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2006 Toyota RAV4

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  • ecotrklvrecotrklvr Member Posts: 519
    Thanks for the timely info, WWEST. I for one appreciate someone watching out to correct the misinformation that runs rampant in these forums. The people who write those types of posts, as you say, obviously do not know what they are talking about - they are the real culprits here. Why anyone would object to a correction post is beyond me. Some people prefer soothing politeness to accuracy, I guess.
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    Well it would be nice if the correction post was correct instead of dogmatic "my way or the highway" type comments.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    owners manual is available at techinfo.toyota.com

    But I am comfortable that the very same wording is available on previous RAV4 models as it is in my 2001 RX300 owners manual.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,718
    light duty towing would be the best scenario. pulling a boat up a ramp doesn't usually fall into that catagory.
    a couple of jet ski's on a trailer, probably ok.
    how many tractor trailer rigs are there with fwd bias?
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Tractor/trailer rigs, in a way, ALL have front (more front than "mid") wheel engine torque bias. But like my use of light e-brake application back in those MT winters truckers know how and when to make good use of the trailer's "drag" braking capability and/or drag chains back there on the very rear wheels when the going gets tuff.

    But frankly that's why you see so many truck/trailer rigs jack-knifed on the news. Severe front/MID braking and an unloaded trailer or slippery surface and the rear wants to come around and lead the parade.

    Some as FWD that already has significant front traction bias and then you add winter tires to the front and not the rear. Even worse with snow chains on the front and not the rear, unless you're willing to creep along at ~5 MPH and "dead slow" downhill.

    Most aren't.
  • ecotrklvrecotrklvr Member Posts: 519
    You miss my point. Not "His Way", "My Way" or "Your Way" here. It isn't a "way" of any person. It's the way of things. The way the AWD system is designed and the way it performs is the topic of discussion. It's easy to take things too personally here.

    Some like to diss FWD, and AWD too, in favor of the good-old Part Time 4-wheel drive, based on ruggedness or whatever point. I've owned 'em, and they're great for many folks. But to diss them by misrepresenting the facts isn't right, either.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,718
    i have never seen any powered front wheels in an on road tractor/trailer setup. some military trucks, yes.
    where the power is going is not the only consideration, suspension matters, too.
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    The Toyota 4WD systems explained discussion is probably a better place to delve deeper into the 4WD/FWD/RWD debate. There's some good stuff in the 4WD & AWD systems explained discussion as well.
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    If you look at the overall length of a tractor/trailer rig the drive wheels are closer, a LOT closer, to the front than the rear.

    So no, it isn't truly FWD, but the driving dynamics will be much the same due to the drive wheel placement.
  • skyfayeskyfaye Member Posts: 4
    Dodge Caliber: Front: Good, Side: Marginal, Whiplash: Marginal

    Toyota Camry: Front: Good, Side: Good, Whiplash: Marginal

    Kia Optima: Front: Good, Side: No test, Whiplash: Good

    Lincoln Zephyr: Front: Acceptable, Side: Acceptable, Whiplash: Marginal

    Toyota Rav4: Front: Good, Side: Good, Whiplash: Marginal

    Hyundai Tucson: Front: Acceptable, Side: Acceptable, Whiplash: Poor

    Kia Sportage: Front: Acceptable, Side: Acceptable, Whiplash: Poor

    cnn
  • njawdrivernjawdriver Member Posts: 23
    From the IIHS news release (IIHS News Release) --> Toyota will make side airbags standard in the 2007 RAV4.

    Full crash results at http://www.iihs.org/ratings/ratingsbyseries.aspx?id=403
  • ecotrklvrecotrklvr Member Posts: 519
    Thanks for the links; that's really timely news. I was hoping that Toyota would make those SAB's standard! I'll have to wait a bit longer to move up from my '02 Highlander, but it'll be worth it.
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    Thank you Steve!

    I think we are headed for another SHIPPO oil genius of the year contest but on AWD etc.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I don't understand your reference - Shipo knows a bunch about oil. He's into synthetic and I'm not, but I've enjoyed reading a bunch of his posts over the years. He's smart enough to also own a minivan, lol.

