2008 Toyota RAV4 problems and owner complaints

WAS GOING THROUGH A DRIVE THROUGH CARWASH, AUTO IN NEUTRAL. REACHED THE END, PUT FOOT ON BRAKE, PUT AUTO INTO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN, GOING STRAIGHT OUT OF THE END OF THE CARWASH. HAD THE BRAKES ON BUT THEY DIDN'T STOP THE VEHICLE. TURNED THE CAR TO MISS A TELEPHONE POLE AND WENT OUT INTO 4-LANE HWY., CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, STOPPING MY VEHICLE FINALLY. VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AT ALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO OUR INS. CO. REPAIR/ESTIMATE SHOP. DO NOT HAVE A CAUSE FOR THE PROBLEM AS YET, STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 6,108 miles reported. Look up ODI 10245542 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE, I STARTED MY RAV 4, PUT IT IN GEAR AND GENTLY, DUE TO EXPERIENCE WITH ACCELERATION PROBLEMS, PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. IT SUDDENLY JUMPED AND ACCELERATED CAUSING THE SUV TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE HAD I NOT TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL AND USED THE BRAKE. TOYOTA TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM, BUT NOT TO THE EXTENT IT WAS THIS TIME CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. HAD MY DAUGHTER NOT MOVED 2 MINUTES PRIOR,SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN PINNED BETWEEN CARS. SOMEONE IS GOING TO SERIOUSLY GET HUR…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10262220 at NHTSA ↗

THIS IS MY EFFORT TO SUBMIT A COMMENT ON YOUR REGULATIONS, NOT A COMPLAINT OF AN INCIDENT. I WAS DIRECTED TO THIS FORM BY LOU MOLINA AT NHTSA. I AM A DRIVER WHO FOR HEALTH REASONS WISHES TO SIT ERECT. I AM NOT FAT, AND OF NORMAL HEIGHT (5'6"). THIS LAST WEEKEND I PURCHASED A RAV4. THE HEADRESTS INTRUDE INTOLERABLY INTO MY HEAD SPACE. IN ORDER TO SIT AT MY PREFERRED ANGLE AND KEEP MY BACK TO THE SEATBACK, MY HEAD IS TILTED DOWN SO THAT I MUST RAISE MY EYES TO LOOK OVER MY EYEGLASSES, OR MY STRAIGHT VISION IS DIRECTED TO THE CENTER OF THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 80 miles reported. Look up ODI 10240748 at NHTSA ↗

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, MY NEW 2008 RAV4 WOULD NOT START. THE BATTERY IS BRAND NEW. WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION, THERE WAS NO SOUND / SIGNAL AT ALL. SOMETIMES, WHEN I PUT DOWN THE HAND BRAKE, AND TRY TO START THE CAR AGAIN, IT WORKS. OTHER TIMES, IT DOESN'T. THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN TRIGGER IT TO START. HOW CAN A BRAND NEW CAR BE SO UNRELIABLE!? WE'VE GOTTEN IT TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM. IT'S BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 2 DAYS AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10274904 at NHTSA ↗

2008 TOYOTA RAV4 SELF-COMBUSTION IN DRIVEWAY IN THE EARLY A.M. OF MONDAY, SEPT 21, 2009. CAR HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE SATURDAY NIGHT AT 11 P.M. AND ARSON HAS BEEN RULED OUT BY FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS. CAR WAS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD AND HAD BEEN RECENTLY SERVICED AND INSPECTED ON SEPT 5, 2009 BY AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALER. ALL OTHER WARRANTY SERVICE REQUIREMENTS WERE FULFILLED BY AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALER AT THE APPROPRIATE INTERVALS. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS NOTED BY OWNER DURING THE PAST TWO YEARS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT MENTIONS …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10285445 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STRUCK A DEER WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH. SHE PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT IT WAS ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE SOON BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LINE BEING RUPTURED. THE COOLANT DRIPPED ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND CAUSED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. TOYOTA IS NOT ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THE CONTACT WAS THE ONE WHO STRUCK THE DEER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10229150 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT THE END OF A HIGHWAY EXIT RAMP, I WAS BRAKING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 - 10 MPH. AS I APPROACHED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME I NOTICED THE CAR WAS NOT RESPONDING AS IT NORMALLY DOES TO A SLIGHT DEPRESSION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. MY CAR SEEMED TO KEEP MOVING AND NOT SLOW DOWN IN IT'S NORMAL BRAKING CHARACTERISTIC. I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL MUCH FIRMER AND THE CAR SLOWED BUT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO INCREASE IN RPMS (AS NOTED BY THE ENGINE SOUND AND VISUALLY BY TACHOMETER INDICATION). MY FOOT WAS OFF THE ACCELERATOR AT THIS TIME. I PUS…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10291877 at NHTSA ↗

NUMBER 1 -- I AM VERY HAPPY WITH MY RAV4. IT WAS A COLD EVENING AFTER DARK AND I LEFT WORK. THE BATTERY HAD FAILED. NOT A PROBLEM, I GOT A JUMP AND THE CAR STARTED. I LET IT SIT AND OBTAIN SOME CHARGE. WHAT WAS VERY UNUSUAL WERE THE NUMBER OF SYSTEMS THAT COULD FAIL WHENEVER A POWER SURGE WAS NEEDED, SAY FROM THE POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, ETC. THE POWER SURGE WOULD LEAD TO A LIGHTS OUT, OR LOSS OF STEERING, OR ENGINE TEMPORARILY STALLING, ETC. IT RECOVERED EACH TIME AFTER THE SURGE WAS OVER (GOOD NEWS). I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE…

Owner-reported narrative. 54,640 miles reported. Look up ODI 10375610 at NHTSA ↗

VAPOR CANISTER FOR CAPTURE OF FUEL VAPOR FROM FUEL TANK BECOMES DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN VEHICLES GO THROUGH SNOW OR WATER. CANISTER, WHICH IS CONNECTED TO SEVERAL HOSES EITHER DANGLES UNDER VEHICLE OR PULLS LOOSE. THE LOSS OF THE CANISTER CAUSES ENGINE LIGHT TO INDICATE MALFUNCTION OF EMISSIONS SYSTEM. TOYOTA HAS REDESIGNED MOUNTING SYSTEM ON NEWER MODELS WHICH INCLUDES A SHIELD UNDER THE CANISTER AND MORE CONNECTION POINTS, BUT HAS NOT MADE AVAILABLE A CORRECTION FOR OLDER MODELS. CANISTER HAS COME LOOSE OR OFF TWICE; ONCE DRIVIN…

Owner-reported narrative. 74,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10598906 at NHTSA ↗