2018 Toyota RAV4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,055.

SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED ON 11/25/2018, THE FRONT BRAKES CREAK WHILE ON DRIVE AND THE CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. THEY ASKED THAT I WAIT UNTILL 500 MILES TO LOOK AT THE ALIGNMENT. I TOOK IT IN AGAIN FOR THE BRAKES AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAT IN THE CAR AND HE HEARD THE BRAKE NOISE. HE RAN IT THROUGH TESTS AND SAID NOTHING WAS FOUND. HE WAS GOING TO WAIT FOR A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE TO COME AND THEN THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT BEFORE ANYTHING WAS DONE. IT IS NOW APRIL AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT ADDRESSED THE BRAKE ISSUE. THEY DID ADJUST THE ALIGNMENT DURING THE TIME, BUT IT STILL PULLS TO THE LEFT. AFTER THE ALIGNMENT, THERE WAS A SLIDING GRINDING NOISE ON THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE. THE NOISES OCCUR WHEN YOU COME TO A STOP AND RELEASE THE BRAKES. BOTH ISSUES HAVE BEEN PRESENT SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED HAVE NOT BEEN RESOLVED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA RAV4. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CAR WASH, THE CONTACT NOTICED WATER LEAKING ONTO THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR. SUN TOYOTA (3001 US-19, HOLIDAY, FL 34691, (727) 310-3070) PERFORMED A TEST ON THE VEHICLE WITH THE SAME HIGH PRESSURE CAR WASH AND WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED WITH THREE SIMILAR VEHICLES THAT WERE TESTED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW, AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO USE A DIFFERENT CAR WASH UNTIL THEY COULD MAKE A DESIGN CHANGE. THE DEALER KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR 15 DAYS AND PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE. THE DEALER DID NOT REQUEST THE LOANER BACK UNTIL THE CONTACT HIRED AN ATTORNEY. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE DEALER HAD TO INDICATE THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH THE VEHICLE. THE ATTORNEY WAS WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 400.

AUTO LIGHT FEATURE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY: ON MANY OCCASIONS (ABOUT 2-3 TIMES PER WEEK), WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION EARLY IN THE MORNING AND AT NIGHT, WITH THE HEADLIGHTS IN THE "AUTO" MODE AND THE AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAM FEATURE ENABLED. WHEN STARTING THE CAR, THE AUTO LIGHT FUNCTION SEEMS TO BE DELAYED. IT DOES NOT WORK INITIALLY BUT STARTS WORKING AFTER THE CAR IS IN MOTION FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. THE AUTO LIGHT FEATURE IS NOT STAYING ON AFTER CAR IS IN MOTION AT NIGHT, LIGHTS TURN OFF BY THEMSELVES FOR A FEW SECONDS CAUSING ME TO DRIVE WITHOUT LIGHTS BEFORE THEY TURN THEMSELVES BACK ON. LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY, OTHERWISE IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER A FEW TIMES TO FIX THE ISSUE BUT THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. NO SOLUTION. THEY SUGGUESTED THAT I MANUALLY OPERATE THE LIGHTS. I DO NOT THINK THAT I OR ANY OTHER CAR OWNERS SHOULD PAY MONEY FOR A BRAND NEW CAR THAT OFFERS CONVENIENCE FEATURES THAT DO NOT WORK. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A MECHANIC AT THIS PARTICULAR DEALERSHIP THAT OWNS THE SAME CAR MODEL AND IS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH HIS CAR. THIS ISSUE IS NEW AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE IS NOT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. ALSO, THERE ARE TIMES THAT I SMELL GAS IN THE CAR WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. THE DEALER COULDN'T FIND ANY GAS LEAKS WHEN CHECKED.

