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Toyota RAV4 Battery and Electrical Problems

2

Comments

  • renorav4renorav4 Member Posts: 1
    I thought I was being smart when I bought a used 2006 RAV4 Limited because it was a "Toyota". Now I'm wondering if it's a keeper or if I should sell it FAST. I only got to drive it three days and it left me stranded at the gas station. For no apparent reason, it just wouldn't start. My husband tried to jump start it and the jumper cables started smoking. We ran to the store and bought a new battery and installed it. This let the car start, but then all the check engine lights came on and there was no acceleration. I had it towed to my mechanic and now I'm waiting to see what's next and how much it's going to cost. My 2006 RAV4 has 37k miles so it's not under warranty anymore. After reading this forum, I'm afraid I will have problems with my RAV forever. Has anyone worked through their problems and now they love their RAV? I'm thinking I should sell it before I get stranded again. Help!
  • tautostautos Member Posts: 1
    Never had any problems with my Toyota. Toyotas have few if any issues and most problems are caused by their owners (where they park it, leaves (environment-dirt clogging), abuse,etc.). Their nearly perfect cars. Perhaps its the gas you use.
  • 30ford30ford Member Posts: 10
    You're one of the lucky ones. I got mine new off the lot and when I put my Sirius radio in, they played dumb until I forced the issue. After they got the parts in, it only took them 15 minutes to get it squared away. I guess they have to try putting the buyers off (saves money??).
  • nazlymnazlym Member Posts: 1
    I am not sure if buying a new car and thinking you can rely on it is applicable to a RAV anymore for me. Bought mine in June 2008 (new) ...and having pretty bad luck. The biggest problem now - the car wont start occasionally. Apparantely, as of this June (09) the 2 rubber bands on the shift stick are preventign the car from starting bc the shift stick is not all the way in (2mm) and the car thinks it is in gear and wont start.
    I have always had a rubber band or two on my shift stick but now it is a problem. The dealership of course only figured this out on the 2nd try after the tow truck suggested it. Before that, the dealership kept testing the battery and telling me it's fine (which is what i told them when I brought it in the 1st time).

    Other problem - low set idle point which send extra vibrations throught out the car and the dealership says they cannot do anything about the signals the computer sends to the idle point system (or whatever it is called).

    I also had water leaking (pretty heavily) on my right foot while driving...aparently some tube got plugged up.......

    I also had the horn go off wildely. The dealership put me through hell with fixing it and now 8 months later it is finally fixed.

    SO, between the problems with the car and pain & difficulties from the dealership - I HAVE HAD IT and will be taking it further to Toyota, BBB, Consumer report!!!!!!!

    1 piece of advice to the others who seem to have problems with RAVs > buy a honda :)

    Cheers,
    Nazlym
  • pem524pem524 Member Posts: 1
    I was wondering what your problem was and how did you get it fixed? My Rav4 is a 2009 and I had it since April 2008, but all of a sudden it hasn't been starting. Same story as everyone else.
  • donleskedonleske Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2009 RAV4.... and I ALSO HAVE the same problem. Once a week or sometimes once in two weeks, the car just will NOT START. I bought this car new. I am also an ASE Certified Master Auto Mechanic, 59 years old and know my cars. This car is a Lemon, no joke. I had the same problem with a brand new 2006 Toyota Avalon bought at Toyota of Puyallup. ---- The service department cannot find the problem of course, BECAUSE IT ONLY HAPPENS once in a week or two and they are unwilling to hold a car that long for diagnosis issues. I traded my other Toyota in because of this same issue, but did not think it would happen again. It did, and they are telling me that no one else has complained about this problem. --- Now I also own a web design company www.bciwire.com and I will most certainly create a website to collect such data and a Media Campaign to go along with it. Toyota does not care, it is most obvious. Will they care when enough people do not buy new Toyota cars???

    Shame on Toyota for their poor service.
    Don / Tacoma WA Realtor
  • donleskedonleske Member Posts: 2
    My 2009 RAV4 will NOT START once a week or sometimes in a two week period,, it can happen anywhere and the dealer cannot find out what the problem is. I have taked it to two Toyota dealers, one Titus-Will Toyota in Tacoma and the other to Toyota of Puyallup WA.... they act like I am a liar because they cannot find a trouble code. This also happend with my 2006 Toyota Avalon and I traded it in.... maybe is a conspiracy to get people to trade in their cars?

