YearToAvoid

2016 Toyota RAV4 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

20/100

#13 most-complained of 16 RAV4 years

The 2016 Toyota RAV4 ranks 13th out of 16 model years, with a Complaint Index of 20 and a "Best" verdict compared with other RAV4 years. NHTSA lists 240 complaints, 3 recalls, and 12 fires for this year, with Electrical System issues the top problem area at 35% of complaints.

Complaints
240
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
33 / 12
Injuries / deaths
27 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
25
22.5 city / 28.5 hwy

Top 2016 Toyota RAV4 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System85 (35%)
  2. Brakes47 (20%)
  3. Engine36 (15%)
  4. Other33 (14%)
  5. Structure & Body20 (8%)
  6. Airbags19 (8%)
  7. Visibility & Wipers16 (7%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain11 (5%)
  9. Steering10 (4%)
  10. Fuel System5 (2%)

What owners report

  • Some vehicles caught fire under the hood while driving, with smoke and flames appearing suddenly and limiting the driver's ability to pull over safely.
  • Owners describe brake pedals traveling to the floor with no stopping power, sometimes leading to rear-end collisions at highway speeds.
  • Some drivers report the vehicle lurching forward unexpectedly at low speed, including while exiting a parking lot or stopped at a red light.
  • Airbags have deployed without warning during braking or minor impacts, in some cases ejecting metal fragments and yellow powder.
  • Fires have also occurred while the vehicle was parked and unattended, with the front left area cited in multiple reports.
  • One owner reported an electrical fault where a turn signal and check engine light activated shortly before a fire started near the front tire.
2016 Toyota RAV4 complaints: complaints filed per quarter182016 Q12017 Q32019 Q12020 Q32022 Q12023 Q32025 Q12026 Q3
293 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2016 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2021 Q1 (18).

2016 Toyota RAV4 recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 23V734000Nov 1, 2023Electrical System1,853,568 vehicles

    Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles. Certain replacement 12-volt batteries may not fit properly in the battery tray, allowing the battery to move and contact the hold-down bracket, possibly causing a short circuit.

    Risk: A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 27, 2024, to 2013-2014 RAV4 owners. Additional owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, phase 2 will begin on May 14, 2025, and phase 3 in late July 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 23TB13 and 23TA13.

  2. NHTSA 16V236000Apr 22, 2016Other94 vehicles

    Equipment:other:labels

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Yaris, Rav4, Land Cruiser and 4Runner vehicles, and Scion FR-S, iM, and TC vehicles manufactured January 28, 2016, to March 14, 2016. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

    Risk: An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and provide them a corrected label to be installed over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on June 3, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET16A.

  3. NHTSA 16V198000Apr 7, 2016Brakes16,656 vehicles

    Electronic stability control (esc)

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 30, 2015, to February 3, 2016, 2016 Lexus RX350 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2015, to February 8, 2016, and 2016 Lexus ES350 vehicles manufactured September 1, 2015, to February 29, 2016. These vehicles are equipped with an ABS actuator that may have a damaged O-ring which could result in improper brake fluid pressure control during ABS, Traction Control, or Stability Control activation. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."

    Risk: Insufficient brake fluid pressure may cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 4, 2016, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0I, GLC.

2016 Toyota RAV4 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
22.5 MPG
Highway
28.5 MPG
Combined
25 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,600
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.

2016 compared with other RAV4 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2014Best0197425.5
2015Caution53304425.5
2016Best20240325
2017Good40307325
2018Good47331325

All Toyota RAV4 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Toyota RAV4 reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2016 RAV4 has a Complaint Index of 20 and ranks 13th out of 16 model years, earning a "Best" verdict relative to other RAV4 years.
What are the most common complaints for the 2016 RAV4?
Electrical System complaints make up 35% of the total (85 complaints), followed by Brakes at 20% (47 complaints) and Engine issues at 15% (36 complaints).
Does the 2016 RAV4 have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2016 RAV4, covering the electrical system (12-volt battery fit), a brake actuator inspection, and a labeling correction.
How does the 2016 RAV4 compare to other years?
The 2016 RAV4 has a lower Complaint Index (20) than years like 2019 (100), 2020 (80), and 2021 (93), which are rated "Avoid," making 2016 a comparatively stronger year.
How many fires and crashes were reported for the 2016 RAV4?
NHTSA data shows 12 fires and 33 crashes reported among the 240 total complaints for the 2016 RAV4, with 0 reported deaths.

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.