2004 Toyota RAV4

IN OCTOBER/2013 WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD, MY 2004 TOYOTA RAV4 START SMOKING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, PULLED OVER AND SAW THAT IT WAS COOLANT FLUIDS ALL OVER THE ENGINE, TOWED TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC AND AFTER CHECK IT OUT, IT WAS LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE, RESULTS WAS THE HEAD BOLTS WERE LOOSE AND STRIPPED FROM THE BLOCK OF THE ENGINE, AND THE HEAD GASKET WAS CRACKED, REPLACED THE AFFECTED PARTS, NEW COOLANT, TOTAL COST $1874.00, THE VEHICLE IS BACK ON THE ROAD, NOTE TO THAT IS THAT THE CAR HAS ONLY 53000 MILES, PURCHASED NEW A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS ONLY WHAT IT WAS DRIVEN. TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS (3 CONTACTED), THEY WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PROBLEM AND THEY "HAVE NOT KNOWLEDGE OR RECALLS FOR THE PROBLEM", (LITTLE HARD TO BELIEVED TO ME) THE LOCAL MECHANIC FOUND THAT THERE IS A KIT TO FIX THE PROBLEM, DRILL AND RE-TAP, INSERT NEW HEAD BOLTS, NEW HEAD GASKET, BACK ON THE ROAD. UNFORTUNATELY TOYOTA AS MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY OR HAVE THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE PROBLEM, ARGUING THE VEHICLE ALREADY IS OUT OF WARRANTY, EVEN AS IS NOTED IS A MANUFACTURER ISSUE. *TR

VEHICLE DECELERATE, IGNORES THROTTLE INPUT WITH ESP LIGHT FLASHING AND SOMETIMES A 'BEEPING' SOUND WITH VIOLENT SEQUENTIAL BRAKE APPLICATION BY ITSELF OF RIGHT FRONT WHEEL, WITH THE VIOLENT CONSEQUENCE THAT IT HAS ON STEERING WHEEL. MADE A 'RESET' OF STEERING WHEEL ANGLE SENSOR PROCEDURE BY TOYOTA STEPS. PROBLEM NOT SOLVED. BY MY EXPERIENCE AS AN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN I SUSPECTED OF AN ESP PROBLEM. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A SLIGHTLY INCREASED INPUT OF STEERING WHEEL NEEDED TO HAVE THE SAME EFFECT THAN BEFORE. BY VISUAL INSPECTION, WITH ANOTHER PERSON MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL, THERE WAS AN EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT (PLAY) OF STEERING 'RACK AND PINION' FROM ITS MOUNTING BUSHINGS TO THE BODY. Y PAY TO HAVE THOSE BUSHINGS REPLACED, AND PROBLEM SOLVED. IT IS A COMMON ISSUE. NOW 135,000 MILES AND STILL NO PROBLEMS. THE ESP, BECAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE STEERING WHEEL ANGLE SENSOR READING (CAUSED BY THE ADDITIONAL INPUT REQUIRED BY RACK AND PINION DEFECTIVE MOUNTING BUSHINGS) BEHAVES LIKE VEHICLE IS GOING STRAIGHT, SLIDING, INSTEAD OF TAKING THE TURN, SO THE ESP TRY TO 'CORRECT' A CONDITION THAT IT'S NOT HAPPENING. PROBLEMS COULD ALSO HAPPENS TO VEHICLES GOING STRAIGHT (DECELERATING, ESP LIGHT FLASHING, BEEPING SOUND AND/OR VIOLENT BRAKE APPLIED TO ONE OF FRONTAL WHEELS). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE TRACTION CONTROL ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING AND BRAKES LOCKED AND THE WARNING CHIME BEGAN TO SOUND. THE VSC WARNING LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. *TR