    Don Leske in Tacoma WA
    Realtor / ASE Certifice Master Mechanic
  • rkljajicrkljajic Member Posts: 7
    Since Steve's Hometown Motors Toyota Dealership in Ontario, Oregon both identified and replaced my Electric Harness as the problem, I've been living relatively safely and Sequoia problem-free. But after the life threatening conditions created by this problem for eighteen months, Toyota's unwillingness to address it or even admit there was anything wrong and my ability to have other transportation vehicles, luckily no one died.

    I tried everything I could to get someone's attention at Toyota America. No luck. I would never, ever purchase another Toyota based solely on the service issue. Aren't there any attorneys out there who want to pursue this??

    Beth
  • lizzie06lizzie06 Member Posts: 6
    Don - I feel your pain and you of all people who knows cars and is an ASE Certified auto mechanic!! I will tell you since my car has shut down 3x on I-95, completed died on me while travelling at a rate of 65-70 mph....it is scary!! I swear I almost had a heart attack and was very fortunate no one plowed into me & was killed. My 2005 Rav4 was also purchased brand new. I have always had toyota's and always purchase a new one when it is time. My last Toyota was a Camry and it lasted 13 years, no problems with it until the 13th year I had it. None the less my current 2005 Rav4 only has 40k, since I work from home, I may only incur about 10K per year on it. After the Toyota dealer had my car several times, they tried to re-create the same 'shut down' incident with their diagnostic testing. After the 3rd time this happened to me & my car was once again towed to the dealer, they decided to remove the ECU and replaced it with another one. Since my passenger side floor was always damp, smelled of mildew, they figured the sealing/hosing in my sunroom was causing the leak and travelling to the ECU which is located underneath my glove box. Since they replaced it, I have not had any more problems. However, two days ago we got a bad rain and now my the floor behind the driver's seat is wet, my driver's side seat belt is wet & once again, the ceiling around the sun-roof is wet!!! So, now I am praying that it did not travel down to the ECU again....for my fear is, my car will once again shut down on my while I driving. I purchased and paid EXTRA for the 6 year/60K silver warranty, the deluxe one. I had to ARGUE/PLEAD that the ECU should be covered, finally they agreed, but I had to pay for the diagnosis testings, hoses for the sun roof & for someone to check for leaks. That person who was hired via Toyota found a few areas that in car chassis that he stated that during assembly someone did not coat it thorughly, so maybe that is why it leaks?!! Anyways, since the new leak in my car, my two front doors quit locking. I now have to manually lock the front doors. I tried purchasing another key button, but it only locks/unlocks my back doors. So, when I get the chance or time, I need to take my car back to the dealership again to fix the leak & my door locks...not sure if the leaks caused the doors to stopping locking electronically. My 2005 Rav4 will be paid off in March 2010.....and I was hoping not to have any payments due to this poor economy, I am strapped. But, it looks like I should sell it and get something else other than a Toyota, but I honestly cannot afford any more payments. Best of luck to you!!
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    I have the keyless 2009 V6 Limited with the push button starter switch.
    When I have my foot on the brake pedal and push the starter switch I hear a 1-2 second unusual almost grinding sound before the car starts up. This does not happen everytime but more than 50% of the time. The car starts ok every time.
    Now a new issue has come up that frightens me. In the past when i pressed the start button 2 times to activate the accessory mode without my foot on the brake as recommended by the manual I heard the same sound for a second or so as though some signal was sent to starter and maybe because brake pedal was not activated some relay stopped it from engaging. So out of fear I stopped doing that.

    Today I left a window open and used the acc mode once and now ,even when running the engine , when I turn engine off and open drivers side door the same sound happens without touching the start buttton! Any ideas. As I am in Greece I have no warranty and am really afraid of any electrical problems.

