Toyota RAV4 Complaints (2006)

705 consumer complaints on file.

#10556085December 14, 2013
ENGINE
I OWN A 2006 RAV4. BOUGHT IT NEW AND HAVE HAD EVERY OIL CHANGE AND RECOMMENDED ENGINE SERVICE DONE SINCE THAT TIME DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP. A FEW MONTHS AGO, I TOOK IT IN TO HAVE MY FLUIDS CHECKED BEFORE A ROAD TRIP, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE DIPSTICK SHOWED THAT I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO OIL! IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE AS I HAD JUST HAD AN OIL CHANGE ABOUT 3 WEEKS PRIOR. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADDED SOME OIL AND SAID THEY WOULD "MONITOR THE OIL CONSUMPTION." I THOUGHT MAYBE A CARELESS MECHANIC FAILED TO PROPERLY FILL THE RESERVOIR. HOWEVER, SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD TO GO BACK EVERY 1000 MILES SO THEY COULD CHECK THE DIPSTICK AND ADD OIL, BUT EACH TIME WAS TOLD THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE THE MONITORING. HOWEVER, ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO, THEY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THEY HAD SOME INFORMATION FOR ME. I WAS TOLD THAT TO FIX THE PROBLEM I REALLY NEED A NEW ENGINE, AS THE OIL IS BEING USED INTERNALLY BY THE ENGINE DUE TO A PISTON ASSEMBLY DESIGN PROBLEM PER THE TSB. I ASKED IF TOYOTA WAS GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR ME AT IT'S COST, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NO RECALL BECAUSE IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE ANSWER AS THIS IS NOT A "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR" ISSUE, IT'S A DESIGN DEFECT ISSUE. AS SUCH, TOYOTA SHOULD STEP UP AND FIX THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY BEING EXPERIENCED BY ( JUDGING FROM THE VARIOUS BLOGS I'VE BEEN VIEWING) LOTS OF TOYOTA OWNERS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE ONLY OPTION THE DEALER GAVE ME WAS THAT I CAN HAVE THE PISTON REPAIR WORK DONE AND HAVE THE SMALL BLOCK REPLACED FOR $3172.00. LIKE I SAID, I FELT TOYOTA SHOULD PAY FOR THIS, NOT ME, AS TOYOTA, NOT I, CAUSED THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10554990December 5, 2013
AIR BAGS
LATE NOVEMBER 2013 AT 75,000 MILES AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT BEGAN TO COME IN INTERMITTENTLY, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AT 75,300. DEALER NOTIFIED, NO EXISTING RECALL ON 2006. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10554840December 4, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND TO DECELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE HYDRAULIC POWER BOOSTER HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10552936November 19, 2013
ENGINE
ENGINE OIL LIGHT COMES ON WHEN GOING AROUND TURN, BUT GOES OFF. I CHECKED THE OIL AND THE DIPSTICK WAS COMPLETELY DRY. I HAD TO ADD 3 QUARTS OF OIL. THE SAME THING HAPPENED THE ON 11/16/2013 AND I HAD TO ADD 3 QUARTS. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10552010November 12, 2013
AIR BAGS
THE "AIR BAG" LIGHT CAME ON LAST MONTH. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND HE DIAGNOSED A PROBLEM WITH THE CABLE TO THE AIRBAG, WITH A PRICE TAG OF ALMOST $600 TO REPAIR. THE DANGER WAS THAT THE AIR BAGS WOULD LIKELY NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH. (MY OWN LOCAL MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE AIR BAGS WOULD DEFINITELY NOT DEPLOY). THERE ARE MANY OTHER REPORTS/COMPLAINTS OF THIS PROBLEM IN RAV4S IN THE YEARS OF 2006-08. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL OF THESE VEHICLES BY TOYOTA IN ORDER TO INSURE THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. TOYOTA SHOULD PROVIDE FOR THIS SERVICE AS IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND PUTS LIVES AT STAKE. TOYOTA HAS AGREED TO ASSIST ME BY PAYING HALF THE REPAIR FEE, FOR WHICH I'M GRATEFUL. HOWEVER, I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THIS IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED AS A RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10551627November 9, 2013
