2008 TOYOTA RAV4 Complaints

WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT WAITING TO TURN LEFT THE RAV4 ENGINE BEGAN TO REV AND LURCHED FORWARD WITH DRIVER'S FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE. DRIVER PUT CAR INTO NEUTRAL WHILE HOLDING DOWN THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT THE CAR HURTLING INTO THE INTERSECTION. DRIVER THEN TURNED OFF THE CAR AND PUT GEAR SHIFT TO PARK. AFTER 30 SECONDS RESTARTED THE CAR WITH FOOT ON BRAKE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV AGAIN WITH CAR IN PARK. THE ENGINE NOISE WAS VERY LOUD. CAR WAS AGAIN TURNED OFF. CAR WAS RESTARTED AFTER ABOUT 2-3 MINUTES AND ENGINE BEHAVED NORMALLY. OWNERS TOOK CAR TO TOYOTA DEALER WITHIN AN HOUR OF THE INCIDENT. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP RAN DIAGNOSTIC AND MANAGER SAID DRIVER HAD FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR WHEN IT HAPPENED WHICH IS CERTAINLY NOT TRUE. DEALER WOULD NOT RELEASE A COPY OF THE DIAGNOSTIC REPORT. OWNERS HAVE HAD ALL RECALL WORK DONE ON THE VEHICLE AND HAVE DONE REGULAR MAINTENANCE AS REQUIRED IN THE OWNER MANUAL. *TR

I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR MY NORMAL OIL CHANGE IN SEPT 2013 AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO OIL ON THE DIPSTICK, RAV HAD 85,000 MILES AT THE TIME. NO LIGHTS HAD COME ON THAT ALERTED ME TO AN ISSUE. THEY NOTED IT ON THE RECORDS AND SAID THEY WOULD KEEP AN EYE ON IT. I WENT FOR MY NEXT OIL CHANGE NOV 2013 AND SAME ISSUE OF NO OIL ON DIPSTICK AND AGAIN NO WARNING LIGHTS. THEY NOTED IT AGAIN ON PAPERWORK AND SAID WE MIGHT NEED TO LOOK INTO WHY IT IS USING OIL. WE MADE A PHONE CALL TO A FRIEND WHO IS A TOYOTA MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED TO THE DEALERSHIPS ABOUT OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUES. DEALERSHIP DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS TO ME EITHER TIME. WE HAVE WATCHED THE OIL EVER SINCE AND HAVE TO ADD OIL BETWEEN CHANGES. IN JANUARY 2015 WE RECEIVED WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT NOTIFICATION ABOUT OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE. IN FEBRUARY WE HAD OIL CONSUMPTION TEST PERFORMED AND WAS TOLD THE RAV WAS WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS OF OIL USAGE. I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND LOGGED A CASE. THEY TOLD ME TO GO BACK TO DEALERSHIP BETWEEN 1100-1300 MILES AND HAVE OIL LEVEL CHECKED AGAIN. IT WAS 1500 MILES LATER BEFORE I COULD GET BACK IN TO DEALERSHIP. THEY NOTED THE RAV HAD USED 1 QUART OF OIL IN 1500 MILES. I AM BEING TOLD THAT IS NORMAL USAGE AND AT THIS TIME MY VEHICLE WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE "FIX". THE RAV ONLY HAS 120,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

I PURCHASED MY RAV4 NEW IN 2008. OVER THE YEARS OCCASIONALLY WHEN BRAKING THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN LIKE IT SHOULD AND A REALIZED THAT MY FOOT WAS DEPRESSING BOTH THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT THE SAME TIME. I DIDN'T LIKE IT VERY MUCH THAT THIS COULD OCCUR BUT NEVER DID ANYTHING ABOUT IT. RECENTLY WHEN BRAKING AT A 4-WAY STOP SIGN IT HAPPENED AGAIN BUT THIS TIME IT CAUGHT ME OFF-GUARD AND I NEARLY BROADSIDED A VEHICLE THAT HAD JUST PULLED OUT FROM THE OTHER DIRECTION. FORTUNATELY I REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR IN TIME TO STOP. THIS TIME IT SCARED ME SINCE I WAS SO CLOSE TO HITTING THE OTHER VEHICLE. THIS TIME I WENT TO MY DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE ISSUE BUT WAS TOLD I HAD TO CONTACT TOYOTA ABOUT THE ISSUE. I DID THIS AND WAS TOLD TO HAVE THE VEHICLES COMPUTER UPDATED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I HAD THIS DONE BUT IT DOES NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THE UPDATE IS DESIGNED TO NOT ALLOW THE ENGINE TO OVERPOWER THE BRAKES BUT IT WILL STILL ALLOW THE ENGINE TO PUT POWER TO THE WHEELS WHEN BRAKING. I CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT THIS ISSUE AGAIN BUT WASN'T GIVEN ANY SATISFACTION AS TO HOW THIS ISSUE COULD BE CORRECTED. I SPOKE WITH MY BROTHER WHO HAS A 2009 RAV4 AND SAYS HE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS VEHICLE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IF THERE ARE 2 PEOPLE IN OUR FAMILY WITH THIS ISSUE, I'M SURE THERE ARE A LOT MORE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ALSO EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM. ISN'T THERE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM??