    I've enjoyed a lot of good exchanges with Wwest over the years too. Just because you don't agree with someone's statement doesn't mean there's nothing to learn there. :blush:
  • mterrellmterrell Member Posts: 21
    on rav 4 world web site they are talking fly by wire issues? could be causing the delay or hesitation. Does the rav 4 not have a cable on the gas pedal?
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    It has nothing to do with agreeing or disagreeing. It is the way they talk down to people who are trying to understand or don't agree with them. Like "PAY ATTENTION" -wwest. With Shippo if you tell him something, he writes a 5 page diatribe if he does not agree. For example on my Audi, he told me they would never use a certain brand of oil. Except the dealer puts a sticker on the car each time they change it with the name of the oil. Now how could he possible know what my dealer does.
    Total nonsense
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    RAV4 has "fly by wire" as you call . Cars have had it for years. My Audi A6 has it....perfect.

    I don't think the RAV4 hesitation is a fly-by-wire delay. Toyota is too smart for that. My guess is that it is a sofware problem where they try to delay shifting to maximize mpg and it does not always work out for acceleration. But who knows.
  • mterrellmterrell Member Posts: 21
    funny in the old days I would have put my money on an ecelarator diaphragm on the carb or its vapor locking. How times have changed. LOL Mine not doing it enough for me to take it to the dealer. Wonder if toyota is working on an update for the software problem
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Then you should use your down arrow and skip those posts. :shades:

    It's hard to judge a person's demeanor just from reading posts - emotorcoms help, but you don't have the benefit of being face to face, watching body language etc. No use taking anything too personally in a chat room.

    Wwest and I disagree about the cause of the Air France A320 crash but we're still CarSpace friends. He blames the crash on - you guessed it - fly-by-wire. How's that for sort of hitting the topic of this latest RAV4 thread? :)
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    Well not sure which one was A320 but if you mean the AA flight in NY where the tail came off he was right. No commercial aircraft should have a flight control system that allows the pilot to overload the aircraft and break it. Maybe the tail design is poor too but the flight control system (fly by wire) as you call it these days is stupid.

    By the way, i am not "not friends" with these guys I just take issue with they way they talk down to people and am not afraid to say it.
  • thunderbirdthunderbird Member Posts: 26
    I took my first test drive of a 2006 rav4; the 4 cyl and the V6. I noticed in both vehicles that to me the suspension seemed quite stiff and when I used the left hand mirror to check traffic, the mirror seemed, I don't quite know how to explain this, like looking through a fish bowl. It had a slightly warped look. Almost a slight distorted view to it. I know it sounds silly, but only a owner might know what I am refering to. Anybody care to comment on this?
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    I think the mirror is slightly convex to give you a broader view of what's behind you with the but with the downside that "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear!" You should get used to it very quickly but driver's side mirrors are usually flat.

    The suspension will loosen up a bit in time and, with a little luck, we'll get other RAV4 owners to chime in with their real world experience.

    tidester, host
  • njawdrivernjawdriver Member Posts: 23
    Does anyone know when dealers will have a list of available options / option packages for the '07 model?

    I'm holding out for the '07 and bluetooth which I've seen confirmed as being available. I'd like to start working with my local dealer to get my request in, but don't know what other options might be available.

    Thanks!
  • samiam_68samiam_68 Member Posts: 775
    New cars usually have tires over-inflated. They are shipped that way from the factory to prevent flat spots. Ask the dealer to check / adjust the tire pressure before test driving, otherwise the ride will be very stiff and bouncy.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I'm surprised Toyota hasn't implemented active head rests to improve these scores. Overall the scores for rear impacts are rather lame:

    http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/headrestraints.aspx?toyota

    Yet they generally do well in front and side impacts, why not address this? Seems like it wouldn't cost a lot to get straight As for safety from IIHS. :confuse:

    -juice
  • andrelaplumeandrelaplume Member Posts: 934
    How do they make it better. The Rav has those nasty head restraints I first encountered in the Forester. If you do not adjust them up they are quite annoying but I thought they were suppose to better protect you....
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    If they really are similar, then the results are truly puzzling. Subaru has aced the Head Restraint tests by IIHS.

