2011 Toyota RAV4 - Ratings, Complaints and Recalls

The 2011 Toyota RAV4 SUV FWD has an overall safety rating of 3 out of 5, indicating moderate safety features. It received a 4-star rating for the front crash driver side and a 2-star rating for the front crash passenger side. In terms of side crash safety, it scored a 5-star rating for the driver's side and a 3-star rating for the passenger side. Additionally, it obtained a 5-star rating for combined side barrier pole in the front and a 3-star rating in the rear. The car has an overall side barrier rating of 4 and a rollover rating of 4. It is equipped with electronic stability control for enhanced stability on the road.

The 2011 Toyota RAV4 does not have forward collision warning or lane departure warning systems. There have been 270 complaints reported for this vehicle and it has been subject to 11 recalls. Overall, while the Toyota RAV4 offers decent safety features, it is recommended to drive with caution and keep up to date with any recalls for optimal safety.

Top stats at a glance

Complaint Count

270

Recall Count

11

Investigation Count

1

Safety Rating

3/5

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Safety Features

2011 Toyota RAV4 SUV FWD Safety Features

Here are the safety features that come as standard on the 2011 Toyota RAV4 SUV FWD

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ESC is an advanced safety feature in vehicles designed to help drivers maintain control during challenging driving conditions. By continuously monitoring various factors such as steering angle, vehicle speed, and individual wheel speeds, ESC can detect and reduce the risk of skidding or loss of control. It achieves this by automatically applying brakes to specific wheels to stabilize the vehicle.

Standard
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is a safety feature in vehicles that helps prevent frontal collisions by alerting the driver of an imminent collision with a vehicle or obstacle ahead. Using sensors such as radar or cameras, FCW monitors the distance and speed of vehicles in front, and if it detects a potential collision, it provides visual and/or auditory warnings to prompt the driver to take evasive action.

No
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is a safety feature in vehicles that alerts drivers when their vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane without signaling. Utilizing cameras or sensors to monitor lane markings on the road, LDW detects when the vehicle crosses these lines and triggers visual, auditory, or haptic alerts to notify the driver of potential lane departure.

No

2011 Toyota RAV4 SUV FWD Safety Ratings

Here we have the crash and rollover ratings for the 2011 Toyota RAV4 SUV FWD Where possible we've included the ratings for the oldest and latest models of this car so you can compare how the safety ratings have changed over time.

Frontal Crash Ratings

Combines Driver and Passenger star ratings into a single frontal rating. The frontal barrier test simulates a head-on collision between two similar vehicles, each moving at 35 mph.

Test 2005 Score 2011 Score 2024 Score
Overall Front Crash Rating Not Rated 3 4
Front Crash Driver Side Rating 4 4 4
Front Crash Passenger Side Rating 4 2 5

Side Crash Ratings

Combines Side Barrier and Side Pole Star Ratings into a single side rating.

Test 2005 Score 2011 Score 2024 Score
Overall Side Crash Rating Not Rated 4 5
Side Crash Drivers Side Rating 5 5 5
Side Crash Passenger Side Rating 5 3 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Front Not Rated 5 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Rear Not Rated 3 5
Overall Side Barrier Rating Not Rated 4 5

Rollover Ratings

The Rollover Resistance test measures the risk of rollover in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario.

Test 2005 Score 2011 Score 2024 Score
Rollover Rating Not Rated 4 4
Rollover Possibility % 0% 0% 0%
Dynamic Tip Result No Tip No Tip
Side Pole Crash Rating Not Rated 2 5

Complaints for the 2011 Toyota RAV4

This chart show the number of complaints for each car component. A Higher number of complaints could indicate that this car might have a common fault. Something to look out for when purchasing one.

Component Complaints

Choose a component to see what complaints people have made about them.

Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2011 toyota rav4. while driving approximately 5 mph approaching a red light, the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated. the contact shifted into neutral and the brake pedal traveled all the way to the floorboard when depressed. the vehicle finally came to a stop. the contact stated that the failure occurred two other times. the vehicle was taken to umansky toyota (1357 richmond road, charlottesville, va 22911) to be diagnosed, but they were not able to duplicate the failure. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 138,719."
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2019-04-01

Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2011 toyota rav4. while driving approximately 10 mph and slowing down, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle independently accelerated. the vehicle was taken to umansky toyota (located at 1357 richmond rd, charlottesville, va 22911, (434) 509-4870) to be diagnosed. the contact was informed that the failure was due to driver error. the contact was informed that he may have accidentally depressed the brake and accelerator pedals simultaneously. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact stated that the failure recurred twice. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 12,639."
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2018-09-04

Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2011 toyota rav4. while the contact's spouse was parking the vehicle, it inadvertently accelerated. the driver attempted to stop the vehicle, but it crashed into a wall. there were no warning indicators illuminated. a police report was not filed and no injuries were sustained. the vehicle was towed to puente hills toyota (17070 gale ave, hacienda heights, ca 91745, 877) 692-4047) where it was awaiting diagnostic testing and repairs. the contact stated that the front bumper was damaged. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 90,608."
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2019-02-05

Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2011 toyota rav4. while parking the vehicle and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle surged forward independently. the vehicle crashed into the front of another vehicle. the failure was persistent. a police report was not filed and no injuries were sustained. the local dealer (benardi toyota 1626 worcester road, framingham, ma, 01702) was contacted and a diagnostic appointment was scheduled. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 83,000. updated 10/18/17*lj *tr"
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2017-08-08

Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2011 toyota rav4. while attempting to stop the vehicle at 30 mph, the engine began to rev while the brake pedal was depressed. the contact also stated that the vehicle began to accelerate forward without warning. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the failure recurred randomly. the local dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 83,000. the vin was not available."
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2016-11-04

Complaint:
"car sitting in parking lot. started engine in park, engine suddenly accelerated had to turn ignition key off to stop engine from running at high speed. when restarted engine ran at normal idle speed. checked floor mat and hoses on engine, all ok. scheduled appointment with toyota dealer for 3/6/2017. car has 28,563 miles on odometer and i am the original owner. car is garaged, no accidents and is regularly serviced by toyota dealer. outside temperature outside was 41 degrees. i checked the foot pedal (throttle) for free travel it was ok."
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2017-03-03

Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2011 toyota rav4. while in a parking area applying the brakes, the vehicle independently surged at a high rate of speed. the rpms raced and the contact's vehicle crashed into two other vehicles. a police report was filed. the driver sustained whiplash due to the failure, which required medical attention. the vehicle was towed to a repair center to repair the damages and further inspect the vehicle. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the contact was waiting for a response to determine if they may be able to investigate the unintended acceleration failure. the approximate failure mileage was 76,000."
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2017-06-02

Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2011 toyota rav4. while approaching a red light at 5 mph, the vehicle began to accelerate independently although the brake pedal was being depressed. the failure occurred without warning. the vehicle was shifted into park to stop the vehicle from accelerating. the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 30,000."
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2018-04-11

Complaint:
"car suddenly accelerated when slowing for a traffic light. foot securely on the brake. speed under 5 mph. no floor mats or interference with the throttle of any kind."
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2016-01-01

Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2011 toyota rav4. while driving 3 mph, the vehicle accelerated independently without warning. the vehicle was taken to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that there was no failure. the contact stated that the failure occurred twice. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 51,000."
Components Involved: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date of incident: 2016-01-04

Recalls for the 2011 Toyota RAV4

Component Recalls

Choose a component to see what recalls people have made about them.

