2006 Toyota RAV4 Service and Repair Manual

The 2006 RAV4 is really two vehicles sharing one badge. Toyota sold it that year with either the 2.4L four (2AZ-FE) or, for the first time in the RAV4, a 3.5L V6 (2GRFE) that made it far quicker than any compact SUV had to be. The two share the body, the cabin and much of the chassis, but very little of what sits under the hood, so a torque figure, an accessory belt routing or a cooling-system step that is right for one is routinely wrong for the other, and the trim a given RAV4 was built as decides which one you are looking at.

Engines

• 2.4L 2362CC l4 GAS DOHC Naturally Aspirated
• 3.5L 3456CC V6 GAS DOHC Naturally Aspirated

Trims

• Base
• Base, U151E
• Base, U241E
• Limited
• Sport

Known issues on the 2006 RAV4. Ten recalls stand on the federal record for this model year. Three of them are the same rear suspension campaign, opened over the nuts for adjusting the rear wheel: failure of the rear tie rod could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. A fourth covers the accelerator pedal, where a stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop. One concerns the power window devices and controls, in which sliding electrical contacts that are not protected by lubricant let debris and moisture get in. A rear seat belt recall warns that a cut seat belt may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury. A front seat heater recall covers a copper strand heating element that, if damaged, may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire. The remaining three are labeling recalls: incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels could result in the vehicle being overloaded; a driver may overload a vehicle which may increase the risk of a crash; and a third set of labels does not meet the standard requirements. Owners have logged 880 complaints against the 2006 RAV4, and Toyota has issued 121 technical service bulletins.

Whether the job is setting the rear wheel adjusting nuts, chasing a power window that has stopped moving, or working to a tightening spec on the V6, the difference between a repair that holds and one that comes back is following Toyota's own procedure for this specific 2006 RAV4 build.