2011 Toyota RAV4

TWO MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4 LIMTED V6, THE CAR SHOWED THREE WARNING LIGHTS: THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT, AND THE VSC (VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL) LIGHT WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. AFTER RUNNING A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DIAGNOSTIC, THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND TO BE THE O2 SENSOR. MY HUSBAND REPLACED THE SENSOR, AND THE NEXT DAY AFTER DRIVING ROUGHLY 10 MILES ON A RURAL LOCAL ROAD THE SAME LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. THESE WARNING LIGHTS DISABLE THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE AND VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL SIMPLY DUE TO AN EXHAUST ISSUE. THIS IS UNNECESSARY AND DANGEROUS FOR DRIVING IN ANY KIND OF INCLEMENT WEATHER. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND THIS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF TOYOTA. READING THE FORUMS, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT ANY SOLUTION TRIED RESULTED IN THE SAME WARNING LIGHTS OCCURRING AGAIN AND AGAIN. BELOW ARE THE LINKS TO THE VARIOUS FORUMS I CONSULTED: HTTPS://WWW.RAV4WORLD.COM/FORUMS/96-4-3-GENERAL/68870-BAD-OXYGEN-SENSOR-CRIPPLES-RAV4.HTML HTTPS://WWW.RAV4WORLD.COM/FORUMS/88-4-2-FAULTS-FIXES/166049-O2-SENSORS.HTML HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T38566_DS710420 HTTPS://REPAIRPAL.COM/OXYGEN-SENSOR-MAY-FAIL-281 THIS APPEARS TO BE A WIDE SPREAD ISSUE THAT HAS LARGELY NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE REMEDIED BY MECHANICS OR AUTO ENTHUSIASTS. IT IS MY FEELING THAT GIVEN THE FREQUENCY OF THIS ISSUE AND THE LACK OF A CLEAR SOLUTION, A RECALL SHOULD BE INITIATED.

RAV4 -CEL, 4WD, TRAC OFF ALL THREE LIGHTS CAME ON. I HAD THEM READ 4 TIMES BY 3 DIFFERENT MECHANICS. EACH TIME I WAS TOLD REAR OXYGEN SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAD THE SENSOR REPLACED TWICE IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS TO CONFIRM IT WASN'T A FAULTY SENSOR. THE ALL 3 LIGHTS CAME BACK ON IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS. FYI: THE OTHER SENSOR WAS REPLACED AS WELL.

I RECENTLY HAD THE CHARCOAL CANISTER THAT FILTERS GAS FUELS FAIL. THIS CAUSED TEH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. IN ADDITION THOUGH, THIS FAULT TOOK OUT 2 SAFETY SYSTEMS DUE TO THIS CODE. AFTER THE LIGHT CAME ON MY BRAKE ANTI SKID SYSTEM AND CRUISE CONTROL WERE INOPERABLE. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL. IN MY OPINION, JUST BECAUSE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON SHOULD NOT CAUSE 2 SAFETY SYSTEMS TO BECOME INOPERABLE! WHY NO DISABLE THE AIRBAGS TOO. THE ANTI SKID SYSTEM HELPS YOU MAINTAIN STABILITY ON WET ROAD. I LIVE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WHERE THE ROADS ARE WET A LOT. I SEE FAILURE OF THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE. I USE CRUISE HABITUALLY SO KEEP ME UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT. I HAD TO DRIVE WITHOUT THESE 2 SYSTEMS FOR A MONTH TILL PARTS WERE AVAILABLE.

WHILE DRIVING 55-60 ON A HIGHWAY, MY ANTI-SKID WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, THE 4WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT A HALF HOUR LATER, FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE LIGHT APRX 1 HR LATER. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, WHILE DRIVING, THE CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT ON ME, THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY SLOWED AND I NOTICED THE CRUISE LIGHT FLASHING ON AND OFF. THE REMOTE START DID NOT WORK ON DAY #3, AS I TRAVELED TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED AT SERRA TOYOTA, TRAVERSE CITY, MI. THE SERVICE TECH TOLD ME THAT "THE MECHANIC LITERALLY POURED WATER OUT OF THE EVAP CANISTER, WE HAVE SEEN OTHER RAV'S W THIS PROBLEM AND WE HAVE A BULLETIN ON IT, SO TOYOTA IS AWARE. THE CANISTER IS FAULTY, WHICH ALLOWED ROAD WATER, (VERY WET, SLUSHY ROADS AT TIME), TO GET IN AND DAMAGE THE WIRING." THE SERVICE TECH ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE NEW CANISTER/HOSE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. I EMAILED TOYOTA JAPAN, THEY HAD "HENRY KERRY OF TOYOTA EXECUTIVE HEADQUARTERS, TORRENCE, CALIF CALL ME. MR. KERRY STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO OVERFILLING THE GAS TANK. I TOLD HIM THAT THE TECH SAID "(THEY) LITERALLY POURED WATER OUT AND THEY HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM PREVIOUSLY." MR. KERRY ADVISED THAT "I SHOULD HAVE TALKED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER TO GET THE FACTUAL INFO." BOTTOM LINE: I FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED THAT ELECTRICAL FAILURE COULD OCCUR, DUE TO CANISTER/HOSE FAILURE AND THAT A NEW PART HAD BEEN DEVELOPED WHICH, ONCE INSTALLED, WOULD PREVENT (ROAD) WATER FROM SHORTING OUT THE WIRING. (THE WORK ORDER RECEIPT STATES: ("WATER INTRUSION INTO EVAP SYSTEM") THANKS MUCH,[XXX] 'INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *BF

