Used car guide

2014 Toyota RAV-4: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2014 Toyota RAV-4s, from 1,323 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,323MOT tests in 2025
76%pass first time (all 2014 cars: 69%)
8,600typical miles a year
1.8×the usual rate for suspension arm bushes and joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2014 Toyota RAV-4s than on all cars registered in 2014.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints1.8× usual
    Toyota RAV-4
    15% All 2014 cars
    8.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.2%, against 1.7% of all 2014 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Tyre pressure monitoring system2.7× usual
    Toyota RAV-4
    2.4% All 2014 cars
    0.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.4%, against 0.9% of all 2014 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges. Uneven wear can point to tracking or suspension problems.

Better than most

Shock absorbers: 2.1% here, against 5.7% of all 2014 cars. Engine oil leaks: 1.9% here, against 4.2% of all 2014 cars.

By area

The share of 2014 Toyota RAV-4 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    31% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Suspension
    27% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    25% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    13% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    7% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    3% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Looking at a Toyota RAV-4?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20131,375Brakes 31%
20121,720Suspension 41%
20113,076Suspension 44%
20103,315Suspension 50%
20091,418Suspension 52%
20081,461Suspension 56%
20072,195Suspension 58%
20062,562Suspension 56%
20052,537Brakes 46%
20042,057Suspension 46%
20031,555Suspension 45%
20021,090Suspension 43%
2001633Brakes 47%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2014 Toyota RAV-4s registered in 2014. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score