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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
28 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
7 / 0
Average Mileage:
23,386 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2009 Toyota RAV4 engine problems

engine problem

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2009 Toyota RAV4 Owner Comments (Page 1 of 5)

problem #91

Aug 062023

RAV4

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Four incidents of unintended acceleration, in all instances foot was on break petal NOT on gas petal, 3 instances vehicle was stopped at traffic light, last incident was pulling into a parking space foot on brake, in all instances braked hard and shifted vehicle into neutral and turned vehicle off to avoid collisions, personal injury and property damage

- Plano, TX, USA

problem #90

Feb 152021

RAV4

  • 113,000 miles
While decelerating on a freeway off-ramp at approx. 25 mph, the brakes failed to stop the car. Going no more than 5 mph, I lifted off slightly then depressed them all the way to the floor; they didn't engage properly but finally slowed the car almost to a complete stop, but the engine revved and the car kept wanting to go forward. I threw the transmission into park and turned off the ignition.

- Layton, UT, USA

problem #89

Jan 052020

RAV4

  • 104,300 miles
This complaint is the same type of problem identified in complaint #11297696. On 5 Jan 2020 I was parking the rav 4 in a lot at the greene town center in beavercreek Ohio. I pulled into a space which was head -to-head parking. I then backed up to straighten the car out between the designated white lined parking space. With my foot on the brake and the gear shift in one/low the car was edging forward when it all of a sudden accelerated and hit the front bumper of the car in front of it. Since that car was unoccupied a police call was made in an attempt to find the driver which was unsuccessful. A police report was filed. The damage to the Honda Odyssey (the car in front) was scrapes on the bumper. The responding officer left his card on the windshield of the Honda. The damage to the rav 4 consists of a tear in the front bumper and some scrapes and repair costs have not been estimated. Toyota has not been contacted about this latest incident.

- Enon, OH, USA

problem #88

Jan 052020

RAV4

  • 104,300 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This complaint is related to and the same type of complaint as complaint #11297696. It also is a duplicate of complaint # 11297717 which I noticed when I printed it out deleted all but the first ten words of what happened. On 5 January 2020 I was parking the rav 4 in a large parking lot at the green town center in beavercreek, Ohio. The parking lot was set up with head-to-head parking. I pulled into the space and backed-up to even the car out between the designated white lones. With my foot on the brake and the gear shift in the lowest gear I was edging forward when the rav 4 suddenly accelerated and hit the Honda Odyssey van in front of us.I was able T back the car up and since the Honda was unoccupied we called the police who filed a report in beavercreek and left a crd on the Honda's windshield. The damage to the van was bumper scrapes and the damage to the rav was bumper scrapes and a tear in the bumper. An estimate has not been made on repair costs and Toyota has not been contacted.

- Enon, OH, USA

problem #87

Aug 072019

RAV4

  • 101,112 miles
I was parallel parking the 2009 rav 4 in yellow springs Ohio. With my foot on the brake I was straightening the car out with the gearshift in one when the car accelerated, jumped the curb and hit a vertical sign post that identified the parking spot as a handicapped spot. There were no injuries and the air bags did not deploy. There was approximately $1800 damage to the car which was repaired and driven until a similar accident on 5 Jan 2020 which will be filed in a separate complaint. A complaint was lodged with Toyota who investigated, readout the edr/vch data, test drove the vehicle and concluded there was no defect.

- Enon, OH, USA

problem #86

Nov 192019

RAV4

  • 137,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Rav4. While pulling into a parking space, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own. As a result, the vehicle crashed into a brick wall. There were no injuries. A police report was filed. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer was not notified. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 137,000. The VIN was invalid.

- San Jose, CA, USA

problem #85

Aug 182018

RAV4

  • 32,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Rav4. While driving approximately 10 mph and making a left turn, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration and the engine rpms suddenly increased. The driver quickly switched the transmission into the neutral position in order to slow down the vehicle. The contact indicated that the failure occurred on three separate occasions. The failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The local dealer (page Toyota, 21262 telegraph rd, southfield, mi) was notified of the failure, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 32,000.

