2013 Toyota RAV4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH AND SLOWING DOWN TO PARK, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE MAINTENANCE REQUIRED AND HORSESHOE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT QUICKLY CUT OFF THE ENGINE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE KEY INTERMITTENTLY DID NOT UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, BUT THE BRAKES CEASED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE CURB AND CRASHED INTO THREE TRUCKS AND A TREE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 379.*TT CONSUMER STATED SHE STARTED REVERSING AND SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATION, SHE PRESSED THE BRAKE IT DID NOT STOP AS A RESULT THE CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT 3 PARKED TRUCKS. UPDATED 8/15/18*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SPOUSE WAS DRIVING 20 MPH THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, SHE STRUCK AN ONCOMING VEHICLE HEAD ON. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE CRASH. AN AMBULANCE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR MEDICAL ATTENTION REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS AWAITING INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.

AT FIRST IT HAPPENED ONLY WHEN TURNING CORNERS OR STARTING FROM A STOP LIGHT. THE CAR WOULD JUST SEEM TO STALL FOR 3-4 SECONDS, THEN RESUME NORMAL ACCELERATION. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER PAST YEAR. YESTERDAY IT HAPPENED WHILE ON MAIN HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH. "SCARY!" I STARTED LOSING SPEED, THEN IT RESUMED NORMAL SPEED AFTER 3-4 SECONDS. I TALKED TO TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER TODAY. HE SAYS THERE'S NO WAY TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM UNLESS THEY CAN DUPLICATE IT. THAT MIGHT TAKE 100S OF MILES AS IT"S SO INTERMITANT. HE CLAIMS THEIR COMPUTER WON'T SHOW A CODE FOR THE PROBLEM. I AM AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT TO DO. IF IT LOSES POWER ON A CROWED FREEWAY IT COULD BE QUITE DANGEROUS. THE VEHICLE HAS 44000 MILES.

WHILE OPENING THE TRUNK, WHICH IS ELECTRIC, THE RIGHT LIFT GATE PISTON BLEW AND SEPARATED FROM THE BALL MOUNT. AT THAT POINT THE TRUNK/HATCH WOULD NOT WORK ELECTRICALLY OR BY HAND. IN FACT THE MALFUNCTION OF THE PISTON WAS SO INTENSE IT CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE BODY OF MY CAR, BUCKLING THE BACK ROOF, SHIFTING THE DOOR AND BUCKLING THE HINGES. THE GRAND TOTAL OF DAMAGE IS WELL OVER $5000. TOYOTA WAS WELL AWARE OF THIS DEFECT. IN FACT I HAVE THEIR TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FROM TOYOTA THAT DISCUSSES THE PROBLEM IN DETAIL (T-SB-0168-13 FOR WHICH I AM SENDING YOU A COPY). THE PISTON, KNOWN AS AN ACTUATOR HAS BEEN CHANGED AFTER A CERTAIN VIN # (SEE PAGE #2 OF ATTACHED BULLETIN). BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE UNAFFECTED PISTON ALSO. EACH PISTON COSTS $686.16 FOR THE PART ALONE. IF THE CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY THEY COVER REPAIR, AS I HAVE OWNED MY CAR FOR ALMOST 4 YEARS, IT IS NOT COVERED. TOYOTA NOT ONLY KNEW ABOUT THE DEFECT, THEY CHOSE NOT TO NOTIFY THE CAR OWNERS'. IF THE PISTONS HAD BEEN REPLACED, ALL OF THE OTHER DAMAGE WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. SEVERAL MECHANICS I SPOKE WITH COULD NOT BELIEVE THIS WAS NOT A RECALL. IF AN ANIMAL HAD BEEN IN THE BACK OR WORSE YET, IF IT OCCURRED AS IT WAS OPEN, IT COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT INJURY OR WORSE. APPARENTLY TOYOTA DOES NOT HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO REPAIR THIS AS IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. IF DEEMED A RECALL THEY WOULD NEED TO ADDRESS THIS AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. WE CONTACTED TOYOTA; THEY HAVE OFFERED US $2500 AS 'GOODWILL', WHICH IS LESS THAN 50%. AT THIS POINT I AM HAVING THEM DO THE ACTUAL MECHANICAL WORK, AND WILL ALSO HAVE TO PAY OVER $1100 OUT OF POCKET TO COVER THE FULL COST OF THE MECHANICAL REPAIR. THIS STILL WILL NOT ADDRESS THE BODY WORK. THEREFORE THIS WILL DEVALUE MY CAR, AND ALSO RUNS THE RISK OF RUSTING AS THE PAINT IS DAMAGED.