REPEATEDLY, WHILE IN MOTION, WITH THE HEADLIGHTS IN THE "AUTO" MODE, AND THE "AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAM FEATURE ENABLED (WHICH SWITCHES THE HEADLIGHTS FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM AUTOMATICALLY BASED ON THE PRESENCE OF ONCOMING HEADLIGHTS/TAIL LIGHTS AHEAD/AMBIENT LIGHT LEVELS) THE AUTO HIGHBEAM FEATURE WILL DISABLE ITSELF, GENERALLY TIED TO THE PASSING OF A CAR WITH BRIGHT LIGHTS. WHEN THIS FEATURE DISABLES ITSELF IT PREVENTS ALL USE OF HIGHBEAMS. THE ONLY WAY TO GET HIGHBEAMS WHILE THE FEATURE IS "DISABLED" (EVEN IN COMPLETE DARKNESS) IS TO "ROTATE" THE STALK CONTROL AWAY FROM "AUTO HEADLIGHT" TO "MANUAL HEADLIGHT". THE FEATURE EVENTUALLY RE-ENABLES ITSELF, BUT USUALLY TAKES A NUMBER OF MINUTES, LEAVING ME WITHOUT THE SAFETY OF HIGHBEAMS FOR THAT PERIOD, UNLESS I GO THROUGH THE CUMBERSOME ACT OF TURNING HEADLAMPS TO "MANUAL". THIS IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS DURING MY COMMUTE WHERE I DRIVE A NUMBER OF MILES ON UNLIT STATE ROADS. I RELY ON HIGHBEAMS TO ALERT ME TO THE PRESENCE OF DEER AND OTHER ANIMALS CROSSING THE ROAD WHICH OCCURS ROUTINELY. NOT HAVING HIGHBEAMS FOR A NUMBER OF MILES EXPOSES ME TO THE RISK OF NOT SEEING THESE HAZARDS IN TIME TO REACT PROPERLY. IN ADDITION, HAVING TO DIVERT MY ATTENTION TO WHETHER THIS FEATURE HAS DISABLED ITSELF AND TAKING MANUAL ACTION TO CIRCUMVENT THE ISSUE IS A DISTRACTION WHILE MY FOCUS SHOULD BE ON POSSIBLE HAZARDS. I HAVE REPORTED THE ISSUE TO TOYOTA. CASE NUMBER [XXX] HAS BEEN ASSIGNED. A TOYOTA CASE MANAGER CONTACTED ME AND STATED THAT SHE EXPERIENCES THE VERY SAME ISSUE WITH HER 2018 RAV4 BUT THERE ARE NO FIXES IDENTIFIED BY TOYOTA FOR THE ISSUE, SO THEREFORE THERE IS NOTHING SHE OR THE DEALER CAN DO. I STRONGLY FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN THAT THERE IS A RISK THAT AN ACCIDENT WILL OCCUR, POSSIBLY THE STRIKING OF A PEDESTRIAN, DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY OR DISTRACTION TRYING TO OVERRIDE THE FEATURE WHILE DRIVING. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT

OUR 2018 RAV4 WINDSHIELD SPONTANEOUSLY CRACKED STARTING AT THE POINT WHERE THE WINDSHIELD CAMERA IS MOUNTED ON THE FRONT WITH REAR VIEW MIRROR ATTACHED. WE DO NOT RECALL THAT ANYTHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD, AND THE CRACK APPEARED ON THE CAR OVERNIGHT WHILE PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY. THE CRACK STARTS AT THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD WHERE THE SAFETY SENSE 2.0 CAMERA IS MOUNTED, AND EXTENDS DOWN ALMOST HALFWAY TO THE BOTTOM, AND THEN MAKES A 90 DEGREE TURN TOWARD THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, EXTENDS FOR ABOUT 1 1/2 FT., AND THEN MAKES ANOTHER 90 DEGREE TURN DOWN TOWARD THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FOR APPROXIMATELY 3". THE PHOTO DOES NOT SHOW HOW LONG THE CRACK IS, BUT MOSTLY WHERE IT BEGINS. WE HAVE ADDED RED LINES TO SHOW THE FIRST 90 DEGREE TURN, AND DOTTED LINE TO SHOW THE EXTENDED CRACK THAT IS NOT VISIBLE, AND THE 2ND 90 DEGREE TURN. WE BELIEVE THAT THE WINDSHIELD DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IS FAULTY, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE PRIUS MODEL IS ALREADY IN LEGAL TALKS WITH TOYOTA OVER THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BY TOYOTA, ALTHOUGH OUR TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS SPONTANEOUS CRACKED WINDSHIELD WHICH WE DID NOT CAUSE. THE DEALERSHIP QUOTED A PRICE TO US FOR THEM TO REPLACE IT FOR JUST UNDER $1,600. WE FEEL THAT THIS IS WRONG AND UNFAIR.

