1999 Toyota RAV4: complaints, problems and recalls

DEALER PUT NEW BRAKE PADS ON TO STOP SQUEAKING, TO NO AVAIL.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 0 at NHTSA ↗

HEAD ON COLLISION -AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY-FRACTURING STERNUM,RIBS AND INJURING RIGHT SHOULDER. PRE-TENSIONER ON SEAT BELT FAILED ALSO. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10018492 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 1999 RAV4. YESTERDAY I'M DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. I HEARD A LOUD NOISE, I THOUGHT A ROCK HIT MY CAR. I STOPPED AT THE STORE AND I GO TO GET MY KEYS OUT OF IGNITION AND THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH IS BROKE. THE BACK OF THE SWITCH WAS JUST HANGING. THAT WAS THE LAUD NOISE I HEARD. THE BACK POPPED OFF. CAN YOU TELL ME IF THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS? THANK YOU

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10031075 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK *CB *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 104,950 miles reported. Look up ODI 10046353 at NHTSA ↗

1999 TOYOTA RAV4 -- LOW FUEL INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON WHEN INDICATOR NEEDLE WAS JUST BELOW 1/2 A TANK. CONSUMER HAD TOYOTA EXTRA CARE. DEALER SAID THE PROBLEM WAS A FUEL SENDER BRACKET, PART #77017-42020, AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTRA CARE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10049018 at NHTSA ↗

BOTH OF THE FRONT SEAT BELT CONNECTIONS HAVE STOPPED LATCHING INTO AND LOCKING THE SEAT BELT. I HAD THE DRIVERS SIDE REPLACED ABOUT A YEAR AGO, IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRENTY. NOW THE PASSENGER SIDE IS NOT WORKING. IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THE CONNECTIONS IF SO WHY AND WHAT IS NEEDED TO BE DONE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10066245 at NHTSA ↗

VALVE STEM SEALS NEED REPLACED $810.75 BY TOYOTA DEALER 80,000 MILES

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10106348 at NHTSA ↗

WITHOUT ANY DASH WARNING LIGHT COMING ON 1999 TOYOTA BLEW ITS ENGINE. *BF *TC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10111633 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.