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Toyota RAV4 pre-2006

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Comments

  • ybcybc Member Posts: 7
    I just got a 2005 Rav4 L with the Side Curtain Airbags. I held out for 4 mos. and when one showed up, I went ahead and got it even though it did not have the leather seats or the autodimming mirror w/compass & thermostat that I wanted. I figured I'd get those aftermarket.

    Now that I have it, I read through the manual and it says changing the seats or upholstry might compromise the SCA, as would the autodimming mirror. Is this true? Does anyone know how I could get these aftermarket items without negating the whole point of waiting four months for a car?

    Thanks!
  • samanthasamantha Member Posts: 1
    I'm not sure I'm posting this in the right place, but I'm hoping someone can help. I started looking at the RAV4 and have gotten different dealer answers to what options are actually available. Is it really not possible to get the 6 disc cd changer installed? Two dealers told me you have to do it on your own after you get the car. This doesn't seem to make much sense since it's listed in edmunds, consumer reports, and also various websites. Also, is the driver's seat always manual or is it possible to get a power front seat? Any answers would be appreciated. Thanks.
  • jt3451jt3451 Member Posts: 2
    hi
    i bought a 2004 rav 4 4x4 the thing is the honda is not a true awd it is front wheel when wheels start slipping it moves some power to rear
    not a great thing compared to the true 4x4 or awd systems
    toyota has power at all 4 wheeels all the time
    if you get any snow why even think get a 4x4 rav
    not fwd
    trust me over the years their are so many cars i love but if they dont have awd the true kind like subaru has or toyota i cant get it
    its not worth taking the chance
    after having that control i will never ever give it up
    i bought a vibe awd due to gm points i had etc
    it was the fake awd like the honda, needless to say i had the car all of 8 months and traded it in for the toyota
    now for rain yes it does make a difference. trust me i hace had a few close calls in my 45 years
    i love my rav its not perfect i have a squeak in the dash etc little stuff, my toyota dealers in the area of buffalo ny suck, service is always everything seems fine and it takes 2 weeks for an appt. so that is a turn off big time
    but the rav itself has been fine
    i have not had it in any snow storms yet but my cousin has one and says it was very good
    also i like subarus alot in snow and handling so you may want to check it out
    ok hope it helped
    thank you
    john
  • jt3451jt3451 Member Posts: 2
    ok ig ott he dash ratle too. i tell people it sounds like a slow popcorn popper. it comes from conter of dash i think but after reading all coments i guess it just sounds like it does. i have had it to 2 dealers, one said oh no that can't be that is only on the older models, the other one said they can't hear it.
    also does anyone notice on the emergency brake.
    if i am moving forward a bit and lift lightly on the emergency brake it makes a loud pop sound bang in the rear wheels. if im still or going in reverse it does not do it. both dealers say its normal and it will do that due to the pads or something engaging. i have been driving toyotas and subarus for years and never heard this one. also my cousin has a 2002 and it does not do this. finally if you live in the buffalo ny area i will tell you i love the toyota but the dealers suck.. not always friendly in sales and service so far has not been good at all. this will make me think again when buying a new one which i do often. thats ashame to cause i really do like the rav 4 4x4
    also the sterio fades in and out a bit on fm not strong stations or something my neighbor has a highlander and hers sdoes the same thing
    anyone hear that?
    thanks for your help
    great site
    thanks john
  • ewind54ewind54 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the response. I pretty much decided to go with the rav 4x4, just waiting for the next rain to test drive to make sure. Hopefully sometime this week. If my rav has a rattle, I would take that over worrying if the CRV engine will catch fire after an oil change any day.
  • rickstratrickstrat Member Posts: 25
    I just bought a Scion 6 CD in dash player that also plays MP3s for around $250 off of Ebay. It plugs right in to the stock wiring and fits the dash perfectly. It also has the amber lights for the night time view of the buttons and a cool fiber optic color changing face. Before this, I had installed the JBL 6 CD player with cassette tape from a Highlander (also off EBay) and was a direct fit as well. That one had a green face and tended to overpower my stock speakers. Both of these work with the steering wheel controls which was a bonus as well.
  • rickstratrickstrat Member Posts: 25
    There are airbags in the seats, so any messing with the seat cover will compromise their function. Also, the side airbags located in the roof around the door frame (A pillar) are where wires would be run for an auto-dimming mirror. I had an aftermarket sunroof installed by the dealer, but they had to try two different shops before someone would tackle running wires through the A pillar where the airbags are deployed from. To sum it up, both installed options you want are a risk to the air bag system and the dealer/Toyota doesn't want to assume that risk. I did pull off my A pillar cover to see how it was done and all the new wires are taped to the metal roof post so they won't get tangled up if the air bag deploys.
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    The "dash" rattle is easily fixed. It is really the cowl in front of the windshield, under the wipers. There is a good website with instructions for do-it-yourselfers, or just take it back to a good dealer. My dealer fixed it two or three years ago, and it has been silent ever since. Note that it only rattled when it was cold AND dry.
    The brakes make a pop sound when applying them the first time after changing direction. Normal, no problem.
  • ravsterravster Member Posts: 1
    My wife bought an '04 RAV4 L a couple of months ago. She loves it except for the CD/tape system, which, frankly, is of very poor quality. I would like to hear from other owners who have replaced the units and/or speakers. We're not audiophiles, but we definitely want to upgrade the system.
  • smwsmw Member Posts: 2
    Anyone know where to find a battery for a '97 RAV (other than from the toyota dealer)? The stock battery came with a half size battery, but I've been unable to find it anywhere. Everywhere I've checked so far only has a full size battery. Also, if you can please indicate what is a good price.
  • fran20fran20 Member Posts: 2
    Hello,
    I have a 1997 Rav4 with 70,300 miles on. I was driving and suddenly the "check engine" light came on. The car was drivable. I don't feel the transmission is slipping. I filled the gas tank to half full and tightened the cap. The light still on? Any suggestions before I take the car to the dealer is greatly appreciated.
    Thanks in Advance.
    -Francis
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    More than likely, just an emissions control issue. Could be cat. converter, O2 sensor, etc. You need to have the error codes read to know what the problem is, but driving should not cause any harm.
  • blackandblueblackandblue Member Posts: 66
    Many auto parts stores will read the codes for free. I know Auto Zone will.
  • snowstopsnowstop Member Posts: 3
    Anybody have any info on installing an aftermarket in-dash radio/receiver on the Rav4? The Best Buy site indicates they have NO models that will fit the Rav4 while Circuit City's site indicates nearly ALL their models will fit.

