2008 Toyota RAV4

Watch out for

Reputation: what owners and the press report. Tap one to see what to check.

• Four-cylinder burning oil 2006–2008

  What to check: Check the oil level and ask how often it is topped up. Ask for records of any engine work done under Toyota's program ZE7.

  Toyota's warranty enhancement program ZE7 covered excessive oil use in the 2006–2008 RAV4's 2AZ four. Its longer cover ran 10 years or 150,000 miles from first use, so it has ended. Excessive oil use is the top complaint for the 2007 and 2008 on CarComplaints.com, and Toyota bulletins on the 2AZ engine reach to 2013 model years without naming models.

  Sources ^6,7,8,9,10

• V6 water pump All years

  What to check: Look for coolant leaks and a low coolant level, and ask whether the water pump has been replaced.

  Four members across two BobIsTheOilGuy threads name the V6's water pump as a worry, and one says the job is costly. They disagree on whether the engine has to come out to change it.

  Sources ^11,12

• V6 VVT-i oil line All years

  What to check: Ask for proof that the VVT-i oil line repair was done.

  Three members across two BobIsTheOilGuy threads warn that a rubber VVT-i oil hose can burst, and one says that cuts oil to the top of the engine.

  Sources ^11,12

Recalls

• 09V223000 2006–2009

  The load capacity label was missing. A new label is supplied.^13,14,15,16

• 11V113000 2006–2010

  An unsecured or wrong floor mat can trap the accelerator pedal.^{13,14,15,16,17}

• 11V245000 2007–2008

  If both roll-angle sensors fail at nearly the same time, the curtain airbags and seat belt pretensioners can fire.^14,15

• 12V373000 2006–2011

  Rear alignment nuts tightened wrongly can let the rear tie rod rust and fail.^{13,14,15,16,17,18}

• 12V491000 2007–2009

  Uneven grease on the power window master switch can let it overheat and melt.^14,15,16

• 13V383000 2006–2011

  Rusted rear tie-rod threads are replaced and sealed. This replaces the remedy of recall 12V373000.^{13,14,15,16,17,18}

• 14V168000 2006–2008

  Turning the steering wheel can damage the driver airbag's flat cable, and the airbag may not work.^13,14,15

• 15V689000 2006–2011

  Uneven grease on the power window master switch can cause a short circuit, melting and fire.^{13,14,15,16,17,18}

• 16V096000 2006–2012

  In a frontal crash, the rear seat cushion frame can cut the outboard rear seat belts.^{13,14,15,16,17,18,19}

• 16V596000 2006–2011

  Rear tie-rod locknuts left loose can corrode and fail, and the driver can lose control. Both rear arms are replaced.^{13,14,15,16,17,18}

What buyers say

Reputation: what owners and the press report

• Sought after: 3.5L V6 All years

  Six members across two BobIsTheOilGuy threads favor the V6, for its speed and, two of them say, its reliability. One member there prefers the four, and two others are not fans of the V6.^12,11

• Avoid: 2.4L four 2006–2008 Less sought after

  A BobIsTheOilGuy member who owns two V6s calls the 2.4L four an oil guzzler, and Toyota's program ZE7 covered excessive oil use in the 2006–2008 four.^11,7

Before you pay

Open the buyer's checklist

Every warning and recall for this generation, with a box to tick.