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#BS-2009-TOYRAV-6E4E

2009 Toyota RAV4Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 397 owners and 15 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·checked October 21, 2026 · NHTSA complaints through October 19, 2026

Complaints
397
Crashes
69
Fires
5
Recalls
15
TSBs
287
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 397 complaints, 69 crashes, 5 fires, and 15 recalls. Complaint rate is 1.8x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

paint peeling

11 complaints • Severity 6.9/10

$X,XXX
2

high oil consumption

7 complaints • Severity 8.9/10

$X,XXX
3

accelerator sticks

5 complaints • Severity 9.2/10

$X,XXX
4

excessive chipping paint

4 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX
5

whining sound in rear

3 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Speed ControlHIGH

91 owners reported speed control issues — failures commonly reported around 30K miles.

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

Failure Timeline by Mileage

147
0–30K
51
30–60K
44
60–90K
29
90–120K
12
120–150K
13
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (147 reports) • Median: 30K 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: Speed Control (91 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

Speed Control91 (23%)
Suspension54 (14%)
Engine32 (8%)
Brakes29 (7%)
Steering25 (6%)
Other22 (6%)
Electrical18 (5%)
Drivetrain18 (5%)

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 14% of all reports filed for the 2009 Toyota RAV4, with 54 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 32 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

18
09
107
10
30
11
22
12
22
13
50
14
28
15
24
16
30
17
15
18
9
19
16
20
6
21
2
22
8
23
2
24
2
25
6
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2009 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 (15 recalls)

09V223000Sep 2009

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."

10V017000Feb 2010

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.

10V035000May 2010

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.

10V036000May 2010

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.

11V113000Apr 2011

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.

Unlock

NHTSA Defect Investigations (3)

All closed. Investigations are how NHTSA decides whether a defect needs a recall.

EA12006ClosedOpened Jun 2012 · closed Feb 2013

Power Window Master Switch Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

PE12002ClosedOpened Feb 2012 · closed Jun 2012

Power Window Master Switch Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

RQ10003ClosedOpened Feb 2010 · closed Mar 2011

Unintended and Uncontrolled Acceleration

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

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.

2009 Toyota RAV4 vs. Class Average (Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD)

This vehicle

397

Class avg

222

1.8x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical sport utility vehicle - 2wd vehicles.

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. 397 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.

Last updated (checked October 21, 2026). NHTSA complaints received through October 19, 2026.

Other Toyota RAV4 Model Years

2025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998199719961994
View all Toyota RAV4 years →

2009 Toyota RAV4: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2009 Toyota RAV4?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2009 Toyota RAV4 is related to the speed control, with 91 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2009 Toyota RAV4 reliable?
The 2009 Toyota RAV4 has 397 complaints, 69 crash reports, and 5 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 1.8x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 2009 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 2009 Toyota RAV4 have any recalls?
Yes, the 2009 Toyota RAV4 has 15 recalls on record. 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 296 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 30,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 2009 Toyota RAV4 data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 21, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 19, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins. Its numbers last changed on October 4, 2026.
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 397 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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