    Also, the receivers I find at both sites only have 4 channel output. Does that mean 2 (or 4) speakers would have to disconnected?

    Thanks!
    snowstop
  • robrav4robrav4 Member Posts: 10
    By the way, that rattle is easily fixed with tape or a foam tape under the rubber cowl strip.

    The RAV is a significantly better small SUV than the CR-V. If bought with the side air curtains it's a lot safer too.
  • robrav4robrav4 Member Posts: 10
    Get the wider 235/60/16 and you won't have a problem
    whatsoever.
  • harhar Member Posts: 1
    Can't find side air bags in 2005 Ravs southern California. Does anyone know what's going on? Where in the country are they sending them??
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    Could be the water pump.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    Yes, maybe the AWD is the difference.
    Or possibly the 2WD vehicle has cheaper tires (which is typical), and they are more likely to spin, especially in wet conditions.

    Also, wider tires are not better in the wet (rain or snow). In these conditions, standard-size narrower tires are better.
    Wider tires have better grip in dry conditions.
  • 5553543255535432 Member Posts: 150
    Im not 100% sure, maybe the ones with sideairbags are exclusive only to NY-CT area.Finding one in the "neck of the woods" Maryland area is like treasure hunting.
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    On any FWD without TC you can spin the tires in rain/snow when cranking the wheel under hard acceleration. AWD will make a difference.

