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#BS-2004-TOYRAV-6E4E

2004 Toyota Rav4

Based on reports from 180 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
180
Crashes
23
Fires
5
Recalls
2
TSBs
135
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 180 complaints, 23 crashes, 5 fires, and 2 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

engine overheats pulls threads out

3 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
2

transmission failure

3 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
3

timing belt problem

1 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the AirbagsHIGH

44 owners reported airbags issues — failures commonly reported around 80K miles.

!Inspect the EngineMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

14
0–30K
26
30–60K
22
60–90K
21
90–120K
18
120–150K
9
150K+

Peak failure range: 30–60K miles (26 reports) • Median: 80K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Airbags (44 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Airbags44 (24%)
Engine20 (11%)
Speed Control18 (10%)
Drivetrain13 (7%)
Electrical9 (5%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission8 (4%)
Stability Control7 (4%)
Other6 (3%)

2004 Toyota Rav4: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 24% of all reports filed for the 2004 Toyota Rav4, with 44 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 80,250 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 80K-mile mark.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 2004 Toyota Rav4, with 20 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 2004 Toyota Rav4, with 18 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2004 Toyota Rav4, with 13 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

7
04
6
05
8
06
5
07
1
08
12
09
16
10
15
11
8
12
13
13
8
14
34
15
19
16
13
17
2
18
2
19
1
20
3
22
1
23
6
24

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2004 Toyota Rav4. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (2 recalls)

15V284000Do Not DriveAug 2015

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured May 13, 2003, to October 25, 2005. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

19V741000Nov 2019

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Toyota Rav4 is the 2019 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.

2004 Toyota Rav4 vs. Class Average (Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD)

This vehicle

180

Class avg

375

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical sport utility vehicle - 2wd vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 180 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Toyota Rav4 Model Years

20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015201420132012201120102009200820072006200520042003200220012000199919981997199619951994
View all Toyota Rav4 years →

2004 Toyota Rav4: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2004 Toyota Rav4?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2004 Toyota Rav4 is related to the airbags, with 44 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2004 Toyota Rav4 reliable?
The 2004 Toyota Rav4 has 180 complaints, 23 crash reports, and 5 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.
How much does it cost to fix 2004 Toyota Rav4 problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2004 Toyota Rav4 have any recalls?
Yes, the 2004 Toyota Rav4 has 2 recalls on record. At least one is a critical “Do Not Drive” recall. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Toyota Rav4 problems start?
Based on 110 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 80,250 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 30–60K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 180 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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