I ENTERED MY CAR IN THE HOME GARAGE WHILE COASTING AND THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AS I APPROACHED ABOUT 5 FEET WITHIN MY PARKING SPOT. AFTER THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, IT WAS A MATTER OF SECONDS BEFORE THE CAR CRASHED INTO A FLOOR CABINET AND REFRIGERATOR THAT RESTS AGAINST OUR GARAGE WALL STOPPING THE CAR'S FORWARD MOVEMENT AND ALLOWING ME PUT THE CAR IN THE DRIVE GEAR AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT INJURED. THE CRASH CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGES TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR, BOTH FRONT SIDE FENDERS, DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS, THE GARAGE WALL, FLOOR CABINET AND REFRIGERATOR. THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL INTERNAL DAMAGE UNDER THE HOOD BUT AT THIS POINT THAT HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE CAR DAMAGES ARE SO EXTENSIVE THAT IT MAY BE A TOTAL LOSS. OBVIOUSLY, I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED BY THIS INCIDENT AND WILL NOT TRUST THE CAR IN THE FUTURE. I PROMPTLY REPORTED THIS TO MY INSURANCE CO. AND FILED AN INCIDENT WITH TOYOTA AND REQUESTED THAT THEY PERFORM A ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS. *TR

I WAS STARTING TO MAKE A K-TURN IN A PARKING LOT. I PUT ON THE BRAKES TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE. I MOVED BACK IN REVERSE A LITTLE BIT. THEN I STOPPED THE CAR AND PUT IT IN DRIVE, WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD OUT OF MY CONTROL CRASHING INTO A GARBAGE DUMPSTER, FRIGHTENING ME AND DAMAGING MY VEHICLE SEVERELY. I AM CERTAIN I DID NOT GIVE THE CAR ANY GAS TO MAKE IT GO FORWARD AND CAUSE THAT ACCIDENT. I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT I SUFFERED ONLY MINOR ACHES AND PAINS AS I WAS 75 AT THE TIME. I STILL OWN THE RAV4 AND HAVE HAD NO OTHER ACCIDENTS OR PROBLEMS SINCE THAT TIME. NOW THAT I SEE THERE ARE RECALLS ON LATER YEAR VEHICLES, I WONDER ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE 2004 RAV4. I HOPE NHTSA CAN HELP ME. *TR

ON 02/27/2013, MY CAR WAS LEAKING COOLANT, SO I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER TO HAVE A CHECK. IT TURNS OUT THE COOLANT WERE LEAKING FROM THE HEAD GASKET AND THE HEAD BOLT WAS LOOSEN AND STRIPPED. THEY TOLD ME THEY CAN'T FIX THE LEAK. THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ENGINE. IT WILL COST ME $8,000 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. I TURNED TO INTERNET FOR HELP AND FOUND OUT A LOOSEN HEAD BOLT CAUSE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE IS A VERY COMMENT ISSUE FOR TOYOTA ENGINE 2AZ-FE. IT'S OBVIOUS TO ME THE STRIPED HEAD BOLT IS AN ENGINE DEFECT. THIS COULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED IF TOYOTA HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB TO ENSURE THE HEAD BOLT WON'T STRIPED OVER TIME. I AM NOT SAYING THE BOLTS SHOULD LAST FOREVER. HOWEVER, THE BOLTS IN A CAR ENGINE SHOULD OUT LAST THE BOLTS ON MY OUTDOOR DECK. *TR

MY CAR HAD THE CHECK ENGINE AND VSC TRAC LIGHTS CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME. IF I START THE CAR, PUT IT IN DRIVE AND PRESS ON THE GAS PEDAL SOMETIME NOTHING HAPPENS, SOMETIMES THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO TOYOTA DEALER NEXT. THEY SAID IT WAS A ACCELERATOR PEDAL ERROR (P2121 ERROR) AND CARD WAS NOT SAFE FOR DRIVING. THE CAR IS STILL AT TOYOTA DEALER FOR FURTHER TROUBLE SHOOTING. *TR

