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Toyota RAV4 pre-2006

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Comments

  • daisy03daisy03 Member Posts: 4
    I'm looking for a new vehicle. I'm looking into possibly getting a RAV4. I have read over a lot of posts, but it would take a great deal of time to read them all. Of the ones I have read over I havne't found any regarding the RAV's towing capacities. I may someday want to pull behind a small camper into the mountains. Does anyone have any experience with this, or does the Toyota have any towing capabilities at all?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Try the Search This Discussion box while waiting for responses. You can narrow the posts down to just towing threads that way.

    Steve, Host
  • biker4biker4 Member Posts: 746
    The RAV4 is listed at 1500lbs for towing - good for a light trailer.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    Yeah, 1,500 lbs is the rated tow limit.

    Don't know if the 4-cyl RAV4 would be much good for towing in mountain country.
    Kinda doubt it, unless the camper is light.

    The rumored 2006 6-cyl RAV4 might be worth checking out, once it comes out.

    Good luck.

    -ss4
  • qweasdzcxqweasdzcx Member Posts: 1
    Which motor oil and filter is good for a 98 Rav4?
    I've got the following on the list:
    OEM Toyota Oil, Mobil1, Castrol, Amsoil, Pennzoil.
  • daisy03daisy03 Member Posts: 4
    Great! Thanks for your help!
  • dmuttdmutt Member Posts: 48
    Welllll,

    It looks like Toyota is not going to mess around with some wimpy V-6. The new engine is a 3.5 liter, producing 268 horse power. See their web site.
  • firouzifirouzi Member Posts: 3
    Does anyone know for certain if the following technology will be in the new Rav4?

    1) Navigation System
    2) Bluetooth
    3) Push button start

    I saw a picture of the interior (a different picture from that on the Toyota website) which had these features all visible.
    Thanks for your help!
  • trafficgirltrafficgirl Member Posts: 2
    I bought the 'extra' warranty coverage....wondering if that was a d.u.m.b. idea.....i got nervous when the sales person is talking to me about all of the things that can go wrong, but now i am wondering who else might own a 1999, and if anyone has experienced any particular issues with that year......??....I can perhaps cancel this off the toyota...thanks in advance
  • bthbth Member Posts: 2
    2002 Rav 4 with almost 28,000 miles -- told today by non-Toyota dealer that I need 4 new tires before winter. Currently have Toyo Radials: Proxes TPT -- Have had all work done to this point by Toyota dealership. Has anyone else experienced unusual tire wear like this. Thanks.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    Depends. Maybe the warranty price was right, and you'll be covered for a lot of miles.
    Details?
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    28k miles isn't too too low. Did the tires wear evenly?
    Those OEM Toyo tires, how good are they?
    Your 02 RAV, AWD or 2WD?
  • bthbth Member Posts: 2
    2002 Toyota is AWD. This Toyo tire is supposedly rated for 65,000 miles. I am not even half way there.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    Dunno about the reliability of those ratings. I seriously doubt 65k miles on an AWD was realistic for Toyos.

    Again, did they wear evenly? That's most important, that you are tracking true going down the road.

    My AWD, driven with a light foot, got 31.5k miles from the OEM Bridgestone Dueler H/T 687s before I replaced them. I probably coulda squeezed another k or three.

    Better luck with your next set. I'm doing a bit better with Yoko Geolandars, 34k to date. Next time, I'll probably spring for Michelins.
  • trafficgirltrafficgirl Member Posts: 2
    the 4 year coverage was $2200,,,,,so it'll take me to almost 96,000 miles..or so......i just had the extra $2200 worked into the montly payment. its a $50 deductible..with things like towing.flats...roadside are free with this......
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    Since it sounds like it's a done deal, I hope the warranty helps you sleep better at nite.

    Good luck with your RAV.
  • blackandblueblackandblue Member Posts: 66
    My 2004 RAV4 came with Toyo tires and a seperate warranty from Toyo. It's a 60,000 tread life warranty that will discount the price of new tires that ware out to soon. It's pro-rated so if they ware out at 30,000 you should get then at half off. The only catch is you have to rotate them every 7,500 miles.
  • paulcudlippaulcudlip Member Posts: 33
    I have an AWD 2003 RAV 4 L with Toyo tires. Tires have been rotated every 5000 miles at the dealership. The tires are starting to wear at 16K and are now very loud when driving. Very disappointed with the quality of Toyo tires. In two months, I am trading in the RAV 4 L for another new vehicle so I will let Toyota and Toyo work something out for the tires.
  • jeanvizjeanviz Member Posts: 1
    Hello,

    I have been having the same problem with my Toyota RAV4. Its a 2004 and sometimes in the mornings when I start the car, it hesitates. It feels like the car is struggling to start. It does not happen all the time, and only when the car has not been driven for a while.

    I added some Chevron gas additive and it worked for a while but now it's starting to do the same thing again. Did anyone find out the problem?

    Thanks!
  • halogen1halogen1 Member Posts: 1
    Hi, I have a loaded 2002 RAV4 with 30,000 miles , and have never done anything but oil changes,and air filter change. Do I have iridium plugs ? What should I have done under the hood at this point ?

