2008 Toyota RAV4 complaints

2008 RAV 4 AWD V6. WHEN SLOWING FOR A STOP LOST ALL BRAKES. WAS TOWED TO LOCAL DEALER AND WAS FOUND THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER HAD FAILED. *TR

LOST BRAKING POWER AND THERE WAS A CRUNCHING SOUND, HAD BOTH FEET ON BREAKING PEDAL & TRUCK WOULDN'T STOP. IT WAS STILL ACCELERATING AND ABS/ANTI SKID LIGHT CAME ON. *TR

1ST OIL CHANGE MENTIONED WHINE IN TRANS. DEALER SAID NOTHING WRONG PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE AND 15,000 OIL CHANGE SAID SOMETHING AGAIN STILL; NOTHING WRONGTHIS WHINE NOISE IS BETWEEN 38/47 MPH. MADE AN APPOINTMENT AND CAR WAS TEST DRIVEN 10 MILES BY DISTRICT MANAGER AND DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER TO VERIFY CONDITION CONDITION HEARD IS NORMAL PLANETARY GEAR NOISE CONSIDERED NORMAL AND NO REPAIRS NECESSARY. 2008 TOYOTA RAV 4 THE WHINE IS VERY ANNOYING I'M DISAPPOINTED WITH THE OUTCOME. *TR

I HAVE ALREADY MADE A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT ABOUT ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WITH MY RAV4 THAT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I AM STILL HAVING ISSUES REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. MY CAR WILL SUDDENLY JUMP WHILE BARELY PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL. IT DOES NOT DO IT ALL THE TIME BUT WILL DO SO RANDOMLY WHICH IS EVEN WORSE BECAUSE ONE DOESN'T KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. IT IS SCARY DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT FROM MINUTE TO MINUTE YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. IT DID IT AGAIN JUST YESTERDAY AS I WAS TAKING OFF FROM AN INTERSECTION, I BARELY MISSED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WISHED TOYOTA WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THIS SITUATION AS SERIOUS BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. I KNOW OF THE RECALL WITH FLOOR MATS BUT IT DOESN'T INCLUDE MY CAR. I HAVE READ THAT THERE ARE OTHERS WITH THIS SAME ISSUE. WHY IS TOYOTA NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THIS SITUATION? ARE THEY WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO DIE? *TR

2008 TOYOTA RAV4 SELF-COMBUSTION IN DRIVEWAY IN THE EARLY A.M. OF MONDAY, SEPT 21, 2009. CAR HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE SATURDAY NIGHT AT 11 P.M. AND ARSON HAS BEEN RULED OUT BY FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS. CAR WAS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD AND HAD BEEN RECENTLY SERVICED AND INSPECTED ON SEPT 5, 2009 BY AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALER. ALL OTHER WARRANTY SERVICE REQUIREMENTS WERE FULFILLED BY AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALER AT THE APPROPRIATE INTERVALS. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS NOTED BY OWNER DURING THE PAST TWO YEARS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT MENTIONS THAT THE MOST EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE OCCURRED AT OR NEAR THE VEHICLE BATTERY. *TR UPDATED 03/08/10

DRIVER SIDE WINDOW CONTROL OPERATES IN THE UP MODE AND CONTINUES TO GO TO THE UP (CLOSED) POSITION AFTER YOUR FINGER IS REMOVED FROM THE CONTROL BUTTON..IN OTHERS AUTOS( US) MADE, THE WINDOW STOPS GOING TO THE CLOSE POSITION WHEN YOUR FINGER IS REMOVED FROM THE CONTROL BUTTON. *TR

DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG. *TR

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, MY NEW 2008 RAV4 WOULD NOT START. THE BATTERY IS BRAND NEW. WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION, THERE WAS NO SOUND / SIGNAL AT ALL. SOMETIMES, WHEN I PUT DOWN THE HAND BRAKE, AND TRY TO START THE CAR AGAIN, IT WORKS. OTHER TIMES, IT DOESN'T. THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN TRIGGER IT TO START. HOW CAN A BRAND NEW CAR BE SO UNRELIABLE!? WE'VE GOTTEN IT TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM. IT'S BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 2 DAYS AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

