Steering column intermediate shaft clunk
usually 100,000–200,000 km · Wear part
Signs: Clunk turning the wheel at low speed
Fix: Grease or replace the shaft
€100–300
Common faults, service intervals and costs
Toyota RAV4 (XA20)
2000–2005
2
engines covered
8
known faults
22,415
roadworthiness tests in the statistics
Enter your VIN and mileage and get a plan built for your exact engine and gearbox.
The Toyota RAV4 (XA20) was built from 2000 to 2005.
For this generation we cover 2 engines and 8 known faults, each with the mileage range where it usually appears.
The most expensive known risk is Head gasket failure / oil consumption: it usually appears at 100,000–220,000 km and costs €1,500–5,000 to fix.
In UK roadworthiness tests in 2024, at 150–200 thousand km this model most often failed on: lights, wipers and visibility (20.9 %), suspension (13.6 %), brakes (10.5 %). It fails less often than average on: brakes, suspension, steering, tyres and wheels, lights, wipers and visibility, body and corrosion.
Engines
| Engine | Fuel | Timing drive | Oil |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 / 2.4 VVT-i (Toyota 1AZ / 2AZ) | Petrol | Chain | 5W-30 · API SL · ~4.2 L · every 15,000 km |
| 2.0 / 2.2 D-4D / D-CAT (Toyota 1AD / 2AD) | Diesel | Chain | 5W-30 / 0W-30 · ACEA C2 · ~5.9 L · every 15,000 km |
Faults typical of this model
Faults by engine
2.0 / 2.4 VVT-i (Toyota 1AZ / 2AZ)
Oil consumption (2AZ-FE pistons)
usually 100,000–220,000 km · High risk
engine codes: 2AZ-FE
Signs: Topping up often, blue smoke
Fix: Toyota warranty enhancement in some markets; pistons / rings
€1,500–3,500
Head bolt thread stripping (2AZ)
usually 150,000–250,000 km · Medium risk
engine codes: 2AZ-FE
Signs: Coolant loss, head gasket leak
Fix: Insert threads (Time-Sert), new gasket
€800–1,600
Water pump
usually 120,000–200,000 km · Wear part
Signs: Coolant weep
Fix: Replace pump
€250–450
2.0 / 2.2 D-4D / D-CAT (Toyota 1AD / 2AD)
Head gasket failure / oil consumption
usually 100,000–220,000 km · High risk
model years 2005–2011 only
Signs: Coolant loss, white smoke, oil use — Toyota extended cover on many 2006–2009 engines
Fix: Head gasket / engine repair
€1,500–5,000
EGR valve / intake carbon
usually 100,000–200,000 km · Medium risk
Signs: Power loss, rough running
Fix: Clean EGR and intake
€300–900
Gearboxes
Manual
Clutch wear
usually 120,000–200,000 km · Medium risk
Signs: Slipping, high bite point
Fix: Replace clutch kit
€500–900
Automatic 4-speed (older)
Solenoids / pressure regulator (limp mode)
usually 100,000–200,000 km · High risk
Signs: Harsh shifts, stuck in 3rd, gearbox warning
Fix: Fluid change, solenoid / valve body repair
€300–1,500
Scheduled service
Intervals and typical prices for the 2.0 / 2.4 VVT-i (Toyota 1AZ / 2AZ) engine. Other engines differ in oil, timing drive and some filters; the app gives the exact plan.
| Item | Interval | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil + oil filterEngine | every 15,000 km or every 12 months | €70–150 |
| Cabin (pollen) filterClimate | every 15,000 km or every 12 months | €15–40 |
| Brake fluidBrakes | every 24 months | €50–95 |
| A/C service (regas + desiccant)Climate | every 24 months | €70–150 |
| Air filterEngine | every 30,000 km or every 24 months | €15–45 |
| Spark plugsIgnition | every 60,000 km or every 48 months | €50–160 |
| Auxiliary (serpentine) beltEngine | every 120,000 km | €70–180 |
| Coolant replacementCooling | every 150,000 km or every 96 months | €70–150 |
| Timing chain inspection (listen on cold start)Engine | every 150,000 km | €0–120 |
| Manual gearbox oilTransmission | every 150,000 km | €60–130 |
| Front brake padsBrakes | usually at 30,000–60,000 km | €60–150 |
| Front brake discs + padsBrakes | usually at 60,000–120,000 km | €150–320 |
| Rear brake padsBrakes | usually at 50,000–90,000 km | €50–130 |
| Tyres (set of 4)Wheels | usually at 40,000–60,000 km | €320–700 |
| Wiper bladesBody | checked at service | €20–50 |
| 12V batteryElectrical | checked at service | €100–220 |
Roadworthiness tests by mileage
Share of tests in the United Kingdom (DVSA MOT, 2024) that this model failed because of each system. Bold red means more often and green less often than an average car of the same age and mileage. Sample: 22,415 tests.