    Also: What kind of sunroof maintenance should I perform ?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Check out the Edmunds Maintenance Guide for the recommended service.

    Don't know about sunroof maintenance.

    Steve, Host
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    Plugs are iridium and should be good for maybe 90k miles?

    Changing out the coolant at 30k miles is a good idea, especially after ~3 years.

    Some people think the trans fluid should be changed at 30k, but Toyota does not call for it. Dealers love to recommend it (and charge for it).

    Oil/filter and air filter you've got covered.
    Enjoy.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    Finally had my front brake pads replaced on my '01, at 66,000 miles.
    Dlr svc tech said one rotor cracked on removal, and was replaced. Other was just machined. I guess that is not a problem. I don't feel any difference in the braking whatsoever (although I had seen the pads were low when I did the last tire rotation).

    I'm still enjoying this rig, especially with more use of the easy rear seat removal lately.
    One advantage of hanging the spare off the back is more interior volume, which makes one or two bicycles an easy fit inside (where they are more secure and dry) without removing a wheel, etc. I just roll 'em in and bungee them to the passenger-assist handles in the ceiling.

    I wonder if the new RAV will have removable rear seats.

    RAV on.
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    Just had the front pads done on the wife's '01 Rav, 51,000 miles and resurfaced the rotors. Only 51,000 miles on the pads does not surprise me, considering the circumstances ;) .
  • boxwrenchboxwrench Member Posts: 55
    Hi everyone,
    I'm thinking of buying a '98 RAV4 L at a really cheap price. Only one catch - it has a wierd problem. It starts and idle's fine. But when you accelerate, after a few seconds, it bucks, loses power, and sounds terrible, almost as if it is running on 2 cylinders. this happens very frequently. The Car Dealer has had almost everything replaced, including the computer, and a myrad of sensors, and is giving up. I've driven it and if that problem could be fixed, I could get it for $2000. It is a 5-speed, with 127K. I think it needs valve seals because at start-up it gives a puff of smoke. I've looked over the engine and the only thing I can see is the Plug wires loiok original, and probably should be replaced They also look very small in diamater. Is this the right wires? Maybe that's all that is wrong, and they are overlooking a simple fix.
    Any Ideas?

    Boxwrench
  • petlpetl Member Posts: 610
    The blue smoke at start-up doesn't bother me too much. My 94 Camry had that problem from approx. 80,000 miles until the day I traded when it had more than 150,000 miles. Never needed oil and ran like a charm. It sounds like the dealer doesn't have a clue. This is where you may want a mechanic with Toyota experience look at it. It may be a simple problem. Then again, the motor may be finished. I think the price has just come down. This could be a really good deal. Good Luck.
  • rav4newbierav4newbie Member Posts: 1
    My 1999 Rav4 is stuck at a parking lot! Alarm comes on and cant start the engine. Tried resetting bat terminals no use. Does anyone have any ideas how to cut this off? I belive its a factory fitted alarm. The remote alrm control key doesnt work either.

    Please help. Thanks in advance.
  • donthegreekdonthegreek Member Posts: 127
    Anybody else have tire issues?? I have an 05 Rav4 S w/AWD..it came with Bridgestone Dueler H/T tires....got 16,000 miles on em and their wearing out fast.They've been rotated every 6,000 miles.

    don
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    They aren't the best-wearing tires, but 16k miles isn't very many. I got 31k from them (model 687) on my '01 AWD RAV, and probably could have gotten a few k more.

    More important: Are they wearing evenly?

    Better luck with your next set of tires.
  • donthegreekdonthegreek Member Posts: 127
    Yes, they are wearing evenly..nothing unusual other than they are 3/4 shot already...didn't know if it was the tires or the awd rav.....if i have to buy tires every 16,000 miles...the rav is gonna be history!

    Gonna talk to the nearest Bridgestone dealer and see what they will do......
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    We replaced ours at 34,000 miles ('01 AWD Rav 4, Bridgestone Duelers).
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    It's good that the tires are wearing evenly, at least. Means your RAV is tracking true going down the road.

    You may have more miles left than you think. The treadwear is more noticeable early on.

    I have to ask: What is your driving style? Hard cornering?

    What is your usual tire inflation psi? I keep my tires inflated around 32 (mfr called for 29 with the '01). Slightly rougher ride, but great handling.

    A better set of tires will get you a lot more miles. The Duelers are OEM cheapies.
  • lorimlorim Member Posts: 3
    You have to bring it to the dealer...it's probably the AIC...I forgot what the acronym means...something like Air Intake Control valve...I had it replaced twice on my RAV4 but I have over 100,000 miles on mine!
    A good dealer will fix it right the first time...after the first time I had it done, or so I thought, the second time I was told the part was never replaced just "cleaned"...the second dealer replaced it for free...great people!
  • lorimlorim Member Posts: 3
    Check the AIC...That seemed to be my problem with my RAV4...took several technicians awhile to pinpoint it...my friends husband, a sanitation mechanic, pinpointed the trouble almost immediately.
  • lorimlorim Member Posts: 3
    My '99 Rav4 in-dash 6 cd player is spitting out the cds. It started with cd#1 getting ERR 1 once in a while. I would pop out the cd and re-insert it, everything ok, worked fine. Today, I turned on the radio, decided to change some cds, but after all the cds were in, the player tried to play cd#1, then spit it out and the radio came on, tried cd#2, same thing all along the board. I have since removed all the cds, which are clean with no scratches and am hoping to find the answer without a bit expense. Any clues?
  • donthegreekdonthegreek Member Posts: 127
    I keep the tires to factory spec for air pressure.

