2012 Toyota RAV4 Toyota RAV4 2012

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2012 Toyota RAV4 repairs by problem area

Engine (19%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (14%)

Brakes and Traction Control (17%)

Suspension and Steering (15%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (19%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (10%)

Other (6%)

Chart based on 72 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2012 Toyota RAV4.

2012 Toyota RAV4 repair cost distribution

$2500+ (0%)

$1000 - $2499 (5%)

$500 - $999 (11%)

$100 - $499 (41%)

< $100 (44%)

Worried about potential repair costs? An extended warranty can provide peace of mind.

Chart based on 64 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2012 Toyota RAV4

Engine not specified

Toyota RAV4 in Arizona, United States
Nov 2016 - Jan 2017
Dec 2016

49000 mi

US $120
Ordered used Fuel Vapor Charcoal canister. Check engine light stays on and LSD light is flashing. I replaced the canister myself. That repaired the issue. 

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2012 Toyota RAV4 4dr SUV

269-horsepower 3.5L V6 5-speed automatic FWD

Toyota RAV4 in Florida, United States
Jul 2015 - Jun 2022
Dec 2017

82000 mi

US $600
Pads and rotors front and rear 
Feb 2018

84000 mi

US $300
Front pads & rotors 
Nov 2021

113000 mi
Oil gasket repair 
Jun 2022

118000 mi

US $250
AC was blowing hot, Freon was recharged and seems as good as new. Passed a leak check. 
Toyota RAV4 in Alberta, Canada
Oct 2015 - Feb 2022
May 2017

52700 mi

C $1100
Tapping sound in right front of engine for about two weeks got worse. Bearings gone in water pump. 
Toyota RAV4 in Georgia, United States
May 2012 - Jun 2018
Jan 2013

9000 mi
Hood latch was out of adjustment. Hood moved up and down 1/2" while driving on the highway. 
Toyota RAV4 in California, United States
May 2014 - May 2018
Oct 2014

24300 mi

US $300
Hard crank, barely started 
Sep 2017

44000 mi

US $120
Battery died. After shopping around, went to Costco and bought one, installed it. 

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2012 Toyota RAV4 4dr SUV

269-horsepower 3.5L V6 5-speed automatic AWD

Toyota RAV4 in British Columbia, Canada
Apr 2016 - Jun 2022
Jun 2016

34100 mi

C $400
Rear shocks were leaking. Replaced. 
Toyota RAV4 in Manitoba, Canada
Mar 2012 - Sep 2012
Aug 2012

6180 mi
Rattle from console 
Toyota RAV4 in Alberta, Canada
Feb 2016 - Feb 2017
Jul 2016

41620 mi

C $135
Positive Terminal highly corroded. Replaced battery and terminal 
Nov 2016

45260 mi

C $78
Transmission slipping between 2 & 3. Toyota warranty replaced entire transmission. 
Toyota RAV4 in New York, United States
Jul 2012 - Jun 2018
Jan 2017

40000 mi

US $171
Replace failing battery 
Toyota RAV4 in Virginia, United States
Aug 2013 - Jun 2018
Apr 2017

42000 mi
oil leak, timing chain gasket covered under warranty. 
Toyota RAV4 in Newfoundland / Lab., Canada
Jun 2020 - Jun 2022
Oct 2020

88040 mi
Replaced driver side ball joint. 
Toyota RAV4 in Colorado, United States
Mar 2015 - Jan 2022
Mar 2017

50000 mi

US $400
replaced front brakes 
Jan 2022

90000 mi

US $1100
Replaced 3 out of 4 hub assemblies due to loud noise 
Toyota RAV4 in British Columbia, Canada
Dec 2017 - Mar 2020
Mar 2018

53320 mi

C $600
New lower control arm and bushing 
Toyota RAV4 in Michigan, United States
Mar 2015 - Jun 2021
Jul 2015

54300 mi

US $50
Passenger rear seat moves and squeaks under normal driving when nobody is in it. Full repair cost $475 but we paid $50 with the CPO warranty. Issue still remains.... 
Toyota RAV4 in Colorado, United States
Sep 2013 - Jan 2022
Sep 2014

