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Before you buy a used Toyota RAV4 (III).

2006–2012 · Petrol / Diesel · 2 engines

Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

Toyota RAV4 (III), real photo of this generation
Raszbeary · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo source

The essentials.

Typical faults by engine

The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.

All versions

Sheets the catalogue links to all 2 of its engines.

2.0 / 2.4 VVT-i

Petrol

  • Oil consumption on the 2.4 VVT-i (2AZ-FE)Engine
    Period mentioned
    Approx. 2000–2012
    Mileage mentioned
    What the sheet says: Oil must be topped up between changes (in the US the warranty-extension threshold was more than 1 quart, almost a litre, per 1,200 miles); it usually starts at around 60,000–75,000 miles; bluish smoke and fouled spark plugs.

    Applies if: Only the 2.4 (2AZ-FE); confirm the engine code in the documents.

2.2 D-4D

Diesel

  • Oil consumption and head gasket on the 2.0 and 2.2 D-4DEngine
    Period mentioned
    2005–2009
    Mileage mentioned
    What the sheet says: Carbon on the pistons causing oil consumption and head-gasket failures. Toyota had out-of-warranty support guidelines for engines built in 2005–2009 (up to 7 years and 180,000 km), now expired.

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the Toyota RAV4 (III)
EngineDocumented faultsRecalls
2.0 / 2.4 VVT-iPetrol33 with conditions4
2.2 D-4DDiesel32 with conditions4

According to the data we have, all its engines have the same number of documented faults.

We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.

Official recalls: ask before you pay

A recall existing does not mean this car is affected or that it is still outstanding: it depends on the chassis number, the market and the production date.

  1. Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
  2. Ask an official Toyota dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
  3. Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.
Toyota airbag and seat-belt recalls (2003–2024)Airbags and seat belts

How to check it: Check by VIN whether any of the recalls is outstanding (at the dealer or on the DVSA website) and carry out the inspection or replacement it requires.

View full entry
Toyota wheel, axle and suspension recalls (2004–2026)Suspension and steering

How to check it: Check by VIN whether any of the recalls is outstanding (at the dealer or on the DVSA website) and carry out the inspection or replacement it requires.

View full entry
Toyota engine, transmission and software recalls (2002–2026)Powertrain and engine management

How to check it: Check by VIN whether any of the recalls is outstanding (at the dealer or on the DVSA website) and carry out the inspection or replacement it requires.

View full entry
Toyota electrical, lighting and electronics recalls (2004–2025)Electrical and electronic systems

How to check it: Check by VIN whether any of the recalls is outstanding (at the dealer or on the DVSA website) and carry out the inspection or replacement it requires.

View full entry

On the test drive: what to look and listen for

Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.

0 of 4 checked

Engine

  • Look out for: High oil consumption, coolant loss, overheating, smoke and clogged EGR and particulate filter.

    Ask them to check: Measure oil consumption, run a combustion-gas test on the coolant and check the EGR and particulate filter; check the engine repair history.

  • Look out for: Oil must be topped up between changes (in the US the warranty-extension threshold was more than 1 quart, almost a litre, per 1,200 miles); it usually starts at around 60,000–75,000 miles; bluish smoke and fouled spark plugs.

    Ask them to check: Measure consumption between two changes with the level set correctly and check the spark plugs and catalytic converter. If consumption is high, the lasting fix is new pistons and rings.

Transmission

  • Look out for: A low growl from under the rear of the car that increases with speed and does not change when turning the steering wheel.

    Ask them to check: Note whether the noise rises with speed rather than with steering. At the garage, have them check the rear differential coupling before replacing wheel bearings.

Known weak points

  • Look out for: On petrol, high oil consumption (especially the 2.0 Valvematic from 2009), leaks from the filter and chain cover, lambda sensors, the charcoal canister (petrol smell) and water pump; on the 2.2 D-CAT, the fifth injector, particulate filter, EGR and head gaskets (up to 2007); a handbrake that fails from the eighth year.

    Ask them to check: Measure oil consumption; check the campaigns by VIN; check the handbrake and, on diesels, injectors and EGR.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.

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