1995: 1 owner complaint, Not judged

Our take: the data says look elsewhere. Owners filed 2.6 times the complaints of a typical year of this model.

Year verdict

Pass, meaning Skip

2.6× a typical year

Skip this year if you can.

Confidence: Medium

Close to the Pass line, so a few complaints either way could tip it.

Past 100,000 miles

Locked

How this year held up past 100,000 miles.

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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 2001; this one had 153.

Same car, better year: 2000 or 2004 RAV4 (both Worthy)

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Odometer check

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WhipWorthy sticker

2002 Toyota RAV4

Complaints555From owners
Loading owner complaints
NHTSA did not answer just now, so we cannot show recalls. Try again in a minute. You can also check it on their site.
Loading recalls
CrashNoneNo overall stars
Loading crash ratings
MPG22 to 24Combined, EPA
Loading fuel economy

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

Compare this car Every RAV4 year

Car report

Park this car in My Garage and see its recalls at a glance.Car Hunt Pass or Pro

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: $950 to $2,900 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

555 complaints; the part named most is the transmission and drivetrain

Unverified reports, not adjusted for sales. One complaint can name several parts, so shares add up past 100%. Filed Feb 5, 2002 to May 24, 2024. 77% name a part that is usually costly to fix.

Owners reported 39 crashes, 15 fires and 50 injuries in these complaints.

Transmission and drivetrain381 · 69%Usually costly to fix
Electrical93 · 17%
Engine64 · 12%Usually costly to fix

What one owner wrote about the transmission and drivetrain

My car engine light goes on and off due to transmission fault. It continuously has a hard time shifting gears in between 2500-3000 rpm and gives a jerky stop before continuing to speed up/accelerate despite when I have not let go of my foot from the pedal. After taking it to the auto shop, I was told this is the same problem other Toyota RAV 4 between…

Filed May 24, 2024NHTSA complaint 115906151 of 18 owner quotes

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15 more parts, and 18 owner quotes

Every part owners name for the 2002 Toyota RAV4, with their own words about what went wrong. Usually costly to fix among them: Body and frame.

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SourceOwner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 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 2002 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 2002 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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Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.

When problems show up

Transmission and drivetrain: the middle complaint around 90,000 miles

The bar holds the middle half of the complaints that gave a mileage; the dark mark is the middle one. 178 complaints of 555 gave one. Owners file when something fails, so this shows when problems were reported, not how long the cars last.

Transmission and drivetrainCostly70,000 to 100,000 mi
Half of these 126 complaints came between about 70,000 and 100,000 miles, the middle one around 90,000.

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Mileage for 2 more parts, 1 usually costly

The mileage band for every part owners name, and your car's miles laid across them.

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SourceMileage from owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Toyota RAV4. NHTSA, checked Nov 1, 2026.

Will it outlast the loan?

The month of your loan each problem zone lands in

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3 problem zones to lay against your loan, 2 usually costly

See the month of your loan each one lands in, and what you would still owe then.

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Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.

Recalls

NHTSA did not answer

NHTSA did not answer just now, so we cannot show recalls for this car. Try again in a minute. You can also check it on their site.

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.

2002 Toyota RAV4 4-DR.
Overall
Not rated
Front
Not rated
Side
Not rated
Rollover
Stability control
Not available
Forward collision warning
Not available
Lane departure warning
Not available

NHTSA investigations: 0

SourceNHTSA crash ratings for the 2002 Toyota RAV4. NHTSA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

Fuel economy

22 to 24 mpg combined, across 4 of 5 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
22 mpg
Highway
28 mpg
Combined
24 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$2,700
This one on fueleconomy.gov
Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
RAV4 4WD · 4 wheel or all wheel drive · Regular gas
City
20 mpg
Highway
25 mpg
Combined
22 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$2,900
This one on fueleconomy.gov
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L
RAV4 4WD · 4 wheel or all wheel drive · Regular gas
City
20 mpg
Highway
25 mpg
Combined
22 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$2,900
This one on fueleconomy.gov

Show 1 more version

Engine not listed
RAV4 EV · EV · 2 wheel drive · Electricity
City
87 MPGe
Highway
69 MPGe
Combined
78 MPGe
Miles per gallon equivalent. Yearly fuel, EPA$950
Range on a full charge95 miles
This one on fueleconomy.gov

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 2002 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 transmission and drivetrain

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.
Every recall repair should show as done. 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 transmission and drivetrain. It is the part owners complain about most for this year.
Have a mechanic you trust inspect it before you pay.
Ask them to look hard at the transmission and drivetrain. It is usually costly to fix.
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 transmission and drivetrain.
Feel for slipping, hesitation, harsh or late shifts, and shudder at low speed.

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

Value signals

What owners complain about

Seller kit

Write your offer

When problems show up

Will it outlast the loan?

Recalls

Crash ratings

2002 Toyota RAV4 4-DR.

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

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

Red flags in a history

Before you pay

Pre purchase inspection

Insurance quote

Add WhipWorthy to this device

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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

2002 Toyota RAV4 4-DR.

The verdict on the 2002 Toyota RAV4

Value signals

What owners complain about

Seller kit

Write your offer

When problems show up

Will it outlast the loan?

Recalls

Crash ratings

2002 Toyota RAV4 4-DR.

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

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

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

2002 Toyota RAV4 4-DR.