2009 Toyota RAV4 complaints

AT ABOUT NOON ON 2/3/10- OUR 2009 TOYOTA RAV 4 SUDDEN ACCELERATION (OR STUCK GAS PEDAL) CAUSED ME TO REAR END ANOTHER CAR THAT WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. I WAS MOVING VERY SLOWLY ABOUT 5-10MPH, JUST GLIDING BECAUSE THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME HAD BEEN STOPPED BY THE LIGHT AND IT WAS JUST STARTING TO SLOWLY MOVE AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND THE RAV 4 SEEMED TO ACCELERATE, CAUSING ME TO PRESS AS HARD AS I COULD ON THE BRAKES, BUT I COULD NOT STOP BEFORE HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. IT SEEMED AS IF THE RAV4 JUST ACCELERATED BY ITSELF. THE RAV 4 HAS BEEN TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY. 4 HOURS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED, WE HAD THE RAV 4 AT OUR TOYOTA DEALER FOR INSPECTION OF THE GAS PEDAL AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT IT HAD ONE OF THE SUSPECT ASSEMBLIES. BUT THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING, AS THEY HAD NO INSTRUCTIONS OR PARTS YET FROM TOYOTA AND SAID WE WOULD BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE TIME CAME. *TR

SPORADIC BURNING SMELL WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED ON. EVENT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 6 TIMES NOW AND IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED ON (VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED DEC 2008 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 12,200). IT HAS HAPPENED WHEN RUNNING AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS - VERY SPORADIC. AND IT'S NOT THE AIR COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE OR FROM OTHER VEHICLES BECAUSE WE'VE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED TO CHECK WHEN IT OCCURS AND IT'S NOT A SMELL FROM THE OUTSIDE OR FROM OTHER VEHICLES. *TR

GAS PEDAL STUCK ON MY 2009 RAV4 AND I HIT THE REAR OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AT A 4 WAY STOP. I WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES BUT THE DISTANCE/TIME WAS TOO SHORT FOR THE BRAKES TO OVER COME THE ACCELERATION. IN FRONT OF THE CAR THAT I HIT WAS A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING--IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME I WOULD HAVE STRUCK PEDESTRIANS. BEFORE THE ACCIDENT I DID NOT DETECT ANY EVIDENCE OF A PROBLEM. THE PEDAL FAILURE WAS A ONE TIME INCIDENT. AFTER THE ACCIDENT (BEFORE THE RECALL) IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT THERE WAS A MECHANICAL PROBLEM--I ASSUMED SOMEHOW THAT I HAD MY FOOT ON BOTH ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE. HOWEVER AFTER SPENDING MUCH TIME IN MY DRIVEWAY I COULD NOT REPLICATE HAVING MY FOOT PUSH BOTH THE GAS PEDAL AND BRAKE PEDAL. MY WIFE AND I AGREED THAT SHE WOULD DRIVE THE RAV4--AND I WOULD NOT. SOON AFTER MY ACCIDENT THE 2009 RAV 4 RECALL FOR STICKING GAS PEDAL WAS ANNOUNCED. I AM ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THE STICKING GAS PEDAL CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. SINCE THE DATE OF THE RECALL (JANUARY 21) WE PARKED THE CAR IN OUR DRIVEWAY. WE WILL NOT DRIVE OUR RAV4 I CONTACTED MY DEALER (LOMBARD TOYOTA, LOMBARD IL)--THEY REPLIED THAT AS A DEALER THEY COULD ONLY RECOMMEND THAT I CALL TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE NUMBER AFTER A COUPLE DAYS I WAS ABLE TO GET THROUGH TO THE "TOYOTA EXPERIENCE" LINE--OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS I WAS PASSED UP THE LINE UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO SPEAK TO A CASE MANAGER. ON JANUARY 27THE A TOYOTA FIELD TECHNICIAN CAME TO MY HOUSE AND INSPECTED MY CAR. SINCE THEN I HAVE

