2003 Toyota RAV4 vs 2005 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 | 2003 Toyota RAV4 | 2005 Toyota RAV4 |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 314 | 141 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 5 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 102 | 142 |
| Investigations | 1 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 18 | 22 |
| Fire reports | 4 | 2 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 22–78 | 21–23 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 95,500 mi | 80,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Toyota RAV4 | Toyota RAV4 |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 209 | 8 |
| Air Bags | 10 | 59 |
| Electrical System | 42 | 6 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 29 | 13 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 26 | 6 |
| Engine | 21 | 9 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 7 | 5 |
| Steering | 3 | 9 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Hesitation / surging | 44 | 5 |
| Stalling | 39 | 0 |
| Shifting problems | 36 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 34 | 5 |
| Loss of power | 9 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 9 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 7 | 0 |
2003 Toyota RAV4
2005 Toyota RAV4
Compare all Toyota RAV4 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.