    Does anyone else hear any sound with the keyless start button before the engine actually kicks over, and has anyone experienced the door opening causing any starter related sounds
    Please help
  • jim09rav4jim09rav4 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2009 RAV4 V6 Limited. When pushing the start button, there's always a slight pause, a unique sound (described previously as grinding, but it's definitely in the dash electronics, not mechanical), then the vehicle starts. It's done this since day one for me, so I've always assumed that's "normal".

    Is this atypical, or common to all new, keyless RAV4s?
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    I started a thread in this forum and here is all the info regarding that. Bottom line is it is not a problem and I also learned we have to just push the start button, like we would turn on a computer and not hold it down till engine starts. I have not tried that yet as I am in NYC and Car is in Greece.

    Could you try that, and tell me if it works for your car

    http://rav4world.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=23861&start=15

    :)
  • junebug1701junebug1701 Member Posts: 31
    This sound is normal--it's the mechanism that unlocks the steering column. On my 2008 Limited, turning the key unlocks the column just like any car with the ignition key on the column. But with the push button start, a small motor does the job when you press the button. Also, when you stop the engine and open the door, you'll hear it re-lock the column.
  • mazda626atxmazda626atx Member Posts: 227
    Hi Junebug
    Its RAV4 Athens. Good to see you are spreading the correct info to all :)
  • drivememaddrivememad Member Posts: 1
    I bought a 2009 Toyota Rav4 in August 2009. Last week, during a cold (but certainly not unusual) spell here in Maine I went into the garage to start the car and it was dead. We recharged it, I took it to the dealer, they checked the battery out and said it was fine. The sevice manager asked if I mostly drive short distance and I said yes. He said that can wear the battery down in cold weather because it needs to be driven longer distances to recharge. He said he has seen this with other customers.

    Huh??? I have lived in Maine for decades and have never heard that, nor had a new battery die. So now the dealer says they will keep the car for 24 hours and hook it up to see if some sensor is not turning off and draining the battery.

    Has anybody else been told that?

    One feature I note about the Rav4: if the headlights are left on when the ignition is turned off, they remain on for, I guess, several minutes before turning off automatically. Can this be a bad design that drains the battery if done a lot?
  • comem47comem47 Member Posts: 399
    "One feature I note about the Rav4: if the headlights are left on when the ignition is turned off, they remain on for, I guess, several minutes before turning off automatically. Can this be a bad design that drains the battery if done a lot? "

    I don't have a RAV-4, but many vehicles keep the lights on when you walk in from your car so the path is lit, but you can turn them off early by hitting the remote lock button a second time once your at the door to your house. Something worth trying if you haven't already.
  • jhs5jhs5 Member Posts: 2
    I am experincing similar problems with a 2008 model. At times the battery seems to be dead and the car won't start nor will the steering wheel turn. Its happened 4 times this month. Last Sunday I pushed the RAV4 from my garage because I thought the battery was dead and I was going to use jumper cables and my truck to recharge the battery. However, I tried to start it once again before attaching the cables, and it started. The same thing happened earlier today.
    I will never purchase another Toyota since the problem has occurred on past models of the RAV4.
  • jhs5jhs5 Member Posts: 2
    I am experincing starter problems with a 2008 model. At times the battery seems to be dead and the car won't start nor will the steering wheel turn. Its happened 4 times this month. Last Sunday I pushed the RAV4 from my garage because I thought the battery was dead and I was going to use jumper cables and my truck to recharge the battery. However, I tried to start it once again before attaching the cables, and it started. The same thing happened earlier today.
    I will never purchase another Toyota since the problem has occurred on past models of the RAV4.
  • junebug1701junebug1701 Member Posts: 31
    This is a simple problem that has nothing to do with a dead battery and should be fixed for free under warranty. Take it to the dealership and tell them to perform this Toyota TSB:

    TSB Number: TSB-0348-09
    Bulletin Title: Intermittent No Crank/No Start
    Release Date: September 30, 2009
    Applicable Year(s): 2006 - 20010
    File Size: 171 kb
    Download: Link

    Description: Some Highlander, Matrix, and RAV4 vehicles may intermittently exhibit a “no crank” condition. The engine can usually be started after moving the shift lever to the Neutral position or by cycling the shift lever in and out of the Park position. A revised neutral start switch assembly is available to address this condition.

