2006 Toyota RAV4 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2006 Toyota RAV4 has 704 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 35, and 11 recalls, earning a Caution verdict capped by the recall count despite a mid-range complaint score. Steering and engine problems dominate owner reports, with steering failures showing a median mileage of 41,000 miles.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 35/100
- #14 of 21 RAV4 years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 704
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 11
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 26
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 5
- Injuries
- 10
- Top issue
- Steering
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 22
- 19.5 city / 26.5 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 10 / 1
Top 2006 Toyota RAV4 problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Steering230 (33%)
- Engine220 (31%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires90 (13%)
- Airbags57 (8%)
- Transmission & Powertrain53 (8%)
- Electrical System44 (6%)
- Brakes43 (6%)
- Visibility & Wipers30 (4%)
- Other28 (4%)
- Structure & Body28 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners describe sudden unintended acceleration while braking or coasting, sometimes ending in a collision.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in frontal crashes at moderate speeds, in some cases with injuries or death.
- One owner reported a fire that started after a crash, with fatal outcomes for occupants.
- Engine reportedly revved on its own while stopped, causing the vehicle to lurch forward unexpectedly.
- A brake pedal reportedly went to the floor intermittently before failing during a stop.
- One owner reported a fire caused by the exhaust system being pushed out of position during a tire change.
2006 Toyota RAV4 recalls
11 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 16V596000Aug 12, 2016Suspension, Wheels & Tires337,449 vehicles
Suspension:rear
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 31, 2005, to September 7, 2010, and 2010 Lexus HS250h vehicles manufactured July 6, 2009, to August 26, 2010. The affected vehicles have rear suspension arms (rear tie rods) with adjusting lock nuts that may have been improperly tightened after servicing. As a result of being loose, the arm may have thread damage and may rust, possibly leading to the failure of the arm and an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment.
Risk: Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and dealers will replace both rear suspension arms and encapsulate the locknuts, free of charge. The recall began on September 30, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are G0V for Toyota vehicles and GLK for Lexus vehicles. Note: This recall supersedes recall 13V-383, in which some vehicles were only inspected, sealed, and did not have both arms replaced. The affected vehicles were previously recalled under 13V-383, but did not have both rear suspension arms replaced at that time. Those vehicles need to have both arms replaced as part of this recall remedy.
- NHTSA 16V396000Jun 2, 2016Structure & Body7,749 vehicles
Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.
Risk: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.
- NHTSA 16V096000Feb 19, 2016Seat Belts1,123,752 vehicles
Seat belts:rear/other
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 RAV4 vehicles manufactured July 28, 2005, to December 19, 2012, and 2012-2014 RAV4 EV vehicles manufactured July 24, 2012, to August 29, 2014. In the event of a frontal collision, the rear seat belts for the outboard seats may be cut by the seat cushion frame.
Risk: A cut seat belt may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a protector over both rear seat cushion frames, free of charge. The recall began on June 24, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0F.
2006 Toyota RAV4 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 19.5 MPG
- Highway
- 26.5 MPG
- Combined
- 22 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,950
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2006 compared with other RAV4 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2006 Toyota RAV4 reliable?
- NHTSA lists 704 complaints and a complaint index of 35 for the 2006 RAV4, which ranks 14th worst among 21 model years. Its verdict is Caution, driven mainly by 11 recall campaigns rather than complaint volume alone.
- What is the top problem area for the 2006 RAV4?
- Steering is the top problem area, accounting for 230 complaints (33% of the total) with a median failure mileage of 41,000 miles.
- Does the 2006 Toyota RAV4 have recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for the 2006 RAV4, covering suspension, seat belts, airbags, visibility switches, and an accelerator pedal that could get stuck.
- How does the 2006 RAV4 compare to other RAV4 years?
- The 2006 model's complaint index of 35 is better than 2007 (85), 2008 (75), and several later years rated Avoid, but its 11 recalls pushed the verdict to Caution instead of a lower rating.