30000 mi
shock leaks-replaced shock 
Dec 2017

91000 mi

US $400
Leaking shock 
Mar 2020

140000 mi

US $230
Clip that held in control knobs broke-replaced 
Toyota RAV4 in Massachusetts, United States
Feb 2013 - Jun 2016
May 2013

5300 mi
Replaced stone guard on left rear door area. The stone guard was improperly applied with air bubbles under it. As the winter progressed road salt got in the pockets and started to lift the guard. 
Jun 2014

20000 mi
Lumbar rod improperly positioned in front of lumbar support, repositioned to behind support. 
Aug 2014

21000 mi
Rattles in rear compartment and center consul. 
Jun 2015

33000 mi
Replaced drivers seat cushion and cover, premature collapse.  Installed center dash rattle kit. Lubed sun roof for squeak. 
Toyota RAV4 in Ontario, Canada
Jan 2013 - Jul 2017
Jul 2015

24800 mi
Front brakes pads, rotors and callipers, rear brakes, rotor and pads. 
Jul 2017

45880 mi

C $165
Four brakes and rotors were worn, repaired under parts warranty, repair cost is just labour. 
Toyota RAV4 in Colorado, United States
Jun 2012 - Jun 2022
Apr 2014

16000 mi
Engine losing coolant as indicated in the reservoir. Exactly the same issue I had with my 2006 RAV4 Limited V-6 engine; you can smell coolant after driving and then parking in the garage. Dealer topped off coolant reservoir. 
Mar 2017

51000 mi
Removed and replaced transmission under warranty for transmission noise TSB. Dealer had replaced transmission a month earlier but it had a bad seal which caused a leak. Dealer pulled transmission, replaced factory seal, and reinstalled. No issues since. Noise gone. 
May 2018

71000 mi

US $2000
Rear main engine seal 
Toyota RAV4 in Pennsylvania, United States
Jun 2012 - Jun 2022
Sep 2016

44000 mi

US $150
Battery went while we were on vacation. Had AAA come out and replace battery. 
Mar 2018

60000 mi
60k including replace rear wiper blades, brake fluid flush, fuel injection cleaner, replaced rear brake pads and resurfaced rotors 
Toyota RAV4 in Quebec, Canada
Apr 2012 - Sep 2021
Dec 2015

39060 mi
rear differential was leaking oil, passenger side seal was changed under warranty 
Mar 2021

74400 mi

C $650
Replace differential seal for the 3rd time, and transfert case seal along with parking brake cable 

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2012 Toyota RAV4 4dr SUV

179-horsepower 2.5L I4 4-speed automatic FWD

Toyota RAV4 in North Carolina, United States
Mar 2014 - Apr 2014
Apr 2014

53000 mi
The head gasket had a leak. The dealer made the repairs under power-train warranty. 
Toyota RAV4 in Puerto Rico
Jan 2013 - Mar 2017
Mar 2016

39000 mi

US $98
Replace Dead battery 
Apr 2016

39700 mi
Replaced rear shock absorber, both were leaking grease. 
Toyota RAV4 in South Carolina, United States
Jan 2013 - Oct 2020
May 2017

52000 mi

US $350
water pump replaced 
Toyota RAV4 in Georgia (nation)
Jul 2013 - Aug 2018
Aug 2017

35340 mi

$220
Driver side air conditioning was not working. This was after I had the recall service done to the car at the same dealer. Of course they Denied they did anything wrong. They did a complete re-charge and added dye. I recently had the AC inspected there are no leaks and it is full so I’m still suspicious the dealer did something. 
Mar 2018

22940 mi

$100
Battery 
Toyota RAV4 in Ontario, Canada
Apr 2012 - Sep 2014
Jan 2014

6080 mi

C $77
the indicator light for engine and auto LSD came on. Took it in to the dealer, no major problem, but I needed a new fuel sensor. 
May 2014

10540 mi
Engine sensor replaced. at no cost under waranty 

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2012 Toyota RAV4 4dr SUV

179-horsepower 2.5L I4 4-speed automatic AWD

Toyota RAV4 in Ontario, Canada
Jan 2015 - Jun 2022
Nov 2021

131440 mi

C $200
replaced front right wheel bearing 
Toyota RAV4 in Quebec, Canada
Jan 2015 - Jun 2018
Aug 2017

