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2016 Toyota RAV4: engine and transmission complaints

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
20%
38 of 189 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2016 Toyota RAV4. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 20% of relevant complaints.

Better than 86% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 49 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 16%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
38
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
238
this model year
Fires reported
12
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
3
33 crashes · 27 injuries

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM58 · 24%
SERVICE BRAKES46 · 19%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER33 · 14%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING28 · 12%
ENGINE24 · 10%
AIR BAGS19 · 8%

The years either side

2010
20%
72 of 400
2011
27%
66 of 287
2012
22%
46 of 266
2013
27%
64 of 256
2014
28%
50 of 197
2015
26%
73 of 303
2016
20%
38 of 238
2017
21%
54 of 306
2018
21%
61 of 330
2019
62%
507 of 876
2020
52%
302 of 633
2021
27%
92 of 481
2022
29%
44 of 165
2023
22%
44 of 215

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

What owners reported

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,VISIBIL02/02/2025CRASH1 INJURED
I had a significant car accident in 2020 and luckily only broke my thumb. I was rear ended. The car I had at the time was a brand new Toyota Rav4, which luckily did have side airbags and they deployed appropriately. However, I have since had the opportunity to drive other vehicles and would like to ensure the safety of…
ENGINE07/09/2021FIRECRASH1 INJURED
The contact owned a 2016 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph when they noticed smoke and flames were coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The contact stated that when they attempted to move to the passenger side of the road they realized there was not enough room to do so …
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE07/16/2026
Intermittent stalling in various conditions including idling, highway driving and city driving.

Three of 38 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (3)

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 30, 2015, to February 3, 2016, 2016 Lexus…
TIRES
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 m…
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…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2016 Toyota RAV4

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.