Recall:
"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 vehicles have rear suspension arms (rear tie rods) with adjusting lock nuts that may have been improperly tightened after servicing. as a result of being loose, the arm may have thread damage and may rust, possibly leading to the failure of the arm and an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment."
Consequence:
Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:

Toyota will notify owners and dealers will replace both rear suspension arms and encapsulate the locknuts, free of charge. The recall began on September 30, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are G0V for Toyota vehicles and GLK for Lexus vehicles. Note: This recall supersedes recall 13V-383, in which some vehicles were only inspected, sealed, and did not have both arms replaced. The affected vehicles were previously recalled under 13V-383, but did not have both rear suspension arms replaced at that time. Those vehicles need to have both arms replaced as part of this recall remedy.

Component(s) Involved: SUSPENSION > REAR
Date of incident: 2016-08-12

Recall:
"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 suspension arm (rear tie rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust, leading to thread damage and eventual failure. failure of the rear tie rod will cause an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment."
Consequence:
Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear tie-rod nut for looseness and replace any suspect tie-rod found loose. Dealers will also affix instructions in multiple places to prevent improper servicing in the future. The recall began on November 30, 2012. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987.

Component(s) Involved: SUSPENSION > REAR
Date of incident: 2012-08-02

Recall:
"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 suspension arm (rear tie rod) may develop unwanted movement and rust leading to thread damage and eventual failure. failure of the rear tie rod will cause an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment."
Consequence:
Failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tie rods and replace any that have rust or corrosion on the alignment adjustment threads. All of the rear tie rods will then be encased in an epoxy to prevent future environmental damage. Due to limitations in parts, the recall remedy will be launched in phases from September 2013 through mid-April 2014. All owners will receive notification of the recall, with most receiving second notifications when parts are available in their area. IMPORTANT: This recall supersedes Toyota and Lexus recall 12V-373. All vehicles that have been inspected and remedied under the previous recall need to be re-inspected and have the appropriate remedy applied.

Component(s) Involved: SUSPENSION > REAR
Date of incident: 2013-08-28

TOYOTA Overall Complaint Ranking

This table shows the ranking of car manufacturers when it comes to most complaints and recalls. The manufacturer with the most complaints is at the top. However this doesn't necassarily mean they should be avoided. Some manufacturers might just have more popular or affordable cars which a lot of people have bought. Which means there's more scope for a complaint to be made. Use the ranking table below as a part your wider research into buying a car.

TOYOTA ranks 3 out of 44 in the complaints ranking table.

Manufacturer Complaint Count Recall Count Ranking
FORD 208,358 3,259 1
CHEVROLET 111,306 2,082 2
TOYOTA 81,019 1,852 3
HONDA 61,937 1,268 4
NISSAN 56,226 930 5
DODGE 45,756 827 6
HYUNDAI 44,150 649 7
GMC 34,441 1,410 8
KIA 29,832 501 9
CHRYSLER 27,698 254 10
TESLA 26,230 730 11
BMW 24,890 1,877 12
VOLKSWAGEN 23,125 829 13
MERCEDES-BENZ 19,066 2,925 14
SUBARU 18,513 703 15
MAZDA 10,599 364 16
PONTIAC 10,430 138 17
CADILLAC 9,434 444 18
AUDI 7,865 1,093 19
BUICK 7,851 279 20
SATURN 7,672 84 21
MERCURY 7,374 135 22
LEXUS 6,373 408 23
LINCOLN 5,897 423 24
ACURA 5,722 382 25
MINI 5,585 366 26
INFINITI 4,000 187 27
MITSUBISHI 3,912 397 28
VOLVO 3,875 727 29
PORSCHE 2,646 1,231 30
SUZUKI 2,272 123 31
FIAT 2,205 80 32
SAAB 1,536 76 33
JAGUAR 1,195 198 34
SMART 528 17 35
GENESIS 436 42 36
ISUZU 249 37 37
ALFA ROMEO 161 37 38
MASERATI 76 46 39
BENTLEY 46 159 40
POLESTAR 42 2 41
LUCID 14 6 42
CODA 4 2 43
MAYBACH 0 0 44

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