Toyota RAV4 Complaints (2009)

327 consumer complaints on file.

#10305200February 4, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
SPORADIC BURNING SMELL WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED ON. EVENT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 6 TIMES NOW AND IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED ON (VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED DEC 2008 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 12,200). IT HAS HAPPENED WHEN RUNNING AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS - VERY SPORADIC. AND IT'S NOT THE AIR COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE OR FROM OTHER VEHICLES BECAUSE WE'VE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED TO CHECK WHEN IT OCCURS AND IT'S NOT A SMELL FROM THE OUTSIDE OR FROM OTHER VEHICLES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305253February 4, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
GAS PEDAL STUCK ON MY 2009 RAV4 AND I HIT THE REAR OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AT A 4 WAY STOP. I WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES BUT THE DISTANCE/TIME WAS TOO SHORT FOR THE BRAKES TO OVER COME THE ACCELERATION. IN FRONT OF THE CAR THAT I HIT WAS A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING--IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME I WOULD HAVE STRUCK PEDESTRIANS. BEFORE THE ACCIDENT I DID NOT DETECT ANY EVIDENCE OF A PROBLEM. THE PEDAL FAILURE WAS A ONE TIME INCIDENT. AFTER THE ACCIDENT (BEFORE THE RECALL) IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT THERE WAS A MECHANICAL PROBLEM--I ASSUMED SOMEHOW THAT I HAD MY FOOT ON BOTH ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE. HOWEVER AFTER SPENDING MUCH TIME IN MY DRIVEWAY I COULD NOT REPLICATE HAVING MY FOOT PUSH BOTH THE GAS PEDAL AND BRAKE PEDAL. MY WIFE AND I AGREED THAT SHE WOULD DRIVE THE RAV4--AND I WOULD NOT. SOON AFTER MY ACCIDENT THE 2009 RAV 4 RECALL FOR STICKING GAS PEDAL WAS ANNOUNCED. I AM ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THE STICKING GAS PEDAL CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. SINCE THE DATE OF THE RECALL (JANUARY 21) WE PARKED THE CAR IN OUR DRIVEWAY. WE WILL NOT DRIVE OUR RAV4 I CONTACTED MY DEALER (LOMBARD TOYOTA, LOMBARD IL)--THEY REPLIED THAT AS A DEALER THEY COULD ONLY RECOMMEND THAT I CALL TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE NUMBER AFTER A COUPLE DAYS I WAS ABLE TO GET THROUGH TO THE "TOYOTA EXPERIENCE" LINE--OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS I WAS PASSED UP THE LINE UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO SPEAK TO A CASE MANAGER. ON JANUARY 27THE A TOYOTA FIELD TECHNICIAN CAME TO MY HOUSE AND INSPECTED MY CAR. SINCE THEN I HAVE HEARD NOTHING FROM TOYOTA. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305774February 4, 2010
POWER TRAIN
ENGINE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE ON 2009 TOYOTA RAV 4 WHILE STOPPED AT STOPLIGHT BEHIND OTHER VEHICLES. DRIVER, STANDING ON BRAKES, QUICKLY PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THEN PARK AND ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL IDLE SPEED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305953February 4, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET @ 70MPH. AND ENTERING A REDUCED SPEED AREA, I DISABLE CRUISE BY TAPPING BRAKES. AFTER TRAVELING A FEW MILES THE CAR WOULD ACCELERATE AT A FAST RATE ON ITS OWN. I WOULD THEN EITHER TAP THE BRAKES AGAIN OR TURN OFF THE CRUISE TO STOP THE ACCELERATION. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 6 TO 8 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. LAST USE OF CRUISE WAS IN NOVEMBER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305072February 4, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
GIVEN THE NEWS ABOUT TOYOTA ACCELERATOR PEDAL ISSUES AND NOW 2010 PRIUS ABS ISSUES, I FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT TO REPORT THE FOLLOWING: IN OCTOBER 2009, MY 2009 TOYOTA RAV4 EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING ISSUE (THIS IS TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM TOYOTA DEALER'S SERVICE INVOICE): "CUSTOMER STATES BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THE VEHICLE IS STOPPING PROPERLY. PLEASE ADVISE. DEPRESSES ALL THE WAY HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. TECH VERIFIED CUSTOMER CONCERN POOR BRAKE PEDAL CASE # TA092880189. REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER/REPLACE ABS ACTUATOR. REPLACE ABS ACTUATOR PER TECH ASSIST REC OPN # 44050-42330." IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAD OBSERVED THAT WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT OFTEN DEPRESSED QUICKLY AND NEARLY ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BEFORE PROVIDING NORMAL BRAKE PEDAL RESISTANCE AND BRAKING ACTION SUFFICIENT TO SLOW AND STOP THE CAR'S FORWARD PROGRESS, AND AT THAT POINT WITH VERY LITTLE BRAKE PEDAL PHYSICAL DEPRESSION SPACE LEFT BEFORE REACHING THE PEDAL'S LIMIT. AFTER I ORIGINALLY BROUGHT THE ISSUE TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP (LEXINGTON TOYOTA, LEXINGTON, MA, 781.861.7400), THEY INFORMED ME THEY HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY SEEN THIS ISSUE AND HAD TO CONSULT WITH TOYOTA'S U.S. HEADQUARTERS FOR TROUBLESHOOTING AID. THEN FOR SEVERAL DAYS THE DEALERSHIP PROVIDED ME WITH ONGOING UPDATES, EXPLAINING THAT TOYOTA WAS ACTIVELY INVESTIGATING THE MATTER AND DID NOT HAVE AN IMMEDIATE RECOMMENDED SOLUTION. THIS WENT ON FOR NEARLY A WEEK, AND SO IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM TOYOTA HQ HAD NOT PREVOUSLY ENCOUNTERED. FINALLY THE DEALERSHIP REPORTED THAT TOYOTA HQ HAD PROVIDED A RESOLULTION, THE REPAIR WORK WAS DONE, AND WE GOT OUR RAV4 BACK AND HAVE HAD NO BRAKE PEDAL PROBLEMS SINCE. ACCORDING TO OUR LOCAL DEALER, OUR RAV4 WAS MANUFACTURED IN JAPAN AND THEREFORE ISN'T SUBJECT TO THE CURRENT ACCELERATOR PEDAL RECALL BUT DOES REQUIRE THE FLOORMAT-RELATED RECALL FIX. