2010 Toyota RAV4 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2010 Toyota RAV4 ranks 7th worst out of 21 model years with a complaint index of 70 and a Caution verdict. NHTSA logged 400 complaints, 14 recall campaigns, 57 crashes, and 3 fires for this year.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 70/100
- #7 of 21 RAV4 years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 400
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 14
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 57
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 3
- Injuries
- 27
- Top issue
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 23
- 20 city / 27 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 27 / 0
Top 2010 Toyota RAV4 problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires116 (29%)
- Engine108 (27%)
- Brakes39 (10%)
- Other38 (10%)
- Transmission & Powertrain38 (10%)
- Airbags28 (7%)
- Visibility & Wipers24 (6%)
- Fuel System20 (5%)
- Structure & Body19 (5%)
- Seat Belts18 (5%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Some owners reported sudden unintended acceleration while braking at low speeds, resulting in collisions with objects or other vehicles.
- Others described brake pedal application producing no braking force at very low mileage, including one case tied to a loose banjo bolt on the right brake caliper.
- One owner reported an airbag deploying during a side-impact crash and then catching fire near the steering wheel.
- One owner reported the vehicle rolling backward on a slope while parked, with the dealer unable to diagnose the cause.
2010 Toyota RAV4 recalls
14 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.
2010 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.
2010 compared with other RAV4 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2010 Toyota RAV4 reliable?
- Compared with other RAV4 model years, 2010 ranks 7th worst of 21 with a complaint index of 70, earning a Caution verdict rather than Good or Best.
- What are the most common problems with the 2010 RAV4?
- NHTSA data shows Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints leading at 29% of the total, followed by Engine at 27% and Brakes at 10%.
- Does the 2010 RAV4 have recalls?
- NHTSA lists 14 recall campaigns for the 2010 RAV4, covering suspension arms, seat belts, wiper linkage, and other components, none marked do-not-drive.
- How does the 2010 RAV4 compare to other years?
- 2010 has a complaint index of 70, worse than 2012-2014 (rated Best with indexes of 15, 10, and 5) but better than 2007 and 2019 which score 85 and 95.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2010 RAV4?
- EPA rates the 2010 RAV4 at 23 mpg combined (20 city / 27 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,825.