2005 TOYOTA RAV4 Complaints

THE LOWER CONTROL ARM IN THE RECALL FROM TOYOTA BROKE AWAY, FROM WHAT WE FOUND AND WERE TOLD BY PEOPLE WHO INSPECTED THE CAR FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR THEIR LAW SUIT AGAINST TOYOTA. THE DRIVERS SIDE TIRE MADE A NOISE WHEN IT ROLLED BACK. WE IMPACTED THE CENTER DIVIDER AT 60-65 MPH. THERE WAS NO WAY TO COMPENSATE AND STEER AWAY IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY. THE SAFETY BELTS HURT ON IMPACT AND OUR KNEES TOOK THE IMPACT. AT IMPACT THE FRONT END OF THE CAR WAS TORN AWAY AND DESTROYED FROM THE RADIATOR TO THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WAS WARPED AND THE CAR WRINKLED ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR QUARTER PANEL. INSIDE THE BACK OF THE CAR PANELS FOR STORAGE ALL POPPED OUT.THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS WOULD NOT OPERATE WHEN THE TROOPERS CAME. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DETERMINED THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. TOYOTA IGNORED OUR ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE OUR COMPLAINT WITHOUT LITIGATION SO WE ARE SUING TOYOTA FOR OUR LOSSES AND INJURIES. *TR

MY TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM KEEPS TURNING ON REGARDLESS OF WHETHER TIRE PRESSURE GAUGES OR MECHANICS SAY THE TIRE PRESSURE IS WITHIN RANGE. I KNOW THIS SYSTEM HAD A RECALL ON OTHER MODEL YEARS FOR TOYOTA, AND I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS ONE, TOO. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR USED FROM A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP--UNKNOWN IF IT WAS AN ISSUE BEFORE THEN. RESETTING THE SYSTEM (BY PRESSING THE RESET BUTTON TO THE LEFT OF THE STEERING WHEEL, AS INDICATED IN THE USER MANUAL) ONLY TURNS THE LIGHT OFF FOR A MINUTE OR TWO, THEN IT COMES RIGHT BACK ON. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 4 CYLINDER TOYOTA RAV4 WITH ABOUT 68,000 MILES. IT STARTING MAKING A GURGLING NOISE IN THE DASHBOARD AREA, AND EVENTUALLY LEFT 2 PUDDLES OF ANTI-FREEZE ON MY GARAGE FLOOR. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER FOR REPAIR. AFTER CHECKING THE RAV4 OUT, THE REPAIR MANAGER PHONED TO TELL ME THE ENGINE WAS INDEED LEAKING COOLANT AROUND THE ENGINE HEAD BECAUSE THE ENGINE BOLTS HAD STRIPPED. I ASKED HOW THE HEAD BOLTS GOT STRIPPED AND HE REPLIED, "WEAR AND TEAR AND THE REPAIR WOULD BE AROUND $3000.00 IF THE HEAD BOLT HOLES COULD BE REPAIRED; OTHERWISE, I WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE." THE RAV4 HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED, SO THIS IS NOT "WEAR AND TEAR", BUT RATHER A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. AFTER TALKING WITH THE MECHANIC DOING THE REPAIRS, HE SAID THEY SEE MANY OF THESE 4 CYLINDER ENGINES WITH THIS PROBLEM -- MOSTLY ON THE CAMRY, SINCE IT IS BASICALLY A CAMRY ENGINE. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THIS IS BECOMING QUITE A COMMON PROBLEM. HERE A FEW WEBSITES WITH VERY UNHAPPY TOYOTA OWNERS: (HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.EE9E769/8444; HTTP://WWW.EDMUNDS.COM/TOYOTA/HIGHLANDER/2003/CONSUMER-REVIEWS.HTML; HTTP://WWW.CAMRYFORUMS.COM/FORUM/GENERAL-TECH-8/2002-STRIPPED-HEAD-BOLTS-4585/; HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/TOYOTA/HIGHLANDER/2003/ENGINE/THREADS_FOR_ENGINE_BOLTS_STRIPPED.SHTML) APPARENTLY, TOYOTA HAS NOT DONE A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM AND DOES NOT EVEN COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH THEY DO HAVE A WRITTEN PROCEDURE THE MECHANICS USE TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CONSTANTLY LOSING ANTI-FREEZE AND CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE WATER PUMP MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT DID NOT CALL THE MANUFACTURER AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,650.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS SHIFTING INTO PARK, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE RPMS INCREASED. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A METAL POST AND BUILDING. A PASSENGER WAS SLIGHTLY BRUISED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72.330 UPDATED 01/26/11*LJ UPDATED 03/28/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. WHENEVER THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, VSC TRACK LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WITH THE BRAKES ENGAGED, THERE WAS MINIMAL RESISTANCE. THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM ENGAGED IN ORDER FOR THE CONTACT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CHECK ABS BRAKE AND TRACK WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND CONFIRMED THAT A FAULTY ABS ACTIVATOR CAUSED THE FAILURE TO OCCUR. THIS WAS AN INTERNAL FAILURE WHICH PREVENTED THE BRAKES FROM COMMUNICATING WITH THE COMPUTER. THE REPAIR PART#44050-42161 IS REQUIRED TO REPAIR THE FAILURE AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $3000. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND STATED HER WARRANTY WAS NO LONGER VALID. SHE WAS EXPECTING A CALL FROM A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE. SHE FILED CLAIM#1006300590 WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 21,613.