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10304202February 3, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY WIFE WAS SITTING AT A SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION IN OUR 2009 TOYOTA RAV 4 ON TUESDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2010 WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD. SHE WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM TRAVELING FURTHER BY APPLYING MORE PEDAL PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE AND THEN SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL. WHILE IN NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE REVVED LOUDLY FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS BEFORE RETURNING TO NORMAL IDLE. SHE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE HOME BUT WAS VISIBLY SHAKEN UP FROM THIS EXPERIENCE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR THEM TO CHECK. THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THIS CONDITION AND THUS SAID THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE AT THIS TIME. THIS IS ONE OF THE VEHICLES THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE SO-CALLED FAULTY STICKING ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND FLOOR MATS DID NOT CAUSE THIS ISSUE, SO THIS LEADS ME TO SUSPECT THAT AN ELECTRONICS PROBLEM IS THE CAUSE AND THAT TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO COME UP WITH A VIABLE FIX FOR THE SITUATION. I CALLED THE TOYOTA MAIN OFFICE THIS MORNING, BUT WAS NOT GIVEN ANY SATISFACTION REGARDING THIS ISSUE. MEANWHILE, WE ARE STUCK WITH A VEHICLE THAT WE ARE BOTH AFRAID TO CONTINUE DRIVING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10304501February 3, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
INTERMITTENT SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4 WITHOUT FURTHER DEPRESSION OF THE GAS PEDAL WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD. THE GAS PEDAL IS NOT JAMMED OR SLOW TO RAISE NOR DOES IT STICK. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE MARCH 2009 WITH NO COMMON DENOMINATOR SUCH AS SPEED, ROAD CONDITIONS, ETC. THIS HAS EVEN HAPPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND WITHOUT THE GAS PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED AT ALL, THE VEHICLE WILL RACE SUDDENLY AND JUST AS QUICKLY GO BACK TO IDLE. THE DATE OF THE FIRST INCIDENT AND THE MILEAGE LISTED BELOW ARE APPROXIMATIONS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10304801February 3, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV 4 .THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AND WHILE HAVING HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. IT WENT OVER A PARKING BLOCK AND A CURB AND THEN HIT A BUILDING WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP, THEN IT WAS PICKED UP BY HER INSURANCE COMPANY.THE WHOLE FRONT END AND THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WERE DAMAGED DUE TO THE CRASH. THERE WERE MINOR INJURIES, THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT FILED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THIS HAS ONLY OCCURRED ONCE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WILL INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE AND LET HER KNOW THE OUTCOME OF THIS INVESTIGATION. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS DONE TO THE VEHICLE TO DATE.THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6615.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10303703February 1, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH INTO A PARKING SPACE AND WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED EXCESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED DURING THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES. THE POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS OPERABLE; HOWEVER, IT WAS TAKEN TO A BODY COLLISION CENTER FOR REPAIR. THE CAUSE OF FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V017000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL;ACCELERATOR PEDAL). HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL DEFECT SINCE THE MANUFACTURER WAS LOCATED IN JAPAN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10302447January 26, 2010
EQUIPMENT