WHEN STARTING MY CAR MY 4 WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT, ENGINE LIGHT, VSC LIGHT WOULDN'T GO OUT. WHEN TAKEN THIS TO MY MECHANIC I WAS TOLD THAT THE VACUUM SYSTEM. AFTER CHECKING EVERYTHING , THINGS SEEMED TO BE OK. WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN I WAS TOLD THAT THE GAS CAP WAS PUT ON TO TIGHT. THE LIGHTS WHERE RESET. IN JANUARY IT BEGAN TO HAPPEN AGAIN. TOOK IT TO A NEW MECHANIC, I WAS TO TOLD THAT THE CHARCOAL FILTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, WHICH I NEEDED TO WAIT ABOUT 10 DAYS FOR IT TO COME IN. REPLACED THE ABOUT 25 MILES LATER LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. NEW CLAMPS WHERE PUT ON ALL HOSES. 50 MILES LATER LIGHTS BACK ON , NOW CODE IS SAYING THE CHARCOAL CANISTER FAULTY. NOW THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MY MECHANIC DID RESEARCH, FOUND OUT THAT THEIR HAS BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THIS PART COST OVER 800$ I MYSELF HAVE READ OTHER RAV4 OWNERS THAT THIS ISN'T A NEW PROBLEM. HOW LONG OR HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DOES IT TAKE FOR SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. THEIR HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENS THE CAR SPUTTERS AND REALLY DOESN'T GO ANYWHERE. DOES MY LIFE HAVE END WHEN MY VEHICLE DOES THIS AND I GET HIT FROM BEHIND. OH DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE AMOUNT OF OIL THIS CAR USES. MAYBE MY ENGINE NEEDS TO BLOW UP FIRST. PLEASE FINALLY DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. OR IS THIS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. *TR

TOYOTA OIL CONSUMPTION TEST CONDUCTED. USAGE OF ~3/4 QT PER 1,200 MILES. FIRST NOTED EXCESSIVE USAGE AT ~ 95,000 MI. TESTED AT 138,739 MI. 2.4L 4-CYL DOHC ENGINE. *TR

WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT WAITING TO TURN LEFT THE RAV4 ENGINE BEGAN TO REV AND LURCHED FORWARD WITH DRIVER'S FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE. DRIVER PUT CAR INTO NEUTRAL WHILE HOLDING DOWN THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT THE CAR HURTLING INTO THE INTERSECTION. DRIVER THEN TURNED OFF THE CAR AND PUT GEAR SHIFT TO PARK. AFTER 30 SECONDS RESTARTED THE CAR WITH FOOT ON BRAKE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV AGAIN WITH CAR IN PARK. THE ENGINE NOISE WAS VERY LOUD. CAR WAS AGAIN TURNED OFF. CAR WAS RESTARTED AFTER ABOUT 2-3 MINUTES AND ENGINE BEHAVED NORMALLY. OWNERS TOOK CAR TO TOYOTA DEALER WITHIN AN HOUR OF THE INCIDENT. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP RAN DIAGNOSTIC AND MANAGER SAID DRIVER HAD FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR WHEN IT HAPPENED WHICH IS CERTAINLY NOT TRUE. DEALER WOULD NOT RELEASE A COPY OF THE DIAGNOSTIC REPORT. OWNERS HAVE HAD ALL RECALL WORK DONE ON THE VEHICLE AND HAVE DONE REGULAR MAINTENANCE AS REQUIRED IN THE OWNER MANUAL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. SHORTLY AFTER PARKING, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. A POLICE AND A FIRE REPORT WERE FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE INSPECTED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000. UPDATED 5/5/15*CN UPDATED 9/16/2015 *JS

