2006 Toyota RAV4

flyingn

NEVER allow th efuel lever to drop that low. The fuel pump is a motor and its lubrication IS the gasoline. You stand a good chance to burn it up if you allow the level to drop below the actual pump itself. VERY expensive to replace..

Frank

petl

I laughed pretty hard reading through your response. So I gather side mouldings are not important to you or required (I don't think they protect the way they use to). Actually, some (non-factory) mouldings look a little cheesy. Others aren't installed the same way when comparing left and right side (they just don't line up properly). For these reasons not having them certainly won't prevent me from buying any vehicle. I'll keep exercising.

jimd4

OK well I just lost my mind there for bit I guess!

Keep them flying.!

jimd4

I have been keeping an eye on the SE distric Toyota site at zip code 34423 which is a dealer in FL since the SE distric seems to be the only one that shows total RAV4s coming in or in. The SE site seem to get about 1050 RAV4s ever 2 weeks or so. Of that about 17% seem to be V6 of all models and drives. Most of those are base and Limited. The Sport v6 AWD represents just 2% of the total. FWD drive is a better seller in warm sunny FL. it seems.

Gives you some idea of what your into if your looking for a V6.
And wow, they have one V6 Sport loaded up with custom stuff resulting in a sale price of about $33500! You gotta love the creativity they use in taking your money.

andrelaplume

My Camry has painted white plasttic molding and it chipped here and there. Dings may not happen as often but chips would. I wonder if the after market molding will match in color and if it will stay on forever like OEM?

purduealum91

sportwing.com

I have the Everglade Metallic color.

Heres a link to picts:

http://rav4world.com/forums/album_pic.php?pic_id=1056

drummerboy_200

I've never experienced any noticable body roll in my 06Rav Limited, so I don't think there would be any need to lean into a turn. Yes, the dash and side pannels do seem a little snug, but I've never found it uncomfortable (I am also 6'2"). And unless you are talking about the optional 3rd row seats, I have absolutely no idea how you could possibly be touching the roof. Give it a test drive, you may change your mind.

martymacgyver

You're making me (I'm 6'5") nervous here, as I'm flying out in a few days to pick up my Rav4. The moonroof makes a huge difference (did the Rav you tried have one?) With that I found the headliner to be less than an inch from the top of my head if I sat up straight and hairstyling aside (car-head and even hat-head aren't my cup of tea) I felt it would be a safety risk (the moonroof hardware is *right there* under that lower headliner... one good jolt or god-forbid a rollover and... ugh!) Which is why I got one without the moonroof (and that was an adventure in itself).

I know the driver space will be a bit smaller than my present Chrysler in terms of legroom but from what I could tell it wasn't that bad. The test drive was good but I was floored when I had everything rolled back for my comfort as driver, then hopped in the back seat (I tilted that seat back as well, which slides it back a bit more too) and *still had room*! More room than anything else barring a Pacifica (which is a squashed minivan with rather bad gas mileage and poor sight lines... but spacious and an awesome Nav setup!) Even a hulk like the Jeep Commander had almost no room back there, so I was pleasantly surprised to find so much room in the Rav.

gogiboy

"But I often wait until my gauge is well below 1/4th (or even let the low fuel light come on) before filling up and I haven't had a fuel pump go out on me ... yet."

Me either and I've had my 94 Civic since new with no problems with the fuel pump. My car is frequently below 1/2 a tank and infrequently below 1/4 and 1/8, but it does happen and there have been no ill effects.

Anyway, as an experiment to see how "low one can go" I don't think any permanent damage would be done, but I'm no expert.

Gogiboy

wwest

It seems to me I have seen some sort of SERIOUS warning regarding danage to the catalytic converter if the engine runs dry of fuel.

But I'm not certain of that.

jimd4

I kind of think Toyota is not going to lie about the fuel tank capacity. No one should run out of gas trying to verify it to the last drop! I recommend everyone move on to inventing the next RAV4 short coming that is probably not there.
Are we having fun yet?

mark19

marty.. don't be nervous.. a friend of mine who is about 6'6 just got a rav4, I looked at him and he fit fine in the car. even driving and sitting upright. but he did get one without the sunroof, just for the same exact reasons you did. Extra headroom

mark19

No you shouldn't EVER run a pump dry, you WILL damage it, as just as everyone on here has said.. The fuel does lubricate the pump that is in the gas tank. Run it dry, no lubrication.. Oops, lots of $$$ to fix!

