2009 Toyota RAV4 Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/12/2026

25Steering complaints

7.6%Of all 327 complaints

#4Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL91 · 27.8%

SUSPENSION54 · 16.5%

ENGINE27 · 8.3%

STEERING25 · 7.6%

Unspecified / other21 · 6.4%

Share of the 327 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2009 Toyota RAV4 overview page.

What owners report

“STEERING STARTED CREATING OCCASIONAL MILD NOISE WHILE TURNING AT AROUND 49000. AT 53000 DURING MAINTENANCE SERVICE AT BURLINGTON TOYOTA, ONTARIO I REPORTED THIS INCIDENT ALONG…”NHTSA complaint 10435196 — filed 11/10/2011

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS SAFELY MANEUVERED ONTO THE…”NHTSA complaint 10430776 — filed 10/19/2011

“2009 TOYOTA RAV4 SAFETY ISSUES THE CONSUMER STATED THE STEERING WHEEL DEVELOPED A VIBRATION. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED. HOWEVER THE MECHANIC STATED NOTHING WAS WRONG…”NHTSA complaint 10328512 — filed 05/03/2010

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Toyota RAV4 have steering problems?

Steering is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2009 Toyota RAV4: 25 of 327 complaints on file (7.6%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2009 Toyota RAV4 have in total?

327 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 52 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, 16 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.