- Livonia, MI, USA

problem #84

Feb 112018

RAV4

  • 108,000 miles
Just over 100,000 miles on the 2009 rav 4. without issue. Not original owner. This weekend it tried 3 times to accelerate us into the vehicles or people in front of is. After looking online I verified that our floormats are both secured and do not extend to the area of the pedal. Incident 1. while sitting at a complete stop at red light, heard and felt engine start to rev. Car lurched forward, and I applied left foot in addition to the right which was already on the brake in attempt to stop it. Had to hit shifter into neutral to regain control only a foot or 2 from the car in front. Mistakenly thought it was an isolated incident. Incident 2 today-- while slowing to a red light by application of brakes with right foot, engine revved up to approx. 3000 RPM and tried accelerating us into vehicles in front of us. Again- only shifting into neutral brought vehicle under control.. incident 3 - approx 20 min after incident 2 on way home ( Sunday afternoon)while braking to a stop at red light. No vehicles in front by people entering the crosswalk. Heard and felt engine start to accelerate. Immediate addition of right foot to the brake pedal was able to stop the car and the acceleration stopped without shifting to neutral this time. Vehicle is parked awaiting reply from Toyota. Checked Toyota website and it says there are no open recalls or service campaigns for this VIN.

- St. Clair Shores, MI, USA

problem #83

Jul 312017

RAV4

  • 77,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Rav4. While pulling into a parking space with the brake pedal depressed, the engine revved and caused the vehicle to accelerate. The vehicle lunged forward and landed into a nearby pool. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed and taken to the C&C Dodge Toyota dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealership stated that they were instructed by the manufacturer not to tend to the vehicle involving unintentional acceleration. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided case number: 1707311582. The approximate failure mileage was 77,000.

- Marietta, OH, USA

problem #82

Apr 112016

RAV4

  • 47,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while reversing at approximately 5 mph, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning. The vehicle was able to be stopped. On another occasion, the contact stated that after switching into the drive position, the vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning. As a result, the contact crashed into a tree. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was not filed. The contact sustained neck and back injuries that required medical attention. The vehicle was not diagnosed however, the body damage was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 47,000.

- Hinsdale, MA, USA

problem #81

Apr 052016

RAV4

  • 90,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Rav4. While coming to a stop and placing the vehicle in park, the vehicle accelerated independently once the brake pedal was released. The vehicle crashed into a building. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the cause of the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.

- Floyds Knobs, IN, USA

problem #80

Jun 112015

RAV4

  • 76,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Rav4. While exiting a fuel station and attempting to depress the brake pedal, the contact's foot became trapped between the rug and the accelerator pedal. The vehicle accelerated and crashed into another vehicle. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the damage was repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 11V113000 (vehicle speed control). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 76,000.

- Holden, MA, USA

problem #79

Aug 022012

RAV4 6-cyl

  • 37,000 miles
Coming to a red light I applied my brakes to slow the car and the brake felt a little hard and were very slow to react. Because I had allowed enough distance to the light I was able after a moment or to feel the car begin to stop. Very frightening because it felt like I was not going to be able to stop the car before the reaching the traffic light at the intersection. I reported the incident to my Toyota dealer and they thought they needed to reset the computer. After checking it out they could not find any problem. Over the next two years this anomaly occurred several times and each time I had them check but no resolve was found. On 8-17-14 the dealership had me complete their survey of these occurrences and performed a series of diagnostics. Their conclusion was that my foot may have been hitting both the accelerator and brake simultaneously on those occasions plus they ask me to remove a rubber mat which had been over the car's accessory carpet mat. That rubber mat has remained out of the car ever since. I felt that both of those remedies could not have been the cause as if that were the case these incidents would have happened more frequently. My suspicion is that it is either electrical or mechanical anomalies that only occur rarely. I believe I have been fortunate to date that when these prior episodes have taken place the conditions were manageable. My primary concern is what if conditions were not so.. I.e. highway travel at greater speed, heavier traffic, and wet or icy road conditions...a scenario that begs very serious, if not tragic, results...very frightening circumstances to ponder indeed. This unintended acceleration mystery needs to be more deeply addressed.

