The Lemon Index2010 Toyota RAV4.
The 2010 Toyota RAV4 is better than average by owner complaints: 153 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 81, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about speed control, it has 14 recalls, and it gets 21 to 24 mpg combined. The best Toyota RAV4 year is 2014.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 400 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Toyota RAV4 year. 2010 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 6K to 71K miles on the car (278 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- suspension complaints mostly came at 35K–86K miles
- speed control complaints mostly came at 2K–22K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 0K–93K miles
Recalls 14
- suspension 2016
The affected vehicles have rear suspension arms (rear tie rods) with adjusting lock nuts that may have been improperly tightened after servicing.
- seats 2016
The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.
- seat belts 2016
In the event of a frontal collision, the rear seat belts for the outboard seats may be cut by the seat cushion frame.
Show all 14 recalls
- visibility 2015
During the manufacturing of the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.
- wipers & visibility 2015
In the affected vehicles, water may drip onto the joint that connects the wiper linkage to the wiper motor.
- seats 2014
Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
- suspension 2013
If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear suspension arm (rear tie rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust leading to thread damage and eventual failure.
- equipment 2013
These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight ad.
- airbags 2013
If 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…
- suspension 2012
If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear suspension arm (rear tie rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust, leading to thread damage and eventual failure.
- speed control 2011
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2011 LEXUS LX570, 2003 THROUGH 2009 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, AND 2006 THROUGH 2010 RAV4 VEHICLES.
- equipment 2010
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE S…
- equipment 2010
GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETW…
- speed control 2010
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 AVALON, MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 CAMRY, MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 COROLLA, COROLLA MATRIX, RAV4, MODEL YEAR 2010 HIGHLANDER, MODEL YEAR 2008-2010 SEQUOIA, AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 …
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Toyota told dealers about
Toyota sent dealers 313 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- 2009-2011 rav4
- Growl noise, due
- Growl type noise from the rear differential
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- ClosedUnintended and uncontrolled acceleration2010–2011
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $2700–3050 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.5L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
Check engine light indicated. The car was taken to the dealer, where the dealer mentioned, "evidence of rodent/small animal has chewed wiring harness at connector completely through." the car will need wiring harness.
2010 Toyota RAV4 owner · NHTSA complaint 10326153
More owner reports
On several occasions the cruise control did not disengage, either when the brakes were applied or the lever pulled. It has accelerated at least twice while approaching slowed traffic, ahead.
NHTSA complaint 10442072
Computer failure on my 2002 Toyota RAV4. Transmission failure.
NHTSA complaint 10316152
Quick answers
Is the 2010 Toyota RAV4 reliable?
Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.2× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 81; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Toyota RAV4 year by this measure is 2014.
What are the most common 2010 Toyota RAV4 problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are speed control (46%), transmission & drivetrain (14%) and brakes (12%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2010 Toyota RAV4 have?
14 safety recalls (latest: suspension). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2010 Toyota RAV4 get?
21 to 24 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2010 Toyota RAV4 problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 6,800 and 71,000 miles. The middle report was at 34,200 miles, from 278 complaints.
Does the 2010 Toyota RAV4 have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 14% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2010 Toyota RAV4 cost in fuel a year?
About $2700 to $3050 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2010 Toyota RAV4 have?
2.5L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl.
What Toyota RAV4 year is better than the 2010?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2014, 2022 and 2015.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works