2005 Toyota RAV4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DAN CAVA TOYOTA WORLD LLC. (2510 WHITE HALL BLVD, FAIRMONT, WV 26554, 304-366-2720) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VAPOR CANISTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TT *TR

THERE IS A KNOWN MANUFACTURING DEFECT, AS DESCRIBED BY TOYOTA TSB SB-0015-11, RELATING TO DEFECTIVE CYLINDER HEAD BOLT THREADS. THIS DEFECT CAUSES RAPID BURNING OF COOLANT IN THE ENGINE, LEADING TO OVERHEATING AND EXCESSIVE SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD, AND SEPARATION OF THE ENGINE HEAD RESULTING IN LOSS OF COMPRESSION AND FIRE HAZARD. VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN WHEN THE ISSUE MANIFESTED. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO REPAIR, RECALL, OR WARRANTY THE DEFECT OR ANY REPAIRS RESULTING FROM THE SAME. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON MANY AUTOMOTIVE FORUMS, ALONG WITH CONFIRMATIONS FROM CERTIFIED AUTOMOTIVE MECHANICS.

1) EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION STARTED EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN OIL INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON WELL BEFORE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WAS DUE. INITIALLY, THE MECHANIC WAS NOT CONCERNED AND JUST TOPPED OFF THE OIL, AND I HAD THE OIL CHANGED AT THE NEXT SCHEDULED DATE (MECHANIC DID NOTE THAT THE OIL WAS AGAIN LOW, BUT NOT LOW ENOUGH TO ENGAGE THE OIL LIGHT). ABOUT A 1000 MILES AFTER THAT CHANGE, THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, AND THE MECHANIC DID THE SAME THING. WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN, I TOOK THE CAR TO A DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOP AND HAD THE OIL CHANGED (EARLIER THAN SCHEDULED), AND PERSONALLY VERIFIED THE OIL LEVEL. SAME THING AGAIN, AND THIS TIME HAD THE SHOP RUN A DIAGNOSTIC ($250 TYVM) AND WAS TOLD THE REPAIR (REMOVE AND REPLACE THE CYLINDER HEAD VALVE STEM SEALS, HEAD GASKET, AND VALVE COVER GASKET) WOULD COST IN EXCESS OF $3,400.00. 2) CHECK ENGINE AND VSC TRAC INDICATOR LIGHTS ENGAGED AND MECHANIC INITIALLY INDICATED THAT AN NEW GAS CAP WAS NEEDED, HOWEVER THIS DID NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE, AND HAD A DIAGNOSTIC RAN ($250 TYVM) AND WAS TOLD THE REPAIR (REMOVE AND REPLACE THE EVAC CANISTER) WOULD COST IN EXCESS OF $875.00. KIND OF DISAPPOINTED IN THE "TOYOTA QUALITY" AT THIS POINT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. IN ADDITION, THE SUN VISOR WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,858.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THREADS IN THE ENGINE BLOCK WERE FRACTURED AND THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING COOLANT. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A LOUD BANG AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS THE TRANSMISSION WAS SKIPPING. I JUST BARELY REACHED A SPOT THAT I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE AGAIN I COULDN'T GO IN EITHER REVERSE OR DRIVE. I CHECKED AND I WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID, 2 HOURS LATER AFTER GETTING TOWED TO A AUTO BODY SHOP THEY TOLD ME THE DIFFERENTIAL BLEW UP AND THAT I HAD TO GET ME A NEW TRANSMISSION. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE A SAW THIS SAME THING HAPPENED TO OTHER PEOPLE BUT TOYOTA NEVER DID A RECALL!! NOW I HAVE TO PAY $300 TO GET IT TOWED AND ANOTHER $2600 TO GET IT FIXED ON A CAR THAT ONLY HAD 51,000 MILES.

I NOTICED THAT MY HEATER WASN'T WORKING. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEAD GASKET BOLTS WERE OVER-TORQUED DURING INSTALLATION AND THEY ARE STRIPPED. I HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF POSTINGS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. THIS PROBLEM IS SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPAIR. TOYOTA ISSUED A BULLETIN REGARDING THIS ISSUE IN 2004. THEY KNOWINGLY SOLD DEFECTIVE VEHICLES. *TR