Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
I'll grant you that "hybrid" probably wasn't high on the priority list of more than a couple of product planners when the original HL was designed, but if they hadn't intended any adaptability in the engine bay, then why was it originally designed with enough space for the eventual V6 and hybrid powertrains?
Regardless, as I understand it, the packaging issue that precludes a RAV4 hybrid is actually battery space, not the engine bay.
I'm wondering if this is still the 'official' word on this issue?
Thanks
Hope that helps. It does solve the acceleration lag, so it's a computer software issue.
Details here:
http://www.angelfire.com/ky3/gabby/intake_mod.htm
Disclaimer: my 3.5l V6 Sienna wasn't hesitating, but I did this anyway, and my mileage has improved.
the update I was mentioning was not for the v-6 but for the 4cyl. And yes updating the software inside the computer (ecu, brain) will definitely help fuel economy.
http://www.siennaclub.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=15867&st=0&#entry122284
The ACIS is realized by using a bulkhead to divide the intake manifold into 2 stages, with an intake air control valve in the bulkhead being opened and closed to vary the effective length of the intake manifold in accordance with the engine speed and throttle valve opening angle. This increases the power output in all ranges from low to high speed.
• When the intake control valve closes:
While the engine is running at medium speed under high load, the ECM controls the actuator to close the control valve. As a result, the effective length of the intake manifold is lengthened and the intake efficiency, in the medium speed range, is improved due to the dynamic effect of the intake air, thereby increasing power output.
• When the intake control valve opens:
Under any condition except when the engine is running at medium speed under high load, the ECM controls the actuator to open the control valve. When the control valve is open, the effective length of the intake air chamber is shortened and peak intake efficiency is shifted to the low to high engine speed range, thus providing greater output at low to high engine speeds.
I dunno, my V6 was quick before, quick now, no hesitation before or after. My mileage did improve but it was breaking in and that might have happened anyway.
For people reporting hesitation, though, it's something worth considering, IMO, if their engine has a similar intake.
taking a look at CR-V and RAV4. I am concerned about the engine revving and not moving the car forward. My folks 03 Explorer is the SLOWEST transmission to shift - its delay is very pronounced. I dont think its unsafe since the car is slow even when you floor it.
Is this on all 4-cyl models? Just some? What is the reasons for the hesisation? I see this happens with Camry's and Solaras as well.
I just want a safe, reliable auto for my fiance. IF the tranny is like the explorer's - just lazy, I don't care I am used to Fords
I have the V6 - it's only slightly thirstier than the four-cylinder. I get a consistent 21-22 mpg around town and 27-28 on the highway, even 29-30 a couple of times.
If you want the V6, get the V6. Consumer Reports noted only a 1 mpg difference between the V6 and the 4 banger RAV4.
Toyota uses a part-time system, so there shouldn't be too much extra drag in the drivetrain. You just have to carry a little extra weight around. Figure you lose 1 or 2 mpg, tops.
Jimmy Drew
Honestly, both are relatively efficient, I would look for other criteria to make your choice.
While the RAV has many pleasing features, Toyota qaulity is slipping though. I noticed it in the rattles dept on my 02 camry and here's a few tidbits on our 06 RAV.
We have had our RAV over a year and have 16K miles. A few days ago my wife gets into the car, which was parked at her workplace with the windows up all day; outside temp was maybe 85 degrees. She gets in. She immediately notices that the TWO pillar trim pieces running on each side from up by the sun visors down to the dash (the ones that says: SRS airbags) have poped open exposing what I believe to be two airbag!!!
I ran down to Toyota and the service manager was aghast and said he'd never seen both these peices pop off like this before...ie at the same time. (He had seen one pop off off though, which did not make me feel any better)
He asked if we'd had any work done because it looked like the clips were worn off, I said not much except:
1) New radio recently installed to fix screen scrambling type issue
2) TSB for Power Steering module recently installed after light came one.
3) Both driver and passenger seat belts / pillar hardware replaced 9 months ago due to continual vibration / rattle noise.
4) water leak TSB performed after water got in at footwell.
I also mentioned that the seat belt rattle was still present in the door pillar where the seat belt adjuster is. He rode the RAV and agreed it was annoying as hell. He is ordering new airbag trim and parts to again attempt to quiet the door pillar rattle. Best of luck to him on the rattle....they never could get them out of my Camry!
He says the car is safe to drive and the airbags won't prematurely deploy.
This along with the fact that we are faced with needing new front brakes after only a year and 16K miles (actually they said they might last another 4K miles if I do not mind the screeching noise they are making) and I'd say Toyota quality is slipping!
