2004 TOYOTA RAV4 Problems
Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2004 Toyota Rav4. This model year has 152 NHTSA complaints — top issue: Airbag Malfunctions.
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about the specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and open recalls.
Worst 2004 Toyota Rav4 Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Airbag Malfunctions
Engine Problems
Transmission / Drivetrain
Considering a 2004 Toyota Rav4?
This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2004 Toyota Rav4. A single complaint may appear in multiple categories.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag Malfunctions | 47 | 7 | 1 | — | |
| Engine Problems | 29 | 1 | 2 | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 23 | 2 | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 20 | 8 | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 10 | — | 1 | — | |
| Brake System | 7 | — | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 7 | — | — | — | |
| Visibility | 7 | — | — | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 6 | — | 1 | — | |
| Visibility/Wiper | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 4 | 2 | — | — | |
| Tire Issues | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Hydraulic | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 2 | 2 | — | — | |
| Traction Control System | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Steering Defects | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: AEB | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Child Seat | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Other | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2004 Toyota Rav4. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Showing 152 most recent complaints
I have 2003 registered as 2004.This vehicle that I has Manufactured November 2003 base on the sicker beside driver side door and it's been registered as 2004 .Now the problem that I have is slow moving to first gear suddenly jump to second gear (This is Automatic Trnasmission) I…
I was driving on a highway, there was a red light and I pressed on the brakes. The car kept going forward, the brakes became resistant to any pressure and the car continued to roll forward. There were no warning lights when the car was started or during the incident. I kept tryin…
10 days ago transmission on 2004 Rav started to act funny. Slow/jerky to engage in lower gears. Check engine lights came on. Checked out by mechanic who said it looked like a transmission problem and should have it looked at by transmission specialist who said it was not safe…
The transmission slips suddenly, even during highway driving conditions, which almost resulted in a terrible crash. I found out that the electronic control module for these vehicles is defective and must be repaired to correct the transmission issues.
The TRAC system which brakes the car when it senses the wheel loosing traction hits the breaks on curves, even when turned off. It is random. It is not part of the inspection. When the streets are rain slick it has caused my car to skid out of the lane I was in. It has not been r…
GOOD AFTERNOON! I JUST NOTICE TODAY THE REAR SUSPENSION IS VERY RUSTY. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF IS ANY RECALL IN THIS CAR. THANKING IN ADVANCE FOR HELPING IN THIS MATTER.
DRIVER SIDE VISOR KEEPS FALLING DOWN AND BLOCKING VIEW AND WILL NOT STAY IN UPRIGHT POSITION. OTHER DRIVERS REPORT SAME ISSUE WITH THIS RAV4 -2004 AND BEYOND MODEL YEAR. NOT A RECALL ITEM AND WONDER WHY NOT?
TAKATA RECALL I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN JANUARY 2019 AND SINCE THAT TIME HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS MAILED NOTICES FROM TOYOTA "SAFETY RECALL FOLLOW-UP NOTICE." I HAVE MADE AT LEAST 8 PHONE CALLS TO TOYOTA AND BEEN PROMISED REPEATEDLY THAT I WILL BE CONTACTED FOR AIRBAG REPLACEMENT...…
I HAVE EXPERIENCED HARD SHIFTING, GEAR SLIPPAGE, AND SOLENOID CODE WARNINGS ON MY 2004 RAV4 BEGINNING IN APRIL 2018. I HAVE HAD MY TRANSMISSION REBUILT BY AN ASE CERTIFIED TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST THAT ASSURES ME THE PROBLEM IS A FAULTY ECM. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM OF A DEFECTIVE…