    -juice
  • lilvallilval Member Posts: 4
    just bought an 06 rav4 and noticed that inside of windshield fogs up on left and right edges. took it back to the dealership's service mgr and he said they've seen the problems w/ cars before and it's due to dashboard needing to cure????? he said it could take up to 6 months to clear. i asked him if it was a problem w/ new rav4s, he said no. so i asked them to replace the dash, he said it wasn't advisable. i told him it only happens when i have the AC on and it takes 2-3 days before it shows up. he said it was film w/ chemicals emitting from the dash. i asked to set up an appt w/ a toyota rep. i think there may be a leak somewhere. :mad: anybody out there have any ideas. thanks in advance..
  • mark19mark19 Member Posts: 123
    don't replace the dash.. please don't!!! there is nothing wrong with your rav4!! Your dealer is telling you the truth, it's called out-gassing. There are chemicals in the plastic that are released when new (also part of that new car smell). They usually get all over the inside glass, best way to remove them is to use some glass cleaner. I've been using Toyota's glass cleaner (has some ammonia in it, helps cut that greasy residue). The toyota rep will tell you the same thing that it's the out-gassing.

    I've had a couple new cars, and they all do it, regardless of make. So it's not just something to lie to you about. Just clean the inside of the windshield and you'll be fine.. It will go away in a couple months. About 3months usually. It's not just a rav4 issue, all cars.
  • quickdtooquickdtoo Member Posts: 266
    Outgassing is a fact of life for new vehicles, mine did it when I first got it, but after applying low gloss ArmorAll, it quit doing it, build date 03/06, took delivery 3/31.

    Get yourself some Stoner's Invisible Glass at Walmart, it's the best glass cleaner you can buy.

    VOC Outgassing
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Good article; people hang those air "fresheners" from their mirrors all the time, and some of those are just formaldehyde soaked cardboard. Yeech. :surprise:
  • lilvallilval Member Posts: 4
    thanks for the advise. reason i thought something was wrong was because i spoke w/ another service guy at another toyota dealership and he never heard of it. he even looked it up on their service bulletin database and it was nowhere to be found. i'm going to keep my appt w/ the toyota rep anyway. the 1st time my wife put gas in the car some type of chemical from the gas cap dripped on the fender molding, went through the clear coat and dried. so there's a brown drip mark about 2" that won't come off. the service mgr said the rep may give me a new molding out of goodwill if not he'll give me a discount on 1, he said about $100.
  • raviola4raviola4 Member Posts: 52
    Well i hope mine acts up today so i can drive to dealer leaving car running. Sat. it went blank, blinked on to info, blank, then a capital H with numerous bars, then blank. Doesn't interfer with sound etc. Wonder if they pinpointed a lot# or whatever on these JVC radio's that are screwed up.
  • hibeamhibeam Member Posts: 9
    I just had mine replaced Friday, So I am waiting to see what happens, I just told the dealer that I saw a lot of complaints on line and they ordered a new one and put it in.
    Get a new one, It's not suppose to jumble and go blank.
  • orioninilorioninil Member Posts: 39
    My dealer told me that their are approx. 6 manufacturers of the radio and maybe 1 or 2 of them experience this issue.

    He said that most of the affected radios are from vehicles shipped into the SouthEast - so he was "surprised?" when I had the issue in the MidWest.

    He said that since the 6-CD changer is approx $1,000, there are some dealers who are apprehensive to take stock of these new radios without seeing the affected unit in its hieroglyphic combobulation phase.