REAR TIRE COVER ON A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4 18" WHEELS SPORT EDITION. REAR TIRE COVER OVER TIME (WITHIN 10 MONTHS) HAS BECOME LOOSE AND HAS BLOWN OFF SEVERAL TIMES, ONCE IN A CAR WASH AND THE OTHER WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. BOTH TIMES, SERIOUS SCRATCH AND PAINT DAMAGE WAS RECEIVED. I VERIFIED THAT THE ZIPPER WAS FULLY ZIPPED AND ELASTIC WAS COVERING THE BOTTOM OF THE TIRE. I FIND THAT OVER TIME THE COVER SLOWLY WORKS ITSELF OFF UNTIL IT FALLS OFF. AS THIS IS A FACTORY INSTALLED OPTION COVER, THERE APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING. THIS SHOULD BE REDESIGNED AND REPLACED - COVERED BY WARRANTY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE VEHICLE HAS YOKOHAMA GEOLANDAR G- 91A TIRES, SIZE 225/6.5/17 101H (NA). THESE TIRES WERE THE ORIGINAL TIRES AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD THUMPING NOISE AND MANEUVERED THE VEHICLE OFF THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE TIRE AND SHREDS OF RUBBER EVERYWHERE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAILURE. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 7,370.

REAR TIRE COVER 2008 TOYOTA RAV4 18" WHEELS SPORT EDITION. REAR TIRE COVER OVER TIME (WITHIN 6 MONTHS) HAS BECOME LOOSE AND HAS BLOWN OFF TWICE, 1 IN A CAR WASH AND THE OTHER WHILE SIMPLY DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. ZIPPER WAS FULLY ZIPPED AND ELASTIC WAS COVERING THE BOTTOM OF THE TIRE. UNIT KEEPS SLOWLY WORKING ITSELF OFF UNTIL IT FALLS OFF. TOYOTA CASE# 200812200182. DEALER SAID THAT THIS IS COMMON FOR THE ELASTIC TO DETERIORATE AND EXPAND OVER TIME BUT THAT THIS IS NOT CONSIDERED A DEFECT. ANYTHING THAT WILL FALL OFF OF YOUR VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY GIVEN SPEED SEEMS LIKE A DEFECT TO ME.. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT NOTICED MICE ENTERING THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CLEAN AIR FILTER NOT EXHIBITING A SCREEN TO SHIELD THE MICE FROM ENTERING THE VEHICLE. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED THAT TRAPS BE SET TO CATCH THE MICE. THE TRAPS WERE SET, BUT THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 13,500.

I WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE, I STARTED MY RAV 4, PUT IT IN GEAR AND GENTLY, DUE TO EXPERIENCE WITH ACCELERATION PROBLEMS, PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. IT SUDDENLY JUMPED AND ACCELERATED CAUSING THE SUV TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE HAD I NOT TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL AND USED THE BRAKE. TOYOTA TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM, BUT NOT TO THE EXTENT IT WAS THIS TIME CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. HAD MY DAUGHTER NOT MOVED 2 MINUTES PRIOR,SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN PINNED BETWEEN CARS. SOMEONE IS GOING TO SERIOUSLY GET HURT IF SOMETHING ISN'T DONE ABOUT THIS. *TR

2008 TOYOTA RAV4 HAD A JAMMED GAS PEDAL. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE FLOOR MATS. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ONE QUARTER BLOCK OF A CITY BLOCK, VEERING TO THE LEFT AND DEMOLISHED ONE CAR. THE VEHICLE THEN CONTINUED ANOTHER QUARTER BLOCK AND DESTROYED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE THEN TURNED IN THE OTHER DIRECTION AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ONLY CAME TO A STOP AFTER IT CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. *JB

