Toyota RAV4 Battery and Electrical Problems
edmundsdesi
Member Posts: 8
in Toyota
I have had two batteries go dead in my new 2006 RAV4. They have it in the shop now to determine what is draining the battery. Any others with the same problem, or a solution? Also, if it fails a third time, isn't that considered a "lemon"?
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No. It just means that they haven't discovered the root cause. Something could be draining the battery or your alternator may be malfunctioning. It is also possible that you are the 1 person in 100,000 who gets three defective batteries in a row - someone's got to be the one!
Regarding lemon laws, the definitions vary from state to state but generally apply to the vehicle itself and not appurtenances like windshield wipers and batteries. The applicability of lemon laws will depend on the root cause of your problem and the state in which you reside.
tidester, host
Then car starts dying while it's being driven. All kinds of lights on. I, of course, take photos of the 'problems.'
Two Toyota Dealers and California Corporate says nothing is wrong; cars won't start if not run for one/two weeks (depending on whom you speak with). I actually taped the phone call with Toyota Corporate and imformed the 'Customer Service' Manager I spoke with I was doing so. I offered to let the newspaper know so they can alert all the people whose cars are at the airport. Toyota Corporate said go ahead. They directed me to disconnect the fuses under the hood next to the battery if leaving the car not running for more than one week. I asked where this information 'existed' since it wasn't on the owners manual or on the Toyota website. 'No where,' was the Toyota Corporate response.
Formal Toyota case started. Two more dealers later, one will actually was willing to look at the car - almost 18,000 miles on it now and I actually expected it to run. I was a very difficult customer.
What did they find? Electric harness bad, probably from factory, and that's what the problem was all along. Is it fixed now? Not completely. Great dealer; horrible previous dealers, dangerous company (Toyota).
Toyota doesn't participate in the BBB arbitration system so it's lawyer time. In the snowy mountains of November the car isn't safe. It's new car time.
Anyone else experienced this? I bought a Toyota for ski country because all my friends and neighbors there had such great experiences with their Toyota's. But now everyone has been through this nightmare with me and, I hope, will think long and hard before purchasing Toyota's in the future. Machines don't always work but customer service and dangerous behaviors are the result of much larger problems.
Sounds to me like the posting from tidester, July 15, 2005 may be having the same problem with their 2006 RAV4.
Beth
1. How to get someone to 'test' your Corolla given that they say nothing is wrong with a vehicle that won't start after two weeks?
2. How to get Toyota to address their 'belief' that automobiles do not start if left sitting for one (dealer statement) or two (Toyota Corporate) statement weeks.
- It's not true with Toyota's, unless there is something wrong with them
- It's not true with any other brands
- It's not the 1960's anymore; a time when it might have actually been true
Something is wrong with Toyota/LEXUS electric system. When it's all going to come out is the question.
We all own many cars at many homes in many countries. This problem is only happening with Toyota/LEXUS. It is a problem and it can be life threatening (in my case). I'm not going to drop it until it's fixed for everyone.
If you know of others with this problem, PLEASE let me know!
Beth :lemon:
I have a 97 Rav4 and the horn became stuck while it was sitting in my driveway. I disconnected the battery for lack of a better idea. I would like to disconnect the fuse, but I don't know which one it is because I do not have an owner's manual. Does anyone know which fuse is the horn? Thank you.
Fine, blown fuse, no problem. I look in the manual, look up the information and look at the fuse block to find the slot (#35) empty. No fuse.
We have recently had a remote starter put in (Circuit City) and the wiring is a mess.
All of that aside, has the fuse block changed since the manual was written? I don't see how the fuse could just not be there.
We brought it to the dealer who can't replicate the issue, so they won't do anything.
A previous car I had experienced a similar problem before I had the starter replaced, which eliminated the problem.
The car is still under warranty and the dealer won't do anything since they can't reproduce it.
Anyone know of this problem or have any suggestions?
I'm thinking it won't get solved til something actually fails and we're stuck somewhere.
Thanks.
Needless to say, it was not a fun process, Toyota Corporate didn't/wouldn't help, it cost me thousands of dollars with an 18 month old Sequoia, it was covered under warranty of course and I'd rather walk across America than purchase another Toyota.
Good luck!
Beth
I have a 2007 RAV 4
Here is what is going on with my Rav4 (2006 V6 25K miles):
Right blinker just stays on. Had the flasher relay replaced at one dealership. Everything good. 1 week later, it comes back. Right blinker just stays on. Took it to another dealership and they are just scratching their head thinking it is a short somewhere. I do have a remote starter on the car.
Has anyone heard of an issue like this before?
I felt it may be a problem with an anti-theft system, so I disconnected the battery cable hoping to reset the system. I tried both the spare and original key with no luck.
If anyone has any idea what my problem might be, please help or post an 800 number that I can call Toyota to ask about this.
Thanks!