    Download TSB
  • mandylmandyl Member Posts: 4
    I wanted to know if you had found a solution to the starting problem. I have a 2007 Rav4 and started having the same starting issue fall 2009. Only once, maybe twice a week. I notifed the dealership, as I take it in every 3K miles for oil change, they ran diagnostics and found nothing. Blamed it on the cold weather and getting miles on it. Well, the problem still exists, in fact every morning and after it has sat for at least 6 hours, it takes a while for it to crank over. I wanted to see if you had an resolution to the problem. Thanks!
  • junebug1701junebug1701 Member Posts: 31
    Hey, janyboy (mandyl), did you read the previous message (post #71)? Next time you are at your dealer tell them to look at TSB-0348-09. That will probably fix your problem!
  • mandylmandyl Member Posts: 4
    I did, but they didn't think that was the issue since I have never had an issue with not having power or not cranking. They cannot get it to replicate the issue at the dealer, but they believe the pressure issue with the gas pump, that if they can get it to replicate the issue, they can diagnosis it pretty easily. As long as it does not leave me stranded, I am okay, just irritates me that it is doing it more than anything.
  • junebug1701junebug1701 Member Posts: 31
    OK, so it cranks but it takes too long to start? I would have a battery load test done. The battery on the RAV4 usually only lasts 3 years. There is a tremendous load on the battery at starting what with the electric power steering on top of everything else. If the starter saps too much energy from the battery when cranking, the voltage can drop too low for the fuel pump and computer to work properly.
  • mandylmandyl Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for the advice. The local Toyota dealer has tested it a couple of times and it checks out fine, but this last time they did say that it tested weak at times; its the original battery My husband has thought all along that it acts like its not getting fuel at start-up, so your fuel pump comment makes sense.
  • toja10toja10 Member Posts: 1
    2007 Toyota rav 4
    My toyota never had any battery issues and today 90 degree weather I went on two trips, the second time there was an all systems failure, nothing worked, I could not even lock the doors. Called AAA which checked the battery after they jumped it they mentioned that the alternator may not be working. After they disconnected the battery and I try to start the car, it still did not start. Only after they connected the battery again I could get it to start. I drove the car home, however it stands dead in the street. Contacted Toyota dealer however they will be able to get the car taken care of in 4 days.
  • junebug1701junebug1701 Member Posts: 31
    I'll bet a new $75 battery from Wal-mart would solve your problem. You probably could have had the AAA guy replace it when he was there. Would have been more expensive, but cheaper than the dealer and it wouldn't have taken 4 days.

    Oh, and if you disconnect the battery on ANY car, it will not start!
  • schatz313schatz313 Member Posts: 2
    mandyl or janyboy - have you gotten your issue resolved? 3 weeks ago I started having the EXACT same problem. When my car sits for more than 8 or so hours, most times I get into it and try to start it it cranks for an extra 2-5 seconds before it finally catches and starts. I had it in for oil change 2 weeks ago and they couldn't recreate the problem. Sunday I brought it to dealer and told them not to touch until late Monday for best chance at recreating the problem and of course they said it worked just fine for them Monday afternoon, so they didn't do anything. I don't think it has to do with that TSB about the neutral start switch because it's not a "no crank" situation. They tested the battery when I had it in 2 weeks ago and said it's a little low, but that shouldn't be causing the crank problem. Someone mentioned possibly pressure in the fuel lines to me as well. Any thoughts or solutions you've found? Thanks!
  • schatz313schatz313 Member Posts: 2
    lizzie, check this out. Maybe it should be extended to cover Rav4's as well, huh? http://motorcrave.com/another-million-deep-toyota-recall-on-the-way/8819/