*I AM NOT THE VEHICLE OWNER*I AM THE CPST WHO ASSISTED WITH THE INSTALLATION OF THE CHILD RESTRAINT* WHEN INSTALLING A RF INFANT SEAT, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SEAT BELT ANCHORS OVERLAP. I BROUGHT THE BELT DOWN FROM THE ROOF STORAGE TO CLIP INTO THE ANCHOR AND ROUTED THE BELT FOR THE INSTALLATION. THE BUCKLE FOR THE OUTBOARD SEATING POSITION WAS INTERFERING BECAUSE IT WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE. WHEN THE CR IS INSTALLED (WHICH IS SNUG), IT OCCUPIES 2 SEATING POSITIONS. THE SEAT BELTS OVERLAP. THERE IS NO WAY FOR AN OCCUPANT TO USE THE OUTBOARD SEAT BELT OR FOR ANOTHER CR TO BE INSTALLED. I FOLDED THE SEAT BACK DOWN, THINKING THAT THE ANCHOR COULD BE MOVED, BUT THE STALK WAS TOO SHORT AND IT WAS CONTAINED WITHIN A SORT OF POCKET. I ADVISED THE PARENTS TO KEEP THE CR INSTALLED IN THE CENTER AND CALLED TOYOTA. THEY ASSURED ME THAT THE CR IS INSTALLED CORRECTLY AND THEY WILL LOOK INTO THE OVERLAP. THEY ALSO AGREED WITH ME AS I TOLD THE VEHICLE OWNER TO NOT ALLOW AN OCCUPANT TO SIT IN THAT OUTBOARD SEATING POSITION. *TR

WHILE DRIVING UNDER 25 MPH THE VEHICLE WITHOUT REASON OR NOTICE SHUTS DOWN. IT IS ABLE TO START UP RIGHT AFTER, HOWEVER THE ONLY REASON THAT YOU KNOW IT HAS SHUT DOWN IS THAT ALL THE DASH LIGHTS COME ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT FIVE TIMES. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THE THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN CHANGE IN ANYWAY. *TR

DEFROSTER SYSTEM IS WEAK. WHEN THERE IS ICE/SNOW BUILD-UP ALONG EDGES OF WINDSHIELD OR WINDOWS, SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE TURNED TO AND KEPT ON HIGHEST SETTING TO AVOID FOGGING ON THE INSIDE. EVEN AT THIS SETTING, IT HAS TROUBLE CLEARING FOG FROM REAR SIDE WINDOWS. SYSTEM IS PRETTY LOUD AT HIGHEST SETTING SO IT'S HARD TO LISTEN TO RADIO OR CARRY ON A CONVERSATION. *TR

THE DEFROSTER SYSTEM IS INADEQUATE AND WOULD NOT MELT ICE FROM THE WINDSHIELD UNDER MODERATE TEMPERATURES AND A VERY LIGHT FREEZING MIST. *TR

WAS GOING THROUGH A DRIVE THROUGH CARWASH, AUTO IN NEUTRAL. REACHED THE END, PUT FOOT ON BRAKE, PUT AUTO INTO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN, GOING STRAIGHT OUT OF THE END OF THE CARWASH. HAD THE BRAKES ON BUT THEY DIDN'T STOP THE VEHICLE. TURNED THE CAR TO MISS A TELEPHONE POLE AND WENT OUT INTO 4-LANE HWY., CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, STOPPING MY VEHICLE FINALLY. VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AT ALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO OUR INS. CO. REPAIR/ESTIMATE SHOP. DO NOT HAVE A CAUSE FOR THE PROBLEM AS YET, STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE SEAT BELT WRAPPED AROUND ONE OF THE PASSENGERS WAIST AND BECAME LOCKED IN PLACE. EACH TIME THE PASSENGER WOULD TAKE A BREATH OR MOVE, THE BELT WOULD LOCK TIGHTER AND TIGHTER AROUND THE PASSENGER. THE SEAT BELT WAS CUT TO REMOVE THE PASSENGER FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,200 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,500. UPDATED 11/14/08 *CN UPDATED 11/18/08.*JB