ENGINE
THE VEHICLE IS CONSUMING OIL AT AN ALARMINGLY HIGH RATE. THE OIL LEVEL INDICATOR DOES NOT COME ON. IT FLASHES ON HARD BRAKING. HOWEVER BY THIS POINT THE OIL LEVEL IS DANGEROUSLY LOW. IN MY VEHICLE IT HAS BEEN LESS THAN 1 QT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10551537November 8, 2013
POWER TRAIN
I HAVE A 2006 RAV4, BUILT IN NOVEMBER, 2005. MY CHECK ENGINE, VSC AND 4WD LIGHTS LIT UP ON AUGUST 16, 2013. AFTER REFERRING TO THE MANUAL AND FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS YIELDED NO RESULT, I KEPT DRIVING AND WENT TO A TOYOTA DEALER THE NEXT DAY. I WAS ADVISED THE TRANSMISSION IN MY CAR HAD FAILED AND I NEEDED A NEW ONE. THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN FLUSHED ON 9/18/12 WITH 59,767 MILES ON MY CAR, THE DEALER MARKED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID "GOOD" ON 6/17/13 WITH 65,143 MILES AND THERE WERE ONLY 66,319 WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED IN AUGUST, 2013. BEING STRANDED OUT OF TOWN FOR THREE DAYS ALLOWED ME TO FIND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION FAILING IN RAV4'S WITH LOW MILEAGE. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING THAT A HUGE PROBLEM AND EXPENSE WAS ABOUT TO OCCUR (WHICH IS STRANGE WHEN AN ALARM BLEATS, REQUESTING FASTENING OF THE SEATBELT, WHEN A GALLON OF MILK IS PUT ON THE PASSENGER SEAT.) AND THERE IS NOTHING IN THE MANUAL TO EVEN SUGGEST THE LIGHTS THAT LIT INDICATE A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I HAVE FILED CASE #1310310749 WITH TOYOTA AND AWAIT THEIR FOLLOW UP ON PROMISES MADE. I WILL HAPPILY PROVIDE COPIES OF ANY PAPERWORK, SHOULD IT BE REQUESTED. I WOULD ASK FOR THE TRANSMISSION FAILURES TO BE LOOKED INTO AS WELL AS THE TOTAL LACK OF CLARITY AND/OR DIRECTION IN THE MANUAL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10551346November 7, 2013
AIR BAGS
THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON LAST WEEK. TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING THEY GUESSED THAT IT WAS THE CLOCKSPRING. AFTER BRINGING IT IN AND READING THE COMPTUER CODES, THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE CLOCKSPRING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. SHOP SAID THEY CANNOT BUY AN AFTERMAKERT PART ANYMORE AND NEED TO GET AN OEM PART FROM TOYOTA, WHICH IS EXPENSIVE. CALLED TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE CENTER TO JUST DOUBLE CHECK IF THERE IS ANY OFFICIAL RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. APPARENTLY THERE IS A SIMILAR RECAL ON THE TUNDRA BUT NOT THE RAV4. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10550811November 4, 2013
SUSPENSION
DRIVER SIDE READ TIE ROD END RUSTED THROUGH AND SNAPPED CAUSING LOUD NOISES AND HANDING ISSUES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10550698November 3, 2013
AIR BAGS
THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IN MY 2006 RAV 4 HAS ACTIVATED. THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN A CRASH. THE REPAIR IS $500-$600 AND CAN ONLY BE PERFORMED BY A TOYOTA DEALER--A MONOPOLY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL OF THE TOYOTA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR UNTIL I CAN AFFORD THE FIX. ON A TEACHER'S SALARY, THIS HAS IMPEDED MY ABILITY TO GET TO MY JOB SAFELY. THE CAR HAS LOW MILEAGE AND SHOULD NOT BE DEFECTIVE OR PUTTING LIVES AT RISK. I BEG YOU TO REVIEW THIS ISSUE IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10549002October 22, 2013
SUSPENSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V383000 (SUSPENSION) AND STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO HAVE THE RECALL SERVICE PERFORMED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION AND WHEN MAKING TURNS, THE CONTACT WOULD HEAR AN ABNORMAL NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10548552October 19, 2013
