2005 Toyota RAV4: complaints, problems and recalls

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THAT THERE IS A UNDERCOATING ON THE ENGINE TO KEEP THE ENGINE FROM RUSTING. THE SMELL OF THE CHEMICAL IS TOXIC AND COMING INTO THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED THE PASSENGERS AND DRIVER TO GET SICK, AND CAN EVEN POSSIBLY TO PUT THEM TO SLEEP. THE EFFECT OF THIS IS EVEN HOURS AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS, INCLUDING SYMPTOMS OF LIGHT HEADED, DIZZINESS, NAUSEA, AND HEADACHES. THE LONGEST TRIP IN THE VEHICLE IS 20-30 MINUTES AT A TIME. DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WOULD TRY TO REMOVE THE SMELL. THEY WOULD NOT LET THEM TRA…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10124839 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED A 2005 RAV4 2 WHEEL DRIVE, 5 SPEED, IN DECEMBER 2005. THE EXACT DATE, I AM NOT SURE OF IN THAT THE ISSUE IS ONGOING. I FIRST NOTICED THE OE (TOYO TRANPATH A14 215/70R16 99S M-S) TIRES BY TOYO WERE LOOSING TRACTION WHEN GOING AROUND CORNERS, I ATTRIBUTED THAT TO THE NEW AUTO AND WAS MORE CAREFUL UNTIL I GOT USED TO IT. I WAS COMING HOME ONE DAY AND PROCEEDED ONTO A FREEWAY ONRAMP. THE ROADS WERE WET BUT NOT EXCESSIVE. I MADE THE TURN ONTO THE RAMP SHIFTED AND THE ACCELERATED, I FOUND AT THAT TIME THE TIRES WERE LOOSING TRACTIO…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10126121 at NHTSA ↗

FUEL HOSE BROKEN WITHOUT ANY REASON I HAVE KNOWN OF. I DROVE MY CAR IN CASUAL MANNER (SHORT DISTANCE FROM WORK TO HOME) WITH 7900 MILES ON IT AND DIDN'T RECALL HITTING ANYTHING HARD UNDERNEATH MY CAR. PARKED MY CAR LAST FRIDAY. ON SUNDAY, MY 05 RAV4 COULDN'T START AND SMELLED GASOLINE. LOOKED DOWN THE VEHICLE AND FOUND OUT FUEL HOSE WAS BROKEN AND LEAKING GASOLINE. CALLED FIREFIGHTERS TO STOP THE FUEL HOSE LEAKAGE. TOWED MY CAR TO DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED THE WHOLE FUEL LINE. CONSEQUENCES COULD BE FATAL IF FIRE OBJECT CLOS…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,991 miles reported. Look up ODI 10137039 at NHTSA ↗

SUN VISOR IS NOT PADDED! WHEN IT IS LEFT IN THE DOWN POSITION YOU BANG YOUR HEAD ON IT WHEN YOU ENTER. PREVIOUS TOYOTA RAV 4 HAD A PADDED VISOR. THIS IS A MINOR PROBLEM THAT COULD BE CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES IN AN ACCIDENT. I DROVE MY PREVIOUS RAV 4 FOR ALMOST 100,000 MILES WITHOUT EVER NOTICING ANY PROBLEMS. MY NEW 2005 RAV 4 IS HAS A DIFFERENT "SOLID FEELING" VISOR WHICH YOU NOTICE RIGHT AWAY WHEN YOU BANG INTO IT. THOUGHT VISORS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE PADDED FOR SAFETY REASONS. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 2,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10141867 at NHTSA ↗

DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10162578 at NHTSA ↗

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. A 13 YEAR OLD WAS DRIVING THE CAR WITHOUT PERMISSION, AND BECAME AFRAID WHEN THE POLICE BEGAN CHASIED HIM. THE 13 YEAR OLD WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH AND CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL, AND THE VEHICLE FLIPPED ONTO ITS ROOF, THEN SKIDDED APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET ON ITS ROOF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY. THE CONTACT HAD ACCESS TO THE POLICE REPORT. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY…

Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10176992 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN ROADS ARE ICY OR SNOWY, TPMS WARNS THAT TIRE(S) IS LOW DESPITE ALL TIRES HAVING THE PROPER PRESSURE. AFTER CONFIRMING ADEQUATE TIRE PRESSURES, I RESET THE SYSTEM. AFTER ENCOUNTERING SNOWY/ICY ROADS AGAIN, THE TPMS ALERTS AGAIN. THIS FALSE ALARM WOULD LIKELY CONFUSE MOST DRIVERS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10181674 at NHTSA ↗

HAD 2005 TOYOTA RAV 4 FRONT BRAKE ROTORS DISPLAYED STRAIGHT LINES OF TINY PITS ACROSS BRAKING SURFACE , APPEARED TO BE CASTING FLAWS EXTENDED INTO AND BELOW ROTOR SURFACE. HAD PROBLEMS WITH TIRES PREMATURELY WEARING ON INNER SIDES, SCRAPING NOISE. *AK ASKED DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP ABOUT THESE ROTORS AND WAS TOLD THEY SEE A LOT OF THEM LIKE THIS.

Owner-reported narrative. 34,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10192622 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2006-04-03 (April 3, 2006)

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OF THE AIR BAG INFLATOR, WHICH IS USED IN THE SIDE AIR BAG, THE CURTAIN SHIELD AIR BAG, AND THE KNEE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY, SOME INFLATORS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN INSUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF THE HEATING AGENTS NECESSARY FOR PROPER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. IN THIS CONDITION, THE EXPANSION FORCE OF THE GAS MAY BE INSUFFICIENT TO PROPERLY INFLATE THE AIR BAG WHEN THE SRS SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED DURING A CRASH.

Consequence: THIS MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT IN THE INVOLVED SEATING POSITION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SPECIFIC SRS AIR BAG. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 6, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371, SCION AT 1-866-548-1851, OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

Reported: 2010-02-03 (February 3, 2010)

GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AND JUNE 2, 2008 WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.

Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GULF STATES TOYOTA AT 713-580-3300.

Reported: 2010-02-03 (February 3, 2010)

SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.

Consequence: A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.

Reported: 2015-05-13 (May 13, 2015)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured May 13, 2003, to October 25, 2005. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Owners of these vehicles are advised not to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag, free of charge. Owners were mailed an interim notice June 17, 2015. The recall began on August 21, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2019-10-17 (October 17, 2019)

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0A, J0B, and J0C. Lexus' numbers for this recall are JLI, JLJ, and JLK.