10 complaints reported

1997 Toyota RAV4 Engine

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
10
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Apr 2015

RECEIVED WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT NOTICE-ZE7, AS INSTRUCTED, DEALER TEST WAS PERFORMED. OIL LOSS TOTALS UNDER 1QT. FOR EA. 1200 MILES DRIVEN. WAS TOLD THIS DID NOT QUALIFY FOR REPAIR. MY CONCERN IS THIS: TOYOTA SERVICE REQUIRED FOR OIL CHANGE IS EVERY 5,000 MILES. MY CAR HAS EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION OF JUST UNDER 1QT PER 1,200 MILES, SO DRIVING 5,000 MILES WOULD EFFECTIVELY BURN 4QTS., OR MORE, THEREBY STARVING ENGINE FOR OIL AND RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE. SERVICE DEPARTMENT ADVISED ME TO KEEP CHECKING OIL LEVEL, AND ADD OIL AS REQUIRED. I AM DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA'S SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM AND ADVISED THEM OF MY OPINION. I AM ABLE TO ADD OIL AS REQUIRED, BUT QUESTIONED CUSTOMER SERVICE ABOUT OTHER SENIOR CITIZEN'S ABILITY TO SELF MAINTAIN THE OIL LEVEL, OR FOR THAT MATTER, ANY CONSUMER THAT HAS THIS PROBLEM. TOYOTA HAS ASSIGNED ME A CASE NUMBER FROM REGIONAL CA. OFFICE. I WAS TOLD THAT PERHAPS TOYOTA WILL CHANGE QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS SO THAT AT 5,000 MILES, OIL CONSUMPTION WOULD NOT RESULT IN ENGINE STARVATION AND FAILURE. ALSO, IN MY CASE CONTINUE TO MONITOR OIL LOSS, AND IF IT INCREASES IN VOLUME, COME BACK TO DEALER AND TEST AGAIN. I THINK THAT DESIGN FAILURE DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECT SHOULD BE FULLY COVERED UNDER THIS WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT NOTIFICATION THAT WAS MAILED TO ME. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Apr 2015
Aug 2003 Crash Fire

MY RAV 4 - 57348 MILES. IT STARTED MAKING A TAPPING SOUND IN THE ENGINE AND IT HAS MAKES A METAL ON METAL VIBRATION UPON ACCELERATION AND ESPECIALLY WHEN I MAKE A GRADUAL LEFT TURN AND DECELERATE. I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALER. THEY SAY IT MAY BE THAT THE LIFTERS ARE A BIT WORN AND THAT THIS WILL NOT HARM ANYTHING. THIS IS ODD BECAUSE A NEW ENGINE WAS PLACED IN THE CAR AT 49,000 + MILES. THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY WHAT THE VIBRATION NOISE WAS AND SAID THAT IT IS POSSIBLY A ROCK IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM. I KNOW WHAT THAT SOUNDS LIKE AND STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THEIR ANALYSIS. THE NOISE IS DEFINITELY COMING FROM THE ENGINE. *NLM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Mar 2003
Aug 2003

MY RAV HAS HAD 2 ENGINE REPLACEMENTS THE FIRST AT 16,000 MILES AND THE SECOND AT 49,000 MILES. THE FIRST ONE HAPPENED WHEN IT STALLED OUT GOING THROUGH AN EXTREMELY LARGE PUDDLE OF WATER ON THE ACCESS ROAD AND THE SECOND FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *NLM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Dec 1998
Aug 2002

WHILE VEHICLE WAS AT IDLE AND WITH NO WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL STALL, CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2002
Aug 2000

PROBLEM OF STALLING AND VEHICLE ACCELERATION ONGOING SINCE JUNE..NOW AUGUST AND BACK TO DEALER AGAIN AS THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN IN VEHICLE..

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2000
Sep 1999

THE CAR HAS A STALLING PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR INITIALLY JUST HAD A STARTING PROBLEM WHERE IT WILL START AND STALLS IMMEDIATELY. THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME IT THE STARTER AND I HAD IT REPLACED, BUT IT IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF THE CAR IS COLD OR WARM. I COULD JUST PULL INTO A GAS STATION AND IT WON'T START. IF I WAIT ABOUT TEN MINUTES, IT WILL START AGAIN. BUT, I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN. YESTERDAY, DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 60MPH THE CAR JUST STALLED. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO DRIFT TO THE SHOULDER. I WAITED ABOUT TEN MINUTES AND IT STARTED AGAIN. THERE IS NO RHYME OF REASON TO THIS, THERE IS NO WARNING OF ANY KIND.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Sep 1999
Mar 1999

POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CRANK BUT NOT START.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jul 1998
Mar 1999

ENGINE FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO START.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 1998
Aug 1997

CAR STALLED TWICE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 1997
Jun 1997

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ON FREEWAY ABOUT 80 MPH HAD ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE LANES WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED OR DIED OUT FOR NO REASON IN HEAVY TRAFFIC; EVERYTHING WENT OUT. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 TOYOTA RAV4, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jun 1997

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 1997 Toyota RAV4 has 10 Engine complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.