NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Toyota RAV4. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
THERE IS A PROBLEM IN ACCELERATION DELAY/THROTTLE LAG IN THE 2006 TOYOTA RAV4. AFTER TAKING DELIVERY JAN 06 AND WHILE DRIVING 12K MILES, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED ERRATIC ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. FROM COMPLETE STOPS OR ROLLING STARTS, WHEN TURNING CORNERS IN EITHER DIRECTION, ON UPHILL GRADES, OR ATTEMPTED PASSING, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DELAY IN DELIVERING FORWARD SPEED REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH PRESSURE IS PUT ON THE FOOT FEED. AFTER THE DELAY, FORWARD SPEED IS DELIVERED SUDDENLY, CAUSING THE CAR TO LURCH FORWARD AND THE ENGINE TO RACE. THE FORWARD SPEED LAGS CONTINUOUSLY UP HILLS, DEPENDING ON THE GRADE. UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, EVERYDAY DRIVING IS HAZARDOUS AND I HAVE HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS. THE TOYOTA DEALER DISMISSED OUR INITIAL COMPLAINTS, STATING THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS 'NORMAL', AND WE PUT UP WITH THIS FOR TOO LONG BEFORE INSISTING THE VEHICLE BE CHECKED OUT. THE DEALER SAID NO ERROR CODES WERE GENERATED AND NO TSB'S HAD BEEN ISSUED AND THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM IN ORDER TO FIX IT, AS THOUGH WE'RE THE ONLY PEOPLE WITH THIS COMPLAINT. AFTER SOME PERSISTENCE ON OUR PART, THEY GAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY'RE WELL AWARE OF A PROBLEM, BUT SEEM TO BE STONE WALLING WHILE LAYING THE BLAME ON TOYOTA TO ISSUE A FIX. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS FAULT IN THE NEW RAV4. MY ONLINE RESEARCH HAS NOW REVEALED THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME PROBLEM ON CONSUMER WEBSITES SUCH AS TOYOTA NATION AND EDMUNDS. FOR TOYOTA DEALERS TO PRETEND THIS IS AN ISOLATED, INSIGNIFICANT PROBLEM IS, AT THE VERY LEAST, DECEPTIVE AND MAY PROVE TO BE CRIMINAL, AS THIS ACCELERATION PROBLEM COULD WELL LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. TOYOTA MUST FIX THIS PROBLEM ASAP. *JB
My 2006 Toyota RAV4 was supposedly repaired under the rear suspension arm recall (C0J / G0V), but the rear tie rod ends still have yellow stickers reading “this is a recalled part” and no epoxy on the bolts. A Toyota dealer refused to inspect the vehicle and relied solely on the VIN record. The car now rides roughly, and I believe additional suspension components have been damaged due to the unresolved recall. I am concerned for my safety and request NHTSA investigation.
2006 RAV 4 CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PASSENGERS WERE STILL INSIDE. *TS THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE TWO OCCUPANT WERE KILLED. *NM
2006 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS A GRINDING/BINDING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. CONSUMER FEEL THAT THIS IS PERHAPS A DEFECT. *NJ THE DEALER DETERMINED THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFTS WERE FAULTY. *JB