Photo: Benespit / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons
2012 Toyota RAV4: common problems and reliability
An average RAV4 year.
266 owner complaints, most about visibility/wiper. 5 recalls.
Should I buy a 2012 RAV4?The 2012 Toyota RAV4 has 266 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 5 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are visibility/wiper and vehicle speed control.
Safety record for the 2012 model year
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2012 Toyota RAV4 vehicles (US, public record).
The Year Score compares this year with other RAV4 years only. How we score it
Is 2012 a good year for the RAV4?
Across the 30 RAV4 model years we track, complaint volume runs from 41 (2000) to 1,110 (2002). With 266 complaints, the 2012 RAV4 sits about the same as the model's median of 304.
These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.
Where owners report problems
Recalls affecting the 2012 RAV4
seat belts:rear/other
Campaign 16V096000Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 RAV4 vehicles manufactured July 28, 2005, to December 19, 2012, and 2012-2014 RAV4 EV vehicles manufactured July 24, 2012, to August 29, 2014. In the event of a frontal collision, the rear seat belts for the outboard seats may be cut by the seat cushion frame.
service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module
Campaign 14V054000Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012 and 2013 Toyota Tacoma and Lexus RX350 vehicles and certain model year 2012 Toyota Rav4 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the brake system contains a brake actuator that adjusts the fluid pressure of each wheel cylinder. An electrical component within the actuator may experience an increased resistance resulting in the illumination of various warning lights, including those for the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system, Antilock Brake System (ABS), and Traction Control system.
visibility/wiper
Campaign 15V577000Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 27, 2008, to December 19, 2012 and 2012-2014 RAV4 EV vehicles manufactured July 24, 2012, to August 29, 2014. In the affected vehicles, water may drip onto the joint that connects the wiper linkage to the wiper motor.
air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Campaign 13V014000Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. 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.
Show 1 more recall
equipment:other:labels
Campaign 13V123000Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
What owners say across generations
Overwhelmingly positive sentiment centered on exceptional long-term reliability, low maintenance costs, and high resale value.
Owner insights cover all generations of the RAV4. See the full RAV4 owner picture and every model year.
Typical used price
Used RAV4 listings typically run $14,998–$29,181.
Other RAV4 model years
Compare every RAV4 year side by side to see how 2012 ranks against the rest.
Compare the RAV4 against its rivals
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