Toyota RAV4 Complaints (2009)

327 consumer complaints on file.

#10750103August 20, 2015
STEERING
WOULD HEAR AND FEEL A POPPING SOUND WHEN TRUING RIGHT OR LEFT. HAD CAR SERVICED A 75000 MILE REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO BECK TOYOTA. THEY SAID THIS WAS CAUSED BY A BINDING OG THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT AND COST 544.68 DOLLARS TO REPLACE. I DID NOT HAVE THE SHAFT REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER ONE. I CAME HOME AND DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE WEB. I SEEMS THAT OVER A 100000 PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. SOME HAVE HAD THE SHAFT REPLACED TO HAVE IT FAIL AGAIN IN A SHORT LENGTH OF TIME. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE SHAFT WAS TO HARD BIND A PERSON COULD WRECK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10746969August 7, 2015
SUSPENSION, SERVICE BRAKES
IT APPEARS THAT A SOUND, SUSPENSION OF THE RAV 4 NEED SOME REPAIR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10743536July 26, 2015
STRUCTURE:BODY
I HAVE PEELING OF PAINT ON EXTERIOR SURFACE DOWN TO THE METAL. IT IS LOCATED ON TOP BETWEEN SUNROOF AND WINDSHIELD.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10735499July 21, 2015
SERVICE BRAKES
THE ALLOY WHEELS OF MY 2009 TOYOTA RAV4 ARE RUSTED AND BUBBLING. MY CAR HAS LESS THAN 10K MILES ON IT. I THINK THE RUSTING ON THE TIRES IS RUSTING THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. DESPITE HAVING LESS THAN 10K ON MY CAR, I'M TOLD THAT MY BRAKES AND ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED. I COULD NOT STOP BY 4 WHEEL DRIVE GOING LESS THAN 5 MPH ON AN INCLINE WITH LIGHT ICE WHEREAS OTHER CARS WERE ABLE TO STOP. THERE'S SOMETHING DEFECTIVE ABOUT TOYOTA'S MANUFACTURING OF THEIR WHEELS. LOTS OF PEOPLE ON VARIOUS FORUMS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THESE RUSTED WHEELS. I THINK ITS MAKING THE CARS LESS SAFE. PROBABLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT LED TO RECALLS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10733448July 12, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ININTENDED ACCELERATION OCCURED WHILE BRAKING. ENGINE REVED WHILE BRAKING -I PUT THE CAR IN PARK - ENGINE REDLINED - SWITCHED OFF IGNITION - CAR RAN NORMALLY AFTER THE IGNITION WAS SWITCHED ON. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRANCE IN ONE YEAR. THE FIRST TIME WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER BUT THEY COULD FIND NO FAULT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10731632July 1, 2015
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH THE ENGINE LOST POWER. MOVING TO THE RIGHT LANE TO PULL OVER, FLAMES BEGAN COMING OUT OF THE TOP OF THE HOOD, HITTING THE WINDSHIELD. SHE TRIED STOPPING BUT BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, REQUIRING HER TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND SLIDE ON GRASS. SHE JUMPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND WITHIN 8 MINUTES THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10722810June 1, 2015
POWER TRAIN
ON MAY 20, 2015 MY 2009 RAV 4 DEVELOPED A WHINING NOISE IN REAR AREA THAT GOT LOUDER THE FASTER I WENT. VEHICLE HAS 78,385 MILES ON IT AND IS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE VISCOUS COUPLER ASSEMBLY THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1,806.75. I MENTIONED THE SERVICE BULLETIN PUT OUT IN 2013 AND THE MULTIPLE POSTS ON THE RAV 4 FORUM ONLINE BUT THEY STILL REFUSE TO COVER THE REPAIR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10714989May 6, 2015
POWER TRAIN