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED THE VEHICLE'S STABILITY, ANTILOCK BRAKES AND TRACTION CONTROL FUNCTIONS STOP FUNCTIONING AND THE INDICATOR LIGHT FOR ALL TURN ON. THE CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGES WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO DECELERATE RAPIDLY. I WAS IN TRAFFIC AND WAS ABLE TO ACCELERATE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKING APPEAR TO WORK PROPERLY BUT I AM UNABLE TO REENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. THIS IS EXACTLY THE SAME SYMPTOMS IN THE RECALL OF THE 2012 RAV4 BUT THE 2011 IS NOT INCLUDED. *JS

I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN VEHICLE ACCELERATION EVENT ON APRIL 6TH. I FOLLOWED TOYOTA'S INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE AND EVEN MET WITH A TECHNICAL EXPERT AND WE AGREE ON THE FOLLOWING POINTS: THE EVENT WOULD HAVE SHOWN UP AS TWO SEPARATE EVENTS IN THE ABS HISTORY QUEUE. AN INITIAL VSC EVENT (SUDDEN ACCELERATION) CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY THE ABS EVENT (MY PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL HARDER IN RESPONSE TO THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION) IF A CHECK OF THE ABS HISTORY QUEUE WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE IMMEDIATELY, BOTH EVENTS WOULD STILL HAVE BEEN STORED IN THE ABS HISTORY QUEUE. THE SMALL CAPACITY OF THE ABS HISTORY QUEUE, COUPLED WITH THE RECORDING OF MANY FREQUENT TRACTION CONTROL (TRAC) EVENTS PUSHED THE RECORD OF MY ABS- AND VSC EVENTS OUT OF THE ABS HISTORY QUEUE. THE ABS SYSTEM SHOULD NOT ENGAGE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED OR MOVING SLOWLY AS IN MY INCIDENT. SO, THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION OF THE CONTROL SYSTEM THAT REMAINS UNRESOLVED. TOYOTA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EXISTENCE OF THE PROBLEM. BECAUSE THE ABS SYSTEM SHOULD NOT HAVE ENGAGED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS EITHER STOPPED OR MOVING SLOWLY, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE. I THINK TOYOTA IS ENGAGED IN A COVER-UP REGARDING THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM. I REQUEST THAT THE US FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ORDER TOYOTA TO DO THE FOLLOWING SINCE THEY REFUSE TO DO IT VOLUNTARILY OR AT MY REQUEST: INCLUDE AN IMMEDIATE EXAMINATION OF THE ABS HISTORY QUEUE IN THE HEALTH CHECK. CREATE, AND INSTALL IN MY RAV4, A NEW VERSION OF ELECTRONIC CONTROL SOFTWARE THAT IMPLEMENTS THE FOLLOWING CHANGES: A.SEPARATE QUEUES FOR EACH FOR EACH OF THE THREE TYPES OF ABS HISTORY EVENTS: ABS, TRAC, AND VSC B.INCREASED ABS HISTORY QUEUE CAPACITY TO ENSURE THAT 90 DAYS OF EACH OF THE THREE TYPES OF EVENTS ARE STORED. C.ALL ABS HISTORY EVENTS ARE TIME-STAMPED AND DATE-STAMPED. *TT

THIS IS AN INCIDENT INVOLVING SUDDEN VEHICLE ACCELERATION. I WAS STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE IN THE WHERE GREAT MALL PARKWAY TURNS ONTO EASTBOUND MONTAGUE EXPWY IN MILPITAS, CA. DESPITE HAVING MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO CREEP FORWARD. I RESPONDED BY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL HARDER. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM TO ENGAGE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED THROUGH THE RESISTANCE POINT AS IS TYPICAL WHEN THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL ENGAGES. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE SO I QUICKLY MOVED THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR FROM DRIVE INTO PARK IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I REPORTED THE FAILURE TO TOYOTA MOTOR SALES USA AND THE COMPLAINT WAS ASSIGNED CASE NUMBER [XXX]. I FOLLOWED THE RECOMMENDED PROCEDURE OF HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER, PIERCEY TOYOTA, ON APRIL 13, 2012. THE SERVICE MANAGER COMPLETED AN INSPECTION AND SUBMITTED A REPORT TO TOYOTA TECHNICAL SERVICES. TODAY, MAY 2, 2012, I FOLLOWED UP WITH BOTH THE PIERCEY TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER AND WITH TOYOTA MOTOR SALES. ANTHONY OF TOYOTA TOLD ME, ESSENTIALLY, THAT TOYOTA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FAILURE AND REFUSES TO GIVE ME A FORMAL WRITTEN RESPONSE. ANTHONY CONTINUED BY SAYING THAT IF THIS RESPONSE WAS NOT SATISFACTORY TO ME, THEN I SHOULD GET AN OUTSIDE COUNSEL. I SUBMIT THAT THE SUDDEN UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION PROBLEM STILL EXISTS WITH TOYOTA--AT LEAST WITH MY VEHICLE--AND THAT IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED. IT IS MY OPINION THAT TOYOTA IS 'GIVING THE FINGER' TO THE PROBLEM AND TO THE UNITED STATES AND THAT TOYOTA'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WILL LIKELY KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE IF TOYOTA DOES NOT FIND A REAL SOLUTION. I AM PREPARED TO SUBMIT MORE DOCUMENTS AND DETAILS REGARDING THIS INCIDENT AND THE PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO BE PUT DIRECTLY IN TOUCH WITH AN OFFICER AT YOUR OFFICE SO THAT I CAN ENTER A FULL AND FORMAL COMPLAINT. *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)