2005 TOYOTA RAV4 Complaints

I PURCHASED A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4 IN JULY OF 2005, AND HAVE TAKEN SUPERB CARE OF IT OVER THE YEARS. HOWEVER, THE TRANSMISSION BLEW UP ON ME AFTER JUST 89,000 MILES. I WAS CROSSING A DOUBLE SET OF RAILROAD TRACKS WHEN THIS HAPPENED, AND IT SCARED ME HALF TO DEATH. IT'S COSTING ME $3,000 TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION, AND THE GUY AT THE GARAGE COULDN'T EVEN GIVE ME A REASON FOR THIS HAPPENING. AFTER SOME INTERNET RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO NUMEROUS '01-'05 RAV4 CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE REACHED JUST OVER 80,000 MILES DUE TO A FAULTY ECM THAT TOYOTA HAS DECIDED NOT TO RECALL. NOW I NEED TO PAY ANOTHER $1,200 TO HAVE THE ECM REPLACED AT THE TOYOTA DEALER SO THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ME AGAIN. ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS! HOW CAN THEY GET AWAY WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS? *TR

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2005 TOYOTA RAV4 HAS BEGUN TO SLIP. I HAVE MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE IN ACCORDANCE TO THE PRESCRIBED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE AND HAVE HAD MOST OF THE SERVICES PERFORMED AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS APPROXIMATELY ONCE A WEEK, ALWAYS AT SPEEDS BELOW 40. TODAY I WAS ENTERING A FREEWAY AND I HEARD THE TRANSMISSION SLIP. THE CAR IMMEDIATELY LOST PROPULSION, SLOWING TO A DANGEROUS SPEED FOR AN ACCELERATION RAMP, AND I WAS AFRAID THAT I WAS GOING TO BE REAR-ENDED. I HAVE DONE INTERNET RESEARCH AND SEE THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA'S CORPORATE OFFICE AND BEEN TOLD THAT THERE IS NO RECALL. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP THAT I'VE HAD MOST OF MY SERVICES DONE; THEY RECOMMENDED THAT I HAVE THE COMPUTER ON THE TRANSMISSION RESET, AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $125. I'M AFRAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING TO FAIL COMPLETELY, OR THAT A SLIP/DISENGAGEMENT IS GOING TO CAUSE ME TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR

RE: 2005 TOYOTA RAV4 UNINTENDED ACCELERATION 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 HAVE REMOVED THE FLOORMAT WITH NO CHANGE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY 2 TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS (ONE HAD THE CAR FOR EVALUATION FOR A DAY. I WAS CHARGED AN EVALUATION 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). *TR

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4 WHICH, BECAUSE OF THE SHODDY MATERIAL, I.E., PLASTIC, USED ON THE FENDERS/BUMPERS, BODY OF THE CAR, I HAVE HAD COSTLY DAMAGE WHICH I HAVE HAD TO PAY $1,000 DEDUCTIBLE EVERY TIME, DONE DUE TO BEING HIT BY ANOTHER CAR OR PERSONAL ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER, ETC. I LOVE MY CAR BUT ALL THAT HAS TO BE DONE TO THE CAR IS FOR ANOTHER CAR OR A POLE OR WHATEVER, TO EVEN A LITTLE MORE THAN LIGHTLY HIT IT AND IT CAVES IN LIKE A PIECE OF ALUMINUM OR PLASTIC. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THE WAY CARS ARE MADE NOWADAYS. I COULD'VE BEEN KILLED THIS PAST SUNDAY WHEN I WAS IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY AND HIT SOMEONE. MY FRONT FENDER GOT THE BRUNT OF THE DAMAGE. I USED TO HAVE A 1992 TOYOTA TERCEL WITH FENDERS/BUMPERS THAT WERE STRONG AND COULD WITHSTAND A COLLISION. THIS IS RIDICULOUS, NOT TO MENTION COSTLY. IT COULD ALSO BE THE CAUSE OF MY INSURANCE BEING RAISED OR DROPPED NEXT YEAR! NO ONE SEEMS TO REALLY CARE ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS CARS ARE BEING MADE NOWADAYS. THANK YOU. *TR

