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KLUNK
KLUNK

2000 Toyota Rav4

The Verdict

90 Smooth Ride

The 2000 Toyota Rav4 has 40 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (21 complaints) and engine (9 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 90/100, it earns a "Smooth Ride" rating.

This is the cleanest year on record. Nice pick.

90

Klunk Score: Smooth Ride

This vehicle year has significantly fewer complaints than average. A reliable choice.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

Recalls 3

Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.

20V033000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 1998-2000 RAV4, 1998-1999 RAV4 EV and Celica and 1997-1998 Supra vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Drive...

Risk

In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protec...

Remedy

Toyota will notify owners, and owners will have the option to self-inspect, or have a dealer inspect the steering wheel on their vehicle to determine if their vehicle may be equipped with an affect...

Reported Apr 11, 2026

00V211000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY ELECTRIC VEHICLES. IF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE REPEATEDLY PARKED BY PLACING THE SHIFT LEVER INTO THE "P" POSITION WITHOUT APPLYING THE PARKING BRAKE, THE PARKI...

Risk

THIS CONDITION CAN RENDER THE SYSTEM INOPERATIVE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PARKING LOCK ROD.

Reported Sep 8, 2000

00V212000 SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:ROTOR

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY ELECTRIC VEHICLES. THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTOR, WHEN EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS, CAN DEVELOP STRESS FRACTURES IF THE LUG NUTS ARE TIGHTENED WITH EXCESSIVE TORQUE.

Risk

THE DISC ROTOR COULD BREAK (WHERE IT MOUNTS TO THE WHEEL), RESULTING IN A LOSS OF BRAKING ACTION ON THAT WHEEL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DISC BRAKE ROTORS. IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS, TOYOTA WILL REPLACE THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND STEEL WHEELS WITH NEW DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND NEW ALUMIN...

Reported Sep 8, 2000

Get notified if a recall hits this car.

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
2000213196
200146223142179
200260125669358
20034622954194
2004417533022
2005441160168
2006377298616546
20075223715025142
2008272277917026
200920729244225
201025030404832
201114836314723
201214236413115
20139521723827
20146512673416
201512224814925
20167242792810
201784321234213
2018107251284018
2019228279445659
20201781513127623
2021142191395513
202263627315
2023641224318
2024811326383
202541510103

By Category

Body
21
Engine
9
Transmission
6
Brakes
3
Electrical
1

By Severity

1
19
2
16
4
3
5
2

Worst Problems

Compare Against

See how the 2000 Toyota Rav4 stacks up against rivals.

Complaints

Electrical 1

The contact owns a 2000 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while inspecting the battery, there were white hard stains on the battery and the parts holding the battery in place, causing the battery to move independently, allowing the battery to leak. An Independent mechanic was contacted. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic. The battery was replaced at Jiffy Lube, and the contact was informed that a screw was missing and that the battery was loose. The contact was informed to be careful while driving the vehicle. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 172,000.

8mo ago
Body 2

SENT FOR INSPECTION FAILED FOR BAD CONTROL ARM AND FOR RUSTED OUT ENGINE CRADLE NEEDS REPLACED

133mo ago
Engine 2

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 169,266.

134mo ago
Engine 1

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ALWAYS REMAINS ON THOUGH THERE IS NOT AN ISSUE THAT CAN BE FOUND BY ANY REPAIR SHOPS. *TR

139mo ago
Transmission 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLIPPED OUT OF FIFTH GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 145,000.

157mo ago
Brakes 5

I SENT INFORMATION PREVIOUSLY RE MY MOTHER'S ACCIDENT BUT DID NOT HAVE THE VIN. SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE CAR, FATAL FRONT-END MVA INTO A SMALL, RESULTING IN WHAT THE MECHANIC CALLED "INCREDIBLE DAMAGE TO ENGINE - IT CAUSED MORE INTERNAL DAMAGE THAN YOU'D THINK" AND HE WONDERED ABOUT HIGH SPEED. I AM ASKING YOU TO LOOK INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF RAPID ACCELERATION VS BRAKE ISSUE, RESULTING IN A HIGHER ENERGY (THAN WOULD BE EXPECTED) CRASH. I HAVE THE POLICE REPORT ETC. PREVIOUSLY, SHE HAD NEVER EVEN RECEIVED A TICKET (AND WAS ALMOST 59 YRS OLD). THANK YOU. *TR

161mo ago
Body 1

THE ENGINE CRADLE AND CONTROL ARMS ARE PREMATURELY CORRODED. THERE ARE UNUSUALLY LARGE HOLES IN THE STEEL. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE. *JS

