1997 Ford Explorer vs 1997 Toyota RAV4
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1997 Ford Explorer | 1997 Toyota RAV4 |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 1,731 | 54 |
| Recall campaigns | 4 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 369 | 52 |
| Investigations | 6 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 156 | 9 |
| Fire reports | 53 | 2 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 14–18 | 21–23 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 100,000 mi | — |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Explorer | Toyota RAV4 |
|---|---|---|
| Tires | 669 | 2 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 202 | 7 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 198 | 10 |
| Power Train | 104 | 5 |
| Suspension | 105 | 1 |
| Visibility | 90 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 83 | 4 |
| Electrical System | 80 | 3 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 71 | 7 |
| Vibration / shaking | 69 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 25 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 20 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 19 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 16 | 0 |
| Overheating | 15 | 0 |
| Brake problems | 12 | 0 |
1997 Ford Explorer
1997 Toyota RAV4
Compare all Ford Explorer vs Toyota RAV4 years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.