WHEN I DRIVE MY AUTOMATIC AWD 2004 RAV4 (143,000 MILES, ONLY OWNER, MAINTAINED WELL THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE) ON THE FREEWAY AROUND SLIGHT CURVES, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT TURNS ON AND BEEPS LOUDLY. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED MY ENGINE STALLED, JERKED, AND THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY SWERVED ME INTO THE NEXT LANE, ALMOST CAUSING A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT, I WAS NOT APPLYING THE BRAKE OR TURNING THE WHEEL. IT WAS LIKE THE CAR HAD A MIND OF ITS OWN. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR A DIAGNOSTIC ON THE CAR, BUT THEY COULD NOT GIVE ANY SOLID ANSWERS ON WHY MY CAR IS HAVING THIS PROBLEM, AND THAT THE TECH ALMOST CRASHED MY CAR DURING THE TEST DRIVE. AFTER PAYING $100, THEY SAID IT COULD POSSIBLY BE DUE TO BLOWN REAR STRUTS THAT ARE CAUSING THE BACK WHEELS TO BOUNCE AROUND FREEWAY CURVES WHICH MAKE THE SPEED SENSORS THINK ONE OF THE WHEELS IS SKIDDING AND ACTIVATES THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM, BUT THEY WERE NOT COMPLETELY SURE. THEY SAID THE SENSORS WERE ALL GOOD. THEY WOULDN'T TELL ME ANYTHING ELSE UNLESS I STARTED OUT BY SPENDING OVER $2000 TO TRY FIXING RANDOM THINGS THEY RECOMMENDED. THEY TOLD ME IT IS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. BEFORE THE DIAGNOSTIC AT TOYOTA, I HAD ALREADY CLEANED ALL THE SENSORS AND SPEED RINGS, AND ALL THE SPEED RINGS ARE INTACT. THE CAR DOES NOT THROW ANY CODES OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT IS THE ONLY LIGHT THAT COMES ON WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND ONCE THE CAR GETS BACK TO NORMAL (IE PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OR OFF THE FREEWAY), THE LIGHT AND ALARM TURN OFF. I HAVE TRIED DISCONNECTING AND RECONNECTING THE BATTERY. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFETY FEATURE ON THE CAR, YET IT IS MALFUNCTIONING AND MAKING MY CAR INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE! ALSO, I LIVE IN ARIZONA...THERE WAS NO RAIN, SNOW, ICE OR MUD WHEN THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY...THE SYSTEM ACTIVATES ON ITS OWN. PLEASE HELP! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A LEFT TURN WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SLID FORWARD AND PROCEEDED TO CRASH OVER A CURB AND INTO A POLE. THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CRASH, SMOKE BEGAN EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISING AND PAIN TO THE LOWER BACK. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE AND WAS LATER DISCHARGED WITH NO MAJOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY LOT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND SENT AN ENGINEER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINEER ADVISED THAT THE CRASH DID NOT OCCUR IN BETWEEN BOTH DOORS SO THE CURTAIN AIR BAGS WOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. ADDITIONALLY, THE ENGINEER STATED THAT THE FRONT BUMPER PUSHED THE ENGINE BACK AND FRACTURED THE TRANSMISSION LINES, CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE MANIFOLD. AS A RESULT, THE FAILURE RESULTED IN A FIRE WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO MELT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000.

I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND VSC LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH. NOTICED THAT AS I CONTINUED TO DRIVE HOME AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CAR WAS NOT SHIFTING INTO OVERDRIVE AND THE RPM'S WERE VERY HIGH. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THE CODE SHOWED THAT THE SOLENOID WAS BAD. THE PART WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $750. THEN TOLD THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM, NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND ANOTHER $4300. I KNOW THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR THE 2001-2003 TOYOTA RAV4 TRANSMISSIONS, THINK IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE 2004 AS THE PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE THE SAME. THIS PROBLEM IS DANGEROUS AND COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND DAMAGE TO MYSELF OR OTHERS. BOUGHT A TOYOTA FOR RELIABILITY AND WHAT I THOUGHT WERE GREAT VEHICLES. VERY SAD WHEN I READ ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS WITH THIS VEHICLE. I KNOW WHAT MY NEXT CAR WILL NOT BE. *TR