44640 mi

C $190
Replaced rear differential coupling Replaced left rear axel oil seal 
Oct 2017

108810 mi

C $470
Replaced front pads and rotors 
Mar 2018

52700 mi

C $450
Replaced rear rotors and pads 
Toyota RAV4 in Kentucky, United States
Dec 2014 - Sep 2019
Jan 2018

109654 mi

US $547
Fluid was leaking from the front differential. Had local repair shop refuse the work due to the removal of the drive shaft and other torque spec components. Recommended dealership service. The seal assembly had to be replaced. 
Feb 2018

110108000 mi

US $250
Left front wheel bearing had to be replaced 
Toyota RAV4 in British Columbia, Canada
Dec 2015 - Sep 2017
May 2017

50840 mi

C $866
02 sensor and MAF sensor 
Toyota RAV4 in Maryland, United States
Oct 2020 - Jun 2022
Aug 2021

82000 mi

US $800
Rear brakes and shocks replaced 
Toyota RAV4 in Alberta, Canada
May 2014 - Dec 2021
Oct 2020

93000 mi

C $100
Driver side rear differential seal started leaking earlier in 2020. Eventually the leak was substantial enough to warrant replacement of both output drive shaft seals (where CV drive shaft enters the differential). Both seals and the differential fluid were replaced. 
Toyota RAV4 in New York, United States
Jan 2016 - Dec 2016
Jul 2016

26500 mi
driver side window was scraping, dealer re tightened screws 
Toyota RAV4 in Pennsylvania, United States
May 2012 - Oct 2016
Jun 2012

2000 mi
Twice the engine has revved up to 6-7k then died. It would start correctly the next time. The dealer did verify that I did have a high rev but said it was much lower than that. 
Sep 2014

27000 mi
(4 Trips) - Asked what I could do about the mirror swivel corrosion issue. End result after 4 trips they installed a new mirror. "A one time good faith" thing I was told. I never did get an answer and the passenger side is also corroding. 
Apr 2016

47800 mi

US $100
Added a transmission cooler 
Toyota RAV4 in Ontario, Canada
Apr 2012 - Dec 2014
May 2013

13020 mi
hand brake was not holding and the pedal seemed soft 
Dec 2014

32240 mi
wheel bearing replaced 
Toyota RAV4 in British Columbia, Canada
Mar 2012 - Dec 2021
Sep 2012

3720 mi
Actuator motor in HVAC failed. 
Oct 2012

3920 mi
It took two trips to the dealer and almost two months to get the right part in, but the HVAC actuator is fixed now. Took all day to do the work as well once they got the right motor. 
Toyota RAV4 in Texas, United States
Jul 2014 - Mar 2016
Oct 2015

38500 mi

US $2
Rare view mirror fell off, just glued it back. 
Toyota RAV4 in Pennsylvania, United States
Feb 2016 - Jul 2017
Aug 2016

74100 mi
AC recharge 
Jul 2017

81000 mi

US $200
replaced brake pads 
Toyota RAV4 in Colorado, United States
Aug 2015 - Mar 2018
Apr 2017

66000 mi

US $425
A normal brake job on the front axel was done at about 56000 miles. By an independent shop. Only Front rotors were turned. New OEM pads were installed on the front axel only. All brake lines flushed with new brake fluid. Original pads on rear axel are 10/32 inch (about) 80 percent good. 
Toyota RAV4 in Ontario, Canada
May 2016 - Jul 2017
Oct 2016

48980 mi

C $360
Rear shock absorbers leaking, excessive body roll when cornering 
Toyota RAV4 in Trinidad and Tobago
Aug 2011 - Sep 2014
Feb 2012

1640 mi
Problem with the radio volume controls (both steering mounted and the knob on the unit). 
Toyota RAV4 in Ontario, Canada
May 2017 - Jun 2022
Jun 2017

51460 mi
Oxygen sensor replaced 
Dec 2021

82460 mi

C $900
driveshaft replacement 

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2012 Toyota RAV4 Repair Histories

See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how frequently 2012 Toyota RAV4 problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.