YearToAvoid

2007 Toyota RAV4 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2007 Toyota RAV4 ranks 4th worst out of 21 model years, with a complaint index of 85 and 1,004 complaints, mostly engine (33%) and steering (27%) issues. It carries 14 recall campaigns, earning an Avoid verdict relative to other RAV4 years.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
85/100
#4 of 21 RAV4 years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
1,004
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
14
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
53
reported in complaints
Fires
37
Injuries
41
Top issue
Engine
Best nearby year
2012
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
22
19.5 city / 26.5 hwy
Injuries / deaths
41 / 0

Top 2007 Toyota RAV4 problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine331 (33%)
  2. Steering271 (27%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires149 (15%)
  4. Airbags99 (10%)
  5. Electrical System78 (8%)
  6. Brakes62 (6%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain53 (5%)
  8. Visibility & Wipers50 (5%)
  9. Other44 (4%)
  10. Structure & Body31 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report airbags failing to deploy in frontal and side-impact crashes, sometimes with injuries.
  • Some describe sudden unintended acceleration or lurching while parking or backing up at low speed, leading to collisions.
  • One owner reported a delay of several seconds between impact and airbag deployment.
  • Engine complaints include the vehicle lurching backward or accelerating unexpectedly while using cruise control on hills.
  • A brake complaint describes the pedal feeling stuck or brakes failing to stop the vehicle during a low-speed maneuver.
2007 Toyota RAV4 complaints: complaints filed per quarter672007 Q12009 Q32012 Q12014 Q32017 Q12019 Q32022 Q22025 Q3
1,004 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2007 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2010 Q1 (67).

2007 Toyota RAV4 recalls

14 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

See all 14 recalls for the 2007 Toyota RAV4 →

2007 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.

2007 compared with other RAV4 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Caution01415 !22.5
2006Caution357041122
2007Avoid851,0041422
2008Avoid755751422
2009Caution653271523

All Toyota RAV4 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2007 Toyota RAV4 reliable?
Compared with other RAV4 model years, the 2007 ranks 4th worst of 21 years tracked, with a complaint index of 85 and an Avoid verdict based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2007 RAV4?
NHTSA data shows engine complaints make up 33% of reports (331 complaints, median mileage 69,827.5) and steering issues make up 27% (271 complaints, median mileage 46,376).
Does the 2007 RAV4 have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 14 recall campaigns for the 2007 RAV4, covering areas including suspension, airbags, seat belts, visibility/wipers, and structure & body components.
How does the 2007 RAV4 compare to other RAV4 years?
The 2007 model's complaint index of 85 is higher than most other RAV4 years; only 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2024 have higher or comparable indexes, all also rated Avoid.
What is the fuel economy of the 2007 RAV4?
EPA rates the 2007 RAV4 at 22 mpg combined (19.5 city / 26.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,950.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.