2012 Toyota RAV4

This page is a draft. It has not been approved yet, so read it with care.

Watch out for

Reputation: what owners and the press report. Tap one to see what to check.

V6 water pump All years

What to check: Look for coolant leaks and a low coolant level, and ask whether the water pump has been replaced.

Four members across two BobIsTheOilGuy threads name the V6's water pump as a worry, and one says the job is costly. They disagree on whether the engine has to come out to change it.

Sources ^1,2
V6 VVT-i oil line All years

What to check: Ask for proof that the VVT-i oil line repair was done.

Three members across two BobIsTheOilGuy threads warn that a rubber VVT-i oil hose can burst, and one says that cuts oil to the top of the engine.

Sources ^1,2

14V054000 2012
A part in the brake actuator can gain electrical resistance, lighting warning lamps and switching off stability control, ABS and traction control.³
15V577000 2009–2012
Water dripping onto the wiper linkage joint can corrode it, and the wipers can stop working.^4,5,6,3
16V096000 2006–2012
In a frontal crash, the rear seat cushion frame can cut the outboard rear seat belts.^{7,8,9,4,5,6,3}

Checked against NHTSA records on 21 October 2026.