Toyota RAV4 Complaints (2003)

315 consumer complaints on file.

#10269909May 26, 2009
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIFT UNCONTROLLABLY TOWARD THE RIGHT. AS AN ATTEMPT TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND TURNED THE STEERING COLUMN. AS A RESULT, HE CRASHED INTO A TRAFFIC DIVIDING WALL. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, HE NOTICED THAT THE TIE ROD FAILED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOP AND THE TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE TIE ROD FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 40,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10269934May 26, 2009
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIFT UNCONTROLLABLY TOWARD THE RIGHT. AS AN ATTEMPT TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND TURNED THE STEERING COLUMN. AS A RESULT, HE CRASHED INTO A TRAFFIC DIVIDING WALL. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, HE NOTICED THAT THE TIE ROD FAILED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOP AND THE TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE TIE ROD FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 40,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10268461May 12, 2009
POWER TRAIN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT HAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE EVER SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE TRANSMISSION STALLS AND PREVENTS THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING. THE COMPUTER WAS REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE AND SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER TO BE SERVICED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $400. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 111,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10268380May 11, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO FIRST OR SECOND GEAR, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK. THE VEHICLE SHIFTS FROM FIRST TO THIRD GEAR WITHOUT INCIDENT. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND JERKS WHEN DRIVING IN REVERSE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE SOLENOID WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURES ARE IDENTICAL TO THE ONES MENTIONED IN THE SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 85,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10267746May 5, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 20-30 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING, STALLING, AND SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT MAKE ANY REPAIRS BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SPARK PLUGS COULD BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE CHANGED AT THAT TIME; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION COULD BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FILTER AND TRANSMISSION FLUID WERE CHANGED, BUT THE JERKING WORSENED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY NEVER HEARD OF A TOYOTA VEHICLE HAVING TRANSMISSION ISSUES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY TOOK APART AND REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE TRANSMISSION SHOP. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED A TSB REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION (TC002-06), BUT THE DEALER NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED A TSB FOR THE TRANSMISSION OR ECM. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 68,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10263885April 1, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AROUND EARLY MARCH AFTER SEVERAL PRIOR REPAIRS FROM DEC. 08-FEB. 09 MY TOYOTA RAV 4 STARTS DRIVING REALLY ROUGH, WON'T ACCELERATE, THEN LURCHES YOU FORWARD, ETC. HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. YOU GO TO ACCELERATE AND SOMEONE IS BEHIND YOU AND YOU LITERALLY CANNOT GET THE CAR TO GO, THEN IT FINALLY SHOOTS YOU FORWARD. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROBLEM. I CALLED TO GET AN ESTIMATE AND MAD HATTERS HAD THE BEST PRICE. MAD HATTERS DID REPAIR AND CLEARED OFF CODES AND CAR DROVE FINE FOR 48 HOURS. ON WAY HOME FROM WORK THAT MONDAY EVENING IT DROVE THE WORST IT EVER HAS, WOULDN'T ALLOW ME TO ACCELERATE THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, THEN SHOT ME FORWARD, THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING. I ALMOST GOT HIT BY ANOTHER CAR WAITING TO TURN AFTER ME AND A WOMAN BEHIND ME. I PRAYED I WOULD MAKE IT HOME. CALLED TOYOTA TOOK IT BACK TO MAD HATTERS AT THEIR SUGGESTION. MAD HATTERS CHECKED AND INDICATED IT WAS A TRANSMISSION CODE. WE CALLED TOYOTA TO IMMEDIATELY TOW IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. TOYOTA CALLED AND INDICATE IT IS THE EMC AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY, CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. $1300. I RESEARCHED AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AS WELL AS A OLD TOYOTA SERVICE BULLETIN SO THEY KNOW THIS PROBLEM EXISTED. TWO WEEKS LATER AFTER I GOT THE MONEY TOGETHER I WAS ABLE TO PICK UP MY CAR. THEY REPLACED THE COMPUTER MODULE AND THE CAR SEEMS TO DRIVE FINE, ALTHOUGH AFTER PICKING IT UP I DROVE FOR 10 MILES AND NOW THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM AND I PRAY IT HAS NOT DESTROYED MY TRANSMISSION. THANK GOD THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS INVOLVED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257420February 4, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND REMAINED LIT UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE MAIN BRAIN OF THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNAVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10255932January 21, 2009