THIS IS MY EFFORT TO SUBMIT A COMMENT ON YOUR REGULATIONS, NOT A COMPLAINT OF AN INCIDENT. I WAS DIRECTED TO THIS FORM BY LOU MOLINA AT NHTSA. I AM A DRIVER WHO FOR HEALTH REASONS WISHES TO SIT ERECT. I AM NOT FAT, AND OF NORMAL HEIGHT (5'6"). THIS LAST WEEKEND I PURCHASED A RAV4. THE HEADRESTS INTRUDE INTOLERABLY INTO MY HEAD SPACE. IN ORDER TO SIT AT MY PREFERRED ANGLE AND KEEP MY BACK TO THE SEATBACK, MY HEAD IS TILTED DOWN SO THAT I MUST RAISE MY EYES TO LOOK OVER MY EYEGLASSES, OR MY STRAIGHT VISION IS DIRECTED TO THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL. I TRUST THAT THESE HEADRESTS MEET YOUR STANDARDS. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT YOU HAVE ENGINEERED THIS STANDARD FOR AN OBESE, FAT-SHOULDERED PERSON WITH TIGHT HAMSTRINGS, SOMEONE WHO PREFERS TO DRIVE RECLINED TO ACCOMMODATE HIS BELLY AND IS HELD AWAY FROM THE SEATBACK BY HIS OWN PADDING. MY PRESENT APPROACH TO BEING ABLE TO DRIVE THIS CAR IS TO TURN THE HEADREST BACKWARDS, AND I AM FULLY AWARE THAT THIS DEPRIVES ME OF THE NECK SAFETY I WOULD HAVE HAD FROM AN OLDER DESIGN OF HEADREST. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE COMMENTS IN SECTION VII OF RIN 2127-AH09, "SPECIFICALLY, THEY MAINTAINED THAT SMALLER FEMALE OCCUPANTS TEND TO UTILIZE STEEPER SEAT BACK ANGLES. ACCORDING TO THESE COMMENTERS, A BACKSEAT OF 50 MM MAY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT INTRUSIONS INTO THE SPACE WHERE THESE OCCUPANTS TYPICALLY PLACE THEIR HEADS, FORCING THEIR HEADS INTO AN UNNATURAL FORWARD-TILTING POSITION" IS DESCRIPTIVE OF MY SITUATION. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE NHTSA TO CONSIDER M

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 35 TO 45 MPH WITH BOTH REAR WINDOWS OPENED, THE AIR PRESSURE IS VERY STRONG AND UNBEARABLE ON THE CONTACT'S EARS. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY STATED THAT NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AT THIS TIME. THE CONTACT WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,500 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,300. UPDATED 09/13/08.*LJ UPDATED 09/17/08. *JB

UNDER CERTAIN WEATHER CONDITIONS (WET SNOW, ICE & FREEZING TEMPS) THE DEFROST SYSTEM WILL NOT KEEP ICE FROM FORMING OVER ABOUT 3/4 OF THE WINDSHIELD. AFTER 10 TO 12 MINUTES OF DRIVING IT IS NECESSARY TO STOP AND SCRAPE ICE FROM THE WINDSHIELD AND WIPERS. IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA TO STOP ON NARROW MOUNTAIN ROADS IN A BLIZZARD! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STRUCK A DEER WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH. SHE PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT IT WAS ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE SOON BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LINE BEING RUPTURED. THE COOLANT DRIPPED ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND CAUSED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. TOYOTA IS NOT ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THE CONTACT WAS THE ONE WHO STRUCK THE DEER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.

WINDOW FOGGING - 2008 TOYOTA RAV4 LIMITED WITH CLIMATE CONTROL. WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW A CERTAIN DEGREES, THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT SHUT OFF. THIS CAUSES ALL THE WINDOWS TO FOG UP IMMEDIATELY WHEN DRIVING. THE FRONT WINDOW DEFROSTER CONTROL IS INSUFFICIENT TO CLEAR THE WINDOWS, INCLUDING THE WINDSHIELD SINCE IT NO LONGER BLOWS "CONDITIONED" DRY AIR ONTO THE SURFACES. *TR