2003 Toyota RAV4 complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHETR VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAINT THE DRIVER, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

IN THE LAST WEEK AFTER SOME HEAVY RAINS IN SAN DIEGO, CA, I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT FLOOR BOARDS ON BOTH SIDES OF MY 2003 RAV 4 WERE VERY WET. THERE WASN'T ANY WATER ON THE GROUND, THE SEATS NOR WERE THE WINDOWS OR MOON ROOF LEFT OPEN. WHEN THE CAR WAS GOING AROUND A CURVE, THERE WAS A SWOOSHING SOUND OF RUNNING WATER SOMEWHERE UNDER THE DASHBOARD (IT SOUNDED LIKE). I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN NOV 2002 BRAND NEW WITH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I CURRENTLY HAVE 52,000 MILES ON THE CAR. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PREVIOUS PROBLEMS. I CALLED SEVERAL TOYOTA CAR DEALERSHIPS ABOUT WHAT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE AND NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN THIS. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS WITH ANY CAR WHETHER OLD OR NEW SINCE 1966 NOR HAVE I HEARD OF ANYONE HAVING A PROBLEM LIKE THIS. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AND TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I STATED THIS WAS NOT A NORMAL PROBLEM OF WEAR AND TEAR, OTHERWISE MECHANICS WOULD BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS AND BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE IT WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. I WAS TOLD THAT MY CARPETING WAS TOTALLY RUINED (ITS MOLDY) AND ALL OF IT HAS TO BE REPLACED. I AM ASTHMATIC AND VERY ALLERGIC TO MOLD, THEREFORE ITS A HEALTH HAZARD. SINCE THIS WAS NOT CAUSED BY MY NEGLIGENCE, NOR IS IT A PART THAT IS EXPECTED TO WEAR WITH NORMAL USE IF EVER, I DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR PARTS AND LABOR, EVEN MORE SO THAT THE MECHANICS ARE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME FINDING THE SOURCE. THIS PART OR PARTS ARE DEFECTIVE. THE DEALERSHIP

WHEN THE CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 25 MPH THE FRONT AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, NOR DID THE SEAT BELT RESTRAIN THE CONSUMER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK *NM

OWNER OF 2003 TOYOTA RAV4S, PURCHASED AS A NEW VEHICLE NOVEMBER 2003. IN THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS OWNER HAS EXPERIENCED INCREASING MEDICAL PROBLEMS ( RESPIRATORY, GASTROINTESTINAL, NEUROLOGIC, ETC.) AND HAS RECEIVED EXTENSIVE AND EXPENSIVE MEDICAL TESTING WITHOUT CLEAR DIAGNOSIS. TEST HAVE ALSO BEEN PERFORMED IN THE HOME WHICH FAIL TO SUGGEST ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSE WITHIN THE HOUSE. OWNER HAS PROGRESSIVELY ASSOCIATED ISSUES OF ILLNESS WITH DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, EVEN FOR SHORT DISTANCES AND SHORT DURATIONS. ALTHOUGH HAVING ONLY 17, 500 MILES DRIVEN, THE VEHICLE IS BASICALLY NOW NOT USEABLE. AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATOR HAS SUGGESTED THAT AN ODOR IS DEFINITELY BEING DISCHARGED FROM THE HEATING AND AARI CONDITIONING SYSTEM, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO SAY WHAT IT MIGHT BE. AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT RAN A FEW TESTS, INDICATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DISCERN A PROBLEM, AND HAS BASICALLY WASHED THEIR HANDS OF THE PROBLEM. NO SPECIFIC INCIDENT DATE WOULD BE APPLICABLE, AS THE SYMPTOMS HAVE ACCELERRATED OVER TIME. OTHER DETAILS TO BE PROVIDED AS NEEDED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING TO SAN ANTONIO ON 11-26 2004 MY TOYOTA RAV4 JUST LOST POWER AND SHUT OFF WHILE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON I-37 I PULLED OVER AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP.I'VE TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN ON THREE OTHER OCCASIONS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT NOTHING WRONG COULD BE FOUND WITH THE VEHICLE.ON 11-28-04 ABOUT TWO BLOCKS FROM MY HOME ON THE RETURN TRIP FROM SAN ANTONIO IT DID IT AGAIN ONCE AGAIN I PULLED OVER AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I FEEL THAT THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING AND I DON'T THINK THAT THE TOYOTA COMPANY IS TAKING THIS PROBLEM SERIOUSLY.*AK

