Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 1999 RAV4 most often describe two things: a driver airbag inflator recall that left many waiting for parts, and moments where the engine revs or surges while they are trying to stop, which dealers frequently could not reproduce. A second cluster of complaints involves rust in the front cross member and engine cradle on high-mileage vehicles, and a smaller group describes electrical faults, including under-hood fires.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Driver airbag inflator recall and parts wait

   • 14 complaints (23%)
   • median 104,950 mi at 9.2 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2024

   Owners received notice of the driver-side inflator recall but were told by dealers that the replacement part was not yet available. Several complaints were filed simply to record the delay, and the owners note they had not yet experienced a failure. A few other complaints describe airbags that did not deploy in a frontal collision, sometimes alongside seat belts or pretensioners that did not hold. Most of the recall-related complaints were filed in 2020, long after the vehicles were built, and mileage was rarely given.

   Recall 20V0330003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the driver inflator recall (campaign 20V033000) has actually been completed, and get the paperwork. Confirm that the airbag warning lamp comes on at startup and goes out.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We were in a 1999 Toyota RAV4, and hit another truck in the rear. As a result of the accident the air bags did not operate deploy, and the restraint's did not work either. Resulting in my wife's broken left arm.”

   NHTSA complaint #10215714, filed 2008-01, 154,508 miles

   “I lost control of the vehicle and I overcorrected causing the car to go airborne. I hit head on into an embankment then continued to roll 3or 4 times before stopping. There were no indications or warnings to make me think these parts were going to malfunction. My airbags never deployed and the seatbelt did not lockup.”

   NHTSA complaint #11568936, filed 2024-01
2. 2
   Vehicle speed control

   Engine revs or surges while braking to a stop

   • 9 complaints (15%)
   • median 89,348 mi at 14.9 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2014

   Owners describe the engine racing or surging as they slow down to a stop sign, stoplight, incline, or parking space, sometimes requiring both feet on the brake or shifting into park to stop the vehicle. In several cases the dealer could not duplicate the condition and no repair was made. A separate but related group describes the accelerator pedal sticking, mainly in cold weather, so that extra pressure is needed to move it. Reported from low mileage up to about 110,000 miles, often at low speed and sometimes in cold weather.

   What to check: During a test drive, slow to a stop several times and note whether the engine idle flares or the pedal feels sticky. Ask the seller whether the throttle body and pedal linkage have been cleaned or serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Today I was backing out of a parking space and my engine surged. I was able to stop the car by braking as hard as possible, and even then it was difficult to stop. This is the first time it has surged while backing up. On numerous occasions over the years the engine has surged when the car is slowing down at a stoplight or stop sign, and usually when I'm going under 10 miles an hour. Very scary! …”

   NHTSA complaint #10572976, filed 2014-03, 89,348 miles

   “Engine on four occasions revs up when slowing to a stop at 5 MPH. Have to shift car into park because of the surge of the engine. My foot is on the brake with all my strength, and not on the accelerator. When I reported this in late may, Toyota dealer could find nothing wrong with car. Happened again yesterday and I took car in again today for dealer to check. Waiting now to hear from dealer.”

   NHTSA complaint #750551, filed 2001-08
3. 3
   Body and structure

   Rusted front cross member and engine cradle

   • 6 complaints (10%)
   • median 169,000 mi at 15.7 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2011–2017

   Complaints describe heavy rust-through in the front cross member, subframe, or engine cradle, in some cases discovered only when the vehicle was in for other work. Owners report being told the vehicle should not be driven until the cradle and control arms, and in some cases rocker panels, were replaced. Repairs were generally done at the owner's expense. Reported mostly between about 120,000 and 220,000 miles, generally on older vehicles in rust-belt use.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Have the front subframe, cross member, and control arm mounts inspected on a lift before buying, especially on a vehicle from a snowy or coastal region.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We took the RAV4 into the mechanic for a brake job & he called us to say it wasn't road worthy because the k-frame was almost entirely rusted through and we shouldn't put our children in it. He said we shouldn't even drive it off his lot that it could hit a pothole and break in two. We came & took pictures of all the rust. He said the k-frame would need to be replaced along with the rocker arms. We came home & researched to find this is a common problem with these vehicles. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11012718, filed 2017-08, 189,198 miles

   “While changing the converter on my 1999 RAV4, we discovered holes and extreme rusting on the front cross member. If this cross member breaks the whole suspension could drop out fo the car and cause serious injury. It is no secret that Toyota has many problems with frame rot on other vehicles occuring on similar yeared models. The problem has not been fixed and after a little investigating myself, I have discovered a dozen other RAV4 owners with the same problem. I contacted Toyota corp. And was told my case was the only of its kind by them. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10379542, filed 2011-01, 175,000 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Under-hood electrical fire and power loss

   • 5 complaints (8%)
   • median 64,000 mi at 6.4 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2005

   Owners describe fires starting under the hood, at least one traced to insulation near the fuse box, and another traced to a badly burnt alternator connection that cut power to the vehicle. Some vehicles lost lighting and other electrical functions afterward. In the fire complaints owners report being told the age and mileage of the vehicle put it outside manufacturer assistance. Reported on vehicles around 64,000 miles, with some claims filed with no mileage given.

   Recall 98V2780002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Look for scorching, melted insulation, or a burnt smell around the fuse box and alternator wiring, and have the charging system checked. Confirm whether the theft-deterrent alarm harness campaign applies to this vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “1999 Toyota RAV4 caught on fire underneath the hood. The fire occurred while the consumer's son was driving. Smoke began to fill the cabin and the driver noticed flames coming from the engine. He was able to put the fire out with a towel. After the fire the taillights, dash lights, interior lights no longer worked. The passengers side front headlight and wiring were destroyed. The consumer contacted the manufacturer but they refused to provide any assistance because of the age and mileage of the vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #10119282, filed 2005-04, 64,000 miles

   “The connection to the alternator was heavily burnt causing loss of power to the vehicle, the consumer was trapped in the vehicle for 1/2 hour prior to the police dept. Arriving to help the consumer out of the vehicle, possible design flaw that did not allow for the consumer to exit vehicle under power loss.”

   NHTSA complaint #558279, filed 2000-12
5. 5
   Body and structure

   Transmission slipping, popping out of gear, or wrong gear

   Mentioned in 4 of 53 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the transmission revving and then jolting into gear, popping out of fourth or fifth gear without warning, and in one case the vehicle moving in reverse when drive was selected. One owner reported a shop recommending computer replacement before the vehicle stopped shifting altogether. Reported between roughly 12,000 and 123,000 miles across the sample.

   Recall 00V211000

   What to check: Test drive through all gears and check that park holds without the parking brake; ask about any fluid changes or transmission repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Without warning, car pops into neutral from fifth gear. This inadvertent action is startling, and, in my opinion, dangerous. I did not lose control of car, but only because I was alert at the time.”

   NHTSA complaint #10171411, filed 2006-10, 114,000 miles

   “1999 Toyota rav being driven by my 18 y/o daughter. She complained that the car would rev and then jolt when it would finally shift into gear. We brought it to a aamco dealer to have diagnostics done. They said it was the computer that needed to be replaced. Since we didn't have the money at the time we decided she should drive it home and park it. It died on the way home while she was on the freeway. It just wouldn't shift into gear and slowed down to a stop in the middle of parleys canyon (I-80) in utah. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10289999, filed 2009-10, 123,000 miles

Buying note. These are old, high-mileage vehicles, so condition matters more than the pattern of complaints: verify the airbag inflator recall was completed, have the front subframe inspected for rust, and drive it long enough at low speed to see whether the idle or pedal misbehaves.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 53 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.