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2016 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid
Solid pick. The complaint record is strong for its age. It does carry safety recalls, so confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the VIN before money changes hands.
234 owner complaints · 3 recalls · data verified July 21, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#201 of 459Among the 2016 models with a matured record, the 2016 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid ranks #201, scoring higher than 55% of them. See the 2016 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2016 Toyota Rav4 SUV AWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 17%
1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2016 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (56) · Lights (28) · Engine (24) · Airbags (18)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Electrical system
24%56 complaints · 21 in the last 2 years
“Intermittent stalling in various conditions including idling, highway driving and city driving.”
Brakes
19%45 complaints · typically near 18k mi · 1 in the last 2 years
“The braking system malfunctioned during Winter and snowy road conditions. Several instances happened during the month of December 2023 and 2024. Latest were December 1…”
Lights
12%28 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“Headlights and taillights are fogging/hazing up to where they dimmed out the lights when turned on making is somewhat difficult to see or others behind me to see me.”
Engine
10%24 complaints · 3 in the last 2 years
“Intermittent stalling in various conditions including idling, highway driving and city driving.”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
We can place 1 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 234 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 44 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (3)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Electrical System · 23V734000
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2018 RAV4 vehicles. Certain replacement 12-volt batteries may not fit properly in the battery tray, allowing the battery to move and contact the hold-down bracket, possibly causing a short circuit.
Risk: A battery short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the battery clamp sub-assembly, battery tray, and positive terminal cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 27, 2024, to 2013-2014 RAV4 owners. Additional owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, phase 2 will begin on May 14, 2025, and phase 3 in late July 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 23TB13 and 23TA13.
Tires · 16V236000
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Yaris, Rav4, Land Cruiser and 4Runner vehicles, and Scion FR-S, iM, and TC vehicles manufactured January 28, 2016, to March 14, 2016. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."
Risk: An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and provide them a corrected label to be installed over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on June 3, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET16A.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · 16V198000
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured October 30, 2015, to February 3, 2016, 2016 Lexus RX350 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2015, to February 8, 2016, and 2016 Lexus ES350 vehicles manufactured September 1, 2015, to February 29, 2016. These vehicles are equipped with an ABS actuator that may have a damaged O-ring which could result in improper brake fluid pressure control during ABS, Traction Control, or Stability Control activation. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Risk: Insufficient brake fluid pressure may cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 4, 2016, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0I, GLC.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Toyota before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2016 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
- Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report brakes problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 18k miles). Has this car shown any brakes symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2016 Toyota RAV4 PLUG-IN HYBRID beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2016? See how every RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2016 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.