How many recalls does the 2000 Toyota RAV4 have?

NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2000 Toyota RAV4 model year. Whether one car had the recall work done depends on that car, so check its VIN with NHTSA.

What is the WhipWorthy verdict on the 2000 Toyota RAV4?

Worthy. Fewer owner complaints than a typical year. The verdict weighs this year against the other years of the RAV4, from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are unverified and not adjusted for how many cars were sold.

1995: 1 owner complaint, Not judged

Our take: worth a look. Owners filed fewer complaints than in a typical year of this model.

Year verdict

Worthy

0.4× a typical year

Fewer owner complaints than a typical year. Still get it inspected.

Confidence: Medium

Based on 24 complaints in its first 8 years: enough to go on, not a lot.

Past 100,000 miles

Not judged

Only 1 complaint in its first 12 years gives a mileage past 100,000 miles. Too few to judge.

How the dial was counted

Year verdict: Typical year: 57 complaints, the median of 8 nearby years. Each counted over its first 8 years from January 1999; this one had 24.

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WhipWorthy sticker

2000 Toyota RAV4

Complaints41From owners
Loading owner complaints
Recalls3On file
Loading recalls
CrashNoneNo overall stars
Loading crash ratings
MPG21 to 23Combined, EPA
Loading fuel economy

Complaints are unverified owner reports, not adjusted for how many were sold.

Compare this car Every RAV4 year

Car report

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Value signals

We do not price cars.

These help you judge whether this one is worth its price.

Costly problem zones ahead at your miles come with a Car Hunt Pass or Pro. See plans
Fuel or charging: $1,050 to $3,050 a year.The EPA’s estimate for 15,000 miles a year, 55% in town, at its fuel prices. Each version
Loading the EPA's yearly fuel cost
Have the VIN? Check it is this car, and see its open recalls at NHTSA.
VIN
On the dash at the base of the windshield, or on the driver’s door sticker.

What about the price? Check the asking price on two listing sites. Buying from a dealer? Run its offer through the offer X ray.

Education, not financial or mechanical advice. Have any used car checked by a mechanic you trust before you buy.

The full record

Tap to open

What owners complain about

41 complaints; the part named most is the cruise and speed control

Unverified reports, not adjusted for sales. One complaint can name several parts, so shares add up past 100%. Filed Dec 30, 1999 to Nov 4, 2025. 37% name a part that is usually costly to fix.

Owners reported 6 crashes, 4 injuries and 2 deaths in these complaints.

Cruise and speed control7 · 17%
Engine7 · 17%Usually costly to fix
Wheels and tires7 · 17%

What one owner wrote about the cruise and speed control

I sent information previously re my mother's accident but did not have the VIN. She was involved in a single car, fatal front-end mva into a small, resulting in what the mechanic called "incredible damage to engine - it caused more internal damage than you'd think" and he wondered about high speed. I am asking you to look into the possibility of rapid…

Filed Apr 12, 2013NHTSA complaint 10506041Crash reported1 of 18 owner quotes

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10 more parts, and 18 owner quotes

Every part owners name for the 2000 Toyota RAV4, with their own words about what went wrong. Usually costly to fix among them: Transmission and drivetrain, Body and frame.

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SourceOwner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2000 Toyota RAV4. NHTSA, checked Nov 1, 2026.

Seller kit

Questions for the seller, test drive checks and price points

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Walk up to the seller ready

Questions to ask the seller of a 2000 Toyota RAV4, built from this year's owner complaints and recalls. What to feel, hear and look at on the test drive, with boxes to tick at the car. Honest points to raise on price, from the records and never from guesses. Copy the questions to your phone in one tap.

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Write your offer

A ready to send offer for the seller, by text or email

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Send the seller a fair offer

Type the asking price and your own offer for the 2000 Toyota RAV4, tick what you found, and get a polite message ready to text or email. Its reasons come from this year's owner complaints, recalls and crash ratings, and never from made up repair prices.

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When problems show up

Too few complaints give a mileage

Too few complaints mention a mileage to show a pattern. 7 complaints of 41 gave one, and a part needs at least 15.

SourceMileage from owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2000 Toyota RAV4. NHTSA, checked Nov 1, 2026.

Will it outlast the loan?

The month of your loan each problem zone lands in

Not enough owner complaints for the 2000 Toyota RAV4 mention a mileage to lay against a loan. Have a mechanic look it over all the same.

Recalls

3 recalls on file

Not every car needs every fix. Run the VIN at NHTSA to see which are still open. Repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand; ask before any work.