WHILE DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE AND VSA LIGHTS CAME ON AT ONCE. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO RISE, INDICATING THAT THE CAR WAS STARTING TO OVERHEAT. TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. APPARENTLY, THE CYLINDER HEAD BOLT THREADING HAS BECOME STRIPPED DUE TO STRAIN FROM…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE REVERSING THE VEHICLE, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK. THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE AND THE SPEED EXCEEDED 55 MPH. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, WHICH ENDED UP DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT W…
"TAMARA RECALL". COMPLAINT #1 IN MAY 2016, I CALLED THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER TELEPHONE NUMBER TO ARRANGE TO HAVE THE RECALL DONE TO THE AIRBAGS. TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE CONNECTED ME TO WOBURN TOYOTA TO HAVE ME SPEAK TO THEM TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WHICH I DID. ON MAY 24 2016 I BROUGHT…
"TAKATA RECALL" RECEIVED NOTICE TO FIND OUT IF MY VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO THIS RECALL
TAKATA RECALL KEEPING GETTING NOTICES ABOUT THIS RECALL AND THE BANKRUPTCY CASE AGAINST TK HOLDINGS. I (WE) HAVEN'T OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR OVER 4 YEARS. I ALREADY ATTEMPTED TO INFORM TOYOTA (ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO) BUT THEY SAID THE INFO COMES FROM MY STATE DMV AND I COULDN'T GET …
I WAS NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA THAT MY AIR BAGS WERE RECALLED AND I HAD THEM REPLACED
MY SON AND I WERE ON WAY TO PEYTON MANNING CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IN MY 2004 TOYOTA RAV4 WHEN THE DRIVER IN FRONT OF ME ABRUPTLY STOPPED, WHICH MADE ME ABRUPTLY STOP, HOWEVER, THE DRIVER BEHIND ME WAS NOT PAYING ATTENTION AND REAR ENDED ME AS I WAS COMPLETELY STOPPED AND HE WAS GOIN…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V596000 (SUSPENSION) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. T…
WHEN DRIVING ON HILLS, SPECIFY DURING A TURN, AT SPORADIC TIMES, THE ESC LIGHT COMES ON, WITH 3 BEEPS FROM THE DASH......THE CAR JERKS AND LUGS, LIKE THE ENGINE IS DYING, THEN RESUMES NORMAL SPEED. EACH TIME THIS HAPPENS IS A LITTLE MORE DRAMATIC THAN THE LAST, AND HAS HAPPENED 5…
THE VSC/TRAC LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. ALSO TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING FUNNY. FROM A STOP SIGN IT WOULD HESITATE AND THEN START WITH A JERK. WHILE DRIVING AT A CONSTANT SPEED THE RPMS WOULD GO UP AND DOWN. I TOOK IT TO AN AUTO PARTS STORE TO HAVE THEM READ THE ERROR CODE…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WHEN THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS PLACED INTO THE DRIVE POSITION, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED, ALONG WITH "TAKE THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICE" MESSAGE APPEARED. THE VEHICLE …
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2004 Toyota Rav4.
Recalls for 2004 Toyota Rav4
2 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2004 Toyota Rav4. Recalls are free to fix at any authorized dealer. Run a VIN check below to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
2004 Toyota Rav4 — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2004 Toyota Rav4 reliable?▾
Severe Issues. The 2004 Toyota Rav4 has 152 NHTSA owner complaints, 16 crash-related, and 2 recall campaigns. The most reported issue is Airbag Malfunctions (47 complaints). Source: NHTSA via VinSpector AI.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Toyota Rav4?▾
#1: Airbag Malfunctions (47 complaints). #2: Engine Problems (29 complaints). #3: Transmission / Drivetrain (23 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2004 Toyota Rav4?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2004 Toyota Rav4?▾
The 2004 Toyota Rav4 has 16 crash-related complaints and 4 fire reports out of 152 total NHTSA complaints. 15 injuries were reported. For NCAP lab crash test star ratings, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2004 Toyota Rav4 have any recalls?▾
Yes — 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2004 Toyota Rav4. The largest issue: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
Should I buy a 2004 Toyota Rav4?▾
The 2004 Toyota Rav4 has severe issues — review the top problems before buying. Pay particular attention to Airbag Malfunctions issues. Always run a VIN check on the specific car you're considering to check for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Toyota Rav4 reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Check Your Specific 2004 Toyota Rav4
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99.