2000 Toyota RAV4: complaints, problems and recalls

FUEL TANK ACCESS DOOR HAS DESIGN DEFECT. WHEN OPENED (TO GAIN ACCESS TO FUEL CAP), IT RUBS THE EDGE OF THE VEHICLE BODY PANEL SURROUNDING THE ACCESS DOOR. THIS IS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH MODEL 2001, AS A FRIEND HAS REPORTED THE SAME COMPLAINT. AS FOR THE VEHICLE GLASS, IT WAS SCRATCHED EASILY FROM ROAD DEBRIS BEING RUBBED BY THE WIPERS, AND ALSO INSIDE OF THE GLASS GRIT. THIS HAS NEVER OCCURRED WITH PREVIOUS VEHICLES OWNED, SO THE GLASS MUST BE UNUSUALLY SOFT.**** DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****760761. *AK *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008771 at NHTSA ↗

THE SPACE SAVER WHEEL IS MADE OF STEEL, AND THE VEHICLE WHEELS THAT CAME ON THE VEHICLE ARE MADE OF ALLOY. THE SPARE SAVER WHEEL ONLY REQUIRES 3 LUGS:NUTS, WHILE THE VEHICLE WHEELS REQUIRE 5 LUGS:NUTS". CONSUMER FEELS THAT SPACE SAVER WHEEL WILL NOT BE AS SAFE AS THE WHEEL THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE MADE OF ALLOY, AND REQUIRES MORE LUGS:NUTS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10044425 at NHTSA ↗

MANUAL TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY CAME OUT OF FIFTH GEAR AND WENT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING 50-70 MPH. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10099314 at NHTSA ↗

THE CODE SCANNER ON BOTH MY AND MY MOTHER-IN-LAWS TOYOTA RAV4 (2000 AND 2002) HAVE READ ERRORS WITH THE FUEL RATIO AND NOW OURS IS CLAIMING THAT THE AIR FUEL RATIO SENSORS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. OURS REPORTED ERRORS P1130 AND P1133. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 92,386 miles reported. Look up ODI 10157763 at NHTSA ↗

TOYOTA RAV4 2000, 210,000KM. THUMPING NOISE DEVELOPED IN VEHICLE. AFTER LONG SEARCH BY SERVICE SHOP AND BY FRIENDS, NOISE WAS TRACED TO REAR RIGHT WHEEL. INNER CORE OF WHEEL WAS SEPARATING FROM OUTER RIM. THREE BREAKS HAD OCCURRED AT THE WELDS. UNDETECTABLE WHILE ON VEHICLE HOIST. CONSIDER MYSELF VERY LUCKY THAT IT DID NOT FAIL ON A HIGH SPEED TURN. REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO TOYOTA CANADA BY EMAIL. CONTACTED DEALER BY PHONE. SERVICE MANAGER AT THIS SMALL DEALERSHIP SAID HE HAD SEEN THE PROBLEM "TWO OR THREE TIMES" PREVIOUSLY. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 131,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163394 at NHTSA ↗

2000 RAV4. THE WHEEL IS FAILING, DISINTEGRATING. SEVERAL CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE WHEEL RIM, AND THE INNER PART OF THE WHEEL - THE SPOKES - IS SEPARATING FROM THE OUTER PART. THIS IS THE SECOND WHEEL TO FAIL ON THIS VEHICLE, WHICH MAKES IT SURPRISING THAT I HAVE NOT HEARD OF OTHERS. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I REPORTED THE FIRST FAILURE, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, TO TOYOTA CANADA, AND WAS REFERRED TO THE DEALER, WHO LISTENED POLITELY, AND OFFERED NOTHING MORE BY WAY OF HELP OR SOLUTION. I HAVE NOT BOTHERED TO REPORT THIS ONE

Owner-reported narrative. 174,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10193021 at NHTSA ↗

MANUAL TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY CAME OUT OF FIFTH GEAR AND WENT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING 50-70 MPH. CAR WAS TAKEN TO AN REPAIR FACILITY OTHER THAN TOYOTA, WHERE A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS FOUND. CAR WAS THEN TAKEN TO TOYOTA DEALER AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. TOYOTA OF AMERICA WAS NOTIFIED. I WAS INFORMED THAT TOYOTA DID NOT CONSIDER THIS 'PROBLEM' WHICH THEY KNEW OF WORTHY OF A RECALL BECAUSE IT DID NOT EFFECT ENOUGH VEHICLES. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 72,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10197731 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA RAV 4. IN AN ATTEMPT TO FASTEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT, IT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT ALSO DOES NOT ADJUST PROPERLY. THE ENGINE SIZE OR THE NUMBER OF CYLINDERS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 179000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 179,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10222197 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.