THIS IS AN UPDATE FOR THE COMPLAINT REGARDING THE FAILURE OF THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM ON MY 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. AFTER FINDING A KNOWLEDGEABLE SERVICE MANAGER WHO TOOK THE TIME TO CHECK, HE FOUND THAT THERE IS A TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR IN THE SPARE TIRE. MY SPARE WAS JUST A LITTLE LOW ON AIR AND SINCE CORRECTING IT, THE LIGHT HAS NOT COME ON AGAIN. I WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND ANY REFERENCE TO THE SPARE HAVING A SENSOR IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. *TR

THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT COMES ON JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER DAY. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES CHECKED NUMEROUS TIMES & THE LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON, THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2007. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, I WILL NEVER KNOW IF THERE IS A REAL PROBLEM WITH A TIRE WITH THIS HAPPENING. I DRIVE THE HIGHWAY DAILY & FIND THIS VERY TROUBLESOME. MY 2005 RAV 4 HAS UNDER 25,000 MILES ON IT. I AM ESTIMATING THE NUMBER OF FAILURES TO BE 50, HOWEVER I THINK IT IS MORE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT & TOYOTA SHOULD REQUIRE THESE TO BE RECALLED & FIXED. *TR

THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT FAILS CONSTANTLY AND WITHOUT REASON. I'VE HAD MY TIRES CHECKED, RECHECKED, BALANCED, ROTATED, REBALANCED, ROTATED AGAIN, AND NOTHING WILL STOP THE LIGHT FROM COMING ON. THERE ARE ONLY 20,521 MILES ON MY RAV4. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MONTHS. I TOOK MY RAV4 TO MY MECHANIC AGAIN THIS MORNING AND AFTER CHECKING ALL THE TIRES AGAIN, HE FOUND NO PROBLEMS. MY TIRES ARE NEW, LESS THAN TWO MONTHS OLD. WHILE TAKING MY HUSBAND TO THE HOSPITAL TODAY THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. MY MECHANIC SAYS IT'S A DEFECT THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD FIX. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIE ROD ASSEMBLY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED ON A FLATBED TO A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY REPAIRED THE SHOCK ABSORBER AND THE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE OR ASSURE HIM THAT THE FAILURE WOULD NOT RECUR. THE CONTACT FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND COULD NOT ASSIST. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 46,919. UPDATED 01/31/08 *BF

MY WIFE WAS HIT IN A HEAD ON COLLISION THAT DID OVER $8,000 IN DAMAGE IN THE TOYOTA, 2005 , RAV 4. WITH THIS DAMAGE YOU WOULD THINK ONE AIRBAG WOULD DEPLOY, AND THAT DID NOT HAPPEN.WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS WHEN GETTING THE CAR BACK OUT OF THE SHOP.TOYOTA AIRBAG TECHNICIAN SAID THEY DIDN'T ALWAYS DEPLOY DEPENDING ON THE IMPACT, WHAT??,HEAD ON WITH OVER $8.000 IN DAMAGE,WHAT WILL IT TAKE SOMEONE TO BE KILLED. *AK

HAD 2005 TOYOTA RAV 4 FRONT BRAKE ROTORS DISPLAYED STRAIGHT LINES OF TINY PITS ACROSS BRAKING SURFACE , APPEARED TO BE CASTING FLAWS EXTENDED INTO AND BELOW ROTOR SURFACE. HAD PROBLEMS WITH TIRES PREMATURELY WEARING ON INNER SIDES, SCRAPING NOISE. *AK ASKED DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP ABOUT THESE ROTORS AND WAS TOLD THEY SEE A LOT OF THEM LIKE THIS.