    It has not been my experience that narrow tires are better in inclement weather, exactly the opposite. Wider tires are always better due to increased contact with the pavement. I do agree that cars with narrower tires have a softer ride.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    There's a thread from 2001 that says that at a given tire pressure and vehicle weight, you have the same area contact patch regardless of tire width.

    dudleyr "Tires, tires, tires" Nov 20, 2001 10:54am

    And another post of interest:

    hpulley4 "Tires, tires, tires" Jan 21, 2003 10:39am

    Steve, Host
  • petlpetl Member Posts: 610
    I does sound illogical, but narrow tires are better in inclement weather particularly in snow and ice conditions. Something I learned about 35 years ago. The less tire touching the ice and snow, the better the traction. I wish my memory was good enough to remember why.
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    Steve - I wish I could find the photos I've run across of different width tires taken on a clear plate from underneath. A picture is worth 1K words.

    Having grown up in the snow belt of NY with a couple of different cars my observations are as follows:

    1. Handling narrow tires.
    2. starting and stopping wider tires.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    My narrow Tercel tires seemed to do better in my 20 Anchorage winters than my bigger minivan tires did. Anchorage is nothing like Buffalo though (and a Tercel is nothing like a Caravan either <g>).

    I couldn't find any photos either, but I think I've seen them before. And the contact patch isn't static either and will change in various conditions (hard cornering comes to mind).

    There's probably some more info over in the Snow/Ice winter tires discussion.

    Steve, Host
  • 719b719b Member Posts: 216
    narrow tires have more weight per square inch to the contact point.
  • capriracercapriracer Member Posts: 907
    FYI:

    Tire contact pressure DOES change with width.

    To demonstrate: Let's assume you have several tires that have the same maximum load rating and are inflated to the same pressure. It turns out that these tires would have about the diameter overall diameter.

    Now load them to the same load. Does it now make sense that the narrower tire would have a longer footprint? No! The overall diameter's are the same, and the deflection is the same, why would the footprint length be different?

    Put another way, inflation pressure doesn't equal footprint pressure.

    Hope this helps.
  • petlpetl Member Posts: 610
    In simple terms, I believe you have it. Thanks for jogging my memory.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    To repeat what I wrote back in 11/01 (just a couple posts before the dudleyr post that Steve_Host linked us to above), the way the magazine (R&T? C&D? Autoweek?) article described it was as follows:

     

    A constant vehicle weight and a constant inflation pressure will lead to a contact patch that is the same area (total square inches), no matter what the tires' aspects are.

    The thing that varies is the shape or configuration of the contact patch (narrower/longer v. wider/shorter).

     

    And narrower/longer is better in the wet stuff because it has to fight its way thru less of it, and disperses it out to the side of the tire better than a wider/shorter tire.

     

    Net result: If you are more concerned about wet traction, the narrower tire is the better choice.
  • concept15concept15 Member Posts: 2
    I agree. We love the car but get only 18-19city and 23 hwy. We have a 2004 Rav4 L type. I thought this is a little strange too.
  • ravraptorravraptor Member Posts: 1
    Just got new 2005 L package two weeks ago.

     

    I like the car but the standard audio equipment sucks of course.

     

    I'm having the speakers replaced with MB Quart components in front and Infinity's in back. Also installing an Alpine XM-Ready Head Unit CDA-9833, and a four channel amp. The Good Guys will be installing this Sunday. No issues with replacing the factory equipment Im told.

     

    I am wondering if anyone can speak to the replacing the 215/70R16's tires with the larger 235/60R16's? If anyone has done this can they explain the difference in ride and handling characteristics? And can I keep my factory alloy wheels? The dealer gave me the Toyo Tranpath A-14's, which seem okay so far. However I may change at 15-20 K miles if the handing and ride is signifcantly better with the larger tires.

