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#BS-2009-TOYRAV-6E4E2009 Toyota Rav4
Based on reports from 391 owners and 15 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 391 complaints, 69 crashes, 5 fires, and 15 recalls. Complaint rate is 1.8x the class average.
Top reported problems
excessive chipping paint
4 complaints β’ Severity 6/10
whining sound in rear
3 complaints β’ Severity 8/10
engine failure
3 complaints β’ Severity 8/10
Preview: What's in your full report
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
91 owners reported speed control issues β failures commonly reported around 30K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0β30K miles (147 reports) β’ Median: 30K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Speed Control (91 reports).
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
Where the complaints fall
2009 Toyota Rav4: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Speed Control Issues
Speed Control complaints account for 23% of all reports filed for the 2009 Toyota Rav4, with 91 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 30,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 30K-mile mark.
Suspension Issues
Suspension complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 2009 Toyota Rav4, with 52 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to suspension-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2009 Toyota Rav4, with 31 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Brakes Issues
Brakes complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2009 Toyota Rav4, with 29 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to brakes-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
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2009 Toyota Rav4. Recent trend: stable.



Don't negotiate blind β know what this car costs to own
Repair costs β’ Negotiation scripts β’ Mechanic checklist β’ Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (15 recalls)
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
TOYOTA IS RECALLING 27,080 MODEL YEAR 2005 THROUGH 2010 PASSENGER CARS BUILT FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 TO MAY 4, 2009. THESE VEHICLES WERE NOT EQUIPPED WITH LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS."
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 AVALON, MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 CAMRY, MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 COROLLA, COROLLA MATRIX, RAV4, MODEL YEAR 2010 HIGHLANDER, MODEL YEAR 2008-2010 SEQUOIA, AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 TUNDRA VEHICLES. DUE TO THE MANNER IN WHICH THE FRICTION LEVER INTERACTS WITH THE SLIDING SURFACE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL INSIDE THE PEDAL SENSOR ASSEMBLY, THE SLIDING SURFACE OF THE LEVER MAY BECOME SMOOTH DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. IN THIS CONDITION, IF CONDENSATION OCCURS ON THE SURFACE, AS MAY OCCUR FROM HEATER OPERATION (WITHOUT A/C) WHEN THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY IS COLD, THE FRICTION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS OPERATED MAY INCREASE, WHICH MAY RESULT IN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECOMING HARDER TO DEPRESS, SLOWER TO RETURN, OR, IN THE WORST CASE, MECHANICALLY STUCK IN A PARTIALLY DEPRESSED POSITION.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AND JUNE 2, 2008 WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2011 LEXUS LX570, 2003 THROUGH 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, AND 2006 THROUGH 2010 RAV4 VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR INCOMPATIBLE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT.
+ 10 more recalls in the full report
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
The worst model year for the Toyota Rav4 is the 2019 β worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.
2009 Toyota Rav4 vs. Class Average (Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD)
This vehicle
391
Class avg
220
1.8x the class average β significantly more complaints than typical sport utility vehicle - 2wd vehicles.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume β popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 391 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 15 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Toyota Rav4 Model Years
2009 Toyota Rav4: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Toyota Rav4?
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 391 owner reports. Know before you buy.