    I'm having starter issues with my 2006 currently and am getting nowhere with answers either.
  • junebug1701junebug1701 Member Posts: 31
    You need to bite the bullet and install a new battery. If they tested it and it was "a little low", that means the battery is on its way out. The original Toyota battery has a typical life span of 3 years--if you can squeeze 4 out of it you're doing good. Spend the $75-85 on a new battery and I'm almost certain it will solve your problem.
  • alisterbalisterb Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1996 Rav4 - Whenever the speedometer stops working, the O/D light flashes and the transmission acts up
  • junebug1701junebug1701 Member Posts: 31
    Check your VSS (Vehicle Speed Sensor) located somewhere on the transmission and either fix the wiring or replace the sensor as necessary.
  • mandylmandyl Member Posts: 4
    I have not been able to find the solution. I just took it back in for an oil change and didn't say anything hoping that it would be asked of me. I asked how the battery tested and before I even said a thing about the starting issue, the technician asked, "why, are you having starting issues?" I said yes and all they could tell me was that until they can recreate it, they cannot diagnose it. The last technician thought it was a pressure issues in the fuel line as well, but again they cannot do anything about it until they recreate the situation. I don't understand how it isn't doing it for them, as it is about every time that it starts this way now. Frustrating, because it is starting like it has 200,000 miles on it when it only has 50K. I will keep you posted and let me know if you hear anything more. thanks!
  • junebug1701junebug1701 Member Posts: 31
    Mandy, I urge you to replace the battery. The original battery only lasts 2 or 3 years, and the RAV4 is heavily dependent on the battery because the electric power steering uses a lot of electrical power. One day real soon your battery is just going to die leaving you stranded without warning. If you do manage to get it jumped off, it might start and run but your power steering will be cutting in and out making it unsafe to drive. Replacing a battery is no big deal. Get an Everstart from Wal-Mart for 75 bucks and they will install it for free. Problem solved.
  • torchlitetorchlite Member Posts: 1
    This morning at 5:45 am, I am heading outside and notice headlights on...thinking it was my company car and that I had accidentally hit the key fob, I go outside to discover that it is my daughter's 2002 RAV4 - the headlights are on, but they were definitely not on when we went to bed last night. Naturally, I checked both the headlight switch and the fog light switch and both were off - the lights continued to burn. I cranked it up with no problem (we put in a new battery early summer). I thought if I disconnected the battery that might do something (okay, I'm not really a car guy). Upon reconnection, the lights were still on, but now the horn was blaring, everything was beeping, AND NOW the vehicle would not crank. I figured there is some code that must be entered via the radio or something. Anybody got any suggestions on (1) resetting the vehicle and (2) what the issue is with the lights? :confuse:
  • toyotalover54toyotalover54 Member Posts: 1
    My daughter has a 1997 RAV4 that has 178,000 miles on it and is still going strong. It is messy inside but that is her own habit, and is not due to defects of the car. As her father is a mechanic, she has done all the necessary maintenance on the car and to my knowledge, has experienced no serious problems. Perhaps it's because in 1997, the RAV4s were built better, but it is nice to know that the brand itself is not inherently bad.

    I just recently bought a 2005 RAV4 and have had no problems, but have had it only a few months. Hopefully, it is a vehicle that is problem free. I do have a AAA membership and a cell phone, however, so maybe I can be worry free.

    I have owned two long-running Corollas that never gave me ANY problems but I needed a larger, "taller" car for medical problems with arthritis, and since my daughter loves her car, went with this one. I've read nothing about any recalls for 2005. I hope I will not rue the day I bought it! :)
  • deloiddeloid Member Posts: 18
    98 Rav 4 with isstrument cluster lights out, shifter stays locked on park unless manually released with the button and tail lights out. Replaced two fuses by the steeering wheel and all worked then the fuses blew again.
    Can I get a heads up on where to start? Wiring looks fine, cluster works, doubt it's a short at the headlights...thinking short at dimmer, ignition or a relay.
    Thoughts?
  • missnonniemissnonnie Member Posts: 2
    Wednesday morning, following a very cold night (but we've had colder!), my RAV wouldn't start. Wouldn't even crank when I turned the key in the ignition.....just dead silence. Couldn't move steering wheel or move automatic shifter out of park. At 3:00 the same day, when it was warmer, it started right up. Thursday same thing......dead silence in the morning, started right up in afternoon. Took to Toyota dealer who did diagnostics and said it was a faulty neutral safety switch which they replaced. This morning.........wouldn't start again! Dead silence, can't even put into neutral to try starting it in another gear. Called the service manager at the dealer and he said he is stumped. I will start the RAV this afternoon, drop it off at the dealers so they can try starting it in the morning, and maybe if it won't start then, it will help them to figure out what is wrong. What on earth is in a car's motor or electrical system that could be freezing overnight, preventing the car from starting, and then thawing out in the afternoon????? They said the battery is fine, by the way. It is only 2 years old. The vehicle has 24,000 miles on it, 90% of it highway driving. It is used every day. Thanks for any help
  • propwash49propwash49 Member Posts: 38
    It might be a relay that is sticking in the extreme cold, and then works OK when the temperature warms up a bit. I had a similar problem once, but it was the fuel pump relay instead of the starter relay.
  • missnonniemissnonnie Member Posts: 2
    Thanks! I'll mention that to the service manager, although he said they checked out the starter and it was fine. I left the RAV at the dealer's overnight, and wouldn't you know, it started fine the next morning! Brought it home on Saturday, and it started on Sunday morning, so I'm hoping that it really was the neutral safety switch and it was just a weird fluke that it didn't start the day after they replaced it.
  • ellenrodellenrod Member Posts: 1
    Hi All:

