2006 Toyota RAV4 Reliability
The 2006 Toyota RAV4 has 704 owner complaints and 11 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about steering and engine. Compared with nearby RAV4 model years (2004–2008), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the RAV4's typical year, while the 2005 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
704
NHTSA owner complaints
11
Recall campaigns
26
Complaints citing a crash
5
Complaints citing a fire
2006 Toyota RAV4 complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2006 model year, filed between 2006 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 230 | 33% |
| Engine | 109 | 15% |
| Speed control / throttle | 74 | 11% |
| Suspension | 73 | 10% |
| Air bags | 57 | 8% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 53 | 8% |
| Electrical system | 42 | 6% |
| Engine & cooling | 40 | 6% |
2006 Toyota RAV4 recalls
11 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2006 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09V223000 | Jun 15, 2009 | Equipment — other / labels | Toyota is recalling 27,080 model year 2005 through 2010 passenger cars built from September 1, 2005 to May 4, 2009. These vehicles were not equipped with load carrying capacity modification labels which fails to conform with the requirements of federal motor… |
| 10V036000 | Feb 3, 2010 | Equipment — other / labels | 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 sold without the requisite load carrying… |
| 10V035000 | Feb 3, 2010 | Equipment — other / labels | 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 between September 1, 2005 and June 2, 2008… |
| 11V113000 | Feb 24, 2011 | Speed control / throttle — accelerator pedal | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2011 lexus lx570, 2003 through 2009 Toyota 4runner, and 2006 through 2010 RAV4 vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible… |
| 12V373000 | Aug 2, 2012 | Suspension — rear | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2011 RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS250h passenger vehicles manufactured from October 2005 through September 2010. If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear… |
| 13V383000 | Aug 28, 2013 | Suspension — rear | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2011 RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS250h passenger vehicles manufactured from October 2005 through September 2010. If the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel alignment are improperly tightened during service, the rear… |
| 14V168000 | Apr 9, 2014 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, 2008-2010 Highlander, and 2009-2010 Tacoma, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and General Motors Pontiac Vibe vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the steering column assembly contains electrical… |
| 15V689000 | Oct 22, 2015 | Visibility / wipers — power window devices and controls | Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010… |
| 16V096000 | Feb 19, 2016 | Seat belts — rear/other | 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… |
| 16V396000 | Jun 2, 2016 | Seats — front assembly / seat heater/cooler | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011… |
| 16V596000 | Aug 12, 2016 | Suspension — rear | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 31, 2005, to September 7, 2010, and 2010 Lexus HS250h vehicles manufactured July 6, 2009, to August 26, 2010. The affected… |
How the 2006 compares with nearby RAV4 years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year RAV4 analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 154 | 2 | Air bags | Better year |
| 2005 | 141 | 5 | Air bags | Better year |
| 2006 (this page) | 704 | 11 | Steering | Avoid |
| 2007 | 1,003 | 14 | Steering | Avoid |
| 2008 | 575 | 14 | Engine | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2006 Toyota RAV4
- Steering: check for a steering warning light, heavy or notchy steering and clunks over bumps; power-steering faults show up at low speed.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Throttle and speed control: check for surging, hesitation or a reduced-power warning, and test cruise control.
- Suspension: listen for clunks over bumps, look for leaking struts and uneven tire wear.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 11 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2006 Toyota RAV4 can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2006 Toyota RAV4 reliability FAQ
Is the 2006 Toyota RAV4 reliable?
The 2006 Toyota RAV4 has 704 owner complaints and 11 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about steering and engine. Compared with nearby RAV4 model years (2004–2008), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the RAV4's typical year, while the 2005 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2006 Toyota RAV4 problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2006 Toyota RAV4 are steering (230), engine (109), speed control / throttle (74), suspension (73). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2006 Toyota RAV4 have recalls?
NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for the 2006 Toyota RAV4, including 09V223000 (equipment — other / labels) and 10V036000 (equipment — other / labels). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2006 Toyota RAV4 compare with the 2005 and 2007 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2005 has 141 complaints and 5 recalls (better year); the 2007 has 1,003 complaints and 14 recalls (avoid). The 2006 has 704 complaints and 11 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2006 Toyota RAV4?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Toyota RAV4 research
Other Toyota RAV4 model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2006 RAV4, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.