Tools you need for starter on a 2013-2018 Toyota RAV4

On the XA40 RAV4 there is only one engine in the US, the 2.5L 2AR-FE, and its starter lives on the transaxle side of the block low on the front of the engine. It is not a buried V6-style job with the intake manifold coming off, but it is not a five-minute job either: you clear the air cleaner and a harness bracket from above, drop the plastic engine under-cover from below, and work the two 14 mm bolts with a long extension and a wobble adapter.

The mistake people make is replacing the starter when the real fault is the battery, a corroded main ground, or a bad ignition/starter relay. Load test the battery and wiggle-test the cables first. The second mistake is overtightening the small B terminal nut on the solenoid; it is a 9.8 Nm fastener and the stud shears or twists easily, which leaves you with a brand new starter that has to come back out.

Complete tool and parts list

Differences within the 2013-2018 generation

Every US-market 2013-2018 RAV4 uses the 2.5L 2AR-FE, so the sizes are the same across the generation. The 2016-2018 RAV4 Hybrid has no conventional starter motor at all, since MG1 in the hybrid transaxle starts the engine, so this job does not apply to it. Overseas 2.0L 3ZR-FAE and 2.2 D-4D diesel versions use different starters and different access, with the diesel needing more disassembly.

Torque specs

How the job goes

1. Park on level ground, chock the rear wheels, and confirm the problem is the starter (clicking with good battery voltage, no crank but lights strong, or a dead spot that starts after tapping the starter).
2. Disconnect the negative battery cable with a 10 mm wrench and set it aside so it cannot touch the post. Fit a memory saver first if you want to keep presets.
3. Remove the air cleaner housing/intake air connector and the engine cover as needed to see down the front of the engine toward the transaxle. Unclip the MAF connector rather than pulling on the wires.
4. Raise the front of the vehicle, set jack stands under the pinch welds or subframe points, and remove the plastic engine under-cover (10 mm bolts plus pushpin clips) for access from below.
5. Locate the starter on the transaxle side of the block. Move any wiring harness bracket or coolant hose clamp that blocks the bolts; usually one 10 mm or 12 mm bracket bolt.
6. Remove the nut on the starter B terminal (12 mm) and slide the heavy battery cable off the stud. Release the lock tab and unplug the small solenoid signal connector.
7. Remove the two 14 mm starter mounting bolts. Use a long extension with a wobble adapter for the harder-to-reach bolt; support the starter as the last bolt comes out.
8. Work the starter out of its pocket, rotating the nose as needed to clear the bellhousing and brackets. Note how it sat so the new one goes in the same way.
9. Compare the new starter to the old one: nose length, tooth count on the pinion, stud and connector orientation, and mounting boss thickness.
10. Clean the mating surface on the bellhousing. Set the new starter in place, start both bolts by hand so the nose locates in its dowel hole, then torque to 29 ft-lb.
11. Reconnect the solenoid connector until it clicks, then fit the battery cable to the B stud and torque the nut to about 87 in-lb. Do not overtighten; the stud will twist. Add a light film of dielectric grease.
12. Refit the harness brackets, under-cover, air cleaner and engine cover. Reconnect the negative battery cable.
13. Start the engine and listen for a clean, single engagement with no grinding. Let it idle a few minutes so the ECM relearns idle, then road test.

Watch out

The two 14 mm (M10) mounting bolts, 12 mm B terminal nut and 10 mm cover/battery hardware are standard for the 2AR-FE, but confirm the exact bracket bolts and the 39 Nm starter bolt spec against the Toyota service information for your model year.

Other jobs on the 2013-2018 Toyota RAV4

Starter Replacement on other vehicles