Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2006 record →
Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jun 20, 20061,900 milesTX
I HAVE A NEW 2006 TOYOTA RAV4 WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND, IN THE FIRST 2000 MILES, IT HAS FAILED TO SHIFT CORRECTLY ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THIS HAS CREATED DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WHEN MERGING IN TRAFFIC. SPECIFICALLY, WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL, THE RPMS SHOOT ABOVE 4-5K BUT THERE IS NO ACCOMPANIED INCREASE IN SPEED. GIVEN THE REPEATED POSTINGS ON EDMUNDS.COM ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS, IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE AN ISOLATED CASE WITH MY VEHICLE. *JB
Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal
Filed Jun 17, 2006NC
AS I STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE ENGINE BEGAN RACING AND I ALMOST WAS FORCED INTO THE INTERSECTION INTO TRAFFIC. I HAD TO PUSH AS HARD AS I COULD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THAT HAS HAPPENED AND I AM VERY APPREHENSIVE ABOUT DRIVING THE VEHICLE. IT IS A 2006 TOYOTA RAV 4 SPORT.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Jun 6, 20066,400 milesIL
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO APPLY BRAKE PRESSURE THE BRAKES HAD EXCESSIVE TRAVEL AND SPONGINESS. THIS OCCURRED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING DURING NORMAL BRAKING ON NORMAL ROADS. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED. UPDATED 06/27/06. *JB
Power Train › Axle Hubs
Filed May 24, 2006144 milesNH
I HAVE A BRAND NEW 2006 TOYOTA RAV4 V6 SPORT 4WD AND WITHIN 4 DAYS OF COLLECTION, THE REAR LEFT WHEEL WAS IN THE PROCESS OF FALLING OFF. WHILE THIS PROBABLY SOUNDS DRAMATIC AND AN EXAGGERATION, IT IS NOT. WITH 144 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE SOURCE OF A SQUEALING SOUND LOOKED AT. THE SOUND BEGAN AROUND 50 MILES AS A VERY FAINT, BRIEF NOISE AND GRADUALLY GOT WORSE UNTIL AT 144 MILES I WAS AT THE DEALER. ON THE SHOP LIFT, IT WAS APPARENT THE NOISE WAS THE WHEEL BEARING/HUB ASSEMBLY COMING APART. THE LUG NUTS WERE TIGHT AND THE WHEEL WAS LOOSE - VERY LOOSE. I AM THANKFUL I DID NO HIGHWAY DRIVING IN THOSE 144 MILES. THE TECHNICIAN SAID THE WHEEL WOULD HAVE FALLEN OFF. TOYOTA HAVE SINCE REPLACED THE PARTS UNDER WARRANTY BUT I AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH THEM AND HOW THEY DEALT WITH THE WHOLE POTENTIALLY FATAL SITUATION. I HAVE VIDEO OF THE LOOSE WHEEL IN THE SHOP THAT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU. *JB
Vehicle Speed Control
Filed May 23, 20061,845 milesWA
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER BEING PARKED IN A PARKING LOT FOR 2 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. IT WAS PLACED IN REVERSE AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED AT AN EXCEPTIONAL SPEED. IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE MOMENTUM OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE MADE AN EXTREMELY LOUD NOISE AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 100 MPH. THE BRAKES WERE USED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE KEY WAS TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION AND THE VEHICLE WAS LATER DRIVEN HOME. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE SERVICE DEALER FOR INSPECTION.
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.