2012 Toyota RAV4 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

5 safety recalls list the 2012 Toyota RAV4, and owners have filed 260 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

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5 safety recalls for the 2012 Toyota RAV4

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

1. Seat belts: rear/other

   NHTSA 16V096000 Reported February 19, 2016 1,123,752 vehicles potentially affected Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

   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 frontal collision, the rear seat belts for the outboard seats may be cut by the seat…

   Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a protector over both rear seat cushion frames, free of charge. The recall began on June 24, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.…

2. Visibility/wiper

   NHTSA 15V577000 Reported September 18, 2015 423,456 vehicles potentially affected Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

   Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 27, 2008, to December 19, 2012 and 2012-2014 RAV4 EV vehicles manufactured July 24, 2012, to August 29, 2014. In the affected vehicles, water may drip onto the joint that connects the wiper linkage to the wiper…

   Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water diverter channel. In addition, a new wiper linkage with a wiper motor crank arm will be installed. The wiper linkage will have a protective cover over the…

3. Electronic stability control (esc) and service brakes, hydraulic: control unit/module

   NHTSA 14V054000 Reported February 12, 2014 261,114 vehicles potentially affected Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

   Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012 and 2013 Toyota Tacoma and Lexus RX350 vehicles and certain model year 2012 Toyota Rav4 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the brake system contains a brake actuator that adjusts the fluid pressure of each wheel cylinder. An electrical component within the actuator may experience an increased…

   Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and Toyota and Lexus dealers will update the software for the Skid Control electronic control unit, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at…

4. Labels (equipment)

   NHTSA 13V123000 Reported April 9, 2013 7,525 vehicles potentially affected Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC

   Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota…

   Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The…

5. Seats and air bags: sensor/control module-inactive

   NHTSA 13V014000 Reported January 16, 2013 3,235 vehicles potentially affected Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC

   Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model…

   Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota…

260 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2012 Toyota RAV4 have filed 260 complaints with NHTSA; 36 describe a crash and 4 describe a fire. Reports cite 22 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 38,529 miles. Complaints peaked in 2016 with 62 filed that year.

Most-reported components

• Visibility/wiper53
• Vehicle speed control49
• Service brakes34
• Electrical system30
• Seat belts30
• Unknown or other26
• Air bags22
• Engine22

What owners are reporting

“My 2012 Toyota RAV4 (Super White / Blizzard Pearl paint) is experiencing severe and recurring paint peeling caused by a known manufacturing defect in which the factory paint primer failed to properly”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 17, 2026 · Structure

“My vehicle is a 2012 rav 4 sport, color Barcelona Red. Said color and model has been know to have clear coat and paint issues. My vehicles clear coat and paint in the top has been peeling at an alarmi”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 4, 2026 · Structure

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2012 Toyota RAV4 (RAV4 2WD, RAV4 4WD, RAV4 EV). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Compare Toyota RAV4 model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Toyota RAV4 model year in NHTSA's database.

Checking a specific 2012 Toyota RAV4

Other Toyota models

• Camry18,189 complaints
• Prius12,516 complaints
• Corolla11,739 complaints
• Sienna8,549 complaints
• Tacoma8,440 complaints
• Tundra6,922 complaints
• Highlander5,745 complaints
• 4Runner4,860 complaints

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.