     

    Thanks.
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    My experience with 20 some odd years of driving in snow is this, I don't really care about the theoretical, here is the reality.

     

    In snowy conditions, starting and stopping go to wide tires, handling goes to small tires. Agreed hitting a patch of deep snow from a dry road is much easier to navigate with narrow tires. Getting out of a deep patch on a steep hill is much easier with wide tires.

     

    So since most of us don't drive around 24x7x365 in a foot or more of snow, wide tires are the better all-around choice.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    "So since most of us don't drive around 24x7x365 in a foot or more of snow, wide tires are the better all-around choice."

    For you, maybe.

     

    I agree with the first part, about not needing a tire for driving in the snow full time.

    But what about in the rain? Narrower tires are better for this too because they have to displace less water/snow than wider tires, as already explained.

     

    And the better dry grip that is provided by wider tires, that matters more to someone driving a vehicle at 9/10ths of its limits. Doesn't matter much to me in my everyday driving.

     

    As is often stated, all tires are a compromise.

    I'd rather have the benefit in the sloppy weather.

     

    Narrower tires are the better all-around choice for me.
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    I forgot emergency handling. The wider the tires the better the skidpad, the better the handling in emergency lane change situations.

     

    To some, that may make a difference.
  • spleckspleck Member Posts: 114
    The conversation is 3 years old, but it ignores a number of factors, enough to basically make it incorrect. Only changing the width of the tire will not help. Changing the sidewall height (larger rims), using better materials (stiffer sidewalls), and better tread patterns (contact tread vs water channels, etc) WILL affect the contact area.

     

    In order for the contact patch to be the same regardless of tire width, all tires would have to be made of the same material and have the same sidewall height. Hence the original statement: "Wider tires don't have a larger contact area" is a very conditional one. Switching to a wider tire of the same material and keeping the same sidewall height (not ratio, actual height) will widen the contact patch and shorten it (even then, that ignores the fact that the tire will deform slightly differently due to its different shape and the tread pattern will probably be stretched width wise, but not shortened length wise).

     

    Stiffer materials will cause the tire to deform less, decreasing the contact area and increasing the PSI applied to the ground. A shorter sidewall will also allow the tire to deform less with the same result. These are probably the reasons that you want a wider tire when you switch to a larger rim and sportier tires: you're making up for the lost lengthwise contact with widthwise contact. Hopefully you will also realize that getting a "stiffer" (sportier, etc) tire may improve handling, but unless the tread is better, you will lose traction (due to smaller contact area) and therefore lose braking ability and be easier to spin the tires.

     

    If you still don't believe, use extremes to disprove:

     

    Assume that tire rubber is in fact rigid steel. In this case the contact patch over a flat surface is a line the width of the tire. This is regardless of the pressure of the air in the vehicle. A wider tire will have a larger contact area.

     

    Now assume that the tire rubber is similar to a balloon and is easily capable of elongation and stretching. At the same air pressure, the air will move to the top of the tire, elongating and stretching the tire leaving none at the bottom and allowing the rim to touch the ground. The contact area is only as wide as the rim, while the "tire" angles up from the edge of the rim.

     

    How about a bicycle tire? The actual rim would have to deform to make the contact area long enough to match a tire 10 times wider.
  • escapenutescapenut Member Posts: 117
    Finally got around to taking my wife's 2003 RAV4 2WD back to the shop for the dash-rattle which first started to mainfest itself a little over a year ago (I was hoping it'd go away... it didn't).