AS MY HUSBAND AND I DROVE WE SMELLED A STRANGE ODOR WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE AIR OUTSIDE. MY HUSBAND NOTICED THERE WAS SMOKE RISING FROM THE HOOD. HE DROVE TO THE SHOULDER AND GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE. SPARKS BEGAN TO APPEAR AND VERY QUICKLY THE ENTIRE CAR BECAME ENGULFED. WE WERE VERY LUCKILY NOT TO BE INJURED. WE LOST A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OUR BELONGINGS. WE WERE GOING AWAY FOR THE WEEKEND TO OUR HOME IN PA. AND WERE CARRYING CLOTHING, LUGGAGE,ETC. TO STORE. *NM

I HAD MY HAND RESTING ON THE GEAR SHIFT (AUTOMATIC ON THE FLOOR) AND BUMPED IT FROM DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL. I DID NOT PUSH THE BUTTON DESIGNED FOR SHIFTING. I WAS STOPPED ON A HILL; WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE TO START, I DRIFTED BACKWARD TOWARD ANOTHER CAR. *NM

CRUNCHING NOISE IN DASH BOARD ALTHOUGH REPAIRED 4 TIMES BY DEALER NOISE IS STILL EVIDENT. *AK

2003 TOYOTA RAV4, 5SP, 4WD. THROTTLE BODY WHINE BETWEEN 2700 AND 3000 RPM. THE NOISE IS SO ANNOYING THAT YOU EITHER NEED TO TURN THE STEREO UP LOUD OR WEAR EAR PLUGS. TOYOTA STATES THERE IS NO FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. *LA *PH

WHILE COASTING DOWN A HILL DRIVER BEGAN TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES AND THERE WAS NO BRAKE PRESSURE. ALSO, DRIVER HAD DIFFICULTY WITH THE VEHICLE DOWN SHIFTING AT ANYTIME. *AK

WHILE DRIVING EAST AT 75 MPH, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT, WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER MADE A 190' TURN ON THE HIGHWAY AND STOPPED AFTER HITTING A GUARDRAIL. THERE WERE NO SERIOUS INJURIES, AND A AMBULANCE CAME TO THE SCENE AS WELL AS THE POLICE. CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE.*AK *TS

TOYOTA RAV 4 DRIVE BELT PULLEYS WERE NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY.*MR. WHILE DRIVING, THE BATTERY DISCHARGER LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL STEERING CAPABILITY. IT WAS DISCOVERED THE BELT TENSIONER AND BELT HOUSING BROKE.*TS *JB

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB

CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE THAT HE PURCHASED DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL, SO THE DEALER OFFERED TO ADD IT, IT WAS SOON DISCOVERED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS FAULTY, WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ACTUATED TO MAINTAIN A CERTAIN SPEED , IN ORDER TO STAY WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES 3-4 MPH ABOVE THE DESIRED SPEED THEN DROPS BACK 3-4 MPH BELOW THE DESIRED SPEED, THEN SLOWLY MOVES UP TO THE DESIRED SPEED, THE SECOND CRUISE CONTROL WAS INSTALLED AND ACTED EXACTLY AS THE FIRST, IN THE END THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE UNIVERSAL CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AND IF A UNIT BECAME AVAILABLE THE DEALER WOULD INSTALL THE NEW UNIT.*JB