I HAVE A NEW XLE AND THE HEADLIGHTS ARE DANGEROUS. THESE ARE PROJECTOR HEADLIGHTS THAT CAST A VERY FOCUSED BEAM FORWARD. IT IS FRIGTENING WHEN YOU DRIVE IN SOME ROADS WITHOUT A LOT OF AMBIENT LIGHT. WITH THE LOW BEAMS ON, IT IS LIKE SOMEONE PAINTED THE TOP HALF OF MY WINDSHIELD BLACK. THERE IS LITTLE PERIPHERAL ILLUMINATION, SO I CAN SEE WHAT IS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME, AND NOTHING ELSE. WHERE THE ROAD INCLINES DOWN, THE ILLUMINATION CUTS OUT JUST A FEW FEET OFF THE GROUND, BELOW THE LEVEL OF THINGS LIKE STOP SIGNS. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO PERIPHERAL ILLUMINATION RIGHT AT THE FRONT OF THE CAR, SO WHEN I TURN, I CAN'T SEE WHAT I'M TURNING INTO UNTIL IT'S DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF MY CAR, LIKE PEDESTRIANS. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME NOT TO USE LED BULBS, BECAUSE IT COULD CAUSE ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THE CAR.

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AROUND 740AM ON 287 SOUTH JUST PAST RT 24. DASHBOARD HAS "4WD" WARNING AND SMOKE COMING OUT FROM HOOD. I QUICKLY MOVED TO THE SHOULDER AND FIRE BROKE OUT BEFORE CAR CAME TO FULL STOP, ALL WITHIN ONE MINUTE. I BARELY ESCAPE THE CAR AND CALLED POLICE AND FIRE DEPT. THEY CAME AND PUT OFF THE FIRE. THERE ARE TWO EXPLOSIONS BEFORE THE FIRE WAS PUT OFF.

IF YOU DRIFT AWAY FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE OR OBSTACLE (PEDESTRIAN, BICYCLE, ETC) THAT IS ALSO DRIFTING INTO YOUR LANE, THE LDA SYSTEM (LANE DEPARTURE ASSIST, WHICH IS TOUTED AS A SAFETY FEATURE) WILL PULL YOU BACK TOWARDS THE OBSTACLE YOU ARE TRYING TO AVOID. CLEARLY THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE REMOVED AS A "FEATURE" FROM THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA SHOULD ALSO STOP CALLING THIS A SAFETY FEATURE. SECONDLY, THE RADAR ASSISTED CRUISE CONTROL WILL START BRAKING IF IT SEES THE VEHICLE IN FRONT IS SLOWING DOWN. HOWEVER, IF THE SYSTEM THEN THINKS AN ACCIDENT IS IMMINENT, THE CRASH WARNING SHOWS UP AND THE CRUISE CONTROLLED BRAKING IS THEN DISABLED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP THE BRAKING PROCESS, AND THEREBY CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD SINCE THE CAR WILL NOW COAST INTO THE OBSTACLE. AGAIN, THIS IS A SURPRISING AND TERRIBLE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SYSTEM THAT SHOULD BE REMOVED OR FIXED.