    The sound was registered and heard by both the Service Manager and examining tech.. The TSB dash noise-rattle kit was used to fix. On the way home, noise came back worse than ever in the dash. Took it back 2-weeks later and they applied a complete dash noise reduction kit per Toyota. They kept the vehicle overnight, took apart the dash completely to apply the foam-pieces

    and spacers. This seemed to have solved the problem as of yesterday. This work is covered under warranty and if recognized the dealership will fix-it (at least mine did). They did not argue or attempt to pass this off as 'normal', because it was clearly audible. Apparently this seems to be more of extensive problem with RAV's

    than Toyota wishes to admit. Don't know about the 2005's, but 2000's - 2004's have had the issue with the cowl/dash noise. My wife

    loves her RAV4, but the noise was driving her crazy. As frustrating as this is, I refrained from being confrontational with the dealership.

    Instead both times I used firm but soft(er) tones

    explaining the problem and that I would be disappointed if Toyota had this issue that couldn't be fixed... yada, yada. In this case positive measures prevailed and for now the RAV is noise-free from the dash. We even got a couple of coupons for free-oil changes thrown in for our patience.

     

    Actually, I'm disappointed that Toyota has not fixed the problem at the factory from the 2000 model-up, but at least this dealership didn't seem to run from the issue.
  • rav4urav4u Member Posts: 21
    I agree with you about the dash rattle. Why hasn't Toyota fixed the problem at the factory? That's pretty lame if you ask me. It's known problem for years that should be addressed and fixed before it reaches the consumer. It gives me the idea that Toyota doesn't care. My dash rattle was supposedly fixed and now is back with a bad squeak to go with it everytime I hit a small bump in the road. It's totally annoying. Did anyone find a fix for the squeal sound the RAV4 has? The dealers claim it's normal intake noise, but it wasn't there when I bought the RAV4. If it was I wouldn't have bought it.
  • escapenutescapenut Member Posts: 117
    My wife's RAV4 has been ultra-dependable to date

    other than the dash-rattle which is a major annoyance over rough surface roads. Ironcically, the dash rattle did not start immediately after purchase. I think my wife first heard it and then me about 1 yr. ago. Then is started to become more intrusive. I will admit that it seems to be worse during the colder-winter months.

    I printed off the cowl-rattle cure for the RAV4

    that someone had thoughtfully written, with pictures. I've filed it but may get it out just to review the procedures for the permanent-fix

    (aftermarket) fix that was formulated just in case it's needed again. Again, the final fix was

    a dealer applied complete dash-rattle kit from Toyota. I'll try and supply the kit number from the work order sheet next time I post.

     

    Admittedly my wife literally starts the car and within 5-mins. she's at work. Not too good for engine warm-up and carbon-deposit build-up. So at least once per week I take it for real warm-up

    for at least 1/2-hour or more on the freeway somewhere.
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    Our '01 Rav had the dash (cowl) rattle, the dealer fixed it and it has been silent ever since.
  • rav4urav4u Member Posts: 21
    My 2004, started rattling at about 2000 miles. The dealer installed the kit and it was quiet for about another 1000 miles. Now it rattles on and off, but the loud squeak is there after every bump. At 2300 miles the charcoal canister failed, then the vent hose to the canister cracked a week later, the catalytic converter needed replacement after that and then the air mixture fuel sensor failed at 3300 miles. The squeal sound started at 400 miles and is still there. At 4500 miles now no new problems, but I'm disappointed with the RAV and wonder what will fail next.
  • escapenutescapenut Member Posts: 117
    As promised, here is the kit # that the dealer used to fix the complete dash rattle : 08231-00801, Noise Kit.

     

    So far so good on my wife's '03 RAV4 with the kit.

    It's been over a week now and seems to be working.