Air bags
Jan 22, 2020 · Recall 20V033000
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 1998-2000 RAV4, 1998-1999 RAV4 EV and Celica and 1997-1998 Supra vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
What can happen
In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant, and increases the risk of serious injury or death.
The fix
Toyota will notify owners, and owners will have the option to self-inspect, or have a dealer inspect the steering wheel on their vehicle to determine if their vehicle may be equipped with an affected inflator. Potentially affected steering wheel serial numbers will be inspected by a dealer. Based on the inspection, dealers will replace the front driver air bag inflator with an alternate one, as necessary. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 28, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall is 20TB01 and 20TA01.
Brakes
Aug 9, 2000 · Recall 00V212000
Vehicle description: sport utility electric vehicles. The front disc brake rotor, when equipped with steel wheels, can develop stress fractures if the lug nuts are tightened with excessive torque.
What can happen
The disc rotor could break (where it mounts to the wheel), resulting in a loss of braking action on that wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix
Dealers will replace the disc brake rotors. If the vehicle is equipped with steel wheels, Toyota will replace the front disc brake rotors and steel wheels with new disc brake rotors and new aluminum wheels. In addition a caution label that reads, "use new genuine Toyota aluminum wheels." will be affixed. Vehicles already equipped with aluminum wheels will only require caution label installation.
Transmission and drivetrain
Aug 9, 2000 · Recall 00V211000
Vehicle description: sport utility electric vehicles. If the subject vehicles are repeatedly parked by placing the shift lever into the "p" position without applying the parking brake, the parking lock rod, a component of the transmission parking lock system, could break.
What can happen
This condition can render the system inoperative, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix
Dealers will replace the parking lock rod.

SourceRecalls listed by NHTSA for the 2000 Toyota RAV4. NHTSA, checked Nov 1, 2026.

Crash ratings

No overall rating given

NHTSA's stars out of five, for each version it tested. Front crash stars only compare cars of about the same size and weight. The tests changed for 2011 models, so these stars do not line up with newer ones.

2000 Toyota RAV4 4-DR. 4x4
Overall
Not rated
Front
Not rated
Side
Not rated
Rollover
Not rated
Stability control
Not available
Forward collision warning
Not available
Lane departure warning
Not available

NHTSA investigations: 0

SourceNHTSA crash ratings for the 2000 Toyota RAV4. NHTSA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

Fuel economy

21 to 23 mpg combined, across 8 of 9 versions

The EPA's estimates for each engine and transmission, and its own yearly fuel cost. Yours depends on how you drive and the shape the car is in. Figures for 2007 and older use the EPA's 2008 method, so they may be lower than the original sticker.

Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
RAV4 2WD · Front wheel drive · Regular gas
City
21 mpg
Highway
26 mpg
Combined
23 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$2,800
This one on fueleconomy.gov
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
RAV4 2WD · Front wheel drive · Regular gas
City
21 mpg
Highway
27 mpg
Combined
23 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$2,800
This one on fueleconomy.gov
Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
RAV4 4WD · 4 wheel or all wheel drive · Regular gas
City
19 mpg
Highway
24 mpg
Combined
21 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$3,050
This one on fueleconomy.gov
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
RAV4 4WD · 4 wheel or all wheel drive · Regular gas
City
19 mpg
Highway
23 mpg
Combined
21 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$3,050
This one on fueleconomy.gov

Show 5 more versions

Engine not listed
RAV4 EV · EV · 2 wheel drive · Electricity
City
81 MPGe
Highway
64 MPGe
Combined
72 MPGe
Miles per gallon equivalent. Yearly fuel, EPA$1,050
Range on a full charge88 miles
This one on fueleconomy.gov
Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
RAV4 Soft Top 2WD · Front wheel drive · Regular gas
City
21 mpg
Highway
26

SourceEPA fuel economy data, fueleconomy.gov. EPA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

True cost to own

The loan, fuel, insurance and upkeep, a month and over 5 years

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What it really costs to own

What the 2000 Toyota RAV4 costs a month and over 5 years: the loan and its interest, fuel worked out from the EPA's figures for the version you pick, and your own insurance, registration and upkeep. A cost a mile, a link that reopens your numbers, and the breakdown copied to your phone in one tap.

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Every year of the RAV4

20 Worthy, 6 Maybe, 4 Pass, of 31 years on file

Owner complaints for each model year, this one outlined. Tap a year to open it. The newest 2 are not judged yet. Bars are totals, so older years stand taller; the verdict compares every year at the same age.

Best and worst years of the RAV4

NHTSA did not answer for 6 years, so the chart may be missing some.

SourceNHTSA owner complaints and recalls for the RAV4. NHTSA, checked Nov 1, 2026.

Before you buy this one

5 checks, with a close look at the cruise and speed control

Built from this year's numbers. Whatever the data says, the car in front of you is the one that counts.