STEERING APPEARS DEFECTIVE- DIFFICULT TO TURN-MAKES CLICKING SOUND. TOLD BY DEALER THAT 'BOTH STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFTS NEED REPLACEMENT'. DEALER CLAIMS THEY TOLD US THIS BEFORE. THEY HAVE NEVER TOLD US THIS BEFORE. CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM- AND HAS RECEIVED REGULAR MAINTENANCE- AT THIS DEALER. SOMEONE FROM DEALER CALLED US OUT OF THE BLUE PRIOR TO BRINGING CAR IN FOR REPAIR; OFFERING TO BUY THIS CAR. WE THOUGHT THIS WAS ODD AS WE HAD NEVER EXPRESSED INTEREST IN SELLING. *TR

INTERMITTENT "LOOSE" STEERING FEELING IN 2005 TOYOTA RAV-4. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM OR RECALL. MY CONCERNS WERE DISMISSED AND NOW I SEE THAT IT HAS HAPPENED IN OTHER MODELS RECENTLY. MY BOYFRIEND FELT IT HAPPEN 2X.WHEN HE WAS DRIVING. IT HAS HAPPENED PROBABLY 15-20 TIMES TOTAL. WHEN DRIVING IN A 45 OR 55 MPH ZONE IT IS TOO UNCOMFORTABLE TO DRIVE AT THOSE SPEEDS. SLOWING DOWN TO AROUND 20 OR 30 MPH WAS NECESSARY TO FEEL SAFE. MOST OF THE TIME THE WEATHER WAS EXTREMELY COLD BUT IT DID HAPPENED ON 2-3 OCCASIONS IN SUMMER WEATHER. *TR

IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL ACCELERATION FROM A STOP WHILE DRIVING MY RAV4 IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. THIS HAS BEEN TRUE SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH ABOUT 40,000 MILES ON IT. I REMOVED THE FLOOR MAT WITH NO CHANGE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY TWO TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS (ONE HAD THE CAR FOR EVALUATION FOR A DAY AND CHARGED ME A DIAGNOSIS FEE AND FOR A RENTAL CAR) THAT THIS IS NORMAL. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND CLEARLY A SAFETY HAZARD. I HOLD A COMMERCIAL DRIVERS LICENSE AND HAVE HAD MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE DRIVING A WIDE VARIETY OF VEHICLES AND HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE CAR HITS SOMETHING. TOYOTA MUST ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS REMEDIED THERE IS THE REAL RISK OF SOMETHING OR SOMEONE BEING DAMAGED OR HURT (OR WORSE). UPDATE: ON MARCH 3, 2010 I DELIVERED THE CAR TO DICK DYER IN COLUMBIA, SC AT TOYOTA'S REQUEST. THE REGIONAL TECHNICIAN INSPECTED THE CAR THAT DAY. I HAVE SINCE BEEN CONTACTED BY THE GENERAL MANAGER AND INFORMED THAT TOYOTA IS FLYING A TEAM OF ENGINEERS FROM CALIFORNIA TO EVALUATE THE CAR NEXT MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2010. *TR UPDATED IVOQ 05/28/10.*JB THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE ELECTRONIC SOFTWARE, INTERFACE DESIGN WAS FLAWED. THE THROTTLE PEDAL AND THE ENGINE DID NOT ACCURATELY TRACK EACH OTHER. THERE WAS A DELAY, WHICH RESULTED IN AN ABRUPT AND EXCESSIVE ENGINE RESPONSE. UPDATED 09/26/12