2020 Toyota RAV4

OVER A PERIOD OF TME WATER HAS BEEN COLLECTING IN THE RIGHT REAR DOOR. UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE RAV4 OF THIS PARTICLE YEAR. DURING MY SEARCH I FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE DRAIN HOLES AT BOTTOM OF THE DOOR UNDER A RUBBER GASKET. I LIFTED THE GASKET UP AND THERE WAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT CAME OUT. AFTER A COUPLE MORE RAINS THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED FROM AND TOLD THEM THE PROBLEM AND THEY STATED THAT THE GASKET ON THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED , BUT NOT ONLY THE RIGHT REAR DOOR BUT ALL THREE OF THE OTHER DOORS AS WELL, BUT COULD NOT EXPLAIN TO ME HOW THE WATER WAS GETTING IN THE DOORS. I HAD TO PAY OVER $500 IN ORDER TO GET THIS REPAIR WHICH I FEEL THE COST SHOULD BE ABSORBED BY TOYOTA BECAUSE A DESIGN FLAW. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound of slushing water coming from inside the front driver’s side door panels. Additionally, water from the door panels had leaked into the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who informed the contact that the door seals were faulty and needed to be replaced, and the drainage holes needed to be modified. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact was concerned that mold contamination might occur due to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 6,000.

The rear hatch liftgate hinges are not adequately structured to withhold pressure under normal use. Over varied short durations of time from the vehicle being new, the rear liftgate hinge's structure fails. The hinges split and crack. This damage occurs despite factory liftgate struts being in plate to assist in the opening of the liftgate. In my case this issue first appeared during and after a snowstorm. A multitude of similar complaints on forums. This has caused my liftgate to misalign and not close. I have had to turn off the auto liftgate and slowly close it despite it is now rubbing the right rear fender/quarter area. As of now I have to repair the issue with new hinges that have not been redesigned, that will again likely prematurely fail. You can view the complaints within Toyota Forums, all see February 2024 class action lawsuit, Hughes vs Toyota attached with the below photos

Tailgate hinge assembly failed/failing. It is available for inspection upon request. Failed hinge has placed the tailgate out of alignment. This prevents the tailgate to close properly, allowing for weather penetration, as well as preventing full closure of tailgate. This safety concern can potentially allow the tailgate to fall off the vehicle during travel, placing myself and others at risk of severe injury. The problem has not been confirmed/reproduced by a dealer or independent service center. The vehicle/component has not been inspected by any other representatives. There were no warning lamps, or any other symptoms prior to failure. This problem first occurred at 0625am, FEB09_2024. Tailgate opened with no issues. Tailgate failed to close on its own, due to misalignment.

There is a recall for the roof rails leaking water which can damage the air bags and electrical components. They will not fix the roof with new gaskets unless you actually see the water coming in. My concern is that it is leaking and I'm just not seeing it because the 110 degree weather. I do not want to be in an accident with my wife and kids in the car and have the air bags not work. They should fix the gaskets before it leaks and leads to further potential damage or even life threatening results(air bags being wet and not deploying). They will not fix my roof until it actually starts leaking even tho there is a recall in place. This is ridiculous.