As far as the Honda, they too have a perceived good rep, less warranty though and I am not a fan of the new CRV styling. If only Subaru would put something this size out at a reasonable price!
They resolved all of the issues without a fight, and the service rep said there were TSBs out for all of these issues. The throttle lag and cruise control issues were resolved with an upgrade/reprogramming for the ECU, and a replacement shield somewhere in the dash area resolved the leak issue. This was all done yesterday, so I have yet to verify the cruise control issue, but the throttle lag is definitely fixed. I'll check out the cruise control on a trip tomorrow, and I'll have to wait for another heavy rain to verify whether the leak issue was resolved.
So - if you're still having these issues, get out to the dealership and get them fixed!
One of the only ways I can think of to "combat" the infamous "throttle lag" (1-2 second transaxle downshift delay/hesitation) is to revise the firmware so as to go ahead and downshift the transaxle upon entry into coastdown period (no pressure on teh gas pedal) but simultaneously "uprev" the engine to prevent any significant level of engine compression braking, braking which might otherwise potentially result in loss of directional control should the roadbed traction be poor.
There are already posts indicating that FWD vehicles with stick shifts, like the Suzuki SX4 and the Honda Accord, are doing this, automatically up-reving the engine, to alleviate potential problems with engine compression braking when the driver downshifts.
Along with the TSB that eliminates the "throttle lag" do you now notice the engine slightly "up-reving" occassionally during "coastdown" periods, say at 40-30 or 10-0 MPH..?
But I am concerned about the TSB regarding the shiftiness under cruise control. I have assumed the shiftiness is/was due to an attempt to improve FE and it seems that any "improvement" toward less shiftiness would therefore get the immediate attention of the EPA/CARB.
Or maybe that just overdid the shiftiness....and there was no FE gain, or it was so small as to be not really measureable.
Not sure what the cause was for the shiftiness - but for me the gear hunting seemed to be isolated to relatively low upgrades. I have always read that the best way to optimize fuel economy was to be super smooth with the throttle and shifting - so the gear hunting behavior seems counter to that. I did not experience any hunting on flat roads, and on steep upgrades the trans shifted to a lower gear for most of the duration. One other behavior I noticed with the cruise control was that any downshift for a steep upgrade seemed to "hang" in the lower gear for a few beats longer than seemed necessary. After cresting a hill or leveling out, the trans would stay in the lower gear - then when the trans did finally upshift it seemed to be a beat out of sync with letting off the throttle....
Anyway, I have a 200+ mile interstate trip tomorrow that will give the cruise control a good workout.
I suspect that with the advent of so many cars with CVT and e-CVT transmissions the engineers are learning new tricks. For instance using the torque converter's OD lockup clutch to extend the 6-speed to 9-speeds and thereby keep the engine closer to the best FE in "all" cruising circumstances.
Has this happened to anybody else?
Also, if this needs to be changed, is this a do-it-yourself job or does it require specialized equipment/skills? Can't get a lot of info about this anywhere.
Here are more details:
I have a 2006 Rav4 limited, 4cyl 4x4, with just under 40K miles. At the 30K service, I thought the dealership changed the trans fluid - but they did not. At 35K I had the oil changed and tires rotated at a different dealership. They checked the trans fluid and said it was really dirty and should be replaced - at the tune of $155 for a flush and fill. I went back to the first dealership that did the 30K service and confirmed that they did not change the trans fluid. They checked the fluid and said it was fine - and that the trans conforms to international specs - no change needed until 100k miles. The first dealership said that it is normal for the trans fluid to get dark and that it is fine.
So - 5k miles later I go back to the second dealership for an oil/filter change and tire rotation - and they again bring up the trans fluid - all concerned about how dirty it is and that they recommend this $155 flush and fill.
I went around and around with them a bit about this. I've got the recommendation of one dealership vs another, and there is zero info in the manual/service specs about changing the trans fluid.
Can anyone shed any light on this? Is there a modified service schedule I should be following? I do not tow anything, and I drive a mix of highway and local miles.
Thanks-
C
Regular Maintenance
Both manual and automatic transmissions require regular maintenance to help ensure their proper operation. Transmission fluid loses its friction properties and can become contaminated over time. The maintenance schedules in Repair Manuals or Owners Manuals indicate the appropriate intervals based on how the vehicle is used.
Currently (2008) for vehicles that are used for towing (severe service), recommended replacement of the automatic transmission fluid at is 60,000 miles or 72 months and every 30,000 miles, or 72 months thereafter. This is for drivers who regularly:
• Tow a trailer, or use a camper or car top carrier
• Operate on dusty, rough, muddy or salt-spread roads
• Travel short distances (less than 5 miles) when the outside temperature is below freezing
• Engage in low speed driving for long distances or extensive idling (e.g. police, taxi drivers or delivery personnel)
Manual transmission vehicles regularly used for towing should have their transmission fluid replaced at 30,000 miles or 36 months and every 30,000 or 36 months thereafter.
