2011 Toyota RAV4 Suspension, Wheels & Tires Problems
NHTSA lists 26 Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints for the 2011 Toyota RAV4, 9% of that year's 287 total complaints, with a median failure mileage of 57,000. Three related recalls cover rear suspension arms and rear tie-rod/wheel-alignment nuts on 2006-2011 RAV4 models.
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints
- 26
- 9% of 287 complaints
- All complaints this year
- 287
- Crashes reported
- 0
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 57,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 3
Typical suspension symptoms owners report
- Tires suddenly go flat or blow out at highway speed, sometimes traced to sidewall failure or punctures.
- Vehicle shakes or vibrates at speeds around 55-65 mph, with dealers sometimes unable to diagnose the cause.
- Rear tie-rod adjustment nuts corrode or seize, preventing a proper wheel alignment and tying into the recall repair.
- Owners report loud noises or clunks from the suspension over bumps that dealers could not duplicate.
- Rear wheels show unusual corrosion or uneven inner-edge tire wear discovered during unrelated service visits.
- Shocks reported leaking oil, with the steering pulling to one side while driving.
When 2011 Toyota RAV4 suspension complaints were filed
First complaint Oct 15, 2012, latest Apr 3, 2026.
Suspension, Wheels & Tires recalls for the 2011 Toyota RAV4
- 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 13V383000Aug 28, 2013Suspension, Wheels & Tires780,584 vehicles
Suspension:rear
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2011 RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS250h passenger vehicles manufactured from October 2005 through September 2010. If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear suspension arm (rear tie rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust leading to thread damage and eventual failure. Failure of the rear tie rod will cause 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 inspect the tie rods and replace any that have rust or corrosion on the alignment adjustment threads. All of the rear tie rods will then be encased in an epoxy to prevent future environmental damage. Due to limitations in parts, the recall remedy will be launched in phases from September 2013 through mid-April 2014. All owners will receive notification of the recall, with most receiving second notifications when parts are available in their area. IMPORTANT: This recall supersedes Toyota and Lexus recall 12V-373. All vehicles that have been inspected and remedied under the previous recall need to be re-inspected and have the appropriate remedy applied.
- NHTSA 12V373000Aug 2, 2012Suspension, Wheels & Tires780,584 vehicles
Suspension:rear
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2011 RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS250h passenger vehicles manufactured from October 2005 through September 2010. If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear suspension arm (rear tie rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust, leading to thread damage and eventual failure. Failure of the rear tie rod will cause 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 inspect the rear tie-rod nut for looseness and replace any suspect tie-rod found loose. Dealers will also affix instructions in multiple places to prevent improper servicing in the future. The recall began on November 30, 2012. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
Suspension, Wheels & Tires complaints by RAV4 model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many 2011 RAV4 owners complained about suspension, wheels or tires?
- NHTSA recorded 26 complaints in this area for the 2011 RAV4, which is 9% of the 287 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2011 RAV4 suspension?
- Yes. NHTSA lists three related recalls: campaign 16V596000 for rear suspension arm replacement, 13V383000 for rear tie-rod inspection, and 12V373000 for rear tie-rod nut looseness, all covering 2006-2011 RAV4 models.
- At what mileage do these suspension problems usually show up?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this area is 57,000 miles.
- Were there any crashes or injuries linked to these complaints?
- NHTSA data shows zero crashes, zero fires, and zero injuries tied to the 26 suspension, wheels & tires complaints for the 2011 RAV4.
- What specific parts fail most often?
- Owner complaints cluster around tire blowouts or flats, unexplained highway vibration, corroded rear tie-rod alignment nuts, and leaking shocks.