And to get fuel economy, you never have to run it dry to see the numbers, 1/2 a tank is good enough..

rsaltus1

Not a problem. I'm 6-5 and have had my RAV4 for about a month or so. No moonroof, and I'm totally comfortable. The seat in the Limited is adjustable every which way and I reall there's plenty of room. At my height, in any car I sometimes have to duck down just a tad to look up at stoplights because of the top of the windshield. The RAV4 is a little better than many cars in this respect. So overall, I love this car!
rs in boston

toycash

Toyota has removed the MPH and RPM suggestions from the break in on their newer vehicles. Probably because they realized it wasn't practical for people to stay under 55!

orioninil

For all you that already own a Toyota, how long (on average) have your brakes lasted? I spoke with my mechanic last night and he said that Toyota's are notorious for brake replacments every 20-30k miles.

Not a huge issue I understand, but I'd just like to know.
My wife's Toyota Tacoma Dual Cab 4WD has over 40k and no issues.

So this get me to the next question, do they put better brake pads on the 4WD versions of all their vehicles? Just the Tacoma's/Tundra's? Neither?

stever

It's hard for some of us to think of gas as a lubricant but you're right.

I've been lucky with my fuel pumps, since I do tend to drive to the 1/4 mark. And gas is heavy so I'm probably saving $10 a year on fuel by not refilling on the 1/2 mark - ok, that's a stretch. :shades:

Steve, Host

jimd4

I did not think 25-30k was bad for brakes. Both my Audi A6s needed front brakes at around 27k. Rear brakes at 40k+. That is with 50% suburban highway driving and and not a lot of hard braking use. The summer performance tires, which were great for performance, were not good for miles...25k. Got very noisy after maybe 20k.

kdhspyder

I am the extreme exception I believe. In 16 yrs of driving Toyota's I have never replaced any brakes... or even pads.

Now I drive 40000 mi/yr mostly at highway speeds and almost never brake until at destination. Lots of stop and go driving will obviously increase your need.
To add some life to your brakes:
Be careful of driving 'hot' brakes through puddles and deep water to avoid having them warp.
Plan your stops well in advance and coast whenever safely feasible.

There are often larger diameter brakes on the larger vehicles and the SUV all have disk/disk whereas the cars usually have disk/drum.

jimd4

Unless I am in some remote or unfamiliar place I always run my tank till the gauge is on E or the trip computer on most recent cars says "0 miles to go" . Never had any fuel pump issues over 20 years. With the Audi that means I then put in 17.5 to 18 gallons on what I think is a tank rated at 18.5 gallons.

martymacgyver

Thanks, I'm feeling better already! I think it's just the $$$ jitters hitting me early. For the money and the relative gas mileage I'm getting a high quality bargain overall (particulary versus the Highlander, which was surprisingly cramped compared to the Rav... what's up with that?)

martymacgyver

One other thing that has nagged at the back of my mind is the relative lack of safety data on the new Rav4s... has anyone found any info on how safe this vehicle is in terms of rollover resistance, injury to occupants in a given type of crash, etc., relative to other SUVs or the like (i.e., Pacifica or Forester or such)? I *did* get the side curtain airbag option on the one I'm getting so that's covered.

- Marty

edar77

Just picked up my Sport V6 AWD (Gave up my lase on Ford Escape XLT in Dec/05). I've been driving only for 2 days and i'm already very impressed with the ride quality and comfort. The vehicle is very smooth and quet. Most of the time you can't hear the engine run at all. Even outside, when idle in park, it is almost impossible to hear the motor running. The V6 is very powerfull, but not touchy at all as some people said. It's very easy to take off smoothly and slowly with just touching the gas pedal. The automatic shifts are almost undetectable and there is always power available. The build quality is excellent, fit and finish inside are the best from all the cars i've driven. There is a bit of road noise at higher speed, but turning the radio on low, mutes most of it. Overall i am very pleased with the vehicle and the more i drive it the more i like it. The only thing that really bothered me was VSC. On just a bit of ice the car would sometimes start beeping and hitting the brakes, while i was trying to give it more gas to get through the intersection. I really didn't like that as i've been driving through ice and snow for more than 15 years and know how to handle a car. Otherwise the vehicle is even more than what i hoped for. Just my 2 cents as a new owner of a V6 RAV4.

mark19

oh i didn't mean that if you don't fill up at 1/2 you'd have fuel pump problems.. i was just saying anyone could do the fuel economy calculations at 1/2 tank.. and yeah 1/4 tank is okay just usually I don't let it go beyond that.. easier to be safer than the chance the fuel pump.

kdhspyder

The IIHS wont do it's crash tests until it's good and ready and do not put any credence in the NHTSA tests. They are 20+ years out of date. All the govt tests will give you is a go/no-go guidance. The IIHS is leading edge and the govt tests dont know where the edge is.

