Recalls (3)
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2016 Toyota RAV4. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Unsecured Battery May Cause Short Circuit
- Summary
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles. Certain replacement 12-volt batteries may not fit properly in the battery tray, allowing the battery to move and contact the hold-down bracket, possibly causing a short circuit.
- Consequence
- A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 27, 2024, to 2013-2014 RAV4 owners. Additional owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, phase 2 will begin on May 14, 2025, and phase 3 in late July 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 23TB13 and 23TA13.
Incorrect Load Carrying Capacity Label/FMVSS 110
- Summary
- 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 manufactured January 28, 2016, to March 14, 2016. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."
- Consequence
- An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- SET will notify owners, and provide them a corrected label to be installed over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on June 3, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET16A.
Brake Actuator may have a Damaged O-Ring/FMVSS126
- Summary
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 30, 2015, to February 3, 2016, 2016 Lexus RX350 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2015, to February 8, 2016, and 2016 Lexus ES350 vehicles manufactured September 1, 2015, to February 29, 2016. These vehicles are equipped with an ABS actuator that may have a damaged O-ring which could result in improper brake fluid pressure control during ABS, Traction Control, or Stability Control activation. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
- Consequence
- Insufficient brake fluid pressure may cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 4, 2016, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0I, GLC.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (240)
240 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The electrical system is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 240 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 59 | 24.6% |
| Service brakes | 46 | 19.2% |
| Unknown or other | 33 | 13.8% |
| Exterior lighting | 28 | 11.7% |
| Engine | 25 | 10.4% |
| Air bags | 19 | 7.9% |
| Structure | 15 | 6.3% |
| Vehicle speed control | 12 | 5% |
| Visibility/wiper | 12 | 5% |
| Power train | 11 | 4.6% |
How 2016 compares with other RAV4 years
Best and worst RAV4 years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 260 | 5 |
| 2013 | 257 | 2 |
| 2014 | 197 | 4 |
| 2015 | 305 | 4 |
| 2016 | 240 | 3 |
| 2017 | 307 | 3 |
| 2018 | 331 | 3 |
| 2019 | 879 | 7 |
| 2020 | 635 | 6 |
| 2021 | 387 | 1 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2016 Toyota RAV4 suv fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 26 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $2,600
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 338 g/mi
- EPA class
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 26 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 23 / 30 / 26 | $2,600 | 338 |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 23 / 29 / 25 | $2,700 | 349 |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 22 / 28 / 25 | $2,700 | 357 |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 22 / 28 / 24 | $2,800 | 362 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2016 RAV4 for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2016 Toyota RAV4 FAQ
How many recalls does the 2016 Toyota RAV4 have?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 23V734000 (electrical), 16V236000 (tire), 16V198000 (brake). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2016 Toyota RAV4 problems?
Owners filed 240 complaints with NHTSA. Electrical system (59), Service brakes (46), Unknown or other (33) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2016 Toyota RAV4 get?
EPA rates the 2.5 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic version at 23 city, 30 highway and 26 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2016 Toyota RAV4 get?
NHTSA rated the 2016 Toyota RAV4 suv fwd 5 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (17.4% rollover risk).
How does the 2016 RAV4 compare with other years?
Among the 2012–2021 Toyota RAV4 model years at least five years old, the 2014 drew the fewest complaints (197) and the 2019 the most (879). The 2016 drew 240. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.