POWER TRAIN
FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW THE PROBLEM HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. IT IS A CONSTANT ISSUE. WHEN IN PARK OR STOPPED THE CAR IDLES HIGH. WHEN DRIVING THE CAR (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) THE SHIFT OF GEARS IS NOT SMOOTH, IT IS JUMPY AND JERKY. ALSO WHEN SWITCHING TO DRIVE, REVERSE ETC, ITS NOT A SMOOTH TRANSITION. I FEEL LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SAFE AND COULD FAIL WHILE IM DRIVING. MY PASSENGERS OFTEN TELL ME I AM A CRAZY DRIVER AS OF LATE, BECAUSE THE CAR IS JERKING THEM AROUND, ALTHOUGH I HAVEN'T CHANGED MY WAY OF DRIVING. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FEEL THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG 2003 TOYOTA RAV4'S. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253390December 31, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CAR DOES NOT PROCEED INTO DRIVE AFTER BEING AT A STOP. SLOW TO TURN CORNERS - SLOW TO MOVE FORWARD -NEARLY CAUSING ACCIDENTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10252805December 26, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
TOYOTA RAV4 2003, TWO WEEKS AGO I NOTICE A SHIFTING PROBLEM WITH THE CAR, MORE SO FROM A STOP AND GO MOTION. I TOOK THE CAR TO TRANSMISSION EXPERT, HE SAID THE TRANSMISSION OIL FILTER NEEDS CHANGING. A DAY LATER I NOTICED THE SAME PROBLEM, TOOK THE CAR BACK. THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. A WEEK LATER I NOTICED THE SAME PROBLEM, I TOOK IT BACK. NOW THEY TOLD ME THE TOYOTA RAV4 HAVE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE COMPUTER, THAT MAY AT THIS POINT CONTRIBUTED TO PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION, AND IF I WANTED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, I NEED TO REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND COMPUTER, WHICH CAN RUN TO THOUSAND OF DOLLARS, I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY AT THIS TIME. MY QUESTION IS IF TOYOTA KNOW THIS TO BE AN ISSUE WHY NOT RECALL THE CARS AND FIX THE PROBLEM? I HAVE GONE TO CARCOMPLAINT.COM AND READ MANY OTHER CAR OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. THOSE OWNERS PAID ALOT MONEY UP FRONT TO TRY TO GET THE PROBLEM FIX, UNFORTUNATELY, THEIR CARS HAD HIGH MILEAGE, AND OUT WARRANTY. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE, I AM FOR WHATEVER ACTIONS NEEDS TO BE TAKEN AGAINST TOYOTA TO FIX THE PROBLEM. DANIEL *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250744December 4, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I OWN A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4, 138000 MILES. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW IN 2003. THIS CAR JERKS, JUMPS GEARS, AND SUDDENLY SLOWS WHICH HAS CAUSED ME TO COME CLOSE TO HAVING AN ACCIDENT. NOW IT WON'T GO OVER 40 AND IT WON'T GO IN REVERSE. I CALLED CONTINENTAL TRANSMISSION AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY HAVE REPAIRED MANY TOYOTA RAV4'S FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM AND IT IS GOING TO COST ME APPROX $3500.00. IT SEEMS THE DEFECTIVE ECU BURNS UP THE CLUTCH AND OTHER PARTS OF THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO, WHEN SEARCHING ON LINE THEIR ARE MANY COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER RAV4 OWNERS WHO ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES SO OBVIOUSLY IT IS NOT A RANDOM PROBLEM. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND ONE OF THESE TIMES SOMEONE IS GOING TO HAVE A CAR ACCIDENT AND/OR GET HURT AND HOPEFULLY NOT KILLED. TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAS FAILED TO DO A RECALL. MY HUSBAND HAS CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY HAVE REFUSED TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY OR HELP COMPENSATE IN ANY WAY. WE HAD BELIEVED IN TOYOTA FOR QUALITY, AFTER THIS I WILL NOT EVER CONSIDER BUYING ANOTHER TOYOTA. WITH TODAY'S ECONOMY IN SUCH A FINANCIAL DISASTER IT IS A SHAME THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH THIS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249331November 19, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TOYOTA RAV 4, 2003, FAILED TO SHIFT PROPERLY IN LOWER GEARS LEADING TO NEAR REARENDERS. LOOKED ON A CAR COMPLAINT SITE AND FOUND NUMEROUS PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE ECM NEEDS TO BE REFLASHED AT THE SERVICE CENTERS TO PREVENT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. NOT LISTED AS A RECALL BUT A TECHNICAL PROBLEM. I AM NOW HAVING TO HAVE BOTH THE ECM REPLACED AND THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. 125000 MILES WHICH IS BETTER THAN MOST REPORTED. EVERYONE HAVING TROUBLE WITH TOYOTA. SEEMS TO HAVE CROPPED UP IN THE 2002 MODELS FIRST. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10246475October 23, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
