2004 Toyota RAV4

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR ON OUR 2004 TOYOTA RAV4 WILL NOT STAY UP. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IT PARTIALLY OBSTRUCTS YOUR VISION WHEN IT DROPS DOWN WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING. THE VISOR IS CLIPPED IN AT THE TIME, BUT IT ROTATES INTO A DOWN POSITION ON ITS OWN. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR QUITE AWHILE, AND I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL SOLUTIONS TO KEEPING THE VISOR SECURED IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. THE TOYOTA DEALER DOES NOT CONSIDER IT A DEFECT AND THEIR ANSWER IS TO BUY A NEW ONE. HOWEVER, SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE POSTED ONLINE THAT THE NEW ONE FAILS AFTER AWHILE, TOO. THIS IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH TOYOTAS, BECAUSE 2001-2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDERS AND TUNDRAS HAVE ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM. IT IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET ON ONLINE DISCUSSION BOARDS. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH ANY OTHER CAR IN 30+ YEARS OF DRIVING. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER TWO REAR WINDOWS SHATTERED SPONTANEOUSLY. ON ONE OCCASION, THE CONTACT HAD JUST TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND THE WINDOW JUST POPPED, SHATTERED, AND EXPLODED. THE SECOND TIME, THE CONTACT HAD JUST GOTTEN INTO THE VEHICLE AND CLOSED THE DRIVER DOOR WHEN THE REAR WINDOW DRIVER SIDE ALSO POPPED, SHATTERED, AND EXPLODED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS AND THEY REFERRED HER TO A LOCAL DEALER. SHE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT TOYOTA, BUT THEY HAVE NOT RETURNED HER CALLS. THE PURCHASE DATE AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

WHILE SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY DURING MY LUNCH HOUR, 1310 HOURS, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED. THE CRACK STARTS AT THE TOP PASSENGER SIDE, COMES AND AT ALMOST THE MIDDLE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE, CURVES TOWARDS THE DRIVER'S SIDE. CAR IS 2 1/2 YEARS OLD. CAR WAS TAKEN FOR SERVICE THE NEXT DAY. TOYOTA REFUSES REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. FOUR SERVICE TECH'S SAID THEY SEE NO ROCK CHIPS, AND SAID THE CRACK IS DUE TO FACTORY FAILURE. HOWEVER, ON THE SERVICE REPORT, IT'S WRITTEN THAT CRACK IS DUE TO HEAT. I LIVE IN EUREKA, CALIFORNIA, ON THE COAST, WHERE THE HIGH MIGHT BE 63 DEGREES IF WE ARE LUCKY! *JB

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH ALL WINDOWS DOWN, HEARD A LOUD NOISE LOOKED BACK TO SEE THE REAR DOOR WINDOW SHATTER COMPLETELY. UPON INSPECTION, THERE WAS NO SIGN OF ANY FOREIGN OBJECTS INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE WINDOW PULLED AWAY ABOUT 3/4 INCH ON BOTH EDGES, IT BOWED OUTWARDS AND THERE WAS A RECTANGULAR OPENING IN THE GLASS ABOUT 6 INCHES WIDE BY 2 INCHES HIGH. THE LOCAL DEALER CONCURRED THAT IT WAS NOT A NORMAL REACTION TO THE GLASS BEING HIT BY AN OBJECT BUT SAID NO INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED THEREFORE WILL NOT PAY FOR THE COST OF THE GLASS. *JB

THE VEHICLE HAD A REAR DOOR WITH A WINDOW AND WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH A POP WAS HEARD. THE WINDOW SHATTERED THEN STARTED BREAKING AWAY. IT WAS A MILD DAY. A POLICE OFFICER WAS NEARBY WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, BUT DID NOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF A FOREIGN OBJECT, SUCH AS A BULLET OR ROCK, ETC. TOYOTA WAS CONTACTED AND WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY DEFECT WITH THE WINDOW. THE LOCAL DEALER SAID THAT NO INCIDENTS WERE REPORTED BY TOYOTA. *AK *SC *JB