2002 Toyota RAV4 complaints

MY 02 TOYOTA RAV4 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND I FOUND OUT THAT MY O2 SENSORS ARE READING BELOW OF WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO READ. THE O2 SENSORS ARE PRICED WAY TO EXTREME, ONE OF THEM IS $400 AND THE OTHER IS $150 AND THERE ARE 2 OF EACH. I BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD BE WORKING RIGHT CAUSE MY CAR IS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD.*AK

WAS IN EIGHT CAR CHAIN REACTION COLLISION, WHERE I WAS THE 7TH OF 8 CARS. THEREFORE, I HAD SEVERE FRONT-END DAMAGE AND EVEN WORSE REAR-END DAMAGE. I ACTUALLY HIT THE CAR IN FRONT WITH MY OWN FORCE (2 ON SCALE OF 1-10) AND THEN AGAIN WHEN THE CAR BEHIND HIT ME. THE SECOND HIT WAS 10 ON A SCALE OF 1-10. THE CARS WHERE GOING OVER 20 MPH (ESTIMATED) AT TIME OF ACCIDENT.*AK FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ACCORDING TO THE TOYOTA MANUAL THEY SHOULD DEPLOY AT 15MPH OR MORE, FORCE IS GREAT ENOUGH, OR WHEN VEHICLE INSIDE PRESSURE CHANGE IS GREAT ENOUGH. (NOTE: WHEN THE CAR WAS HIT IN THE REAR, THE ENTIRE REAR WINDOW SCHATTERED, THEREBY, CAUSING GREAT PRESSURE CHANGE.) ACCORDING TO THE BODY SHOP WHICH GAVE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED ACCORDING TO THE FRONT-END DAMAGE ALONE. (WE HAVE DIGITAL PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE AND CAN SEND THEM.)

WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE AND VICE VERSA A CLANGING SOUND IS HEARD FROM THE FRONT. I TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD FRONT BRAKE PADS NEED REPLACING AND ROTORS NEED TO BE RESURFACED AT A COST OF $250.00.+ TAX. CAR HAD ONLY 10,250 MILES. THE PROBLEM IS STILL PRESENT. I WAS FINALLY TOLD THIS IS NORMAL. PROBLEM WAS NOT THERE UNTIL THE CAR REACHED 7500 AND THE FIRST TIRE ROTATION WAS PERFORMED BY THE TOYOTA DEALER. *JB

ON FEBRUARY 19, 2004, I TOOK MY 2002 TOYOTA RAV4 TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A PROBLEM THAT INVOLVED THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY SURGING FORWARD. AND FAILING TO SHIFT GEARS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE WAS RELEASED TO ME. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED THAT DAY AND I RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON FEBRUARY 20, 2004. I WAS TOLD THAT A PART HAD TO BE ORDERED AND THAT THEY WOULD CALL ME WHEN THE PART WAS IN. I WAS TOLD THAT IN THE MEANTIME, THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. ON FEBRUARY 23, 2004, MY HUSBAND DROVE THE VEHICLE AND WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION WHEN THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD INTO THE INTERSECTION. WE IMMEDIATELY PHONED TOYOTA, TELLING THEM THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND REQUESTED THAT THEY TOW THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP SINCE FEBRUARY 23, 2004. PRINCIPLE COMPLAINT: MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY SURGES OR ACCELERATES AND FAILS TO SHIFT GEARS. *AK

WHILE STOPPING DOWN A HILL, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE BRAKE PEDAL CONTINUED TO TRAVEL TO FLOORBOARD. DEALER SERVICED VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. *AK *JB

I DRIVE A 2002 TOYOTA RAV4. I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT AND WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I WENT BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE WOMAN IN FRONT OF ME (2000 DODGE NEON) DIDN'T SO I REAR-ENDED HER. HER CAR WAS UNSCRATCHED, MY FRONT BUMPER PLATE WAS SMUSHED. AS A RESULT OF THIS COLLISION...I WAS, MAYBE, GOING 10 MPH...MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR ALMOST 3 WEEKS. APPARENTLY THERE ARE WEAK SEALS AND CONNECTIONS IN THE RAV, CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID AND OIL LEAKAGE (AS YOU CAN GUESS, 3 HOURS AFTER THE FENDER BENDER, WHEN I WENT OUT TO LUNCH, THE CAR WAS SMOKING LIKE CRAZY!). I DON'T THINK A 10 MPH ACCIDENT SHOULD CAUSE THAT MUCH DAMAGE. I CAN GUARANTEE YOU I WON'T BUY A RAV4 AGAIN...WHAT IF IT HAD BEEN A REAL ACCIDENT? WOULD I BE DEAD?

