Total Complaints
4 filings
TOYOTA RAV4 · model year
1994 TOYOTA RAV4
4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1994TOYOTARAV4 carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1994 RAV4 is engine and engine cooling with 1 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (1) and fuel system, gasoline (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 51 investigation files overlapping the 1994 RAV4, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
4
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20200623AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V033000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
20140304FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
AS I WAS DRIVING HOME (APPROX. 30 MILE DRIVE), I WAS HEARING SOMETHING THAT WAS THUMPING, THINKING IT WAS JUST MY SEAT BELT HANGING OUT THE DOOR. I TRIED THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT AND IT WAS TIGHT, SO I ASSUMED IT WAS JUST MY SEAT BELT HANGING OUT THE DOOR. AFTER ARRIVING HOME, I NOTICED THE SEAT BELT WAS NOT HANGING OUTSIDE THE DOOR. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR TO FIND A "L-SHAPED" BAR HANGING OFF THE CAR. IT WAS THE BAR THAT HELD THE GAS TANK. I NEVER EXPECTED SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT TO A CAR WOULD HAVE LET GO. ALL ALONG I AM THINKING IS IT STILL SAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC BECAUSE THERE MUST BE A SECOND BAR HOLDING THE TANK UP. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC, THERE IS NOT. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME I WAS A VERY LUCKY GIRL AS THE METAL BAR WAS THE ONLY BAR HOLDING THE TANK UP. THERE SHOULD BE A ADDITIONAL BARS INSTALLED TO GIVE EXTRA PROTECTION IF ONE SHOULD FALL OFF OR BECOME LOOSE.
Mileage: 1,650,000
20040220CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT COLLISION WITH A DEER. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ALSO, NO AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT APPEARED PRIOR TO THE CRASH. DRIVER WAS WEARING SEAT BELT. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT. *AK
Mileage: 32,000
20030117ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS DEALER REPLACED VALVES AND CONSUMER DRIVES VEHICLE WITH THE OVERDRIVE ON. THIS SEEMED TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM STALLING. *TT
Mileage: 61,000
Compare 1994TOYOTARAV4 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1994 TOYOTA RAV4 have?▼
The 1994 TOYOTA RAV4 has 4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 TOYOTA RAV4?▼
The most-complained component for the 1994 TOYOTA RAV4 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.
Is the 1994 TOYOTA RAV4 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.