MY 2009 RAV 4 HAS A FLOOR MAT THAT CREEPS FORWARD AND GETS CAUGHT UNDER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. IT TOOK SOME TIME FOR IT TO START DOING THIS, BUT NOW I CAN'T KEEP IT IN PLACE, IT HAS NO HOOKS. THE RAV IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST FROM TOYOTA FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM, BUT IT HAS IT. IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY, IF I PUT IT BACK IN POSITION AND DRIVE THE CAR BY THE TIME I GET HOME IT'S UNDER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10298754January 8, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH ON WET ROAD CONDITIONS; PROCEEDING TO A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. THERE WAS AN UNINTENDED INCREASE IN ACCELERATION. THE DRIVER APPLIED AN AGGRESSIVE FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND IMMEDIATELY, THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS PLACED INTO THE "NEUTRAL" POSITION. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND ENGINE TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE THROTTLE BODY WAS CLEANED. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURE WHICH THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,083. UPDATED 02/17/10. *LJ UPDATED 02/19/10.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10296791December 23, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE FAILS TO START OCCASIONALLY, LIGHTS TURN ON WITH NORMAL BRIGHTNESS INDICATING IT IS PROBABLY NOT A BATTERY ISSUE,BUT NO CRANKING . DEALER CHECKED THE CAR, BUT COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE DATE BELOW IS THE APPROX LAST INCIDENT DATE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10296163December 16, 2009
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
OCCASIONALLY THE CAR WILL TRY TO ACCELERATE, WHEN THE FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE OFF THE ACCELERATOR. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST FOUR TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THIS NEW VEHICLE IN SEPT. OF 2009. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10294582December 5, 2009
STRUCTURE:BODY, TIRES:TREAD/BELT, TIRES
I BOUGHT A TOYOTA RAV-4 SPORT IN JANUARY 2009. IT IS A V-6 WITH THE RUN FLAT TIRES. IN JULY, I PURCHASED A NEW, VERY EXPENSIVE COMPUTERIZED SEWING MACHINE--ONE THAT I HAD HOPED TO BE ABLE TO BUY FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. IT WAS JUST OVER $1400.00. I PLACED IT IN THE BACK OF MY RAV AND DROVE HOME. I SWUNG OPEN THE TAILGATE, NOT THINKING I HAD TO PEAK INSIDE FIRST. THE SEWING MACHINE FELL RIGHT OUT OF THE CAR UNTO THE CEMENT GARAGE FLOOR. I WAS DEVASTATED. THEN I THOUGHT HOW LUCKY I WAS THAT MY FOOT OR MY SMALL DOG WAS NOT INJURED. A TODDLER OR AN INFANT IN AN INFANT SEAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. I REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT THE COMPUTER IN MY SEWING MACHINE. MY HUSBAND, KNOWING HOW UPSET I WAS, AND SEEING THAT THERE WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, CUT A 2X4 AND WEDGED IT IN ALONG THE EDGE, THUS PREVENTING MY GROCERIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE FROM FALLING RIGHT OUT OF THE CAR AS I OPENED THE DOOR. THE OTHER CONCERN I HAVE ABOUT THIS CAR IS THAT THERE ARE NO RUN-FLAT SNOW TIRES AVAILABLE AND WE LIVE IN AN AREA THAT IS HILLY, WITH A LOT OF SNOW. THE SO-CALLED, "ALL-WEATHER," DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TREAD FOR OUR TERRAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10293991November 30, 2009
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH , THERE WAS UNINTENDED VEHICLE ACCELERATION. AFTER BRAKE APPLICATION HE WAS ABLE TO DECELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10291751November 13, 2009
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
CONSUMER WANTS THE EVENT DATA RECORDER REMOVED OR DISABLED ON HIS 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED HAVING A DEVICE INSTALLED ON A VEHICLE HE PAID CASH FOR IS A POTENTIAL THREAT TO HIS CIVIL RIGHTS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10291418November 8, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TOYOTA 2001 RAV4, TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, DOESN'T WANT TO GO WHEN YOU STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10291419November 8, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TOYOTA 2001 RAV4, TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, DOESN'T WANT TO GO WHEN YOU STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, DUE TO A BAD ECM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10287217October 13, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
IT TRANSMISSION GEARS SEEMS SLIPPING WHEN GOING FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND. SOMETIMES IT WAS LIKE HORSE RIDING JUMPING. IT HAPPENED TWICE WHEN I WAS DOING A LEFT TURN AND ALMOST GOT INTO ACCIDENT WITH THE COMING VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM IS THE ECU AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10286348October 5, 2009
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 RAV4. WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL SHE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED VEHICLE ACCELERATION. SHE HAD TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO THE NEUTRAL GEAR IN ORDER TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT FLOOR MAT INTERFERENCE CAUSED THE FAILURE. AN ENGINEER SENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER WILL RE-INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 10,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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