ENGINE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE ON 2009 TOYOTA RAV 4 WHILE STOPPED AT STOPLIGHT BEHIND OTHER VEHICLES. DRIVER, STANDING ON BRAKES, QUICKLY PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THEN PARK AND ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL IDLE SPEED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET @ 70MPH. AND ENTERING A REDUCED SPEED AREA, I DISABLE CRUISE BY TAPPING BRAKES. AFTER TRAVELING A FEW MILES THE CAR WOULD ACCELERATE AT A FAST RATE ON ITS OWN. I WOULD THEN EITHER TAP THE BRAKES AGAIN OR TURN OFF THE CRUISE TO STOP THE ACCELERATION. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 6 TO 8 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. LAST USE OF CRUISE WAS IN NOVEMBER. *TR

MY WIFE WAS SITTING AT A SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION IN OUR 2009 TOYOTA RAV 4 ON TUESDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2010 WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD. SHE WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM TRAVELING FURTHER BY APPLYING MORE PEDAL PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE AND THEN SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL. WHILE IN NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE REVVED LOUDLY FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS BEFORE RETURNING TO NORMAL IDLE. SHE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE HOME BUT WAS VISIBLY SHAKEN UP FROM THIS EXPERIENCE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR THEM TO CHECK. THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THIS CONDITION AND THUS SAID THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE AT THIS TIME. THIS IS ONE OF THE VEHICLES THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE SO-CALLED FAULTY STICKING ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND FLOOR MATS DID NOT CAUSE THIS ISSUE, SO THIS LEADS ME TO SUSPECT THAT AN ELECTRONICS PROBLEM IS THE CAUSE AND THAT TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO COME UP WITH A VIABLE FIX FOR THE SITUATION. I CALLED THE TOYOTA MAIN OFFICE THIS MORNING, BUT WAS NOT GIVEN ANY SATISFACTION REGARDING THIS ISSUE. MEANWHILE, WE ARE STUCK WITH A VEHICLE THAT WE ARE BOTH AFRAID TO CONTINUE DRIVING. *TR

INTERMITTENT SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4 WITHOUT FURTHER DEPRESSION OF THE GAS PEDAL WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD. THE GAS PEDAL IS NOT JAMMED OR SLOW TO RAISE NOR DOES IT STICK. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE MARCH 2009 WITH NO COMMON DENOMINATOR SUCH AS SPEED, ROAD CONDITIONS, ETC. THIS HAS EVEN HAPPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND WITHOUT THE GAS PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED AT ALL, THE VEHICLE WILL RACE SUDDENLY AND JUST AS QUICKLY GO BACK TO IDLE. THE DATE OF THE FIRST INCIDENT AND THE MILEAGE LISTED BELOW ARE APPROXIMATIONS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV 4 .THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AND WHILE HAVING HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. IT WENT OVER A PARKING BLOCK AND A CURB AND THEN HIT A BUILDING WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP, THEN IT WAS PICKED UP BY HER INSURANCE COMPANY.THE WHOLE FRONT END AND THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WERE DAMAGED DUE TO THE CRASH. THERE WERE MINOR INJURIES, THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT FILED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THIS HAS ONLY OCCURRED ONCE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WILL INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE AND LET HER KNOW THE OUTCOME OF THIS INVESTIGATION. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS DONE TO THE VEHICLE TO DATE.THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6615.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH INTO A PARKING SPACE AND WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED EXCESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED DURING THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES. THE POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS OPERABLE; HOWEVER, IT WAS TAKEN TO A BODY COLLISION CENTER FOR REPAIR. THE CAUSE OF FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V017000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL;ACCELERATOR PEDAL). HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL DEFECT SINCE THE MANUFACTURER WAS LOCATED IN JAPAN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

