1998 Toyota RAV4 Problems

EVEN AFTER I REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS WHILE DOING MAINTENANCE, THE BRAKES ARE STILL LOOSE AT TIMES, MOSTLY AFTER RUNNING ON THE HIGHWAY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO COME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE ROTOR WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT AN INTERSECTION, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THEIR VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWO PEOPLE IN THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE PASSENGER IN THE PASSENGER SEAT SUSTAINED A BLACK EYE, SEVERAL LEG BRUISES AND HAD TO GET 7 STITCHES IN HER HEAD. THE PASSENGER IN THE BACK SEAT SUSTAINED TWO BROKEN RIBS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND WAS TOWED TO A JUNK YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

MY VEHICLE IS BEING RECALLED FOR TAKADA AIR BAGS.

ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2010 MY WIFE WAS APPROACHING A PARKING SPOT IN A WALGREENS DRUG STORE LOT IN OUR 1998 TOYOTA RAV 4. SHE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF MORE THAN 5 TO 10 MPH. SHE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION ABOUT A FEW FEET BEFORE THE PARKING SPOT WHICH CAUSED HER TO JUMP A CURB AND CRASH INTO A COLUMN OUTSIDE OF THE STORE. BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS. MY WIFE HAD EXTENSIVE BRUISING AND GREAT PAIN IN THE CHEST AREA WHICH NECESSITATED A TRIP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. LUCKILY THE DAMAGE WAS ONLY BRUISES. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE STORE COLUMN. IT IS ESTIMATED THE CAR MUST HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AT 30 MPH OR MORE WHEN IT HIT. *TR

1998 TOYOTA RAV4. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATOR PEDAL *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAS EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE FOR AT LEAST 7 OF THE 11 YEARS SHE HAS OWNED IT. WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS AT A FULL STOP, AND PROCEEDED TO STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL, NOTHING HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE WOULD BEGAN TO MOVE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED WITH EXTREME FORCE, SO THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD OR WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS PRESSED UP AND DOWN AND THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK FORWARD. THE SERVICE CENTER LUBRICATED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. *JB

TOYOTA RAV4 2000 HAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION IS MAKING NOISES AND ACTING STRANGE. PROBLEM PRESENTED FIRST IN HIGHWAY 15 IN CONNECTICUT, WITHOUT ANY WARNING. VERY DANGEROUS WITHOUT WARNING INCIDENT. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT VERY FRIGHTENING. AFTER INCIDENT TRANSMISSION START SLIPPING AND MAKING STRANGE NOISES. THE CAR IS PARKED AND I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS THE PROBLEM. I SAW AN ARTICLE IN THE NY TIMES INDICATING THIS SITE FOR RECORDING COMPLAINTS. *TR

NOT SURE WHAT CATEGORY THIS FALLS INTO, BUT EQUIPMENT SEEMS LIKE THE MOST FITTING: I HAVE A 1998 TOYOTA RAV4. THE VEHICLE HAS SLIGHTLY HIGH MILES (APPROX. 121,000), IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED ACCORDINGLY AND HAS WORKED GREAT UNTIL RECENTLY. WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, VIA HIGHWAY, FIFTH GEAR MYSTERIOUSLY WOULD NOT STAY ENGAGED. ONCE PLACED INTO FIFTH, THE GEAR WOULD POP BACK OUT. IN ORDER TO KEEP THE TRANSMISSION IN FIFTH GEAR, IT WAS NECESSARY TO PHYSICALLY HOLD THE STICK INTO POSITION, OTHERWISE IT WOULD POP OUT. UPON RESEARCH INTO THE PROBLEM, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT TOYOTA HAS NOT RECALLED FIFTH GEAR, ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THE MAJORITY OF THEIR MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. THE ONLY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE ANOMALY BY TOYOTA FOUND WAS THAT OF A "RE-ISSUE", NOT A RECALL. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE HAZARDOUS TO THE AUTOMOBILES' DRIVER, AS WELL AS OTHERS ON THE ROAD DUE TO AN UNEXPECTED JERK CAUSED BY THE GEAR NOT ENGAGING. ANOTHER CONCERN THAT ARISES IS THE FACT THAT ATTENTION IS DIVERTED AWAY FROM DRIVING. I HAVE HEARD THAT TOYOTA IS NOTORIOUS FOR ISSUING WHAT I'VE HEARD CALLED "SILENT RECALLS". IF THIS PROBLEM FALLS INTO SUCH A CATEGORY IT IS ASSUMED THAT TOYOTA DOES ACKNOWLEDGE THE HAZARD AND PROBLEM AND WOULD PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR, RIGHT? SINCE THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT, THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST AND THE FIFTH GEAR WAS REPLACED OUT OF POCKET. MANY ISSUES HAVE COME TO FRUITION SINCE THE REPLACEMENT, BUT THAT IS A CONCERN BETTER BROUGHT UP WITH THE BBB REGARDING THE "TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS" RATHER THAN WITH NHTSA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. *TR

EXCESSIVE OIL USE, TRIED TO HAVE DEALER FIX AT 149,000, WOULD NOT CHECK. WARENTY ENHANCEMENT, NOW 200000 MILES 1 QT+ 1200 MILES. TOOK TO DEALER 2/27/17 SAID I HAD TO PAY 3000+ TO FIX. TOYOTA NEW IT WAS BAD PISTONS OR RINGS AND ADMIT IT. BUT I PAY? ALWAYS TOOK CARE OF VEHICLE

