Is the 2011 Toyota RAV4 a bad year?
287 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other RAV4 years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2011 Toyota RAV4 are in line with other RAV4 years. Speed control, visibility and wipers and brakes stand out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2011 RAV4 owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 26,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed controlSTANDS OUT | 69 (24%) | 10k–64k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipersSTANDS OUT | 50 (17%) | 25k–80k miles · around this mileage | — |
| BrakesSTANDS OUT | 48 (17%) | 20k–64k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Seat belts | 30 (10%) | 24k–80k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Air bags | 20 (7%) | 19k–78k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 19 (7%) | 25k–116k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Body structure | 16 (6%) | 23k–70k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 13 (5%) | 12k–81k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Engine | 35 (12%) | 45k–104k miles · ahead | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 25 (9%) | 30k–70k miles · ahead | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Suspension | 16 (6%) | 34k–88k miles · ahead | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Steering | 15 (5%) | 27k–61k miles · ahead | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Stability control | 9 (3%) | 32k–88k miles · ahead | — |
| Tires | 5 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 26,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 287 complaints: 44 mention a crash · 8 mention a fire · 14 report an injury · 16 say the car was towed.
6 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Jul 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
While approaching an intersection on a busy thoroughfare, the light turned yellow and at the last minute I decided against running the yellow light and applied my brakes very hard.
When braking, sudden acceleration occurred- seems to reset by letting up on brake and reapplying. Has happened on various locations and types of roads.
Just purchased 2011 RAV4 with 104k miles and soon found out it has a bad cam gear! Apparently this is a known defect for this year!
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 26,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2011 Toyota RAV4: 11
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. Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed. If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
In the event of a frontal collision, the rear seat belts for the outboard seats may be cut by the seat cushion frame. A cut seat belt may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.
During the manufacturing of the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts. If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
In the affected vehicles, water may drip onto the joint that connects the wiper linkage to the wiper motor. Over time, the dripping water may cause corrosion and wear at the joint, potentially resulting in the separation of the wiper linkage.
The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring. Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
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. Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed. If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position.
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. Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
In the curtain shield airbags, propellant with the incorrect specification was used for the initiator assembled in the airbag inflator. In this condition, the inflator may not perform properly, causing one or both curtain shield airbags to not deploy. In the event of a crash, the airbags may not deploy and will not be able to properly protect an occupant, increasing the risk of injuries.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Toyota: 145
Repair instructions Toyota sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2011 Toyota RAV4. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Non-electric water pump leak inspection and diagnostic tips for some 2008 - 2025 model year Toyota vehicles
Some vehicles may exhibit a MIL ON condition with Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0138 (Oxygen Sensor Circuit High Voltage [Bank 1 Sensor 2])
Some vehicles may exhibit a growl type noise from the rear differential coupling when driving as a result of contamination to the front bearing
In certain 2006 to 2012 model year RAV4 4WD vehicles, Toyota has received some reports where the vehicle may exhibit a growl type noise from the rear…
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Autoliv Air Bag Propellant Mixture
Neighbouring years
2010 RAV4: 400 complaints, keep it · 2012 RAV4: 260 complaints, keep it.
Every Toyota RAV4 year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · All RAV4 years side by side
Other Toyota models: Toyota 4Runner · Toyota Avalon · Toyota C-HR · Toyota Camry · Toyota Camry Hybrid · Toyota Camry Solara · Toyota Celica · Toyota Corolla · Toyota Corolla Cross · Toyota Corolla Matrix · Toyota Echo · Toyota FJ Cruiser · Toyota Grand Highlander · Toyota Highlander · Toyota Highlander Hybrid · Toyota Matrix · Toyota Prius · Toyota Prius c · Toyota Prius v · Toyota RAV4 Hybrid · Toyota RAV4 Prime · Toyota Sequoia · Toyota Sienna · Toyota Sienna Hybrid · Toyota Tacoma · Toyota Tundra · Toyota Venza · Toyota Venza Hybrid · Toyota Yaris. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2011 Toyota RAV4 a bad year?
287 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other RAV4 years. At 26,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Toyota RAV4?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: speed control (69), visibility and wipers (50), brakes (48), seat belts (30), air bags (20).
How many recalls does the 2011 Toyota RAV4 have?
11 recall campaigns list this model year: Suspension (NHTSA 16V-596), Seats (NHTSA 16V-396), Seat belts (NHTSA 16V-096), Visibility and wipers (NHTSA 15V-689) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.