(NO ACCIDENT) A WHINE STARTED IN THE REAR OF THE CAR THAT GOT PROGRESSIVELY MORE PROMINENT OVER THE COURSE OF A WEEK. MY MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL COUPLING HUB ASSEMBLY HAS FAILED. ACCORDING TO TOYOTA PARTS MANAGER -- AND MUCH INTERNET 'CHATTER' I LATER DISCOVERED -- THIS IS A WIDE-SPREAD PROBLEM (THEY CAN'T KEEP THE PART IN STOCK) AND THERE HAS BEEN A TSB (0080-13/ SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT WAB 2190) ISSUED, YET TOYOTA WILL NOT COVER, OR EVEN PARTIALLY COVER, THIS KNOWN DEFECT. IT'S A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR, AND WHILE A 2009 ISN'T UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE, IT'S FAR TOO NEW TO HAVE A PROBLEM LIKE THIS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10713529April 29, 2015
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000. UPDATED 7/1/15*CN UPDATED 9/15/2015*JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10705929April 15, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DRIVING ALONE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, ON A MAJOR ROAD. ABOUT 6 PM. WARNING LIGHT APPEARED FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY WHOLE DASHBOARD THAT LIT UP. NO PREVIOUS WARNING. VEHICLE LOST COMPLETE POWER. I MADE SPLIT-SECOND DECISION TO MAKE A QUICK RIGHT TURN INTO SMALL SHOPPING CENTER BUT ONLY MANAGED, WITHOUT POWER, TO MANEUVER VEHICLE ON A SLANT UP THE INCLINE. EMERGENCY FLASHERS STOPPED WORKING SHORTLY THEREAFTER, SO CAR NOT EASILY VISIBLE TO OTHERS. NO HEAT IN CAR DUE TO LOST POWER AND IT WAS A BITTER COLD AND WINDY NIGHT. HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER AT COST OF $190 (INSURANCE REIMBURSED ME ONLY $25). COST OF REPLACEMENT PARTS PLUS LABOR AT DEALER WAS $1499.87. I COULD HAVE BEEN PLOWED INTO FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER DRIVER. I WAS VULNERABLE WITH NO POWER TO CAR. AN ONLINE SEARCH REVEALS TOYOTA HAS MANY IRATE CUSTOMERS RE WATER PUMPS FAILING ON THEIR RAV 4S FROM VARIOUS YEARS--NOT JUST THE YEAR OF MY MODEL. YET TOYOTA SENT NO RECALL NOTICE RE THIS DANGEROUS FLAW IN THEIR VEHICLES. AND THEY MAINTAIN THAT SINCE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, THEY ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO COVER MY COSTS. THEY HAVE OFFERED ONLY $522 47 TO ME. AN EXPIRED WARRANTY IS NOT RELEVANT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. SUPPOSE I HAD BEEN ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WITH HIGH SPEEDS? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10705720April 9, 2015
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MALFUNTION WITH WATER PUMP AND THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS STOPPED WORKING ALTHOUGH THE BATTERY WAS IN GOOD CONDITION.*BF UPDATED 10/05/2017*CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10702774March 31, 2015
AIR BAGS
BOTH AIRBAG LIGHTS CAME ON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10693340March 10, 2015
SUSPENSION
DRIVING IN TO WORK IN THE MORNING, SPEED WAS 25 MPH ON A SUBURBAN ROAD, SOUTH STREET IN TEWKSBURY MA, AS I WENT OVER ROUGH AREA IN THE ROAD, I HEARD A THUMP FROM UNDER THE CAR. I PULLED OVER AND FOUND THE RIGHT REAR SUSPENSION STRUTS LET GO. I PULLED IN TO A PARKING LOT TO EXAMINE WHAT HAPPENED. PART OF THE STRUT WAS HANGING DOWN SCRAPING ON THE GROUND. THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS SKEWED IN THE WHEEL WELL RUBBING ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL. THE STRUT HAS AN EYE WITH A BUSHING IN IT, WHERE A BOLT IS USED TO BOLT IT TO THE CAR'S MAIN FRAME, THE BOLT WAS MISSING ALLOWING THE SUSPENSION TO FALL APART. IF THIS HAD OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE, I HAVE HAD IT IN TWICE AT THE DEALERSHIP, ONCE TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, A SECOND TIME TO ENSURE IT WAS OK. A MONTH AGO IT WAS TAKEN IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION, ALL DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP. CAR HAS BEEN TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE "BOLT" LET GO, APPARENTLY THE ONE HOLDING THE STRUT TO THE MAIN FRAME OF THE CAR. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE WHEEL CANNOT BE HELD IN PLACE AND RIDES UP IN TO THE WHEEL WELL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10691411March 2, 2015
