2009 Toyota RAV4 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
65/100
#8 most-complained of 21 RAV4 years
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
The 2009 Toyota RAV4 has 327 owner complaints and 15 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 65 out of 100 — #8 highest of 21 RAV4 model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is engine (129 complaints, 39% of the total). Complaints report 52 crashes, 3 fires, and 16 injuries.
- Complaints
- 327
- Recalls
- 15
- Crashes / fires
- 52 / 3
- Injuries / deaths
- 16 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 23
- 20 city / 27 hwy
Top 2009 Toyota RAV4 problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine129 (39%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires68 (21%)
- Brakes33 (10%)
- Transmission & Powertrain28 (9%)
- Steering26 (8%)
- Other24 (7%)
- Structure & Body21 (6%)
- Electrical System19 (6%)
- Airbags13 (4%)
- Fuel System10 (3%)
2009 Toyota RAV4 recalls
15 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.
2009 Toyota RAV4 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 20 MPG
- Highway
- 27 MPG
- Combined
- 23 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,825
- 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.
2009 compared with other RAV4 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2009 Toyota RAV4 a reliable year?
- Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Toyota RAV4 ranks #8 of 21 among RAV4 model years (Complaint Index 65/100, verdict: Caution). It has 327 complaints and 15 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
- What are the most common problems with the 2009 Toyota RAV4?
- The most reported problem areas are engine (129 complaints), suspension, wheels & tires (68 complaints), and brakes (33 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 26,000 miles.
- Does the 2009 Toyota RAV4 have any recalls?
- Yes — NHTSA lists 15 recall campaigns for the 2009 Toyota RAV4, most recently reported 2016, covering suspension, wheels & tires, structure & body, seat belts, and visibility & wipers.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Toyota RAV4?
- EPA rates the 2009 Toyota RAV4 at 23 MPG combined (20 city / 27 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,825. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.