    This same 'starter' problem happend to me only about 2 or 3 months ago. The ignition wouldn't start, turn over or make any sound what so ever. I called AAA and their person told me it was a battery problem, so he sold me a new one and installed it. The very next day it happened all over again! Another AAA person came out and said he felt it had to do with how we use our remote control car alarm systems versus the locks on the inside of the driver's door. He said to ensure that all doors were locked each time, to hit the remote three or so times. The same when you want to disarm the locks. So I've followed that directive religiously ever since. Unfortunately, I think it almost happened once again a couple of days ago! It hasn't happened today, but now I'm becoming anxious all over again. I believe I'll follow the advice of one of the other writers/readers here who said what to direct the dealership to do when I take it to them for repair. I've sworn by Toyota for many years and this is the very first one I've ever had issues with. Between this issue and now the recall for the floor mats and excellerator, I couldn't be more disappointed and concerned than I am presently.
  • junebug1701junebug1701 Member Posts: 31
    Ellen, don't listen to those AAA people--you know the car better than they do. Next time you have this starting problem, make sure the shifter is in Park and try it again. If that doesn't work, shift into Neutral and try again. There is a switch that prevents the car from starting unless it's in P or N and that switch is either going bad or is out of adjustment. Toyota has issue a TSB for this problem that calls for replacing the switch. In over 2 years of owning my 2008 RAV4, this problem happened to me ONCE. I shifted into Neutral and it started right up, and the problem never returned. Good Luck!
  • lovedmyrav4lovedmyrav4 Member Posts: 1
    As I was driving my Rav4 in a parking garage I had to backup to make a tight turn. Put car in reverse and the car stalled (so I thought) Put it in Park to restart but before I touched the key the car started on it's own. Put it into reverse, backup a few feet and put the car in drive - car dies again. As I passed neutral on the way to park the car starts on it's own in neutral, put car in drive and pull into the parking spot. Turn off the ignition, starter continues to crank; turn on the ignition car runs about 5 minutes dies and white smoke billows out of the front hood, electrical burning smell. After a few minutes the smoke starts to abate, I open the hood see the smoke coming from the front right (as I face the car) of the compartment. Now everything in the car is DEAD. No lights, no auto locks, so click when you turn the key nothing!

    Dealer is now replacing the battery & starter because the starter must have been "hung up" (on what?) and the rubber casing melted. Need the battery and the starter to do further diagnostics....

    Any thoughts? Any similar experiences. RAV has just over 77K miles and the 75K service was completed about a month & a half ago. Do I trust the car going forward?
  • rose920rose920 Member Posts: 14
    In 2010, I had a new A/C compressor , alternater, and Distributor O Ring put in to the tune of $1269.

    That was followed by a door that wouldn't close at an estimate of $487. I got on here and read about Dupont Silicone and fixed it.

    In 2011 so far, I have had a Timing Belt Tensioner put it as well as Crankshaft Seal and valve cover gasket -- $703.18. The Timing Belt was changed at 105k and the car now has 156k. I checked to see if it was under warrantee which it was and they were going to replace the whole kit, water pump, belt, etc. but the person I took the car to did not take the "kit" saying it was only the tensioner pully. I have to say that I was not comfortable with this and being a woman, I feel that I may have been "taken" on this. Is there a way to find an honest mechanic who won't take advantage of my female status?

