2011 Toyota RAV4 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about unintended or unexpected acceleration, frequently described as happening at low speed while the brake is applied, when reversing, or when pulling into a parking space. A second cluster of complaints covers braking feel and stopping performance, and several owners describe warnings or service visits where the dealer could not reproduce the event. Most reports in the sample fall between roughly 10,000 and 100,000 miles, with a smaller group describing higher-mileage engine, suspension and transmission work.

1. 1
   Vehicle speed control

   Unexpected acceleration at low speed or while braking

   • 58 complaints (20%)
   • median 30,000 mi at 3.5 yrs old (53 state mileage)
   • 22 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2011–2026

   Complaints describe the engine revving and the vehicle moving forward or backward when the driver believes the brake is applied, often at parking-lot or stoplight speeds and sometimes ending in a low-speed impact. Several owners say they shifted into neutral or park to stop the vehicle. According to the complaints, dealers either could not reproduce the condition, attributed it to pedal position or driver error, or found nothing wrong during inspection. Reported from a few hundred miles up to about 100,000 miles, most often at low speed in parking areas or at stops.

   What to check: During a test drive, try slow-speed maneuvering in a lot, reversing, and braking from a creep, and note any engine revving or lurch. Ask the seller whether any throttle or pedal-related service or software work was done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I lease a 2011 Toyota rav 4 and my car accelerated uncontrollably into another car. I was inching out of a parking spot very slowly in reverse, when I noticed a man to my right, two spots away from me, pulling out head first. I depressed my brake pedal in order to let him go and the moment I did that, I literally flew back into this man's car with such a force that I would have most definitely run somebody over if they were walking behind my car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10558142, filed 2014-01, 13,100 miles

   “This is an incident involving sudden vehicle acceleration. I was stopped with my foot on the brake in the where great mall parkway turns onto eastbound montague expwy in milpitas, ca. Despite having my foot on the brake, the vehicle began to creep forward. I responded by pressing the brake pedal harder. This caused the vehicle stability control system to engage and the brake pedal pushed through the resistance point as is typical when the vehicle stability control engages. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10457174, filed 2012-05, 31,212 miles
2. 2
   Brakes

   Brake pedal feels soft or stopping is weak

   • 98 complaints (34%)
   • median 27,279 mi at 3.8 yrs old (88 state mileage)
   • 30 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2011–2026

   Owners describe the brake pedal going toward the floor, needing extra force to stop, or the vehicle not slowing as expected, sometimes in wet conditions. A few mention a thump or noise when braking at low speed and report the dealer describing surface rust on the brakes. Complaints also include the ABS, stability and traction lights coming on together with reduced braking assist. Mostly reported between about 13,000 and 110,000 miles, in everyday driving and occasionally in rain.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for brake service records and pad/rotor condition, and check pedal feel on a test drive. A service bulletin describes an updated front pad kit for a grind or groan noise on some RAV4 years.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The brakes failed when having to brake suddenly driving on a street in the rain. Traffic was going about 30 miles per hour and I had enough space between me and the car in front to brake. The ABS system did not work and braking had zero affect on slowing down my car which made me hit the car in front of me.”

   NHTSA complaint #11162097, filed 2018-12, 68,000 miles

   “I was going about 15 MPH when I applied the brakes to stop at the end of my street, nothing happened, my foot went all the way to the floor. The only thing I could think of doing was to turn the veh off and coast to a stop it worked after about 50 feet, after I stopped shaking I drove home even slower than before and when I turned into my driveway the brakes again did not stop, but the pedal did not go all the way to the floor, I turned off the key again and coasted to a stop. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10561277, filed 2014-01, 26,000 miles
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Rear suspension noise and rusted rear arms

   • 17 complaints (6%)
   • median 65,500 mi at 6.5 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2011–2026

   Complaints describe clunking or banging from the rear, and in some cases rear suspension arms detaching from the subframe along with rust and differential fluid leaks. One owner reports the vehicle had a prior rear suspension repair under a bulletin. Separately, owners mention steering clunk when turning the wheel. Mostly reported above about 65,000 miles, with several cases past 110,000 miles.

   Recall 16V596000Recall 13V383000Recall 12V373000

   What to check: Inspect the rear subframe and suspension arms for rust and looseness, and ask whether the rear alignment-nut recall work was completed. Listen for rear clunks on a rough-road test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When ever the steering wheel is turned to the left or right, it makes a clunking noise and a clunk can also be felt in the steering wheel at the same time. I have looked on line and this appears to be a very common problem with the Toyota rav 4, on 6 or 4 cylinder models. When there is no steering input, there is no noise or clunking felt in the wheel at any speed, only when the steering wheel is turned in either direction. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10437379, filed 2011-11, 61,077 miles

   “The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving at slow speeds, there was a loud banging sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the subframe was severely rusted and the rear differential fluid was leaking from the vehicle. The cause of the failures was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failures, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 111,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11560927, filed 2023-12, 111,000 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Warning lights for stability, ABS and 4WD

   • 16 complaints (6%)
   • median 85,000 mi at 7.3 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2014–2026

   Complaints describe the check engine, stability control, ABS and 4WD lights illuminating together, sometimes after an oxygen sensor or sensor-related fault, and in some cases the cruise control disengaging. Owners report that the lights can return after a sensor replacement. Some say the dealer diagnosed a sensor fault but the vehicle was not repaired. Reported from roughly 25,000 to 130,000 miles, often during highway driving.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Scan for stored codes before buying and confirm all warning lamps go out after start. Ask whether oxygen sensors or the ECU calibration have been addressed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Two months after purchasing a 2011 Toyota RAV4 limted v6, the car showed three warning lights: the check engine light, the four wheel drive light, and the vsc (vehicle stability control) light while I was driving on a highway. After running a check engine light diagnostic, the problem was found to be the o2 sensor. My husband replaced the sensor, and the next day after driving roughly 10 miles on a rural local road the same lights came on again. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11163618, filed 2018-12, 98,000 miles

   “While driving at speed the vehicle's stability, antilock brakes and traction control functions stop functioning and the indicator light for all turn on. The cruise control disengages which caused the car to decelerate rapidly. I was in traffic and was able to accelerate to avoid an accident. The accelerator and braking appear to work properly but I am unable to reengage the cruise control. This is exactly the same symptoms in the recall of the 2012 RAV4 but the 2011 is not included.”

   NHTSA complaint #10579408, filed 2014-04, 25,900 miles

Buying note. Have a pre-purchase inspection focus on braking feel, warning lights, rear suspension rust and oil level, and ask for records of any recall or service-bulletin work. A slow-speed test drive in a lot and a scan for stored codes will show much of what owners describe.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 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.