    He did however, order me a new one. It should have been in late last week. No call yet.
  • raviola4raviola4 Member Posts: 52
    I live in De. and believe mine came thru NY port. Just talked to dealer myself. Service manager finally agreed to get #'s off of it when i drive over later and order. Mentioned they'd order one this time. I told him hopefully it'll be acting up then, but trust me, it's screwed up. Acted as though he doubted what i was saying. Like i have nothing better to do than to make up a radio problem just to take it in, leave it, yada yada. I didn't even mention the hesitation mess when accelerating.
  • flyingnflyingn Member Posts: 213
    On the rav4world forum we set up a poll to see when most of th e'bad' radios were built and it looks like march 06 is the worst.. Mine is perfect . Build date was dec 05
  • raviola4raviola4 Member Posts: 52
    I picked up my Rav4 March 18. Supposedly arrived in NY ports first week of March so probably back date 30 days approx. for shipping date from Japan. So not sure of mfg. date but sometime prior to Feb. probably.
  • desertguydesertguy Member Posts: 730
    Your Mfgr date should be on driver's door pillar. It is on mine which shows it was manufactured 7/06 and I bought it on August 10 so pretty fast shipping to central US.
  • flyingnflyingn Member Posts: 213
    generally, your sale date is 1 month after its manufacture date on a fast moving truck like the Rav..
  • desertguydesertguy Member Posts: 730
    My point was the RAV comes from Japan rather than Indiana or Kentucky. Still seems quite fast to me.
  • raviola4raviola4 Member Posts: 52
    That is farily quick. Transit time i'd say approx. 3 weeks, depending on port of entry. However at port is where they install the tires and do other stuff. Apparently they come over without tires on Rav's. Interesting. I know when mine came in it was due in and finally left NY port 2 weeks later.
  • dlbensondlbenson Member Posts: 13
    My new Rav 4 cylinder revs quite high (& loud) upon ignition. Is this normal for the Rav or should I have it looked at?
  • raviola4raviola4 Member Posts: 52
    I have 4 cyl as well. Mine hits about 1500 when cold started. I've seen other posts saying this is normal. Also recommendation to let it idle/warm for a minute or 2.
  • desertguydesertguy Member Posts: 730
    Mine came into Portland Ore. Then went to Des Moines Iowa before the dealer traded for it. I have no idea how long that took!
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    It's true on nearly all Toyota 4c vehicles. It's very very normal.
  • jeffworkjeffwork Member Posts: 20
    Got a quote on a Limited (I posted in prices paid forum) but have not bought it. Looking at it I noticed right away a chip in the paint on the front hood. Also, from the bug splatters and the chip he assumed it was trade car from a dealer out of town.

    The chip in the paint REALLY bothers me. I'm not sure I can buy it from this alone. Brand new with a chip, then I've read about how easily they seem to chip on this forum.

    All dealer would say is they would touch it up.
  • jimdrewjimdrew Member Posts: 84
    It is true, the windshield absolutely cracked on it's own. Whoever posted actually a couple of folks that their windshield breaks easily is so correct. No, I did not get hit by a rock or even a pebble. I will down at the dealership tomorrow morning. So far the only bright spot with King Toyota in Deerfield has been their service. We will see what they say.

    Jimmy Drew
  • jimd4jimd4 Member Posts: 877
    If it is a RAV4 Limited that you want and the price is not bad, don't let the paint chip stop you . You could get one 15 minutes after you buy another 2006 or a 2007. Just tell the dealer you want it fixed first to your satisfaction.

    In my opinion the RAV4 mania is over and 2007 will sell for close to invoice also at least in the east where there are lots of cars. They will make more v6s and limiteds I bet. Just a guess. I am going to be looking for a 2007 because I do not need it now and want the side curtain bags which are not easy to get on Sport this year.
    Good luck with your buying
  • mterrellmterrell Member Posts: 21
    yea got one on my hood next day after bought it .You may want a bug shield. Now I know why they offer to sell you the top coat for $400. My understanding is they are not allowed to sell paint with lead in it so what you get is water based (SOFT paint).Any one know different please chime in because this is what the sales guy told me. I ordered the touch up paint red 3r3 code. I have several touch ups and for the length of time I have had the rav 4 thats a lot. Toyota should apply the top coat on the paint if its soft. Not charge the customer an extra 400 bucks. Any of you Toyota ghosters out there reading please relay this to your quality control people.
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