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I'M A OWNER OF 06 TOYOTA RAV4 IT HAS 152,488 MILES I HAVE BEEN NOTICING OIL CONSUMPTION DRAMATICALLY, THE DEALER HAS TOLD ME THAT IS LOW BUT THERE ARE NO LEAKS, TOYOTA SAYS CHANGE YOUR OIL EVERY 5,000 MILES BUT MY ENGINE LIGHT STARTS TO FLICKER AT 3,000 I HAVE STOP TO CHECK MY OIL STICK AN IT SHOWS LESS THAN A QUART OF OIL, I HAVE SWITCHED TO SYNTHETIC OIL AND THE SAME THINGS IS HAPPENING. I'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO SEVERAL OWNERS OF RAV4 AND IT SEEMS THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A BIG ISSUE WITH THESE RAV4. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10548480October 18, 2013
POWER TRAIN, SUSPENSION, STEERING
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2013 WHEN MY WIFE AND TWO YOUNG DAUGHTERS (AGES 2 & 4) WERE COMING HOME FROM SHOPPING. OUR VEHICLE EXPERIENCE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, ENDANGERING THE LIVES MY WIFE AND MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN. SHE HEARD A LOUD BANG FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND SHE LOST CONTROL. LUCKILY, SHE WAS NOT MOVING VERY FAST AND WAS ABLE TO STOP QUICKLY AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE ON-RAMP TO AN INTERSTATE 71 WITH A POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 70 MPH AND THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE. HAD THE FAILURE OCCURRED 20 SECONDS LATER, MY FAMILY WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AT A HIGH SPEED IN A RAV 4 WITH ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL. WE CANNOT EVEN FATHOM THE POTENTIAL OUTCOME IF THAT FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY WITH TRUCKS ETC. WE TOOK THE RAV INTO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY DEEMED THE ACCIDENT TO BE CAUSED BY THE REAR LOWER SUSPENSION ARM. THE REAR LOWER SUSPENSION ARM WAS RECALLED IN THE FALL/WINTER OF 2012, WHERE WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE FIXED IN NOV. 2012 WITH THE SO CALLED "CLIP". *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10548322October 17, 2013
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, POWER TRAIN
WHILE DRIVING FROM MARYLAND TO MAINE FOR A VACATION, I NOTICED MY TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING AND GRINDING GEARS FREQUENTLY IN THE RANGE OF 20-35 MPH. I NOTICED IT HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY DURING SLOWDOWN FOR MAKING A TURN AND THEN ACCELERATION TO RESUME DRIVING. I DID NOT HAVE ANY ACCIDENTS, BUT THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. I HAD PREVIOUSLY REPORTED THE PROBLEM, WHEN IT HAPPENED LESS FREQUENTLY, TO MY DEALERSHIP (DARCARS OF FREDERICK) AND THEY TOLD ME THAT 1)THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE SOUND DURING THEIR TEST RUN AND 2) IF SUCH A THING HAD HAPPENED, MY ECU WOULD HAVE MADE A NOTE OF IT AND RECORDED IT. SINCE THERE WAS NO RECORD OF IT HAPPENING, IT WAS NOTHING. HOWEVER, UPON READING SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE RAV4 02-03 MODELS, REGARDING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, I FIND THAT THEIR ISSUES OF HANGING BEFORE SLIPPING INTO GEAR, GRINDING GEAR AND NOT FINDING THE GEAR AT ALL ARE THE SAME ONES I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING IN MY '06 RAV4. COULD IT BE THAT MY ECU IS BAD? YES, BUT MY DEALER WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT POSSIBILITY. THEY CHECK MY FLOOR MATS, BUT NOT THE ECU FOR FAULTY ISSUES. THIS IS MY PRIMARY VEHICLE AND I TRANSPORT MY DAUGHTER IN IT ALL OF THE TIME. I AM WORRIED ONE DAY I AM GOING TO BE DRIVING AND GET INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. I HAVE ALL OF MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS AND RECENTLY HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUSHED AND FILLED COMPLETELY. I USED OEM FLUID AND AM ON SCHEDULE WITH ALL OF MY MAINTENANCE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10546972October 7, 2013