The normal maintenance schedule for both automatic and manual transmission does not recommend an inspection of the fluid or any specific replacement interval. This is for vehicles that are not routinely used for towing (severe service).
Automatic transmissions using ATF-WS fluid (2004–2008) have an inspection interval of 100,000 miles and no specific replacement interval.
Checking the Fluid Level in Automatiatic Transmissions
The fluid level in an automatic transmission should be checked with the dipstick after the transmission has been warmed up to normal operating temperature (approximately 158°F to 176°F). As a rule of thumb, if the graduated end of the dipstick is too hot to hold, the fluid is at operating temperature.
The fluid level is proper if it is in the “hot” range between “hot maximum” and “hot minimum.” The “cool” level on the dipstick should be used as a reference only when the transmission is cold. The correct fluid level should only be checked when the fluid is hot and the transmission is in “Park” with the engine running at idle.
To ensure proper operation of the automatic transmission, the fluid level should be kept at the correct level at all times. If the fluid level is too low, the transmission oil pump can draw in air, causing air to mix with the fluid. This lowers the hydraulic pressure, causing slippage and potential damage to the clutches and brakes. If the fluid level is too high, the planetary gears and other rotating components agitate the fluid. This can cause air bubbles to collect in the fluid and may result in similar complications as a low fluid level. In addition, this aerated fluid tends to rise in the case and may leak from the breather plug at the top of the transmission or through the dipstick tube.
Transmissions using ATF-WS (some model Toyotas 2004–2008) are sealed units and do not require a fluid change during the life of the vehicle under normal operating conditions. Therefore fluid checks are not necessary and the dipsticks have been eliminated on these vehicles.
In a transaxle (front wheel drive) the differential is part of the transaxle and is lubricated by the same fluid as the transmission, regardless if it’s an automatic or manual transmission.
Automatiatic Transmission Fluid (ATF)
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) is a special hi-grade petroleum-based mineral oil mixed with several special additives. From 1994 through 2008 the main types of automatic transmission fluid used in Toyota vehicles are:
• Dexron III
• Type T
• Type T-II
• Type T-IV
• ATF-WS
Transmissions specifying Dexron III can only use that type of fluid.
Type T-IV can replace both Type T and Type T-II.
ATF-WS is only used on some later model Toyotas (2004–2008) and has the advantage of a 100,000 mile inspection interval and no required fluid change during the life of the vehicle under normal operating conditions. Therefore the transmissions on these vehicles are sealed, eliminating the transmission fluid dipstick.
This is my first Toyota and my last. I have always had good fortune with my cars.
I am curious if anyone else has had or are having the same issues?
I doubt Toyota would help, otherwise why sell extended warranties. I can say that extended warranties on them are very cheap, and $700 is really not that bad after the 3rd year.
You post implies, clearly, that something more than the booster had failed, was failing.
Also more likely than otherwise it was simply a defective valve core/seal, or maybe even a valve core seal seat, easy repair or at worse a 25 ct part.
Is anyone else having this problem.
I would suggest www.Porterfield-brakes.com they are a performance shop in california, they make a high performance street pad made of carbon-kevlar, last car I had their pads on they lasted me 50,000 miles and this was not at a cost of performance! R4-S is the name of the pad. They make other pads, but they're for racing and wouldn't work on normal street driving. They are about $90 for the fronts and $80 for the rears. But.. They are much better performance and last MUCH longer! The stock pads from Toyota were always "mushy" and *yawn inducing* in performance. So give the Porterfield a try, I think you'll like them. I know I do :shades:
One thing I did forget was that with the porterfield brakes I just received, they had put an adhesive-type (stick-on) shim on the back of the brake pad for mine. What happened was that the brakes heated up and began to bake that stick-on shim off to the point it was smelling like BBQ and smoking too! ouch. I since removed the stick on shim and replaced it with the factory shims (got them from the dealer) along with some brake grease (white sticky stuff from toyota) and no more issues. I think porterfield wanted to give people shims but this shim didn't work. So if they come with stick on shims remove them, replace with the factory metal shims.
I still say they're great pads, just a slight modification is what I needed. Just helping you when you do order them up.
Also- I don't blame you for dumping the rav4. The treatment toyota has given me as well I don't plan on looking to them for my next vehicle.
Or you need to find out who is riding the brakes.
So I'm not sure what you're talking about in your post, riding the brakes? Had nothing to do with the shim that was incompatible.