2008 TOYOTA RAV4 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WOULD BECOME UNCONTROLLABLE AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BECOME UNSTABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RECENTLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V37000 (SUSPENSION) HOWEVER, THE RECALL REPAIRS FAILED TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE HOW TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSC LIGHT, AND 4WD LIGHTS STAYED ON AFTER WE PURCHASED VEHICLE. WE WERE ADVISED TO DISCONNECT BATTERY TO RESET, IT WORKED UNTIL CAR WAS SHUT OFF. THEN THE LIGHTS CARE ON AGAIN, AND 4WD WOULD NOT WORK. OUR DRIVEWAY REQUIRES 4WD! TOOK IT TO TOYOTA SERVICE NEAR OUR HOME, HE CALLED WARRANTY COMPANY, THEY WOULD NOT PAY BECAUSE EVAP CANNISTER AND HOSES HAD PREVIOUS WATER DAMAGE, AND WERE RUSTED. MANLY HONDA IN SANTA ROSA HAS PUT US OFF FOR TWO AND A HALF WEEKS. THIS IS WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR FOR OUR DAUGHTER. THEY WILL NOT RETURN CALLS. WE WERE INFORMED TOYOTA ONLY COVERED THIS PROBLEM UP TO 70,000 MILES. TO TAKE IT TO DEALER!! THEY WILL NO LONGER RESPOND. *TR

MY CAR WOULD NOT START, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND OIL LIGHT REMAINED ON EVEN WHILE KEY WAS NOT IN IGNITION. ALSO, THERE WAS A HUMMING AND SLIGHT TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHILE THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF. IT SEEMED LIKE SOMETHING HAD SHORTED OUT AND SOMETHING ELECTRICAL WAS CAUSING SOMETHING TO STAY ON CONSTANTLY AND IT WAS DRAINING THE BATTERY. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET SOMEONE ELSE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM, AND THEY FOUND THAT THERE WAS A LEAK COMING FROM THE WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SO I PULLED UP MY CARPET AND SURE ENOUGH THE ENTIRE FLOOR BOARD WAS COVERED WITH WATER AND THE PAD WAS COMPLETELY SOAKING WET. IT APPEARS THAT WATER HAS DAMAGED SOMETHING IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM, AND I DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THIS MYSELF. THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE VOID OF LEAKS AND ABLE TO FUNCTION IN RAIN AND SNOW CONDITIONS. TOYOTA REALLY NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT. ANY ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THIS IS THE LINK TO THE OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS EXPERIENCE: HTTP://WWW.RAV4WORLD.COM/FORUMS/96-4-3-GENERAL/93222-RANDOM-DASH-LIGHTS-GAUGES-EVEN-KEY-REMOVED-2.HTML. *TR

ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO I RECEIVED A SECOND URGENT RECALL LETTER FROM TOYOTA REGARDING THE REAR LOWER SUSPENSION ARM, MEANING THEY DIDN'T FIX IT THE FIRST TIME ABOUT A YEAR AGO. HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT LOCAL DEALERS AND TOYOTA USA SAY THEY DON'T HAVE THE PARTS AND DON'T KNOW WHEN THE PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. *TR

EVAPORATIVE CONTROL (EVAP) SYSTEM DESIGN FLAW. THIS DESIGN FLAW ALLOWS WATER/DEBRIS/ETC TO ENTER THE EVAP SYSTEM, RESULTING IN THE NEED TO REPLACE PIECES OF THE EVAP SYSTEM SUCH AS FILTER EMISSION HOSES, CHARCOAL CANISTER, CANISTER VENT VALVE, OR ACCORDING TO MY LAST TOYOTA DEALERSHIP VISIT THE WHOLE EVAP SYSTEM! NEWER RAV4 MODELS HAVE BEEN UPDATED TO INCLUDE A COVERING UNDER THE CAR AS TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS SUCH AS RAIN WITHOUT RISKING AN EMISSION HOSE OR CHARCOAL CANISTER GETTING DEBRIS IN IT OR GETTING CAUGHT ON SOMETHING. *TR

I RECEIVED AN "URGENT SAFETY RECALL" FROM TOYOTA SOMETIME JAN - APRIL 2014, REGARDING "REAR LOWER SUSPENSION ARMS (NO 1), ONE OF SEVERAL RECALL NOTICES I'VE RECEIVED SINCE OWNING THIS VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WHERE I CANNOT GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, BECAUSE THE AFFECTED PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE WHEN I CALLED IN LATE MAY AND AGAIN TODAY. AND THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT TELL ME WHEN THEY WILL GET THE PART AND ADVISED TO CALL BACK AT END OF THE SUMMER. WHAT IS THE POINT OF SENDING OUT THESE URGENT SAFETY RECALL NOTICES IF THE DEALERSHIPS DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO FIX THEM FOR SUCH A LONG TIME? IT SHOULDN'T BE TITLED "URGENT" IF NO REMEDY CAN BE DONE TO FIX THE CAR. IF IT IS TRULY AN URGENT SAFETY ISSUE, TOYOTA SHOULD BE WORKING HARDER TO HAVE THE PARTS READY. *TR

WATER PUMP STARTING MAKING INCREDIBLE DIESEL / MECHANICAL GRINDING SOUNDS. COOLANT LEAKING FROM WATER PUMP. WATER PUMP BEARING OVERHEATING - ODOR CLEARLY DISCERNIBLE FROM INSIDE VEHICLE. CHECKED INTERNET - THIS IS A VERY COMMON COMPLAINT AMONG RAV4 V6 OWNERS - MANY OWNERS HAVING REPLACED WATER PUMP ON THIS YEAR VEHICLE AT 25,000K MILES! DEALERS CHARGING ANYWHERE FROM US $325.00 - $900.00. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000. UPDATED 8/27/14*CN THE VEHICLE HAS UNDERGONE 8 RECALLS. UPDATED 09/11/2014 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV-4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 13V383000 (SUSPENSION); HOWEVER, THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PARTS DELAY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

THE CAR IS BURNING OIL. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS BURNING 1/2 QUART EVERY 1200 MILES & TO KEEP ADDING OIL. THAT THIS USAGE WAS WNL. AFTER AN ONLINE SEARCH I FIND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA HAS NOT BEEN DEALING WITH. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT WILL BE RUNNING OUT SOON. I FEEL THE CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THEY SHOULD DO THE RIGHT THING. I HAVE FILLED A COMPLAINT WITH THE USA COOPERATE OFFICE. *TR