MY 2009 RAV 4 HAS A FLOOR MAT THAT CREEPS FORWARD AND GETS CAUGHT UNDER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. IT TOOK SOME TIME FOR IT TO START DOING THIS, BUT NOW I CAN'T KEEP IT IN PLACE, IT HAS NO HOOKS. THE RAV IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST FROM TOYOTA FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM, BUT IT HAS IT. IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY, IF I PUT IT BACK IN POSITION AND DRIVE THE CAR BY THE TIME I GET HOME IT'S UNDER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH ON WET ROAD CONDITIONS; PROCEEDING TO A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. THERE WAS AN UNINTENDED INCREASE IN ACCELERATION. THE DRIVER APPLIED AN AGGRESSIVE FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND IMMEDIATELY, THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS PLACED INTO THE "NEUTRAL" POSITION. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND ENGINE TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE THROTTLE BODY WAS CLEANED. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURE WHICH THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,083. UPDATED 02/17/10. *LJ UPDATED 02/19/10.*JB

VEHICLE FAILS TO START OCCASIONALLY, LIGHTS TURN ON WITH NORMAL BRIGHTNESS INDICATING IT IS PROBABLY NOT A BATTERY ISSUE,BUT NO CRANKING . DEALER CHECKED THE CAR, BUT COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE DATE BELOW IS THE APPROX LAST INCIDENT DATE. *TR

OCCASIONALLY THE CAR WILL TRY TO ACCELERATE, WHEN THE FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE OFF THE ACCELERATOR. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST FOUR TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THIS NEW VEHICLE IN SEPT. OF 2009. *TR

I BOUGHT A TOYOTA RAV-4 SPORT IN JANUARY 2009. IT IS A V-6 WITH THE RUN FLAT TIRES. IN JULY, I PURCHASED A NEW, VERY EXPENSIVE COMPUTERIZED SEWING MACHINE--ONE THAT I HAD HOPED TO BE ABLE TO BUY FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. IT WAS JUST OVER $1400.00. I PLACED IT IN THE BACK OF MY RAV AND DROVE HOME. I SWUNG OPEN THE TAILGATE, NOT THINKING I HAD TO PEAK INSIDE FIRST. THE SEWING MACHINE FELL RIGHT OUT OF THE CAR UNTO THE CEMENT GARAGE FLOOR. I WAS DEVASTATED. THEN I THOUGHT HOW LUCKY I WAS THAT MY FOOT OR MY SMALL DOG WAS NOT INJURED. A TODDLER OR AN INFANT IN AN INFANT SEAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. I REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT THE COMPUTER IN MY SEWING MACHINE. MY HUSBAND, KNOWING HOW UPSET I WAS, AND SEEING THAT THERE WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, CUT A 2X4 AND WEDGED IT IN ALONG THE EDGE, THUS PREVENTING MY GROCERIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE FROM FALLING RIGHT OUT OF THE CAR AS I OPENED THE DOOR. THE OTHER CONCERN I HAVE ABOUT THIS CAR IS THAT THERE ARE NO RUN-FLAT SNOW TIRES AVAILABLE AND WE LIVE IN AN AREA THAT IS HILLY, WITH A LOT OF SNOW. THE SO-CALLED, "ALL-WEATHER," DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TREAD FOR OUR TERRAIN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH , THERE WAS UNINTENDED VEHICLE ACCELERATION. AFTER BRAKE APPLICATION HE WAS ABLE TO DECELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

CONSUMER WANTS THE EVENT DATA RECORDER REMOVED OR DISABLED ON HIS 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED HAVING A DEVICE INSTALLED ON A VEHICLE HE PAID CASH FOR IS A POTENTIAL THREAT TO HIS CIVIL RIGHTS. *JB

TOYOTA 2001 RAV4, TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, DOESN'T WANT TO GO WHEN YOU STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. *TR

TOYOTA 2001 RAV4, TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, DOESN'T WANT TO GO WHEN YOU STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, DUE TO A BAD ECM. *TR