JERKING AND SHIFTING TO THE WRONG GEAR. DEALER FOUND OUT BAD TRANSMISSION . NEED TO SPEND $5000. I'M SURPRISE FOR TOYOTA PRODUCT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10245587October 15, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
SLUDGE IN TOYOTA ENGINE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10244302October 3, 2008
AIR BAGS
INSTRUCTIONS SAY A 12 YR. OLD OR UNDER SHOULD SIT IN THE BACK SEAT DUE TO THE FACT AN AIRBAG COULD KILL THE CHILD. HOWEVER, WE ARE ONLY 5 FEET 2 INCHES WHICH IS THE SIZE OF A 12 YR OLD. SHOULDN'T OUR AIRBAGS BE DISCONNECTED?? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10244174October 1, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE TOYOTA RAV 4 2003 AND THE TRANSMISSION IS DAMAGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10241458September 9, 2008
POWER TRAIN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS AT A COMPLETE STOP, IT LOST POWER. IF THE AIR CONDITIONING WERE TO BE ON, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT LOSE POWER. WHILE DRIVING WHEN THE VEHICLE CHANGED GEARS THERE WASN'T A SMOOTH TRANSITION AND THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AAMCO TRANSMISSION AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A WORN CLUTCH. ALSO, THE SECOND AND THIRD GEARS FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAUSE FOR THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS DUE TO A FAULTY POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL; THEREFORE, THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE LESS THAN 80,000 MILES FOR THE WARRANTY TO BE IN EFFECT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 106,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10237626August 10, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I OWN A 2003 TOYOTA RAV 4, AT 140,000 MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, THE CAR NEEDED A NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM. HAD REPAIRS DONE, LIGHT CAME BACK ON AT 160,00 . DEALER SAYS NEEDS NEED TRANSMISSION. STARTED DOING MORE RESEARCH AND FOUND THIS FORUM AT WWW.CARCOMPLAINS.COM AND DISCOVERED THERE ARE A LOT OF RAV 4 OWNERS THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND TOYOTA IS IGNORING OUR CRY FOR HELP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10235205July 21, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
IN OCTOBER 2004, I PURCHASED A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 FROM MODERN TOYOTA IN WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA ON A SIX-YEAR PAYMENT PLAN. I ALSO PURCHASED OUT WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE THREE-YEAR WARRANTY, AND A ONE-YEAR MAINTENANCE PLAN. I HAVE CONTINUED TO GET OIL CHANGES AND TUNE-UPS AT REGULAR INTERVALS. THE CAR IS AT ABOUT 93,000 MILES. ON FRIDAY, JULY 18, I WAS DRIVING TO A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, AND QUITE SUDDENLY, IT BEGAN SHIFTING IMPROPERLY. IN THE LOWER GEARS, IT LURCHED AND BUCKED AS IF IT WAS HAVING TROUBLE CATCHING. IMMEDIATELY, I DROVE TO EMPORIA MOTORS, THE LOCAL TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER. IT WAS ABOUT 11 AM. EMPORIA MOTORS WAS TOO BUSY TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM BY THE END OF THE BUSINESS DAY. THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND THEY DID NOT PROVIDE ME WITH A LOANER, SO I HAD TO DO WITHOUT A VEHICLE OVER THE WEEKEND. ON MONDAY, JULY 21AT AT 8:30 AM, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSAXLE/TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE PART NEEDED WAS ESTIMATED AT $3,450.00. AFTER RUNNING AN INTERNET SEARCH AT WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM, I FOUND THAT THERE WERE 103 COMPLAINTS ABOUT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON THE 2002 RAV4, MOST OF WHICH WERE FOCUSED ON PROBLEMS WITH SHIFTING, OFTEN OCCURRING WHEN THE VEHICLE'S MILEAGE REACHED THE 90,000 MARK. THIS IS CLEARLY NOT A RANDOM PROBLEM, THE COSTS OF THOSE REPAIRS TO OTHER CONSUMERS ARE COMPARABLE TO MINE, AND YET, TOYOTA HAS NOT TAKEN ANY RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY SIX YEARS OLD AND I HAVE NOT EVEN FINISHED PAYING IT OFF, AND NOW I'LL HAVE TO MAKE ADDITIONAL MONTHLY PAYMENTS FOR THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. THE HIGH COST OF THIS UNEXPECTED REPAIR IS A SERIOUS BURDEN IN THESE DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIMES. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE QUALITY OF THIS CAR. I LIVE IN A RURAL STATE AND I NEED TO KNOW THAT MY CAR IS RELIABLE AND THAT ITS QUALITY IS BACKED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10234845July 18, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY BEGAN TO DOWNSHIFT AND UPSHIFT ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES IN THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 130,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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