Run the VIN at NHTSA to confirm every recall was fixed.
This year has 3 recalls on file. Recall repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand. Ask the dealer to confirm before any work is done. Look up a VIN at NHTSA.
Ask the seller for the service records.
Look closely for any work on the cruise and speed control. It is one of the parts owners complain about most for this year.
Have a mechanic you trust inspect it before you pay.
Ask them to look at the cruise and speed control first.
Look at a vehicle history report.
It can show reported crashes, flood or salvage titles, and mileage that does not add up.
On the test drive, pay attention to the cruise and speed control.
Try the cruise control, and feel for surging or a throttle that hangs.

Going to see it? Take the checklist52 checks with the bad signs to look for, saved on your phone.

Check this exact car

The verdict is about the model year. These checks are about the one in front of you. Most are free or a few dollars.

VIN for these checks

Copy it, then paste it into each check. Nothing is sent until you open one.

Official checks on this VIN

Open recallsFree
NHTSA
Safety recalls on this VIN that are not fixed yet, from the last 15 years.
A recall already fixed does not show.
Check recalls at NHTSAnhtsa.gov (opens in a new tab)
Theft and total lossFree
NICB VINCheck
Whether an insurer reported it stolen and not found, or wrote it off as a total loss.
Only insurer records. Five checks a day.
Open NICB VINChecknicb.org (opens in a new tab)
Title brandsA few dollars
NMVTIS, the federal title system
Salvage, flood, junk and rebuilt brands from any state, and the last miles on the title.
No repairs, service or recalls. Sold by approved sellers listed on the site.
See the approved sellersvehiclehistory.bja.ojp.gov (opens in a new tab)
Title statusVaries by state
The state motor vehicle office
Whether the title is branded in that state and, where the state offers it, whether a lender still has a lien.
It will not name the owner. Each state asks its own way, and some only by mail. Ask to see the seller’s title too.
Find your state’s officeusa.gov (opens in a new tab)

What a paid report adds

A history report such as Carfax or AutoCheck pulls in more of the car’s past than these checks can:

Crashes and damage reported by police, insurers or shops, even when it was fixed.
Service visits that shops reported, with the miles each time.
How many owners, for how long, and the states it was registered in.
Whether it was a rental, fleet or lease car, when that was reported.

It only knows what was reported to it. A clean report is not proof of a clean car. Ask the seller first: many dealers hand one over for free.

Red flags in a history

Salvage title
Usually an insurer called it a total loss. In most states it cannot be driven on the road until it is rebuilt and inspected.
Rebuilt title
A salvage car that was fixed and passed a state check. It can be fine, but it is worth less, can be harder to insure, and needs a careful inspection.
Flood damage
Water can ruin wiring and sensors months later. Be wary of a flood brand that vanished after a move to another state.
Lemon or maker buyback
The maker bought it back over a defect it could not fix. Ask what the defect was and how it was fixed.
Odometer rollback
A mileage reading lower than an earlier one, or a title marked not actual miles.
Many owners, fast
Three owners in two years can mean a problem each one passed along.
Gaps in the records
Years with no service or registration. Ask why: it may have sat, been off the road, or been rebuilt.

Title words and rules differ by state. Not legal advice.

Before you pay

Pre purchase inspection
Have a mechanic you choose, not the seller, put it on a lift and look it over before you pay.
Insurance quote
Get a quote on this exact car before you sign. Ask your own insurer and one or two others.

Model year	Owner complaints	Verdict
1995	1	Not judged
1996	51	Worthy
1997	59	Worthy
1998	89	Maybe
1999	70	Worthy
2000	41	Worthy
2001	323	Maybe
2002	555	Pass
2003	327	Maybe
2004	154	Worthy
2005	141	Worthy
2006	704	Maybe
2007	1003	Pass
2008	575	Worthy
2009	327	Worthy
2010	400	Worthy
2011	287	Worthy
2012	266	Worthy
2013	256	Worthy
2014	197	Worthy
2015	305	Worthy
2016	239	Worthy
2017	307	Worthy
2018	333	Worthy
2019	884	Pass
2020	639	Pass
2021	389	Maybe
2022	149	Worthy
2023	164	Worthy
2024	176	Maybe
2025	91	Worthy

The verdict on the 2000 Toyota RAV4

Value signals

What owners complain about

Seller kit

Write your offer

When problems show up

Will it outlast the loan?

Recalls

Air bags

What can happen

The fix

Brakes

What can happen

The fix

Transmission and drivetrain

What can happen

The fix

Crash ratings

2000 Toyota RAV4 4-DR. 4x4

Fuel economy

Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L

Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L

Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L

Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L

Engine not listed

Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L

True cost to own

Every year of the RAV4

Before you buy this one

Check this exact car

Official checks on this VIN

What a paid report adds

Before you pay

Pre purchase inspection

Insurance quote

Air bags

What can happen

The fix

Brakes

What can happen

The fix

Transmission and drivetrain

What can happen

The fix

Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L

Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L

Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L

Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L

Engine not listed

Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L

Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L

Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L

Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L

2000 Toyota RAV4 4-DR. 4x4