What are the most common problems with the 2016 Toyota RAV4?

Owners name the electrical system most often, with 60 complaints, followed by brakes with 50. See the problems section for the full list.

Does the 2016 Toyota RAV4 have recalls?

Yes. The by-year data lists 3 recalls. Details are in the Recalls section of this page.

How many complaints are there for the 2016 Toyota RAV4?

NHTSA has 257 owner complaints on file. They are unverified reports and are not adjusted for sales.

Is the 2016 Toyota RAV4 reliable?

Owner reports show 257 complaints, led by electrical and brakes. Look at the by-year section to compare it with other model years.

What is the gas mileage of the 2016 Toyota RAV4?

See the fuel economy section of this page for the official figures.

2016 Toyota RAV4 Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 257 owner complaints on file for the 2016 Toyota RAV4^[1]. The electrical system is the group owners name most often^[2].

257owner complaints^[1]

3recalls^[3]

24–32MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups owners name, biggest first.

Electrical System. 60 complaints^[2]. In the stories we read, owners describe warning lights and messages that appear without a clear cause, dash screens that go dark for a few seconds, and gauges that are hard to see in bright sun.
Brakes. 50 complaints^[6]. Owners describe a pedal that does not seem to slow the car, a car that keeps moving while they press hard, and noises that dealers could not find a cause for. This group has 18 crashes and 11 injuries^[6].
Unknown Or Other. 38 complaints^[7]. These reports do not fit a clear component group.
Exterior Lighting. 28 complaints^[8]. Owners describe headlight beams that feel short or cut off, leaving the road dark ahead at night, and some say a dealer found nothing wrong.
Engine. 27 complaints^[9]. Owners describe the car losing power while driving, shaking at startup, and stalling at a stop. This group has 8 fires^[9].
Structure. 19 complaints^[10].
Air Bags. 19 complaints^[11]. This group has 15 crashes and 17 injuries^[11].
Visibility/Wiper. 15 complaints^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2016 RAV4 is necessarily included.

Electrical System › 12V/24V/48V Battery (23V734), November 2023. About 1,853,568 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Equipment › Other › Labels (16V236), April 2016. About 94 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]
Electronic Stability Control (Esc) (16V198), April 2016. About 16,656 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[15]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
RAV4, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[16]	23 / 29 / 25	$2,700
RAV4 LE/XLE, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[17]	23 / 30 / 26	$2,600
RAV4 AWD, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[18]	22 / 28 / 25	$2,700
RAV4 Limited AWD/SE AWD, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[19]	22 / 28 / 24	$2,800
RAV4 Hybrid AWD, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (AV-S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[4]	34 / 30 / 32	$2,100

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD^[5]	5	4	5	4	16.9%
SUV FWD^[20]	5	4	5	4	17.4%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2016 Toyota RAV4 with 2.5L 4-cylinder^[21]	112 to 176 hp

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
RAV4 HYBRID^[22]	181 in	73 in	67 in	105 in	3,891 lb
RAV4 LE AWD 4DR SUV^[23]	181 in	73 in	66 in	105 in	3,549 lb
RAV4 LE FWD 4DR SUV^[24]	181 in	73 in	66 in	105 in	3,428 lb
RAV4 XLE FWD 4DR SUV^[25]	181 in	73 in	67 in	105 in	3,461 lb
RAV4 XLE/SE/LIMITED AWD 4DR SUV^[26]	181 in	73 in	67 in	105 in	3,583 lb

How 2016 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each RAV4 model year. The 2016 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
1996	47	0
1997	54	0
1998	77	4
1999	62	4
2000	30	3
2001	309	0
2002	527	0
2003	315	0
2004	154	2
2005	141	5
2006	705	11
2007	1,004	14
2008	575	14
2009	327	15
2010	400	14
2011	287	11
2012	266	6
2013	262	5
2014	207	7
2015	305	4
2016	257	3
2017	321	3
2018	348	3
2019	904	8
2020	648	6
2021	409	1
2022	154	2
2023	169	3
2024	177	4
2025	105	4
2026	42	2

NHTSA's counts for the RAV4 show 257 complaints and 3 recalls for 2016^[3]. Among the 31 model years listed, 13 have fewer complaints than 2016 and 17 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2000 (30) and the most are for 2007 (1,004)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2016 RAV4?

The 2016 RAV4 has 257 complaints on file^[1]. Electrical and brake reports lead the list^[2]^[6]. Brake complaints include 18 crashes and 11 injuries^[6]. Air bag complaints include 15 crashes^[11]. These are unverified owner reports, so check the recalls and by-year sections before you buy^[3].