The previous RAV was the best pick of any small SUV in both frontal and side tests by the IIHS. Although the tests havent been done yet I would be shocked if it still wasnt the best. Toyota's and Honda's are always up in the highest rank.

raydahs

The only thing that really bothered me was VSC

Could you read the link under SUV and share your thoughts? They winter tested both the Escape and the Highlander with the VSC, which I believe is the same system on the RAV4. One of the testers complained about the VSC as well!

http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/traction2006.htm

Anyone have any thoughts on the Subaru Outback Wagon 2.5i AWD system vs. the RAV4's? I'm going to check out the Outback tomorrow, they now have a $2K rebate in my area. That along with high inventory levels (possibility of getting it at invoice), brings it into the competition arena....for me, thanks for any thoughts.

stever

I'll try to do better in future, especially if I can get my mpg up to 300 miles on a tank and still have 1/4 of a tank left.

I better not mention the current level of my power steering fluid reservoir.

Steve, Host

hightower

(...long time lurker, first time poster)

I hate to revive this angle, but I'm still in disbelief with Elway Toyota of Denver. Visited them this afternoon, and had a good visit with a salesperson about Rav4's. Four hours later, a different salesperson (one we never met) is calling and accusing me of being a spy working for another dealership! :mad:

I've spent the rest of my day drafting letters to them and Toyota corporate. I'm glad they aren't the only game in town - sure other dealerships in the area will want my business, right?

Looking forward to having more to contribute than this rant, and thanks to the community so far!

mark19

did someone mention power steering fluid levels? lol.. just kidding thanks for making me laugh steve! :P

jimd4

I drove a Sport V6 about 2 weeks ago on a test drive and found it very nice. But when I sat at an intersection with my foot on the brake waiting for the light, the car would beep and the little skidding car symbol would come on. It went off if I took my foot off the brake. The sales lady had no clue.

When I drove another one a week later this did not occur.

Later on I thought it might be the hill holder function or what ever Toyota calls it.
Any one know about this?

jimd4

To me the Subaru wagon is not in the same class as the RAV4 when it comes to space and access. But it you can live with the size, it may be a bargin.

jimd4

Well they way I read it he complains that it is overly safe and beeps! Is that bad?
For the average driver, probably not.

raydahs

To me the Subaru wagon is not in the same class as the RAV4 when it comes to space and access.

You're correct in the utility part, but it's interesting to do a side by side comparison on edmunds to see the differences though. The 4 cyl. O/B has some advantages over the RAV4, such as H.P. and the one thing that stood out, was the towing capacity for the 4cyl. O/B (2700 LBS.) that's 1200 lbs. more than the RAV4! I don't know what the criteria is for towing capacity is, other than (H.P.) suspension and brakes, but it's a fair amount of weight difference, which may be important for me in the future.

raydahs

Well they way I read it he complains that it is overly safe and beeps! Is that bad?

Not at all, as you say for the average person, in fact the Highlander in the article placed ahead of the Subaru! It appears that I'll be somewhere in the Northern part of the country next Winter, so I'm trying to educate myself on what the best thing for me is. Maybe the RAV4 (VSC) is better suited for an ex-So.Cal like me. I find that I have a difficult time reading the road conditions.

I'm headed out today to drive them back to back. The RAV4 V6 is waiting for me to test at 9:30, should be interesting. In my neck of the woods the 4cyl. are now $700 over invoice, but the V6 is at MSRP.

jimd4

Well enjoy your V6 drive. And be patient. The V6s can be had for $600 over invoice. www.fitzmall.com has some now.

edar77

Thank you for your replies and thoughts. The fact is that i found the VCS system too intrusive. It is maybe so that a lot of people will find it useful and helpful. For people that drive a lot in winter conditions (I'm from Winnipeg, Canada) and are used to having control while driving the vehicle, the annoying beeping and odd brake/gas behavior may not be so comfortable. When VSC was kicking in i've already compensated the small skid by adjusting the throttle amount and controlling the front wheels with the steering wheel. Now, i don't know how many people on this forums have a lot of winter driving experience, but i can tell you this: when trying to clear an intersection with 6+ inch. of snow, the last thing you want is to start braking in middle of the road just to make your car go straight 100%. You always want to keep initial inertia of the car. Once you've stopped or slew down too much (thanks to you VSC) , you're going to have a hard time getting going again and risking to be hit by other traffic. Since i've been driving 4x4 vehicles for many years through snow and ice, i want to have full control. Now i find my self "re-learning" how to drive my new RAV4 so i don't end-up in an accident because the car thinks i'm going in to a skid and the annoying beeping is simply not needed. After said all of the above, i have to add that i think my wife would find that system useful as she simply does not know how to control front/all wheel drive car with out braking.

jimd4

Well on my Audi the ESP (VSC) can be turned off. I found that helpfull at low speeds in deep snow where the ESP tends to kill momentum when you want to keep moving even at low speeds.