DRIVERS SIDE REAR WHEEL HAS EXTREME TOE-OUT. HAVE OBSERVED THIS CONDITION ON ALL 2002 VIEWED,2WD AND 4WD.CAUSES EXTREME TIRE WEAR TO INSIDE TREAD.*AK

THE REAR LUGGAGE COVER DOES NOT STAY UP AND NUMEROUS TIMES IT HAS SLIPPED AND HIT ME OR ONE OF MY FAMILY ON THE HEAD. THIS WEEKEND, IT SLIPPED AGAIN AND CAUSED A CUT ON MY HEAD. I ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT A FIX FOR THIS AND HE STATED NONE NOTED AND THEY HAVE HAD SIMILAR COMPLAINTS BUT NO TSB OR RECALLS ISSUED. THIS LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT COVER IS DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE RE-DESIGNED. *LA

WHEN DRIVING UP A HILL VEHICLE BEGAN TO STALL. *AK

ON JULY 7, 2003 I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN THE BATTERY DISCHARGE LIGHT CAME ON AND I HAD NO STEERING CAPABILITY. I WAS TRAVELLING ABOUT SIXTY MILES PER HOUR ON THE INTERSTATE. I ALMOST HIT THE MEDIAN DIVIDER BEFORE I COULD STEER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I CALLED THE DEARLERSHIP AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY TOLD ME TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED IN, THEY DIDN'T EVEN OFFER TO HAVE IT TOWED. INCIDENTALLY THIS IS A NEW VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 1100 MILES ON IT AND I HAD ONLY DRIVEN THE VEHICLE ABOUT ONE WEEK BEFORE THE ABOVE HAPPENED. THE DEALERSHIP KEPT MY VEHICLE FOR TWO DAYS AND I WENT TO GET MY RAV4 AND ASKED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT THE DRIVE BELT PULLEYS HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED ON MY NEW RAV4 AND THAT CAUSED THE DRIVE BELT TO COME OFF OF THE PULLEYS AND BROKE THE TENSIONER AND THE HOUSING GUIDE. I TOOK THE CAR HOME AND THE NEXT MORNING, THE NEW RAV4 WOULD NOT START. I JUMPED SRTARTED THE RAV4 FROM MY WIFES VEHICLE AND LET IT RUN FOR ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES THINKING THAT THE BATTERY JUST NEEDED A CHARGE. MY WIFE WAS GOING TO USE THE NEEW RAV4 VEHICLE THAT DAY TO SHOP. SHE CALLED ME ABOUT MID-MORNING AND INFORMED ME THAT THE NEW RAV4 VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AS SHE HAD GONE TO THE MALL. THAT EVENING MY WIFE AND I WENT TO THE MALL AND JUM STARTED THE VEHICLE AGIN AND I FINALLY GOT IT HOME AND IT IS NOW IN MY GARAGE, IT JUST WILL NOT START. I CALLED AND TALAKED TO THE SERVICE DIRECTOR ABOUT ALL OF THE PROBLEMS THAT I WAS HAVING WITH

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 40MPH, REAR PASSENGER TIRE WITH OUT BLEW OUT. TOYOTA, TRANPATHS SIZE# 21570R16-99S DOT#- - - - - - - - - - - - - -DEALER NOTHING WE COULD DO. *AK

2002 TOYOTA RAV4. THE LUGGAGE COVER HAS A RUBBER STOP ON EACH SIDE TO HOLD IT UP IN ORDER FOR THE HOOKS THAT ARE INSTALL ON THE BACK OF THE SEATS TO BE USED. IN COLD AND HOT WEATHER, THE RUBBER STOPS DO NOT HOLD THE COVER UP. IN APRIL 2002, THE COVER CAME DOWN AND HIT ME ON THE BRIDGE OF MY NOSE SO HARD THAT I WAS ALMOST KNOCKED OUT. IT WAS DARK AND FREEZING COLD. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED, ROBBER OR ATTACKED. IF I HAD A CHILD IN MY ARMS, I WOULD HAVE DROPPED IT. TOYOTA DEEMS THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE SHIELD. I AM PROOF THAT THERE IS AND ASKED THEM TO PLACE A RECALL ON IT BUT THEY REFUSE. *NLM

VEHICLE ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN.

WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE SURGED FOWARD DUE TO FUEL THROTTLE LEAKAGE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *JB

A "BAFFLE" IS INSTALLED INTO THE OIL FILLER CAP BEGINNING WITH THE 2002 TOYOTA'S. WHILE DRIVING THE "BAFFLE" BROKE CAUSING THE TIMING CHAIN AND CONSEQUENTLY THE ENGINE TO FAIL. TS

VEHICLE ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN WITHOUT PRESSING ACCELERATER. VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN TWO COLLISIONS BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB....*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH, VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

CONSUMER WAS IN A ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY UPON CRASH.CONSUMER ALSO THAT SHE WAS GOING 35 MPHAT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. PH

DEFECTIVE TIRES, VEHICLE JACK EQUIPMENT. WHILE DRIVING ONE OF THE VEHICLE'S TIRE EXPLODED WHEN IT RAN OVER AN ORANGE IN THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT TIRE AND WOULD LIKE THE REMAINING 4 TIRES REPLACED. THE CONSUMER RETAINED THE TIRE FOR INSPECTION. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE THE BLOWN TIRE THE CONSUMER REALIZED THAT THE JACK WAS NOT DESIGNED PROPERLY TO REPLACE THE BLOWN TIRE. WITH THE JACK PROPERLY PLACED AND FULLY EXTENDED THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE TO REPLACE THE BLOWN TIRE. THE CONSUMER REQUEST THAT THE JACK BE REPLACED. *NM

THE DASHBOARD RATTLES WHEN DRIVING. TOOK TO DEALER AND THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE DASHBOARD ABOUT FOUR TIMES. THE DASH IS STILL RATTLING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

WHEN BACKING UP, THE VEHICLE EITHER ACCELERATED OR THE GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK. TS

BY ACCIDENT, I PUT MY DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW APPROX. 1/2 WAY DOWN . UNKNOWINGLY, I LEFT THE WINDOW DOWN. WHEN I REACHED AN APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 40MILES PER HOUR, A VERY SEVERE NOISE AND VIBRATION OCCURRED. IT WAS SO SEVERE, I PULLED OVER TO CHECK THE VEHICLE. I THOUGHT A TIRE HAD BLOWN. THE VIBRATION AND NOISE IS VERY INTENSE. ONCE THE WINDOW IS UP, THE NOISE AND VIBRATION STOPS. IF A COMBINATION FRONT/REAR WINDOW DOWN HAPPENS, IT IS NOT AS NOTICABLE. I CALLED TOYOTA, AND THEY SAID IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW. FLAW OR NO, IT IS HORRIBLE. IT COULD BE TRAGIC IF A DRIVER UNAWARE PULLS OVER QUICKLY BECAUSE THEY FEAR A TIRE IS GOING TO BLOW.AT THE MINIMUM, I FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD SEND OWNERS A LETTER DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM S THEY WILL NOT BE ALARMED. I WILL NOT PUT MY REAR WINDOWS DOWN, AND THAT IN ITSELF IS SAD TO SPEND 23 THOUSAND DOLLARS ON A NEW VEHICLE AND BE LIMITED IN THAT RESPECT. THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. LINDA JONES. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH TIRES SOMEHOW GOT CAUGHT BETWEEN PAVEMENT/GROVE ON SIDE OF ROAD. TRUCK THEN PULLED TO RIGHT, AND OWNER TRIED TO MAINTAIN STABILITY. TRUCK WENT OFF THE ROAD, ROLLING OVER SEVERAL TIMES. SEAT BELT BECAME LOOSE, AND NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THIS IS WAS A RENTAL VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

STEERING COLUMN WILL STEER TO LEFT AND RIGHT, AND THE VEHICLE IS UNCONTROLLABLE IN TRAFFIC. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

WHEN DRIVING FOR MORE THAN 15 MILES AND STOPPING THE VEHICLE SHAKES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR VEHICLE TO SHAKE. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE ENGINE IS LOUD, WHEN STOPPING, IT FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES LOCK UP AND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF THE POWER WINDOWS CONTINUE TO WORK AND THE LIGHTS GO ON AND OFF. *SLC

ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE RIGHT AFTER CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

RE: FUEL THROTTLE LINKAGE FAILURE: HIGH IDLE SPEED; UNPREDICTABLE IDLE SPEED OSCILLATION / SURGES, UNPREDICTABLE ACCELERATION / DECELERATION (PARTICULARLY WHEN ENGINE IS COLD). CAR WILL SOMETIMES FAIL TO DECELERATE AFTER TAKING FOOT OFF GAS WHEN AT LOW SPEEDS (10-25 MPH), FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN TURNING A CORNER OR DRIVING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET. THIS MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAR WILL SOMETIMES DRIVE/LURCH FORWARD ON ITS OWN WITHOUT PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL WHEN IN 2ND OR 3RD GEAR, ONCE RPMS DROP TO ABOUT 1500. TOLD BY THE DEALER AND TOYOTA THAT THIS IS THE RESULT OF A NEW EMISSIONS CONTROL COMPUTER, AND THAT THE CAR IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. RE: STRUCTURE - ROOF RACK: PIECE OF THE COVERING TO THE ROOF RACK FELL OFF WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY. COULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS IF THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A CAR DRIVING BEHIND ME AT THE TIME.*AK