2008 TOYOTA RAV4 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A TRUCK. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN THE DRIVER. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. ...UPDATED 08/20/15 *BF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V168000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

MY 2008 TOYOTA RAV 4 HAD A RECALL FOR THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARMS, THE FIRST RECALL WAS AROUND JAN. 12, 2013. (64,306) MILES. AT THIS TIME TOYOTA TIGHTENED THE CONTROL ARMS TO THE CORRECT TORQUE AND I BELIEVE COMPLETED ALIGNMENT. ABOUT 1 YR LATER, ON JAN.17, 2014 (78,847) MILES, THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS WHERE REPLACED, ALIGNMENT WAS DONE, AND EPOXY WAS APPLIED TO THE BOLTS FOR A PERMANENT FIX APPROVED BY TOYOTA. WHEN HAVING MY BRAKES REPLACED AT TOYOTA DEALER ON MAY 17, 2015 (101,475) MILES, THEY INFORMED ME MY REAR ALIGNMENT WAS OUT SLIGHTLY. I WAS TOLD THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THIS IS TO HAVE THE SAME JOB DONE, AS WAS DONE IN JANUARY 2014, AT A COST OF APPROX. $900.00. I WAS TOLD I MUST HAVE HIT A POT HOLE?? THIS WAS A TOYOTA RECALL FOR A DEFECT ON THEIR PART WITH THEIR PARTS. OBVIOUSLY, THE PERMANENT FIX DIDN'T WORK. I GUESS THEY WOULD EXPECT ME TO PAY EVERY TIME MY VEHICLES REAR COMES OUT OF ALIGNMENT TO PAY $900.00. MY TOYOTA RAV 4 HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED AT THE SAME TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN VINELAND, NEW JERSEY, WHICH IS WHERE I PURCHASED IT NEW. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CORP, AND THEY WHERE NO HELP. ALSO, HAVING A PROBLEM WITH EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION, LIKE MANY OTHERS. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO TOYOTA AND THEIR REPUTATION!

MY ENGINE SEIZED ON A MOVING HIGHWAY. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST MECHANIC WHO IDENTIFIED THE VEHICLE HAD VERY LITTLE OIL IN IT DESPITE JUST HAVING HAD AN OIL CHANGE 3 WEEKS PRIOR. HE CHECKED THAT THERE WAS NO OIL LEAL AND ADVISED TO ME TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE HE FELT MY VEHICLE HAD A FAULTY ENGINE. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHO LIED FIRST ABOUT MY VEHICLE HAVING A FAULTY ENGINE AND THEN WHEN I PRESENTED TO THEM THE EXISTING LITERATURE ON THE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM, ONLY THEN DID THEY CONFIRM MY VEHICLE AS HAVING A FAULTY ENGINE. BASED ON MY VIN, I HAVE THE 2AZ-FE ENGINE WHICH POSES A SAFETY RISK TO CONSUMERS IN THAT IT CAUSES ENGINE PROBLEMS INCLUDING FAILURE. TOYOTA KNEW OF THIS DEFECT WHEN I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE AND DID NOT DISCLOSE THIS TO ME. THEY ALSO ISSUED A SAFETY BULLETIN IN 2011 BUT ONLY TO DEALERSHIPS AND NOT TO CONSUMERS. TOYOTA HAS NOT DISCLOSED OF THIS PROBLEM TO ITS CONSUMERS AND CONTINUES TO REGARD THEIR VEHICLES AS SAFE. MY SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED BECAUSE OF TOYOTA'S DISHONESTY AND DECEIT.