Toyota is being extra cautious I suppose. I would like the option of turning VSC off at times. If they are worried people would forget to turn it back on, they could make it like the window defroster thing..but on after 10 min instead of off.

edar77

Exactly! I agree with you 100%. There should be a switch to turn it off/on. The same thing goes for side mirrors difroster. It CAN NOT be turned on by the driver! I can't believe it. The only way the difroster will come on if the computer thinks it's cold enough (temp. sensor). Well, what happens if it's foggy and still above freezing mark, or the comp. mulfunctions and turns them on when it's over 80F? Again, i have no control over it and that bothers me. There should always be an option for a manual override like the 4x4 switch. Byt the way, i had a chance to check the performance of the 4x4 lock. It works perfectly. On some review sites they said that if brake is applied (besides going over 25 mp/h) the 4x4 is automatically off. That's 100% NOT TRUE. I will always stay in 4x4 mode untill you reach higher speeds and not needed it anymore. Thanks for that Toyota, as i was worried it would come off if you brake which is what i DON'T WANT when driving slow thorugh rough conditions.

mtdog

The RAV4 brochure I have states that HAC is engaged after applying the brakes for 2 to 3 seconds with sufficient force and waiting for a beep. Sounds like it might have been the HAC engaging, but it does not mention anything about a dash light warning.

wwest

In my experience it is not at all unusual for the drive wheels to continue turning SLOWLY when on an icy surface with the brakes applied but not firmly. Torque converters always couple some minor level of engine torque ever with the engine at idle.

If the vehicle happened to be AWD that makes this a much higher probability as the rear braking is never as STRONG as the front and so the rear wheels will often continue turning if "driven".

saqsalm

I want a Rav4 V6 Limited with 3rd row seat, but am told by dealers this is not scheduled to come to the mid-west (I live in St. Louis, MO) until another 4 months from now. Would anyone in this forum have information on when the V6s with 3rd row seat are due?
thank you

wizzobutter

I ordered a RAV4 V6 Sport after test driving it. The roads around me are in good shape, so I really didn't get to see how stiff the suspension is on rough roads. My question is: Is it possible to have a mechanic adjust the firmness of the suspension? I remember once hearing about adjustable shock absorbers. Does anyone know what is done on the Sport model to stiffen the suspension?

wizzobutter

Does anyone know where the temperature sensor is on the RAv4? I would think there would be few places that are not influenced by the engine/transmission heat, or sunlight heating up the metal. I hear they are very accurate.

wizzobutter

Using TIVO, I slowed down the commercial and see that the RAV4 V6 is a Limited model. I was wondering how the power slide turning right into the alleyway was made. I would think that would not be possible with traction and stability control. Wouldn't TC and VSC prevent the rear sliding out like that? Also, if the Limited model can handle like that, I wonder how the Sport model handles at that speed, not that I drive like that.

jimd4

Well I have driven both Sport and Limited and can tell you that Sport is better. Much less body lean or roll which you see some of in that ad. But you have to accept some extra firmness in the ride and a little more noise on rough pavement.

I suspect the VSC is not totaly clairvoyant and if you practice some you can probably produce what they did for the ad. The truck handles very well but will require some common sense so that one does not over do it since the CG is higher than a performance sedan.

Funny I was wondering if that was a Limited in the ad.

glennglenn

I have a 2001 ML-55 AMG Benz and on that car, it is inside the side-view mirror housing. Most cars typically have it in the left drivers side mirror housing.

jimd4

Toyota does not say much about the Sport changes except "tuned springs and shocks." I doubt very much if it is adjustable. But you may well find that it really is not bad at all. Having driven one, I think you will have lots of fun with the V6 Sport.
Keep us posted on MPG etc. By the way, what did you get on it and what price versus invoice did you pay?

Enjoy!

beth10

I just ordered a 3rd row V6 from a dealer in Hutchinson, Kansas for $500 over invoice. That would be about a 7 hour drive for you, but they're really good to deal with. It's a 10 week wait, but I'm getting exactly what I want.

jimd4

Glad to see you did not get stuck with the "MSRP only" nonsense that some dealers try on. I read some where that Toytoa give the dealer back 2% of MSRP at some point in time..."dealer Holdback". So even at "$500 over invoice" The dealer is still getting $1000+ before expenses. Not a lot but something.

beth10

Did get stuck w/ that TDA fee; does Fitzmall include that in their invoice price or pass it along like an administrative fee?