ON DEC.6,2009, MY RAV4 OVERHEATED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN. THE COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO GRIND THE VALVES AND REPLACE. WHEN THIS WAS ATTEMPTED, 4 BOLTS THAT ATTACH TO THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE SECURED. THE ONLY OPTION WAS A NEW/REBUILT ENGINE. THE COST -$3700. I HAVE LEARNED THAT OTHER 2004 RAV OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND TOYOTA WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS NOR HELP WITH LABOR COSTS. I HAVE CONTACTED THEIR CALIFORNIA CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD DO NOTHING BECAUSE I WAS NO LONGER PROTECTED BY A WARRANTY. IN ADDITION TO TAKING OVER 5 WEEKS TO REACH THIS CONCLUSION, MY CAR IS STILL NOT REPAIRED AS I PONDER WHAT I SHOULD DO. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION APPEARS NOT TO BE A MAJOR CONCERN OF LOCAL DEALER NOR TOYOTA CORPORATE. *TR
2007
STEERING
TOYOTA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN SB0318-08 DESCRIBES A STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FAILURE THAT IS WIDESPREAD (BASED ON INTERNET SEARCH) FOR THE 2007 TOYOTA RAV-4. THE TSB ALSO INDICATES THAT A NEWLY DESIGNED PART IS REQUIRED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IT APPEARS THAT TOYOTA HAS WAITED THE 3 YEAR - 36 MONTHS WARRANTY TO EXPIRE IN ORDER TO CHARGE ITS CUSTOMERS TO FIX THE MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT - AT A COST OF OVER $1,000. GIVEN THE EXTENT OF THIS PROBLEM AND THE RECOGNITION BY TOYOTA THAT FAILURES OCCUR FREQUENTLY AND REQUIRE REPLACEMENT VIA A NEWLY DESIGNED PART - A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED SO OWNER'S CAN HAVE THIS PART REPLACED. *TR