POWER TRAIN
DIFFERENTIAL GEAR BOX STARTED TO SLOWLY LEAK FLUID JUST OVER 100,000 MILES AND EVENTUALLY THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL CARRIER ASSY HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10680189January 31, 2015
STRUCTURE:BODY, AIR BAGS, ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING AND THE AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY WENT OFF, EXPLODING IN MY FACE. THE VEHICLE FILLED WITH SMOKE, DUST, AND DEBRIS. BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE (AIRBAG IN MY FACE AND SMOKE/DEBRIS IN THE VEHICLE), I CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10679225January 27, 2015
ENGINE
VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT ON OUR FRONT DRIVEWAY FACING THE GARAGE. WHERE IT ALWAYS PARKED EVERYDAY. THE WEATHER WAS WARM AND CLEAR MY WIFE WAS IN THE VEHICLE AND WAS PREPARING TO BUCKLE UP AND DRIVE TO CHURCH, I ENTERED THE VEHICLE INTO THE PASSENGER SEAT AND BUCKLED UP. SHE STARTED THE VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY ACCELERATED THROUGH THE ROOF. I YELLED AT HER TO GET HER FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND SHE YELLED AT ME THAT SHE WAS NO WHERE NEAR IT. I THEN TOLD HER TO PULL THE FLOOR MAT / CARPET BACK AND IT WAS ALREADY BACK AND LOCKED DOWN TO THE FLOOR. I TOLD HER TO TURN IT OFF. THE CAR IDLED DOWN TO STOP ONCE KEY WAS TURNED OFF. WE SAT THERE FOR A FEW MOMENTS, I TOLD HER TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ONCE AND TRY TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CAR STARTED NORMALLY WE LET IT WARM UP FOR A MOMENT AND DROVE AWAY. SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS GLAD I WAS IN THE CAR TO SEE THE EVENT BECAUSE IT HAD HAPPENED 3 OTHER TIMES IN THE LAST 45 DAYS. FORTUNATELY SHE WAS NOT TRAVELING AT A HIGH SPEED WHEN IT OCCURRED OR ON A BUSY ROADWAY OR SCHOOL ZONE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10671800January 12, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE CHECK WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 03/30/15*LJ UPDATED 6/22/2015*JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10671973January 12, 2015
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A LOUD UNKNOWN NOISE EMITTED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE VISCOUS COUPLING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIRS WERE MADE AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10670093January 5, 2015
SUSPENSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V383000(SUSPENSION) WAS RECEIVED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2014. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE GIVEN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10669821January 3, 2015
STEERING
THERE IS A NOTICEABLE THUMPING, LIKE A BELT SLIPPING OR A GEAR MISSING, WHEN MAKING SHARP TURNS. THE FREQUENCY OF THE ISSUE BECOMES MORE PREVALENT THE LONGER YOU DRIVE. ON 12/22/14, YORK AUTO GROUP, MY LOCAL TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT, DETERMINED THERE IS A FAILURE IN THE RACK AND PINION. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM MY RESEARCH THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE MANAGED TO GET THIS REPAIR COVERED BY TOYOTA SINCE IT IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AND BECOMING MORE FREQUENT IN THIS MODEL. I DID CONTACT TOYOTA AND OPENED CASE # [XXX] TOYOTA WAS LESS RESPONSIVE IN MY CASE. IF THIS IS BECOMING A KNOWN ISSUE, I WOULD LIKE THEM TO COVER THE REPAIR AND POSSIBLY ALERT OTHER RAV4 OWNERS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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