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, HE WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERMEDIATE AND ABNORMAL NOISE IN THE STEERING SHAFT. AS A RESULT, PART OF THE STEERING SYSTEM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,635 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,000. ...UPDATED 11-12-13 *BF UPDATED 11/18/2013 *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10546609October 3, 2013
STEERING
ON 5/30/13 I PURCHASED THE ABOVE 2006 TOYOTA RAV4 FROM PIONEER VALLEY SALES PO BOX 254 S DEERFIELD, MA 01373 AND PICKED IT UP ON 6/3/13. THE VEHICLE HAD A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. ON 6/10/13 I BROUGHT IT TO CHERRY RUM AUTOMOTIVE 451 BERNARDSTON RD. GREENFIELD, MA. 01301 FOR MY MECHANIC TO INSPECT. HE REMOVED THE STEERING SHAFT COVERS AND ASCERTAINED THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. HE ALSO SAID THAT THERE WAS A TOYOTA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN OUT CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM (TSB3462). HE RECOMMENDED REPLACING IT. I TRIED TO GET PIONEER VALLEY SALES TO REPAIR IT FOR OVER A MONTH AND THEY REFUSED TO. I CONSIDERED THIS A SAFETY ISSUE AND HAD CHERRY RUM AUTOMOTIVE REPLACE THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFTS. I PAID THEM $571.70 FOR THIS. I BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS. I LOOK FORWARD TO TOYOTA REIMBURSING ME FOR THIS EXPENSE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10545210September 24, 2013
ENGINE
SINCE THIS DATE THE CAR HAS BEEN BURNING EXCESSIVE OIL. BURNING ABOUT A QUART EVERY 800 MILES. I SEEN NUMEROUS POSTINGS OF THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE ADVISE. *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10544777September 21, 2013
STEERING
HEARD A CLUNK-TYPE NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. WAS TOLD THIS WAS A STEERING SHAFT NOISE (STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT NOISE T-SB-0318-08). CALLED DEALER TO SEE IF THIS WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND FOUND OUT IT WAS NOT. ASKED IF PROBLEM UNDER A RECALL AND ALSO FOUND OUT IT WASN'T. ASKED DEALER IF IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE CAR AS IS SINCE NOT UNDER A RECALL AND DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT MAKE A COMMENT ON SAFETY CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM. ------I FEEL ANYTHING LINKED TO STEERING IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND TOYOTA SHOULD INITIATE A RECALL OVER THIS PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10544085September 17, 2013
AIR BAGS
THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT BEGAN STAYING ON AFTER ENGINE START. AFTER TOYOTA INSPECTION THIS WAS DUE TO A FAILED CLOCK SPRING/SPIRAL WIRE IN THE STEERING WHEEL THAT CONTROLS THE AIRBAG AND OTHER STEERING WHEEL ELECTRICAL CONTROLS. FURTHER ONLINE INVESTIGATION SHOWED THIS TO BE A COMMON FAULT WITH TOYOTA VEHICLES ESPECIALLY RAV4'S OF 2006/7/8 VINTAGE WITH IN EXCESS OF 70,000 MILES - THIS WAS ALSO CONFIRMED BY MY TOYOTA DEALER. THERE IS A STRONG PROBABILITY THE DRIVER AIRBAG WOULD FAIL TO DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE WIRE SHORTING OUT. THE DIAGNOSIS AND FIX AT A TOYOTA DEALER WAS QUOTED AS $509 WHICH WILL I AM SURE PREVENT MANY PEOPLE FROM FIXING THIS. NO INDEPENDENT MECHANICS I ASKED WOULD WORK ON THE AIRBAG SYSTEM - THEY ALL SAID IT HAD TO BE FIXED BY TOYOTA WHO THEN CAN CHARGE AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT FOR THE WORK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10543917September 16, 2013
STEERING
I HAVE HAD A CLUNKING NOISE IN MY FRONT END SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WHEN MAKING TURNS. THEY COULD NEVER HEAR IT TILL NOW AND NOW THEY ARE SAYING IT IS A PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY ISSUE AND WILL COST $748.74 TO FIX!!! NOISE IN THE STEERING SHAFT. IF THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IT SHOULD BE A RECALL AND NO-CHARGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Toyota RAV4