| thousand km | 50–100 | 100–150 | 150–200 | 200–250 | 250+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 6.7 % | 8.8 % | 10.5 % | 12.3 % | 13.8 % |
| Suspension | 6.7 % | 10.7 % | 13.6 % | 15.9 % | 18.9 % |
| Steering | 0.4 % | 0.5 % | 0.7 % | 1.2 % | 1.6 % |
| Tyres and wheels | 1.7 % | 3.6 % | 4.1 % | 4.5 % | 6.2 % |
| Lights, wipers and visibility | 12.3 % | 15.4 % | 20.9 % | 24.7 % | 29.3 % |
| Body and corrosion | 2.4 % | 5.4 % | 6.3 % | 7.6 % | 9.5 % |
| Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 2.7 % | 6.3 % | 8.9 % | 11.8 % | 14.0 % |
Roadworthiness tests in the Netherlands by age
Share of this model's Dutch fleet that had a defect in each system at a roadworthiness test (APK) in 2025. Bold red means more often and green less often than an average car of the same age and fuel. Sample: 4,218 cars.
| age (years) | 20+ |
|---|---|
| Brakes | 9.9 % |
| Suspension | 7.5 % |
| Steering | 1.6 % |
| Tyres and wheels | 14.2 % |
| Lights, wipers and visibility | 27.8 % |
| Body and corrosion | 0.7 % |
| Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 8.9 % |
Owner complaints in the US
Which systems owners reported to the US agency NHTSA and at what mileage. Complaints are not confirmed faults and some relate to recalls. Sample: 1,406 complaints.
Common questions
Does the Toyota RAV4 (XA20) have a timing chain or a timing belt?
2.0 / 2.4 VVT-i (Toyota 1AZ / 2AZ): chain; 2.0 / 2.2 D-4D / D-CAT (Toyota 1AD / 2AD): chain.
What are the known problems with the Toyota RAV4 (XA20)?
The faults with the highest risk: head gasket failure / oil consumption (100,000–220,000 km, €1,500–5,000); oil consumption (2AZ-FE pistons) (100,000–220,000 km, €1,500–3,500); solenoids / pressure regulator (limp mode) (100,000–200,000 km, €300–1,500); head bolt thread stripping (2AZ) (150,000–250,000 km, €800–1,600). The full list by engine is on this page.
What does the Toyota RAV4 (XA20) most often fail its roadworthiness test on?
In UK roadworthiness tests in 2024, at 150–200 thousand km this model most often failed on: lights, wipers and visibility (20.9 %), suspension (13.6 %), brakes (10.5 %). It fails less often than average on: brakes, suspension, steering, tyres and wheels, lights, wipers and visibility, body and corrosion.
What should you check when buying a used Toyota RAV4 (XA20)?
Before you buy, ask an authorised dealer to check by VIN whether the car has any open recalls. On the test drive, watch for these signs: coolant loss, white smoke, oil use — Toyota extended cover on many 2006–2009 engines; topping up often, blue smoke. The full checklist is in the guide to buying a used car.
Other generations
Toyota RAV4 (XA30) 2005–2012Toyota RAV4 (XA40) 2012–2018Toyota RAV4 (XA50) 2018–
Models with the same engines
These models share engines with this car, so they share some of its faults too.
Toyota Avensis (T25) 2003–2008Toyota Avensis (T22) 1997–2003Toyota Corolla Verso 2004–2009Lexus IS (XE20) 2005–2013Toyota Avensis Verso 2001–2009
Other Toyota models
Toyota Corolla (E120) 2001–2007Toyota Corolla Verso (E12) 2001–2004Toyota Yaris I 1999–2005Toyota Yaris Verso 1999–2005Toyota Land Cruiser (J120) 2002–2009Toyota Prius II 2003–2009Toyota Aygo I 2005–2014Toyota Hilux (2005–2015) 2005–2015Toyota Yaris II 2005–2011Toyota Corolla (E10 / E11) 1991–2001
Sources and notes
Faults, intervals and prices are indicative and collected from public sources and owner experience; always rely on the service book and a qualified workshop. Test statistics: DVSA – Anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0. Dutch tests: RDW Open Data (CC0). Engine versions: EEA, monitoring of CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars (CC BY 4.0, DG CLIMA). Owner complaints: NHTSA ODI (public domain). Recalls: DVSA Vehicle Safety Branch Recalls Database, OGL v3.0. Brand and model names are trademarks of their owners and are used only to describe the vehicles.
Updated 08/10/2026