    As for my driving,i'd say aggressive...about 50% is lots of 70mph 4lane highway driving and the other 50% is hilly,sharp curves type. I live in the hills of Pa.
    Hopeing to visit the Bridgestone dealer by the weekend, maybe i can upgrade to a better quality tire with out to much money out of my pocket.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    2006 RAV4 debuts at SEMA (Inside Line)

    More in the 2006 Toyota Rav4 discussion.

    Steve, Host
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    I think it is questionable that BS makes a tire in your size that is going to give you better treadwear.

    You might want to check tire comparos on various online tire retailers websites, such as tirerack.

    Good luck.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    Thanks for the link, Steve, Host.

    Wow. Some serious changes - available V6 (5-spd auto trans, 20/27 EPA mpg with AWD) rated 3,500 lbs towing capacity, increased HP in the 2.4L 4-cyl, enhanced VSC std, on-demand AWD with low-speed lock, third row seat, etc. Techier in a lot of ways.

    Doesn't appear that the second-row seats are removable anymore, alas.

    RAV on.
  • vpatryshevvpatryshev Member Posts: 1
    This morning a service guy had discovered that both rear brake hoses in my 2001 RAV4 are chaved badly against the rear sway bar. It seems like there is no way they would not be chaved, they touch the bar all the time, the metal on the bar is shining.

    I wonder if someone else did have this kind of problem. Please let me know if you did.

    Thanks,
    Vlad Patryshev
  • myrrthmyrrth Member Posts: 1
    Greetings, I have a 2005 RAV4 that I've owned for a few months now, bought it new. I have had the opportunity to fill the tank a couple times and this last time calculated my mileage per gallon. I was really unhappy to discover I'm only getting about 13 miles per gallon! That's not a type-o, only 13 mpg! I know other RAV4 owners and they're all getting well over 20 miles per gallon, even in the city. I've called the dealer and service department, but they're not calling me back. I'll be trying to get them again tomorrow. Anyone else have this problem or have any suggestions? thanks
  • petlpetl Member Posts: 610
    If your calculation is accurate, I don't think the problem can be resolved over the phone. I would go to the dealer with the vehicle (an appointment may be necessary). A detailed inspection may be required to determine the cause. Good luck.
  • suvshopper4suvshopper4 Member Posts: 1,110
    I suggest you keep recording the data over 3 or more successive fill-ups. Then do the computation for the total miles over total gallons. This would minimize any variations / aberrations.
  • frienduniversefrienduniverse Member Posts: 4
    Hello All,
    Planning to buy Rav4, 1999 with 42K miles. Looks okie. Seller wants $8900, as i never bought any car before. Pls help me to shower some light.
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    Sounds like a deal, especially if its 4WD. You might want to take it to a dealer for a "pre-purchase inspection" - it will cost you around $100, but it can be very useful in terms of illuminating anything/everything wrong with the car, and if there is stuff, they can give you some idea of what it would cost to fix and how important it is, too.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • frienduniversefrienduniverse Member Posts: 4
    Thanks. It is not 4WD but 2WD. Do you still feel this is the right price....
  • nippononlynippononly Member Posts: 12,555
    For a front driver, it would have to be in great shape for me to spend that much. I am talking records to show all maintenance is up to date, it DOESN'T need tires or brakes in the next 12 months, glossy paint and clean interior. And it doesn't need anything else right away. You know?

    If it is more typical of a used car, IOW one or more of the elements I just listed is absent, I would come down at least $500, and I would shoot for $1000 less.

    2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)

  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    The driver's side seat belt release button jammed in the release position, making it impossible to buckle the seat belt. Wondered if anyone else ever had anything like this happen?? The buckle assembly is only a $36 part, and it has a 5/60k warranty, but still, a problem with this! I noticed that our other Toyotas (with more miles) have the same buckle, so maybe this is just a rare case of bad luck?

    01 Rav, 52,000 miles.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    "Compared to the '05 RAV4, the '06's difference in interior space is immediately noticeable. Toyota claims a 21-percent roomier cabin, and that seems no exaggeration."

    Full Test: 2006 Toyota RAV4 (Inside Line)

    Folks are talking about it in the 2006 Toyota Rav4 discussion.

    Steve, Host
  • mcdawggmcdawgg Member Posts: 1,722
    Just an update...

    Got it fixed, less than a half hour, and I got Toyota to pay for it!! It was a month past the 5/60 warranty. From the research I have done, this is the only case I can find of this problem, so I am not worried about it occurring again. Even the best cars can have minor problems.
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