- Rockaway, NJ, USA

problem #78

Apr 172014

RAV4 4-cyl

  • miles
2009 Toyota rav 4. consumer writes in regards to accelerator pedal problems. The consumer on March 17, 2014, she took the vehicle to the dealer for a noise in the fan heater. The technicians also addressed a recall for the accelerator pedal. The recall required reprogramming the ECM with smart stop technology. However, on April 17, 2014, while turning a corner at a very low speed, the RPM's raced high as if the accelerator pedal was stuck. When she removed her foot from the accelerator and applied the brake, the RPM's continued to race, and continued, even when the vehicle was put in neutral. When she stopped, she shifted the gear into park and the RPM's were still racing. The accelerating only stopped when she turned the vehicle off. The consumer went back to the dealer. However, they were unable to find anything wrong. Toyota engineers concluded and reported, pedal mis-application.

- Pewaukee, WI, USA

problem #77

Jun 082014

RAV4 4-cyl

  • 70,500 miles
On June 8, 2014, while driving my 2009 Toyota Rav4, I began to slow for a stop light. Several cars were already stopped. Suddenly, and unexpectedly, my car began to accelerate causing me to crash into another vehicle, and forcing it into a second vehicle. After the initial impact; my engine continued to rev-up, even though my foot was off the accelerator and hard on the brakes. Finally, I shifted into park and turned off the ignition. All three vehicles were damaged, two significantly. A passenger in the second vehicle expressed personal anxiety due to a 'heart condition' and possible neck injury. Both drivers filed claims on my insurance, but no damage estimates or injury claims are available as yet. A police report was filed. During 2013, I had two previous accidents and several incidents while driving this Rav4, caused by sudden and unexpected acceleration. Damage of about $3,000 was incurred; however, no other vehicles were involved. One accident report was filed. On several other occasions, while driving on the interstate highways, the Rav4 suddenly and unexpectedly, accelerated. In each instance, I regained control of the vehicle and no accident or damage occurred. Prior to owning the Rav4, I purchased a new 2008 4-door Toyota Camry. On numerous occasions, during the eight months I owned the vehicle, I experienced sudden and unexpected acceleration, especially at cruising speeds on the highway. Becoming very uncomfortable driving it ' I traded the Camry on the then new 2009 Toyota Rav4. As a 68 year old single working widow, I am afraid of driving the Rav4 to work or on weekends. In January, 9013, a legal claims administrator for Toyota motor sales, advised by letter that based on their inspection of the 2009 Rav4; the 2013 accidents were 'not the result of any type of manufacturing or design defect.'

- Chesterfield, MO, USA

problem #76

Oct 142013

RAV4

  • 62,215 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the vehicle engine raced as the rpms increased. The vehicle then accelerated independently. The contact was previously serviced under NHTSA campaign number: 11V113000 (vehicle speed control). The manufacturer was not alerted of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The failure mileage was 62,215. The vehicle was not repaired.

- Kent, WA, USA

problem #75

Jul 012013

RAV4 4-cyl

  • 74,000 miles
We have a loud, intermittent grinding or rattling noise that occurs usually during acceleration but often when cruising as well. We checked online and others have had a similar problem but dealer claims they do not know what it is.

- Dover, DE, USA

problem #74

Jan 062014

RAV4

  • 98,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that he started the ignition and shifted from park into drive when suddenly, the accelerator pedal became stuck to the floorboard with a rapid increase in engine rpms. In addition, the vehicle abnormally accelerated. The contact mentioned that there was a huge pile of snow that stopped the vehicle however the wheels were still spinning. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 98,000.

- Chicago , IL, USA

problem #73

Apr 062013

RAV4

  • 75,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Rav4. The contact was driving approximately 50 mph with the cruise control activated. The contact approached a traffic stop and applied the brakes but the vehicle continued to accelerate. The gear was shifted into neutral in order to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis. The technician was unable to detect a trouble code. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.

- Circleville, OH, USA

problem #72

Jul 162012

RAV4

  • 16,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while attempting to engage the brakes, the engine RPM failed to decrease. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who decided to send out an engineer to inspect the vehicle. The engineer was unable to determine what was causing the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 16,000 and the current mileage was 22,000.

- New Kensington, PA, USA

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