2018 Toyota RAV4

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

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.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT OR AFTER DUSK, THE HEADLAMPS PROVIDED INSUFFICIENT ILLUMINATION TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE SAFELY. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A FEATURE ON THE VEHICLE WHERE THE HEADLIGHTS DIM WHEN APPROACHING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO UEBELHOR TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 788 W 12TH AVE, JASPER, IN 47546, (812) 482-2222) TO BE DIAGNOSED AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE PERFORMED AS INTENDED. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ILLUMINATION WAS INADEQUATE IN RURAL AREAS, BUT WAS NOT AFFECTED IN AN URBAN SETTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,200.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING IN THE FOG, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS REFLECTED LIGHT BACK, WHICH BLINDED THE DRIVER AND MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOYOTA OF POWAY (858-486-2900, LOCATED AT 13631 POWAY RD, POWAY, CA 92064) WHERE THE LIGHTS WERE CHECKED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT NO ADJUSTMENT WAS NEEDED AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,000.

MY 2018 RAV4 IS EQUIPPED WITH DYNAMIC RADAR CRUISE CONTROL, A FEATURE WHICH I LIKE VERY MUCH LIKE WHEN TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS. THIS FEATURE AUTOMATICALLY DECELERATES MY VEHICLE TO MATCH THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE AHEAD AND KEEPS YOU FOLLOWING AT A SAFE DISTANCE. HOWEVER, THE SAFETY ISSUE I HAVE DISCOVERED IS THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY DECELERATES, IT APPARENTLY DOES NOT ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND THE VEHICLE BEHIND YOU IS NOT WARNED THAT YOU ARE SLOWING DOWN. TWICE IN THE FIRST COUPLE MONTHS OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE, WHILE TRAVELING ON RELATIVELY STRAIGHT, FLAT, INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS, I HAD THE DYNAMIC RADAR CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME REDUCED SPEED FAIRLY QUICKLY (FROM APPROXIMATELY 65 TO 45MPH) DUE TO ROAD CONSTRUCTION. MY VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY SLOWED ACCORDINGLY, BUT THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME DID NOT REALIZE I WAS SLOWING DOWN BECAUSE MY BRAKE LIGHTS DID NOT ACTIVATE AND I WAS VERY NEARLY REAR ENDED. FORTUNATELY, SERIOUS ACCIDENTS WERE NARROWLY AVOIDED IN BOTH THESE INCIDENTS. I BELIEVE THE DYNAMIC RADAR CRUISE CONTROL FEATURE IS VERY GOOD, VERY USEFUL FEATURE; HOWEVER, THE SYSTEM MUST BE MODIFIED TO ACTIVATE THE BRAKE LIGHTS WHEN THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY DECELERATES. ONE OF THE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN JULY, 2018, AND THE OTHER IN AUGUST, 2018. I HAVE DISCUSSED THE ISSUE WITH OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND ALSO WITH THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER (800 331-4331). THE LATTER ESTABLISHED A CASE NUMBER (1809280901). I WISH TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE FOLLOW-UP OCCURS TO CORRECT THIS SAFETY ISSUE.

PURCHASED 2018 RAV 4 ADVENTURE THREE DAY'S AGO AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT ON A ROAD WITH NO OTHER AVAILABLE LIGHTING. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. IT APPEARS AS THOUGH A VEIL COVERS 1/2 TO 2/3 OF WINDSHIELD MAKING VISIBILITY NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. THE BEAM ANGLE OF THE HEADLIGHTS BARELY COVER THE ROAD IN FRONT OF YOU AND NOTHING ABOVE THE HEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE HOOD. YOU CAN SEE NOTHING IN FRONT OF YOU AND EVEN LESS ON THE SIDES OF THE ROAD.CHANGING THE SETTING FROM AUTO, ON AND HIGH BEAM TO NOT CHANGE RESULT. I WANT TO RETURN THE VEHICLE. THERE IS NO POINT IN HAVING A VEHICLE YOU CAN ONLY DRIVE DURING THE DAY. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND VERY DISAPPOINTING! I HOPE NO ONE SUFFERS INJURY OR DEATH AS A RESULT OF THIS POOR DESIGN.

DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT DUE TO PROJECTOR HEADLIGHTS BEAM PATTERN CUTOFF. WHILE DRIVING WITH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ON AT NIGHT, TOP PART OF LIGHT BEAM PATTERN IS A STRAIGHT LINE LEFT TO RIGHT ACROSS FIELD OF VISION WITH ZERO LIIGHT ABOVE MIDPOINT FIELD OF VISION BOTTOM (ROAD) TO TOP (SKY). ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN DECENDING HILLS IN DARK AND ROAD AHEAD IS FLAT (OR HORIZONTAL) AS WELL AS DECENDING A DIP WHICH CLIMBS BACK UP. NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH LIGHT ABOVE MID FIELD OF VISION. REQUIRES HIGHBEAMS SELECTED WHICH CANNOT ALWAYS BE SELECTED DUE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR FOLLOWING SOMEONE WHERE IT WOULD BLIND THEM. HIGHER MODEL RAV4 TRIM LEVELS HAVE LED HEADLIGHTS WHICH TOYOA SHOULD RETROFIT ONTO XLE, LE, AND ANY OTHER MODELS AFFECTED. WORRIED ABOUT WIFE DRIVING WITH KIDS. 6 MONTHS INTO A 3YR LEASE.