From what I'e read from other folks listing here, Toyota has many different electrical problems. They sound like Mercedes and their electrical problems. I think our vehicles are getting extremely complex.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Thanks angain for your very fast reply.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
The first time the mechanics told me it was a computer glitch and I had a bunch of codes that did not make sense when they ran the diagnostic checks nor did it cut out on them when they test drove it. The 2nd time my car was towed, I told them that my passenger side floor was wet & smelled like mildew...could it had been the rain (we had about a weeks worth of rain), could my ECU be shorting out? They said my the hoses in my sunroof that runs down to the ECU were clogged, so they dried everything thoroughly, ran some more diagnostic test & test drove again, drove fine for them. Now, my car is at the dealership again and they believe that it is possible that the harnesses or hoses (sorry, not a mechanic) were not sealed properly while at the factory and this is causing the water leakage...since once again my passenger floor is wet and smells bad! They said, they are unable to figure this out, so they will have to consult with the 'Water Man'?? I said, who is the 'Water Man', they said it was someone they use who is an expert in water leaks. My warranty of course expired with the 3 years, I do however have the 6 year power train warranty....but none of the above is covered. I have always had Toyota's and never had a problem....now I am wishing I never bought this and I have one more year of payments and this car would have been paid off. I am broke, struggling in this economy as most of us are, just to pay all my bills and my Visa is just about maxed out. I have called the main Toyota office, but they have never heard of this problem with the car not starting or shutting down?!! I feel duped and just scared that once I get my car back again....it will quit on me again. Any help appreciated. Thanks so much!
By the way - thanks for the heads up on your problems. I'm going to be watching mine and if it starts some funny business, it's gone.
Toyota Corporate didn't care, has never apologized for my many life threatening situations and because the problem was found after 36,000 miles I missed the lemon law rules in my state. From what I understand, also not being a mechanic or electrician, is that the electric harness runs the computer system for the vehicle. It was not the battery, the cold, the alternator, etc. Once the electric harness system was replaced, never another problem!
If you could find a lawyer who wanted to get involved, I'd love to be part of a suit. Irritating is one thing but life threatening vehicles that shut down on superhighways! I'll never buy another Toyota again; vehicles have problems but the service and Toyota Corporate were so bad I'll never subject my family and friends to such potential dangers in the future!
Beth
When they found it was the electric harness, did they ofter to pay for it or did you have the extended warranty?
The service rep from my local dealership called yesterday evening leaving a voice mail on my home phone which said...."we have it narrowed down to either 2 harnesses or the ECU that could be causing the problem, still the car will not start and not sure if your extended warranty will cover this or not...but will let you know in a day or so". Humph!
When I purchased my car brand new in 2005, I did purchased the Platinum Extended Warranty. I went in my filing cabinet & found all the paperwork. It states I paid $849 extra for the Platinumm Extended Warranty and it is a folder that has what it covers and the crap that it does not cover. It even says they will pay for towing and loaner cars...where this dealership told me since it was not power train related, they would not pay?!? Well, I think they are incorrect and I am going to go to battle with them.
Oh yeah, since May my car has a mildew smell where apparently I had water leakage on the passenger floor and I wonder if they will be able to get that smell out?? I kept telling them after the 2nd time it broke down....there is water on my passenger side floor & it smells...would this be making my car shut down??
Lizzie
YES; THEY DID PAY FOR THE REPLACED ELECTRIC HARNESS. I BELIEVE THEY DID PAY FOR IT SINCE IT HAD STARTED AT 18,000 AND I HAD PAGES OF PAPERWORK AND DEALER WORK THAT REFERRED TO THE ENDLESS PROBLEMS.
STILL NO 'WE'RE SORRY TO HAVE PUT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY" IN TO LIFE THREATENING SITUATIONS!
SINCE MY VEHICLE BECAME 'UNDRIVEABLE' DUE TO THESE PROBLEMS MANY OF MY FRIENDS ENDED UP INVOLVED. ESCORTING ME TO DEALERS, LOANING ME CARS, HELPING ME LOOK FOR A NEW AND SAFE CAR/COMPANY TO BUY TO REPLACE THE SEQUOIA TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG!
NO LAWYERS OFFERING TO TAKE THIS UP FOR US?!
GOOD LUCK FINDING SAFETY AND GETTING YOUR CAR FIXED ONCE AND FOR ALL!
Do you know of any attorneys? I don't know any who would take a case like this. I am just ticked that I am going to end up with a stinky smelly mildew car when it is all over. They could not get the smell out the first time, and it is still in the shop now...who knows! I am just scared to drive it again...because how will I know it is actually fixed...they told me 2x it was fixed before..yeah right!
Along this line, I can remember driving a Chevy pickup that would almost die. Finally, the same thing was done - tank pulled. It was found that a piece of the galvonize inside the tank was apparently blocking the fuel line and causing the engine to slow down ar die.
I don't know if these are you problem, but thought I'd let you know.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Ridgid® SeeSnake® Micro™ Inspection Camera
Says it's waterproof so it should be fine for the gas tank, assuming you could work it down there past the baffles.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
You might want to Google your problem and see if others out there have have a similar problem and what they did to get it corrected. That's how I got pointed in the right direction.