LA PINTURA DE LA GUAGUA SE ESTA SALIENDO. LAS PUERTAS DELANTERAS TIENEN PROBLEMAS CUANDO QUIERES ABRIR O CERRAR LAS MISMAS CON EL LLAVERO. SE LE DAO A AMBAS PUERTAS DELANTERAS EL MOTOR O LO QUE LE LLAMAN "ACTUATOR" A UNA SEMANA DE DIFERENCIA Y CUANDO INTENTO ABRIR LA PUERTA DESDE ADENTRO PARA BAJARME SE QUEDA CERRADA Y NO ME PERMITE ABRIRLA TENGO QUE ESTAR DNDOLE LOCK/UNLOCK HASTA QUE ME DEJA QUITARLE EL SEGURO PARA PODER BAJARME DE LA GUAGUA; ESTO ASUNTO EN PARTICULAR ME PREOCUPA EN CASO DE ALGN ACCIDENTE NO PUEDA ABRIRLA. OTRO PROBLEMA QUE TIENE ES QUE CADA 3 MESES, ES QUE LAS BOMBILLAS DE "STOP" DEL LADO DERECHO SE DAA Y TENGO QUE ESTAR CAMBINDOLA. ESTO HA SUCEDIDO DESDE APROXIMADAMENTE DICIEMBRE 2015. THE PAINT IS COMING OUT. THE FRONT DOORS HAVE PROBLEMS WHEN YOU WANT TO OPEN OR CLOSE THEM WITH THE KEY RING. BOTH FRONT DOORS DAMAGED THE WHAT THEY CALL THE ACTUATOR A WEEK APART AND WHEN I TRY TO OPEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR FROM THE INSIDE TO GET OUT THE CAR IT IS CLOSED AND I CAN'T OPEN IT I HAVE TO BE HIT THE LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON UNTIL IT LETS ME REMOVE THE LOCK TO GET OFF THE CAR; THIS ISSUE IN PARTICULAR WORRIES ME BECAUSE IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT I WON'T BE ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FAST. ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT HAS IS THAT EVERY 3 MONTHS, THE BULBS LIGHT FOR STOP ON THE RIGHT SIDE HAS TO BE CHANGE BECAUSE IT DAMAGE AND I HAVE TO BE CHANGING IT. THIS HAS BEEN APPENING SING AROUND DECEMBER 2015.

IN MAY, 2017 THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR QUIT WORKING. I PAID OVER $600 TO HAVE IT FIXED. THIS WEEK, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE ACTUATOR HAS QUIT. ON BOTH DOORS, THEY WILL ONLY LOCK IF I MANUALLY PUSH THE LOCK. WE HAVE HAD MANY CARS OVER THE YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. I DO SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FIND OUT IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA. NOT HAPPY! I CAN UPLOAD A PICTURE OF THE INVOICE FROM THE FIRST LOCK IF YOU NEED IT, BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED SUDDENLY WHILE CROSSING A HIGHWAY BRIDGE WITH NO BREAKDOWN LANE. NO PRIOR WARNING, JUST SUDDEN RPM JUMP TO REDLINE AND NO ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. WAS ABLE TO COAST ACROSS THE BRIDGE TO AN EXIT RAMP. DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. SINCE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, WE BROUGHT IT TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP WHO FOUND IT WAS ACTUALLY THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THE SPLINE CONNECTION TO THE STATOR WAS BROKEN, EITHER THE WELD BROKE OR THE OVERRUNNING CLUTCH GAVE OUT. THIS IS THE SECOND TORQUE CONVERTER IN THE CAR. THE FIRST WAS REPLACED DUE TO A SHUDDERING ISSUE 2 YEARS AGO AT 45,000 MILES. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED AT 78,000 MILES. TOYOTA DENIES ANY RESPONSIBILITY SINCE THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURED OUTSIDE THE 1 YEAR REPAIR WARRANTY. INDEPENDENT RESEARCH SHOWS THIS LIKELY ISN'T ISOLATED AND IS RELATED TO DEFECTS WITH THE SIMILAR CAMRY TORQUE CONVERTER. TRANSMISSION WAS TORN DOWN AND REBUILT OUT OF PRECAUTION AND NO DAMAGE WAS FOUND, THUS THE FAILURE WAS ENTIRELY DUE TO A DEFECTIVE TORQUE CONVERTER. I BROUGHT THE PART TO THE DEALER SO THAT THEY COULD WITNESS THE FAILED PART. TOYOTA ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NO PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE REQUIRED ON THE TRANSMISSION.