    Oh did I say the car was still leaking something? So I took it back and was shown that the power steering fluid was leaking. It is now fixed -- $470.

    When I took it in, I mentioned that the car was making a clunking sound, not the usual power steering squeak. When I picked it up, I asked if they found out what the noise was. They said there wasn't any noise. Well as I drove out of the station and down two blocks, the noise happened again while I was waiting to take a turn. I am so disgusted and so not trusting, I did not return. I did have a muffler replaced a month ago (under warrantee) and by the person who originally put it on who is another person that I am unsure of as to being taken advantage by him.

    In the old days, you took your car into be serviced or repaired (or at least I did) and the mechanic (my cousin) took the car for a ride to see if anything else was going on. He also washed it for me. He is now deceased and his shop is going and I am still trying to find someone I can trust. I admit to being spoiled but I knew that I could trust him and he knew I was not totally ignorant about cars having worked as a teenager in a dealer service dept so he listened to me if I thought something was wrong with my car.

    This morning I looked at my car and there is yet another leak under it!!

    Do I take it back or do I just chalk it up to a car getting old and it will keep having to be repaired? I really can't afford to buy a new one and I really want another Toyota but maybe this is not the time to buy one.

    Sorry for rambling on.
  • yotatechyotatech Member Posts: 1
    im a tech at a toyota dealership here in virginia beach virginia and every day i replace about 4 to 5 batterys in rav4's every day for not starting.....i think its the electric power steering thats putting way too much draw on the battery causing them to fail after a short period of time.... because besides the sienna mini van the rav 4 is the only other toyota with an electric power steering system and thoes are the only vehicles that get towed in for dead batterys 95% of the time

    because if u notice when u jump a rav 4 and try to drive it the power steering will work on and off due to the lack of battery power
  • junebug1701junebug1701 Member Posts: 31
    What about the Corolla? Doesn't it have electric power steering as well? Have you ever had to replace the battery in a Corolla? A Google search shows that NHTSA was looking into hundreds of complaints about the Corolla's electric power steering back in February of 2010.
  • taf35taf35 Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone figured out what the problem is with the Rav4 starters? I have a 2008 Rav4 and I just started having this problem as well. Everything else turns on (lights, A/C, radio, etc.) but the starter makes absolutely no noise when I try to turn the car on. After several turns of the key, it will magically start up like normal.
  • junebug1701junebug1701 Member Posts: 31
    It's not the starter! It's the neutral safety switch. Next time this happens, jiggle the shift lever or shift into neutral and I'll bet it starts right up. There is a TSB from Toyota that addresses this issue--a newly designed switch is installed to fix the problem. Go to the dealer and ask them to look at TSB-0348-09. You will find it at rav4world.com in the 4.3 TSB forum.
  • charly2charly2 Member Posts: 4
    My daughter has an 07 Toyota Rav 4 Limited. Once we had to jump it off, she lost all function of putting it in gears. So we pulled the positive post off for 15 minutes, then an hour. She was able to gain the function of reverse and drive. But no power when driving. The transmission light, VSC and Anti-skid control light are lit.

    Does anyone know what to do?
  • junebug1701junebug1701 Member Posts: 31
    edited January 2012
    I'll bet when you first tried to jump it off you had the cables reversed. This will blow a fuse or two. Try looking for blown fuses--there are 2 black fuse boxes under the hood. In any event, you are probably going to need a new battery.
  • changhaichanghai Member Posts: 1
    My recently purchased 2011 Rav4 failed to start this morning (the battery seems discharged). I'm not 100% certain about what caused it, but I may have left the headlight switch at the position that corresponding to "side marker, parking, tail, license plate, daytime running lights and instrument panel lights turn on" (Owner's manual p165). Does anyone know whether that will keep lights on even after I shutdown engine? If yes, will that cause a new and reasonably charged battery discharge in about 14 hours to a degree that can't start the engine (the battery is not completely discharged, car radio still works, just can't start the engine)?
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