IT TRANSMISSION GEARS SEEMS SLIPPING WHEN GOING FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND. SOMETIMES IT WAS LIKE HORSE RIDING JUMPING. IT HAPPENED TWICE WHEN I WAS DOING A LEFT TURN AND ALMOST GOT INTO ACCIDENT WITH THE COMING VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM IS THE ECU AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 RAV4. WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL SHE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED VEHICLE ACCELERATION. SHE HAD TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO THE NEUTRAL GEAR IN ORDER TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT FLOOR MAT INTERFERENCE CAUSED THE FAILURE. AN ENGINEER SENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER WILL RE-INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 10,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.

AN EMERGENCY STOP FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS (65 MPH) ON HOT (85+F) DRY PAVEMENT RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN EXPECTED BRAKING CAPACITY. BEST GUESS IS THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM THROTTLED BACK AVAILABLE BRAKING CAPACITY. BRAKE PEDAL CAN BE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR AT WILL BUT THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM TAKES OVER BRAKING. THE BRAKES CANNOT BE IMMEDIATELY RELEASED AND ADDITIONAL PRESSURE (BRAKING) CANNOT BE APPLIED. *TR

I WAS INVOLVED IN A MULTI-CAR COLLISION. MY DRIVERS AIR BAG DID NOT INFLATE ALTHOUGH THOSE IN THE OTHER CARS DID. THIS RESULTED IN MORE SERIOUS INJURY TO ME THAN SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED. *TR

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKES AND THE POSITION OF THE BRAKE SWITCH IN RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PEDAL INTERFERED IN BRAKING WHENEVER HE STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. CONTACT STATED HE ALMOST HAD TWO ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKES. CONTACT CALL THE TOYOTA MANUFACTURE BECAUSE HE JUST PURCHASE THE VEHICLE IN SEPTEMBER 4, 2009 THEY INFORM HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER SO THEY CAN CHECK IF THERE WAS ANY ALTERING OF THE BRAKES OR ARE ALL ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. CONTACT STATED HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM OF THE BRAKES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 650....MW

2009 RAV4 1700 MI. HAD A TIRE PATCH REPAIRED AT A VERY REPUTABLE ,EXCLUSIVELY TIRES BUSINESS. WHEN THE SERVICEMAN ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE LAST LUG AT THE RECOMMENDED 80 FT LB TORQUE, THE WHEEL STUD SNAPPED OFF. THE AFFECTED STUD WAS/ IS NOT MIS-THREADED AND SHOWS A SHINY WEAK SPOT IN THE INTERIOR OF THE STUD. *TR

WE PURCHASED A NEW RAV4, IN MAY 2009. YESTERDAY WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED THE LEFT REAR TIRE EXPLOSIVELY BLEW OUT THE SIDEWALL, THE CAR HAS 2400 MILES ON IT. THE PERSON WHO WITNESSED THE FAILURE SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE A SHOTGUN BLAST. I ALSO FOUND THIS IN OUR TOYOTA VEHICLE OWNER SERVICE RECORDS: BY DEALER 05/05/09TOYOTA OF MCDONOUGH 5 0092548REPAIR FLAT TIREVIEW DETAILS BASICALLY THIS CAR HAS HAD TWO TIRE FAILURES IN LESS THAN 3000 MILES. A RELATIVE OF OURS, THE ONE WHO RECOMMENDED THE RAV 4 TO US, HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE WITH HIS NEW 2009 RAV4 WITH YOKOHAMA TIRES, BUT SINCE HE WAS ON THE INTERSTATE TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED THE TIRE WAS SHREDDED TO BADLY TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. *TR

HEADRESTS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. AFTER PLACING THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE SMOKE MOSTLY APPEARED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THERE WERE VERY STRONG FLAMES COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE HEAT FROM THE FIRE MELTED THE GARAGE DOOR. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THE FIRE MARSHALL STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS DUE TO A MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND IS STILL AT THE PARKING GARAGE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 3,000.