     

    The RAV4 has so far been good otherwise,; sorry to hear that some of you have had mechanical problems. You normally don't think of a vehicle

    assemble in Japan as having that many problems, but it does happen. I've got an '01 Ford Escape

    and don't have the rattles that the RAV had. But

    I've had other issues with my Escape too, but it's been a good vehicle so far for me.
  • rav4urav4u Member Posts: 21
    I'm beginning to believe that is doesn't matter as much where a vehicle is built as it did in the past. With widespread outsourcing and globalization, parts and other preassembled units can come from just about anywhere. It's pretty much the luck of the draw as to what you will get. This vehicle has more initial problems than my two last Chevy vans put together, yet my brother has an older RAV that has had no problems at all. I do believe that this dashboard problem is a lack of refinement by Toyota. It should have been addressed at the factory level long ago, not just passed off at the dealer level with a kit.
  • cbmortoncbmorton Member Posts: 252
    Two years ago I was very close to getting into a new '03 RAV4, but I soured on it after reading owner comments about the dash rattle. It was bad enough that the problem continued into the '02 model year, but when '03 owners posted that their RAV4s still had the rattle, it was a turnoff. Who wants to buy a vehicle knowing that it most likely has an annoying problem right off the showroom floor? A co-worker let me take his '02 for a test drive at the time and sure enough, his had the rattle. I believe he ultimately did get it fixed after at least two trips to the dealer.

     

    Only a month or so ago I did finally get a RAV4 as a second car, but it's a used 2000 4WD. Still surprisingly tight after almost 50k miles. Hope the '01+ ones age equally well.
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    '01 Rav (very early production), 45,000 miles, had cowl (dash) rattle, completely fixed 3+ years ago, brakes were squeaky at 5,000 miles, Toyota issued a TSB and replaced them with quiet pads for free. The brakes were functioning perfectly, but were noisy. Note that consumer reports for the '01 lists everything perfect except brakes (see above) and body integrity (cowl rattle). Both these two minor problems (noises, not safety or driveability problems) were completely fixed with the TSB under warranty, and it continues to be a perfect vehicle.
  • yooper53yooper53 Member Posts: 286
    I've narrowed my choices to the Rav4 and CR5.

    I'd appreciate knowing what kind of real world Highway mileage you're all getting.

    Thanks in advance.

    -Dennis
  • nedculvernedculver Member Posts: 7
    My daughter drives a 2004 RAV-4 AWD. Can traction be improved by buying better snow tires? (She misses her '99 Mountaineer which was great in the snow, but had terrible mpg.) I searched the site and didn't find anything posted. Does this mean that everyone's happy with their traction?

    Ned - Massachusetts
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    Dennis,

     

    My '01 RAV4 with the 2.0L engin, auto trans, AWD, has gotten 24.6 overall since 1,300 miles (now at 59,000). This is suburbs/highway, say 60/40, in a state with winter gas (penalty 2+ mpg, I've found). I have a light foot.

    All day on the interstate, I top 28 mpg.

    It was e.p.a. rated 22/27, I think. I'm satisfied.

     

    The new 2.4L RAVs are e.p.a. rated about the same, I think, even with the bigger engine. Getting more efficient, I guess.

     

    Good luck.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    I'm satisfied with my '01 RAV's traction, currently with Yokohoma Geolanders, and previously with OEM Bridgestone Dueller 687 H/Ts. But I don't see a lot of snow, just occasional 2-6 inches.

     

    Sure, better tires will give better snow performance, if you're willing to pay for it.
  • rblelandrbleland Member Posts: 312
    If you live where there is a lot of snow, buying 4 snow tires makes a lot of sense in terms of increased traction and safety. Amortized over 4 or 5 winters, the cost is not that bad. Just be sure to take them off before you're running on dry pavement a lot.
  • wsommarivawsommariva Member Posts: 157
    My wife has a 2002 FWD. We just bought four Bridgestone Blizzaks winter tires. She still stays home when it snows. I read, I think in Consumer Reports that a AWD should be sufficient in snow. A friend of mine is a ER doctor. He has a AWD AND four snow tires since he has to go to work no matter the weather.

     

    The four blizzaks INCLUDING the wheels cost about $600. I think worth it. Bought them from Tirerack.com, which I recommend.
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