MAKES A CLUNKING SOUND WHEN I TURN AND I FEEL A "BUMP" IN THE STEERING WHEEL. I WAS CHARGED $594.45 AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE REPAIR REPLACE THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE, I FOUND THAT THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE ENFORCE A VEHICLE RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

I FIRST HEARD KNOCKING NOISE UPON COLD START-UP. THIS HAS NOW BECOME A CHRONIC NOISE. WHEN GETTING TRUCK SERVICED FOR ANOTHER MATTER THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE VVT-I BOLTS WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR A CHARGE OF $3500-$5600. HE ALSO NOTED THIS WAS EXPENSIVE BECAUSE IT IS A LEXUS ENGINE. UPON RESEARCHING THIS MORE I DISCOVERED THIS IS THE SAME ENGINE 2GR-FE V6 INSTALLED IN THE LEXUS RX350S WITH SAME PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR RECALL BY TOYOTA FOR LEXUS VEHICLES BUT NOT TOYOTAS. I CONTACTED TOYOTA BUT THEY REFUSE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE EVEN THOUGH THIS IS EXACT SAME DEFECT WHICH IS A RECALL FOR LEXUS MODELS. SEE ARTICLE //PARTS.OLATHEOYOTA.COM/GR-SERIES-ENGINE.HTML. THE RECALL IS LISTED ON NHTSA. ONCE BOLTS LOOSEN THE VVT-I GEAR HOUSING AND SPROCKET TO SEPARATE AND RESULT IN THE ENGINE STOPPING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. SEE ARTICLE: TOYOTA RECALLS VARIOUS LEXUS VEHICLES WITH ENGINE BOLT PROBLEMS THE BOLTS COULD BECOME LOOSE DUE TO ABNORMAL IMPACTS 09/10/2013 | CONSUMERAFFAIRS BY [XXX] I CANNOT UNDERSTAND HOW THESE DEFECTIVE BOLTS UNDER A TOYOTA BODY STYLE, BUT ON THE SAME ENGINE ARE EXCLUDED FROM THIS MAJOR RECALL. THE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES REMAIN THE SAME REGARDLESS OF BODY STYLE SHOULD BOLTS LOOSEN DURING HIGH SPEEDS. I HAVE ESCALATED THIS COMPLAINT TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL AT TOYOTA WITH NO RESULTS SO I AM COMPELLED TO FILE AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE A TODDLER ON BOARD EACH DAY DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT FUNDS TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM AND ARE NOW UNABLE TO SELL THE CAR. YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER IS APPRECIATED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

RECEIVED A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT NOTIFICATION (EXTENDED WARRANTY) FOR THE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. FREE FIX. WHAT A JOKE. THEY TELL YOU TO COME IN FOR THE TEST, FILL YOUR OIL TO FULL AND TELL YOU TO COME BACK IN 1200 MILES. TWELVE HUNDRED MILES LATER YOU GO BACK YOUR CAR IS AT LOW/ADD LEVEL, THEY ADD 1 QT OIL AND STATE AND I QUOTE "FOUND THAT VEHICLE BURNED 1QT OF OIL IN 1,241 MILES. THAT IS OK TO TOYOTA STANDARDS". THAT LAST LINE TELLS IT ALL. IF YOU DO THE MATH, AT 5000 MILES, WHICH THEY TELL YOU TO COME IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, THERE WOULD BE NO OIL LEFT TO CHANGE WITH A 4.8QT ENGINE OIL LIMIT. I COULDN'T BELIEVE TOYOTA HAS SUCH LOW STANDARDS. WE HAVE ALL TOYOTAS IN MY HOUSEHOLD. WITH THE WE DON'T CARE ATTITUDE BY TOYOTA, WE WILL BECOME A HONDA HOUSEHOLD. I EXPECTED BETTER, TOYOTA STANDARDS HAVE REALLY DETERIORATED. DONTBYTOYOTA.COM IS AVAILABLE. JUST MAY BUY IT TO WARN POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS. *TR