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

RE: SAFETY RECALL FOR REAR OUTBOARD SEATBELTS. I FIRST BECAME AWARE OF THE THE RECALL IN FEB. 2016. IN EARLY MARCH, WE SCHEDULED NORMAL MAINTENANCE FOR OUR RAV4. WHEN WE INQUIRED ABOUT THE SEATBELT RECALL, THE DEALERSHIP HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISSUE. I HAVE NOW BEEN DRIVING MY 6 AND 8 YEAR OLD CHILDREN AROUND IN A VEHICLE WITH RECALLED SEATBELTS FOR 2 MONTHS. TODAY, APRIL 7, IS THE FIRST NOTIFICATION I HAVE RECEIVED FROM TOYOTA AND THE NOTIFICATION STATES THAT TOYOTA STILL HAS NO "REMEDY". TOYOTA IS PUTTING MY CHILDREN IN DANGER EVERYDAY AND I HAVE LOST ALL TRUST IN TOYOTA.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH AND ATTEMPTED TO AVOID A TRACTOR TRAILER. WHILE SWITCHING LANES, THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL, CRASH INTO THE TRACTOR TRAILER AND THEN INTO THE GUARD RAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. EACH OF THE THREE PASSENGERS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS HOWEVER NONE OF THEM LOCKED ON IMPACT, CAUSING INJURY TO EACH OF THE THREE PASSENGERS. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER REPAIRED NOR INSPECTED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 105,000.

MY 98 RAV4 STARTED ACCELERATION PROBLEMS AFTER WE HIT 120,000 MILES. IT HAS DONE IT ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT HAS ONLY HAPPEND WHEN WE ARE STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR STOPPED TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFIC, IT MAY HAVE DONE IT ONLY 1 OR 2 TIMES WHILE DRIVING. *CN

I PURCHASED A USED 1998 TOYOTA RAV4 IN OCTOBER 2009. THE VEHICLE HAS 42,000 MILES. WHEN DRIVING HOME ON THE INTERSTATE THE TRUCK BEGAN TO JERK AND LOOSE POWER. WE GOT OFF ON THE NEAREST EXIT AND MADE IT HOME SAFELY. THE TRUCK CONTINUES TO DO THE SAME. I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. THE TRUCK HAS DONE THIS AND 4 OCCASIONS. IT PUTS MY DAUGHTER AT RISK FOR BEING REAR ENDED. *TR

AFTER VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ABOUT 1-2 HOURS, NON STOP, IGNITION AREA BECOMES VERY HOT. DEALER WAS CALLED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. OWNER WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT PROBLEM WAS NORMAL. *AK.ET.

BATTERY FAILED. YH

REPLACED BRAKES 4 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE, PADS TWICE A YEAR, REPLACED ROTORS TWICE. BRAKES ARE ALWAYS SQEAKING. CURENTLY, STRUTS ARE LEAKING. *AK *SLC

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THERE WAS A TIRE AND A RIM ON THE ROAD, AND VEHICLE RAN OVER THE TIRE, CAUSING A ROLLOVER ONTO THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE SLID DOWN FOR ABOUT A MILE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VAPOR CANISTER AND THE VACUUM SWITCHING VALVE (VSV) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,734. Consumer stated vehicle has been repaired.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REFUELING SHE WOULD SMELL A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY INFORMED HER THAT THE FUEL TANK FILLER NECK AND FUEL TANK WERE COMPLETELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 117,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE RECENTLY PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BUT DID NOT NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS SIGNIFICANTLY CORRODED AND RUSTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE FAILURE SINCE THERE WERE NO RECALLS AGAINST THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS OR DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,565.

FIREWALL IS CRACKED CAUSING GAS PEDAL TO MOVE SIDE TO SIDE AND LITERALLY PUSHING THROUGH THE FLOOR WITH NO SUPPORT STRUCTURE TO HOLD IT IN POSITION. A DEFINITE SAFTEY HAZARD!*AK

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

THE LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW, DAMAGING THE PLASTIC LINER AND FENDER OF VEHICLE, (DUNLOP TIRES DOT2K2288, TIRE SIZE 215/70/16.*JB

DURING SLOW TURNS SUCH AS THROUGH INTERSECTIONS THERE IS A KNOCKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAS BEEN PRESENT SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2008 AND HAS BEEN GETTING SLOWLY WORSE. DHL TOYOTA IN WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE STEERING CAN GO AT ANY TIME. THERE ARE 2 TOYOTA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS DATING FROM 2008 ON HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM: T-SB-0308-08 AND T-SB-0318-08. I WAS TOLD TOYOTA WILL NOT PAY FOR IT AND THE FIX IS $2800. SINCE TOYOTA TOLD ME THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, THEN THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL AND TOYOTA SHOULD FIX IT AT THEIR EXPENSE. *TR

SECURITY (ANTI THEFT) ALARM FAILED. YH

REAR WINDOW POWER FAILED. YH

AIR CONDITION CONTROL SWITCH FAILED. MJS

(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 TOYOTA PART, AND WILL BE REPLACED WITH A CERTIFIED TOYOTA PART, HOWEVER, IT WILL NOT STOP THE SITUATION FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. CAN NOT FIND ANY WEB INFO. FOR CONTACTING TOYOTA. THIS IS AN INHERENT SAFETY DEFECT. NEXT TIME, I COULD BE DRIVING AT 65 MPH! *AK

PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL WELL FLAP WAS MISSING A BOLT THAT SHOULD HAVE ATTACHED TO THE BODY CAUSING FLAP TO BE LOOSE AND RUB ON THE TIRE WHICH WORE A HOLE THROUGH THE FLAP.