WE RECENTLY TOOK OUR RAV4 IN FOR RECALL WORK. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DECIDED TO DO A COMPLIMENTARY INSPECTION ON MY RAV4. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT HAD NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM BEFORE. NOW, THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS SQUEALING ON TIGHTER THAN REGULAR CORNER TURNING. I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. THE DISTURBING, MORE CONSTANT COMPLIANT IS THAT THE POWER STEERING ON MY YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL WILL FAIL INTERMITTENTLY AND THEN SUDDENLY FAIL. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE SINCE MOST OF THE DRIVERS ON THE ROAD ARE USED TO POWER STEERING AND MAY NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO IF THE POWER STEERING SHOULD SUDDENLY FAIL WHILE DRIVING. I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I AM NOT BLAMING THE DEALERSHIP OR THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY GAVE US A HEADS-UP ON WHAT WE HAD NO IDEA WAS ABOUT TO BECOME A PROBLEM. THE POWER STEERING PUMP PROBLEM IS A SERIOUS ISSUE, THE RAV4 IS A FAMILY CAR FOR THE MOST PART.

LOW ENGINE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AT 4200 MILES OF SCHEDULED 5000 MILE OIL CHANGE. DIPSTICK CHECKED AND NO OIL WAS IN ENGINE. TWO QUARTS ADDED AND BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP FOR OIL CONSUMPTION TEST. CAR FILLED WITH OIL DRIVEN 1200 MILES AND BROUGHT BACK. DEALER STATES APPROXIMATELY 1 QUART OF OIL CONSUMED AND IT DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION CORRECTION. *TR

4 CYLINDER ENGINE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION - BETWEEN 5000 MILE OIL CHANGES WE ARE PUTTING IN 4 - 5 QUARTS OF OIL. THERE IS A WELL-KNOWN PISTON DESIGN FAULT ON THIS ENGINE WHICH REQUIRES THE FITTING OF NEW PISTONS AND THIS SHOULD BECOME A RECALL ISSUE NOT AN DISCRETIONARY MATTER DECIDED ARBITRARILY BY TOYOTA AND ITS DEALERS. WE RAISED THIS ISSUE WITH A DEALER ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO AND WAS FOBBED OFF WITH THE USUAL RESPONSE LIKE '' IT'S NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT'' WE INTEND GETTING THE OIL CONSUMPTION CHECKED AGAIN BY TOYOTA BUT IN THE MEANTIME PLEASE PUT PRESSURE ON TOYOTA TO DEAL WITH THIS MATTER IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY. SUCH A SERIOUS ENGINE DESIGN FAULT SHOULD NOT RESULT IN CONSUMERS LOSING OUT WITH A COLLAPSE IN CAR VALUE AND FURTHER PROBLEMS WITH OIL CONTAMINATION OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER DUE TO BURNING LARGE QUANTITIES OF OIL. *TR

THE REAR SUSPENSION WHEEL NUTS GAVE UP, WHICH CAUSED THE ENTIRE CAR GO TO THE DITCH. MY WIFE AND MY TWO KIDS WAS ON THE CAR, AND LUCKILY THEY GET OUT AND SAFELY STOPPED THE CAR. TOYOTA INFORMED ME THAT THEY REPAIRED THESE REAR BOLTS LAST YEAR BECAUSE IT HAD RECALL BEFORE, BUT STILL THE ISSUE IS HAPPENING EVEN IF THEY PERFORM REPAIR. LITERALLY THIS CAN CAUSE A LOT OF BAD ACCIDENTS AND LOST IF TOYOTA EVEN DON'T REPAIR CORRECTLY ON THE REAR SUSPENSIONS OF RAV4. *TR

VEHICLE STARTED PINGING WHEN GOING UP HILLS. CHECKED OIL AND IT DIDN'T EVEN REGISTER! HAD JUST HAD OIL CHANGED 2 WEEKS BEFORE. SINCE THIS TIME, I HAVE HAD TO ADD ABOUT 5 QUARTS OF OIL. NOW I'M TOLD TOYOTA CONSIDERS USING 1 QUART PER 1,000 DRIVING MILES IS "NORMAL". THE ENGINE COULD BURN UP BASED ON THIS EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION LEAVING THE OCCUPANTS STRANDED. *TR

WATER PUMP HAS FAILED, DESPITE TIMELY AND COMPLETE MAINTENANCE AND NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. A GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALS WIDESPREAD, PREMATURE WATER PUMP FAILURE ON 2008 V6 RAV4 VEHICLES AT EVEN EARLIER MILEAGES. *TR