173mo ago
Body 1

I HAVE A 2000 TOYOTA RAV4 THAT WILL NOT PASS NYS SAFETY INSPECTION, BECAUSE OF A RUSTED FRONT ENGINE SUBFRAME. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE FRAME AND SEEMS THAT IT IS DEFECTIVE EARLY IN THE CARS LIFESPAN, THE CAR HAS 108K MILES ON IT. *TR

185mo ago
Body 5

TOYOTA CRASHED INTO TREE, RESULTING IN FATAL INJURIES THAT MAY BE CONSISTENT WITH HIGH SPEED ACCIDENT, NO DECELERATION. 59 YR OLD DRIVER HAD NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT BEFORE. NEW TOYOTA RAV4. MECHANIC REMARKED ON DAMAGE TO VEHICLE GIVEN LOCATION OF ACCIDENT. UPDATED 03/04/11 *BF*TR

187mo ago
Body 2

WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH IN A 2000 TOYOTA RAV4. MOVED TO LEFT LANE TO PASS AND ACCELERATED TO APPROX. 49 MPH. ACCELERATOR JOLTED TO A VERY HIGH RPM AND SPEED INCREASED DRAMATICALLY. MOVED INTO A LEFT HAND TURN LANE; AND PUT THE VEHICLE INTO "NEUTRAL". AFTER 10-12 SECONDS THE VEHICLE'S ACCELERATION RETURNED TO IDLE. REPORTED TO (2) TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS. I WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY NOTICE OR RECALL FOR THIS YEAR/MODEL OF TOYOTA. *TR

198mo ago
Body 4

GAS PEDAL NOT WORKING PROPERLY WHEN DEPRESSED NO ACTION & THEN ACCELERATES QUICKLY. *TR

198mo ago
Body 1

WHEN THE NEWS CAME OUT REGARDING THE ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WITH THE TOYOTAS, I RECALLED HAVING A SIMILAR PROGRAM WITH MY 2000 RAV 4. ON JULY 8,2002 I EXPERIENCED AN ACCELERATION PROBLEM WHILE ON MY WAY TO WORK. I WAS GOING AROUND 55 MPH ON FREEWAY, WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. DESPITE APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE TO ABOUT 70MPH FROM 55MPH. I TRIED PUTTING MY FOOT UNDER THE THROTTLE TO PULL IT UP WITHOUT SUCCESS, I ALSO TRIED PUSHING BACK ON THE MAT, THINKING THE MATT WAS IN THE WAY, BUT THE MATT WAS NOT STUCK UP AGAINST THE THROTTLE. I ALSO PUT ON MY FLASHERS TO TRY AND WARN OTHER DRIVERS THAT I WAS HAVING A PROBLEM. I KEPT THINKING, "WITH A GAS TANK HALF FULL, I WOULD NEED TO TRY AND DRIVE TO SEATTLE IN ORDER FOR THE GAS TO RUN OUT, WHICH WOULD THEN STOP THE CAR". MEANWHILE, I CONTINUED TO KEEP TRYING TO PUSH THE THROTTLE UP WITH MY FOOT AND APPLY THE BRAKES. AFTER WHAT SEEMED LIKE AN ETERNITY, BUT WAS PROBABLY ONLY A FEW MINUTES, BECAUSE I DROVE PASS MY USUAL EXIT , THE CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN AND I HAD CONTROL OF THE CAR AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW IF MY PUSHING UNDER AND UP ON THE THROTTLE DID IT. I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY "DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT". I STILL HAVE THE SERVICE INVOICE , WHICH DOCUMENTS MY PROBLEM. NATURALLY I WAS FRIGHTENED BY THE WHOLE SITUATION AND IT TOOK ME AWHILE TO FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE CAR AGAIN. HOWEVER, I ALSO HAVEN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE ACCELERATION SINCE. IT SEEMS THOUGH THAT TOYOTA'S ACCELERATION PROBLEM STARTED WAY BACK. MAYBE THERE ARE OTHER OLDER RAV4S OUT THERE THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I TEND TO KEEP ALL MY CAR INVOICES, SO LIKE I SAID I HAVE THE ORIGINAL INVOICE. THANK YOU. *TR

199mo ago
Body 2

WHEN THE CAR IS STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS, THE ENGINE REVS UP ON ITS OWN AND STARTS MOVING. THE FOOT IS ONLY ON THE BRAKE AND NOT TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST MANY YEARS BUT NOT ALWAYS. WHENEVER IT HAPPENS, I BRING IT TO 'NEUTRAL' FROM 'DRIVE' GEAR POSITION TO STOP IT FROM MOVING. AS I AM HEARING RECALLS SOMEWHAT RELATED TO THIS KIND OF ISSUES, I AM BRINGING IT UP SO THAT IT MAY ALSO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN YOUR INVESTIGATION. *TR

