Toyota RAV4 Radiator: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

On the RAV4, a genuinely useful diagnostic pattern: coolant loss specifically at higher speeds points toward a pressure or cap issue.

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OEM Part Number: 1640026421 (as quoted in catalogue listings — confirm via VIN) — aftermarket radiators Nissens 646864 / Valeo 701301

Accuracy note: Covers the Toyota RAV4 (XA40 2013-2018) as listed in the UK aftermarket catalogues. Radiators are sold by engine, gearbox and air-conditioning fitment, and one model usually has two or three different cores — a thicker core for diesels and automatics, a thinner one for small petrols — with different hose positions, so a radiator for the wrong engine will not connect up. The references below are UK aftermarket listings whose fitment lists name this generation, labelled by brand with the core size in mm; genuine numbers are those quoted against the listing. Check your engine code and whether the car has air conditioning against your VIN, and replace the coolant and bleed the system after fitting.

Radiators (aftermarket)	Nissens 646864 (670 x 411 x 16 mm, soldered aluminium core, plastic tanks, fits 2.0 D-4D 124 PS 1AD-FTV 2WD and 4WD, and 2.2 D-4D 150 PS 2AD-FTV/FHV 4WD); Denso DRM50025; Mahle CR 2270 000S; NRF 550111; Van Wezel 53012705. Nissens 646865 (670 x 411 x 26 mm, soldered aluminium core, plastic tanks, with oil cooler, fits 2.2 D 4WD 150 PS 2AD-FTV/FHV automatic); Denso DRM50092; Mahle CR 2271 000S; NRF 550149
Core sizes & variants	Manual diesels take the 16 mm core without oil cooler; the 2.2 D-4D automatic takes the 26 mm core with integral oil cooler; the 2.0 petrol takes its own 16 mm core. All use 38 mm connections. The 2.5 hybrid radiator was not confirmed.
Genuine (OE) numbers quoted	1640026421 (diesel manual); 1640026411 (diesel automatic); 1640036080 (2.0 petrol)
Fitment notes	Match engine, gearbox and air-con fitment.

Accuracy note: genuinely worth knowing: some RAV4 engines pair the radiator with an integrated oil cooler or a separate charge-air cooler depending on turbocharging — these aren't interchangeable, so confirm your exact engine spec before ordering.

A Genuinely Useful Diagnostic Pattern Worth Knowing About — Toyota RAV4 Radiator

If you're losing coolant specifically through the overflow or header tank pipe, and it seems to happen only at higher speeds, this is genuinely worth understanding: this specific pattern points toward excessive pressure building up in the cooling system, rather than a head gasket issue, particularly if a proper block test has already ruled the head gasket out. A radiator cap that's no longer holding pressure correctly, or a partial blockage somewhere in the system, are both worth checking.

A genuinely useful technical explanation worth knowing about water pump noise: a whining or grinding noise from the water pump area is typically caused by bearing wear, and in more advanced cases, the impeller itself striking the housing once the bearing has failed enough to let it shift position.

It's also worth knowing that coolant leaking specifically from the water pump's shaft seal, visible as a small weep beneath the pump, is often one of the earliest signs of pump failure.

Toyota RAV4 Radiator: The Part That Keeps Everything Else From Cooking

Unglamorous as it is, the Toyota RAV4's cooling system sits behind nearly every serious engine failure that isn't just ordinary wear — and one that went unaddressed for too long. Noticing early warning signs here is a small cost against a potentially very large one.

Toyota RAV4 Radiator: Watch: Replacing It

🎬 Watch: How to Replace Radiator 2013-2018 Toyota RAV4

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1A Auto step-by-step on the XA40.

Before you buy: radiator size and design vary significantly by engine size, transmission type, and whether your car has air conditioning. Always confirm against your VIN before ordering.

Toyota RAV4 Radiator: What It Does

On the Toyota RAV4, engine coolant sheds its heat into the passing air via the radiator, which is what keeps engine temperature in a safe working range. On automatics, it frequently pulls double duty cooling the transmission fluid through its own internal circuit — a detail that makes getting the exact part number right especially important.

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Toyota RAV4 Radiator: Faults, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice

These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Radiator Guide for the three common failure modes, confirming fitment against your VIN, and OEM vs aftermarket guidance.

More Toyota Radiator

The same part, covered across other Toyota models.