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2016 Toyota RAV4?: Owners name the electrical system most often, with 60 complaints^[2], followed by brakes with 50^[6]. See the problems section for the full list.
Does the 2016 Toyota RAV4 have recalls?: Yes. The by-year data lists 3 recalls^[3]. Details are in the Recalls section of this page.
How many complaints are there for the 2016 Toyota RAV4?: NHTSA has 257 owner complaints on file^[1]. They are unverified reports and are not adjusted for sales.
Is the 2016 Toyota RAV4 reliable?: Owner reports show 257 complaints^[1], led by electrical and brakes^[2]^[6]. Look at the by-year section to compare it with other model years.
What is the gas mileage of the 2016 Toyota RAV4?: See the fuel economy section of this page for the official figures.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Toyota RAV4

2015 305 complaints, 4 recalls
2016 this page
2017 321 complaints, 3 recalls
2018 348 complaints, 3 recalls
2025 105 complaints, 4 recalls
2026 42 complaints, 2 recalls

Compare all model years of the Toyota RAV4

Other Toyota models from 2016

2016 Toyota Land Cruiser 4 complaints, 3 recalls
2016 Toyota Prius 155 complaints, 5 recalls
2016 Toyota Sienna 76 complaints, 5 recalls
2016 Toyota Tacoma 324 complaints, 4 recalls
2016 Toyota Tundra 120 complaints, 5 recalls
2016 Toyota Avalon 25 complaints, 4 recalls

All Toyota models

Similar cars from 2016: small suvs

2016 Chevrolet Equinox 399 complaints, 1 recall
2016 Dodge Journey 389 complaints, 4 recalls
2016 Ford Edge 926 complaints, 7 recalls
2016 Ford Escape 1,162 complaints, 4 recalls
2016 GMC Terrain 153 complaints, 2 recalls
2016 Honda CR-V 394 complaints, 3 recalls

All small suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 257 owner complaints on file for the 2016 Toyota RAV4 (37 mention a crash, 12 a fire, 27 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
60 complaints name the electrical system component group (3 crashes, 7 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 49,500). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Toyota RAV4 model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for RAV4 Hybrid AWD, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (AV-S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 34 city / 30 highway / 32 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,100. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 16.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
50 complaints name the brakes component group (18 crashes, 0 fires, 11 injuries, median mileage at failure 19,000). NHTSA vehicle records
38 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 13,500). NHTSA vehicle records
28 complaints name the exterior lighting component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 13,400). NHTSA vehicle records
27 complaints name the engine component group (3 crashes, 8 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 13,300). NHTSA vehicle records
19 complaints name the structure component group (2 crashes, 3 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 6,500). NHTSA vehicle records
19 complaints name the air bags component group (15 crashes, 0 fires, 17 injuries, median mileage at failure 25,000). NHTSA vehicle records
15 complaints name the visibility/wiper component group (1 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 9,756). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 23V734, filed November 1, 2023: Electrical System › 12V / 24V / 48V Battery. NHTSA recall database
Recall 16V236, filed April 22, 2016: Equipment › Other › Labels. NHTSA recall database
Recall 16V198, filed April 7, 2016: Electronic Stability Control (Esc). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for RAV4, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 23 city / 29 highway / 25 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for RAV4 LE/XLE, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 23 city / 30 highway / 26 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,600. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for RAV4 AWD, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 28 highway / 25 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for RAV4 Limited AWD/SE AWD, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 28 highway / 24 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,800. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 17.4%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2016 Toyota RAV4 with 2.5L 4-cylinder: rated 112 to 176 hp depending on version. www.epa.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, RAV4 HYBRID: length 181 in, width 73 in, height 67 in, wheelbase 105 in, curb weight 3,891 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, RAV4 LE AWD 4DR SUV: length 181 in, width 73 in, height 66 in, wheelbase 105 in, curb weight 3,549 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, RAV4 LE FWD 4DR SUV: length 181 in, width 73 in, height 66 in, wheelbase 105 in, curb weight 3,428 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, RAV4 XLE FWD 4DR SUV: length 181 in, width 73 in, height 67 in, wheelbase 105 in, curb weight 3,461 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, RAV4 XLE/SE/LIMITED AWD 4DR SUV: length 181 in, width 73 in, height 67 in, wheelbase 105 in, curb weight 3,583 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2016 Toyota RAV4: problems, recalls and fuel economy