200mo ago
Body 1

I BOUGHT 4 NEW GOODYEAR TRACKER 2 TIRES SIZE P22570R16 FROM WALMART THAT ARE WARRANTIED FOR 50,000 MILES. AFTER ABOUT 10,000 I NOTICED SOME DRY ROT AND CRACKING IN BETWEEN THE TREADS. I TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK TO WALMART AND SHOWED THEM. THE TIRE MANAGER SAID HE'S SEEN A LOT OF THIS WITH THESE TIRES BUT SAID THEY HAD TO CONTACT GOODYEAR BEFORE ANYTHING COULD BE DONE. THE NEXT DAY THE STORE MANAGER CALLED ME BACK AND SAID THEY SPOKE WITH GOODYEAR AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND POSES A SAFETY HAZARD. I WOULD LIKE THIS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND HAVE SOMETHING DONE AND THE TIRES REPLACED BEFORE IT DOES CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND/OR FATALITIES. *TR

209mo ago
Body 2

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA RAV 4. IN AN ATTEMPT TO FASTEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT, IT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT ALSO DOES NOT ADJUST PROPERLY. THE ENGINE SIZE OR THE NUMBER OF CYLINDERS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 179000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

223mo ago
Transmission 2

MANUAL TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY CAME OUT OF FIFTH GEAR AND WENT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING 50-70 MPH. CAR WAS TAKEN TO AN REPAIR FACILITY OTHER THAN TOYOTA, WHERE A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS FOUND. CAR WAS THEN TAKEN TO TOYOTA DEALER AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. TOYOTA OF AMERICA WAS NOTIFIED. I WAS INFORMED THAT TOYOTA DID NOT CONSIDER THIS 'PROBLEM' WHICH THEY KNEW OF WORTHY OF A RECALL BECAUSE IT DID NOT EFFECT ENOUGH VEHICLES. *TR

231mo ago
Body 1

2000 RAV4. THE WHEEL IS FAILING, DISINTEGRATING. SEVERAL CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE WHEEL RIM, AND THE INNER PART OF THE WHEEL - THE SPOKES - IS SEPARATING FROM THE OUTER PART. THIS IS THE SECOND WHEEL TO FAIL ON THIS VEHICLE, WHICH MAKES IT SURPRISING THAT I HAVE NOT HEARD OF OTHERS. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I REPORTED THE FIRST FAILURE, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, TO TOYOTA CANADA, AND WAS REFERRED TO THE DEALER, WHO LISTENED POLITELY, AND OFFERED NOTHING MORE BY WAY OF HELP OR SOLUTION. I HAVE NOT BOTHERED TO REPORT THIS ONE

232mo ago
Body 1

TOYOTA RAV4 2000, 210,000KM. THUMPING NOISE DEVELOPED IN VEHICLE. AFTER LONG SEARCH BY SERVICE SHOP AND BY FRIENDS, NOISE WAS TRACED TO REAR RIGHT WHEEL. INNER CORE OF WHEEL WAS SEPARATING FROM OUTER RIM. THREE BREAKS HAD OCCURRED AT THE WELDS. UNDETECTABLE WHILE ON VEHICLE HOIST. CONSIDER MYSELF VERY LUCKY THAT IT DID NOT FAIL ON A HIGH SPEED TURN. REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO TOYOTA CANADA BY EMAIL. CONTACTED DEALER BY PHONE. SERVICE MANAGER AT THIS SMALL DEALERSHIP SAID HE HAD SEEN THE PROBLEM "TWO OR THREE TIMES" PREVIOUSLY. *NM

243mo ago
Engine 1

THE CODE SCANNER ON BOTH MY AND MY MOTHER-IN-LAWS TOYOTA RAV4 (2000 AND 2002) HAVE READ ERRORS WITH THE FUEL RATIO AND NOW OURS IS CLAIMING THAT THE AIR FUEL RATIO SENSORS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. OURS REPORTED ERRORS P1130 AND P1133. *JB

245mo ago
Brakes 4

THE ABS ON MY CAR ACTIIVATED WHEN I WAS TRAVELING ROUGHLY 26 MPH CAUSING ME TO ENTER AN INTERSECTION 2000 TOYOTA MR2 SPYDER. *AK

263mo ago

40 total

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