1998 Toyota RAV4: complaints, problems and recalls

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL WILL DEPRESS THROTTLE PEDAL, RESULTING IN VEHICLE SURGING FORWARD. CONSUMER FEELS PEDALS WERE DESIGNED INCORRECTLY BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER AND ARE OF SAME HEIGHT. *NLM....*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002458 at NHTSA ↗

ON JULY 20TH, 2002 MY WIFE TOOK HER 1998 TOYOTA RAV4 IN TO HAVE A RECOMMENDED FLUSHING OF HER OIL, TRANSMISSION, COOLING SYSTEM. A COMPLETE TUNE UP OF THE MOTOR. AT THIS TIME SHE TOLD THE SERVICE PERSON OF A SMOKE DISCHARGE AT START UP ALONG WITH A SLIGHT NOISE. THE SERVICE PERSON SAID IT WAS PROBALLY THE RUBBER VALVE SEATS AND MY WIFE DIDNT HAVE TO WORRY RIGHT AWAY. IN APRIL 2003, AFTER ALL THE SCHEDUALED SERVICE MAINTAINCE WAS PERFORMED, MY WIFE NOTICED THE SMOKE WAS GETTING WORSE AND THE NOISE A LITTLE WORSE SO SHE TOOK IT IN TO HAVE THE VA…

Owner-reported narrative. 81,905 miles reported. Look up ODI 10070884 at NHTSA ↗

(1) NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. OPERATING VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. (2) ON 10-12-04, THE HOOD ON MY 1998 RAV4 CAME FLYING UP, HITTING THE VEHICLE'S ROOF. (3) CAR TO BE REPAIRED, HOWEVER, FAILURE WAS THE 2ND SAFETY LOCK DID NOT CONTROL THE HOOD FROM FLYING UP OR CATCH FOR EVEN A COUPLE OF SECONDS TO GIVE THE DRIVER WARNING. REPAIR SHOP STATES IT IS THE DESIGN OF THE SAFETY LOCK (2ND LOCK) THAT IS VIRTUALLY WORTHLESS. HE SAID "I'VE NEVER SEEN A LOCK LIKE. MOST OF THEM HAVE A COVER TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING." IT IS A CERTIFIED TO…

Owner-reported narrative. 106,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10097938 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS DRIVING UPHILL ON 4 LANE HIGHWAY WHEN I NOTICED SPEED DROPPING, I HAD DROPPED TO 50 MPH, THEN STARTED TO HEAR METAL BANGING, I WAS STARTING TO HEAD TO BURM WHEN SOME VERY LOUD METALLIC BANGS HAPPENED, AND ONE OR MORE WHEELS LOCKED UP AND SENT ME INTO A SPIN TO THE RIGHT, AND I HIT GAURD RAILS. I WAS ON RT. 68 EASTBOUND IN MARYLAND, ON SIDELING HILL. AFTER HAVING IT IN THE GARAGE THE MECHANICS TOLD ME THAT A GASKET OR SEAL LEAKED ON THE DIFFERENTIAL, THEY TOLD ME THEY HAVE NEVER HAD IT HAPPEN, NOR DO THEY NO WHY.

Owner-reported narrative. 103,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10098588 at NHTSA ↗

DT: CONTACT STATES WHILE DRIVING UP A NARROW MOUNTAIN PASS THE CAR STARTED TO FEEL UNSTABLE. THE VEHICLE FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS HYDRO PLANNING EVEN THOUGH THE PAVEMENT WAS DRY. AFTER THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER SHE NOTICED THAT REAR PASSENGER TIRE LOOKED AS THOUGH THE ENTIRE SIDEWALL SEPARATED FROM THE TREAD. THE CERTIFIED MECHANIC FOR AAA STATED THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10129199 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, THERE WAS A VERY LOUD NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION. THE VEHICLE STALLED SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING. UPON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS OIL ALL OVER THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE ENGINE HAD FAILED DUE TO OIL SLUDGE. UPDATED 10/25/2006 - *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 94,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10165643 at NHTSA ↗

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS OVER A TWO WEEK PERIOD, THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF 5TH GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THIS LEADS TO A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN IN TRAFFIC AS IT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO REDUCE MOMENTUM RAPIDLY AND COULD BE EASILY REAR-ENDED. THE LAST EVENT OCCURRED ON 6/7/2007, THE DAY BEFORE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY A PRIVATE GARAGE. I HAVE ASKED TOYOTA FOR ASSISTANCE ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT WAS DECLINED. THEY HAVE A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT ON THE PROBLEM, BUT THE COVERAGE IS NOT ADEQUATE. THIS PROBLEM CAN OCCUR AT ANYTIME AFTER THEIR COVERAG…

Owner-reported narrative. 99,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10198870 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 1998 TOYOTA RAV4 AND THE RETRACTOR OF THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT IS NO LONGER OPERABLE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY REFERRED ME TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND HE OFFERED TO REPLACE AND INSTALL A NEW SEATBELT AND RETRACTOR FOR HALF OF THEIR NORMAL CHARGE OF APPROXIMATELY $400.00. I THINK THEY SHOULD REPLACE IT AT NO CHARGE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 109,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10199796 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-08-09 (August 9, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY ELECTRIC VEHICLES. IF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE REPEATEDLY PARKED BY PLACING THE SHIFT LEVER INTO THE "P" POSITION WITHOUT APPLYING THE PARKING BRAKE, THE PARKING LOCK ROD, A COMPONENT OF THE TRANSMISSION PARKING LOCK SYSTEM, COULD BREAK.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RENDER THE SYSTEM INOPERATIVE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PARKING LOCK ROD.

Reported: 2000-08-09 (August 9, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY ELECTRIC VEHICLES. THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTOR, WHEN EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS, CAN DEVELOP STRESS FRACTURES IF THE LUG NUTS ARE TIGHTENED WITH EXCESSIVE TORQUE.

Consequence: THE DISC ROTOR COULD BREAK (WHERE IT MOUNTS TO THE WHEEL), RESULTING IN A LOSS OF BRAKING ACTION ON THAT WHEEL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DISC BRAKE ROTORS. IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS, TOYOTA WILL REPLACE THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND STEEL WHEELS WITH NEW DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND NEW ALUMINUM WHEELS. IN ADDITION A CAUTION LABEL THAT READS, "USE NEW GENUINE TOYOTA ALUMINUM WHEELS." WILL BE AFFIXED. VEHICLES ALREADY EQUIPPED WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS WILL ONLY REQUIRE CAUTION LABEL INSTALLATION.

Reported: 2020-01-22 (January 22, 2020)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 1998-2000 RAV4, 1998-1999 RAV4 EV and Celica and 1997-1998 Supra vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant, and increases the risk of serious injury or death.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and owners will have the option to self-inspect, or have a dealer inspect the steering wheel on their vehicle to determine if their vehicle may be equipped with an affected inflator. Potentially affected steering wheel serial numbers will be inspected by a dealer. Based on the inspection, dealers will replace the front driver air bag inflator with an alternate one, as necessary. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 28, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall is 20TB01 and 20TA01.

Reported: 1998-10-19 (October 19, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEMS (TDS) SUPPLIED BY AUDIOVOX CORPORATION AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, INC. IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. THE ALARM WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE ALARM HARNESS TO COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT. A PERCENTAGE OF THE FEMALE TERMINALS USED IN THE ALARM CONNECTOR WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE, CAUSING AN 'OPEN CIRCUIT' CONDITION WHEN MATED TO THE MALE IGNITION SWITCH TERMINALS.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98, 9/2/98, AND 9/3/98.