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2012 Toyota Rav4: Recalls, Complaints & Safety Ratings

5Safety recalls
266Owner complaints
4★NHTSA overall
Quick answer

The 2012 Toyota Rav4 has 5 NHTSA safety recall campaigns and 266 owner complaints on file, with an overall 4-star NHTSA crash-test rating. Check a specific VIN to confirm whether recalls apply, whether repairs were completed, and what to verify before you buy.

2012 Toyota Rav4 safety record graphic showing 5 recalls, 266 owner complaints and 4-star overall NHTSA rating.
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2012 Toyota Rav4 pages show model-level safety data. A Carchieve VIN report checks the exact car before you buy.

Safety record reviewed September 2026 · sourced from NHTSA

The 2012 Toyota Rav4 has 5 safety recall campaigns and 266 owner complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and it earned an overall 4-star NHTSA crash-test rating. Below is the public model-level safety record. To see whether a specific Rav4 had applicable recalls repaired and what its decoded VIN says, run that car's VIN.

Safety recalls

1

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

Campaign 16V096000 · 19/02/2016

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 RAV4 vehicles manufactured July 28, 2005, to December 19, 2012, and 2012-2014 RAV4 EV vehicles manufactured July 24, 2012, to August 29, 2014. In the event of a frontal collision, the rear seat belts for the outboard seats may be cut by the seat cushion frame.

RiskA cut seat belt may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.
RemedyToyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a protector over both rear seat cushion frames, free of charge. The recall began on June 24, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0F.
2

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

Campaign 14V054000 · 12/02/2014

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012 and 2013 Toyota Tacoma and Lexus RX350 vehicles and certain model year 2012 Toyota Rav4 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the brake system contains a brake actuator that adjusts the fluid pressure of each wheel cylinder. An electrical component within the actuator may experience an increased resistance resulting in the illumination of various warning lights, including those for the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system, Antilock Brake System (ABS), and Traction Control system.

RiskIf this occurs, these systems could become inoperative, reducing the directional control assistance, increasing the risk of a crash.
RemedyToyota will notify owners, and Toyota and Lexus dealers will update the software for the Skid Control electronic control unit, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
3

VISIBILITY/WIPER

Campaign 15V577000 · 18/09/2015

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 27, 2008, to December 19, 2012 and 2012-2014 RAV4 EV vehicles manufactured July 24, 2012, to August 29, 2014. In the affected vehicles, water may drip onto the joint that connects the wiper linkage to the wiper motor.

RiskOver time, the dripping water may cause corrosion and wear at the joint, potentially resulting in the separation of the wiper linkage. Once this occurs, the wipers would not function, reducing driver visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
RemedyToyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water diverter channel. In addition, a new wiper linkage with a wiper motor crank arm will be installed. The wiper linkage will have a protective cover over the wiper linkage joint to minimize water splash and a retainer ring to prevent the wiper arm from separating from the wiper motor. The recall began on November 7, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service number at 1-800-331-4331.
4

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE

Campaign 13V014000 · 16/01/2013

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.

RiskIf the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
RemedySoutheast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
5

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Campaign 13V123000 · 09/04/2013

Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

RiskAn inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
RemedySoutheast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

What owners complain about

The systems 2012 Toyota Rav4 owners report most often to federal regulators:

Visibility60
Wiper54
Vehicle Speed Control50
Service Brakes39
Electrical System31
Seat Belts31

NHTSA crash-test ratings

Frontal crash★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Overall★★★★

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Toyota Rav4 have any recalls?

Yes. The 2012 Toyota Rav4 has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns associated with this model year. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer when the exact VIN is affected. Check your specific VIN to confirm applicability and completion.

What problems do 2012 Toyota Rav4 owners report?

Owners have filed 266 complaints with the NHTSA for the 2012 Toyota Rav4, most often about the visibility, wiper, vehicle speed control.

How do I check a specific Rav4's history?

Enter the 17-character VIN into Carchieve. You get the recalls, owner complaints and crash ratings shown here for that exact vehicle, plus full decoded specifications and a guided title and odometer check.

Check a specific 2012 Toyota Rav4

This page covers the model. For one exact car, run its 17-character VIN to confirm recalls, decoded specifications and buyer checks.

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