2005 Toyota RAV4 Problems

The recall repair was completed 7/15/25. It never updated in anyone’s system. I have been fighting between Toyota corp and the dealership for weeks more like a month just to get them to do the repair. After it was done I got my car damaged. A whole separate issue. I need to get inspection done on the car; can’t get it registered and my insurance is hassling me. It’s been weeks of this nightmare. It still shows my car on the recall list. DMV says they didn’t receive updates, Toyota sends me to the dealership and the dealership does nothing. All this over a car problem that wasn’t my fault in the first place. How do I proceed please

AIR BAG RECALL: I HAVE BEEN GETTING RECALL NOTICES FOR YEARS. I HAVE NOTIFIED TOYOTA MANY TIMES THAT I NO LONGER OWN THIS VEHICLE!!! IT WAS TRADED IN TO TOYOTA OF LEWISVILLE TX IN OCTOBER 25, 2014. THIS IS BORDERING ON HARRASSMENT! IT IS ALSO A WASTE OF MONEY. I RECENTLY RECIEVED A NOTICE VIA FEDEX!! PLEASE UPDATE YOUR RECORDS. THANK YOU.

On 10/1/2022 in Berwick, PA while pulling into the Dollar Tree parking lot, smoke appeared in the passenger cabin and the vehicle accelerated on it's own. The brakes were applied and the vehicle continue to accelerate. The vehicle went down through a yard, across a road through another parking lot and crashed into a high curb before stalling out. The airbags deployed. My mother was transported to the hospital and is still in ICU with broken ribs, cuts and bruises. She was able to steer the vehicle away from a parked car, a person on a bicycle and missed a rose bush, no one else was injured in the incident. A police report has been completed, the vehicle is still in the custody of the towing company and has not been released to the insurance company.

WHILE DRIVING THE VSC LIGHT AND ALARM FLASH AND SOUND AND THE VEHICLE APPLIES THE BRAKES CAUSING VEHICLE TO VEER INTO OTHER LANE

EXCESSIVE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION, 1/2 QUART EVERY 2 WEEKS. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE FOR AT LEAST THE LAST 3 YEARS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DAN CAVA TOYOTA WORLD LLC. (2510 WHITE HALL BLVD, FAIRMONT, WV 26554, 304-366-2720) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VAPOR CANISTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TT *TR

WHEN DRIVING AT OR UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT ON SOME TURNS MY CARS SLIP INDICATOR GOES OFF WITHOUT ANY APPARENT ISSUES AND IT WILL START BEEPING AND SOMETIMES IT EVEN BREAKS ON IT'S OWN AND JERKS THE CAR. THE SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT HAS TURNED ONE WHILE DRIVING UNDER 30 MPH IN A DRY AND PAVED ROAD. THE BEEPING AND JERKING HAS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY

NONE OF MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE WORKING I HAVE TRIED REPLACING THEM WITH NEW BULBS AND THEY STILL DON'T WORK I EVEN CHECKED TO SEE IF IT NEED A NEW FUSE AND ALL THE FUSES LOOK GOOD. I'M STARTING TO FEEL LIKE THE VEHICLE HAS A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT'S CAUSING THE LIGHTS NOT TO WORK.

DRIVERS SIDE VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP. FALLS DOWN CONSTANTLY. DRIVER CANNOT SEE WHEN IT HAPPENS. I BOUGHT MY RAV4 USED AND DIDNT NOTICE IT UNTIL MY HUSBAND DROVE IT. IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME BECAUSE I'M SHORT. WHEN MY HUSBAND DRIVES IT WE HAVE TO RIG IT TO STAY UP BUT NOTHING EVER WORKS FOR LONG BEFORE IT FALLS DOWN AGAIN. IT COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. IN ADDITION, THE SUN VISOR WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,858.

WHEN DRIVING AT OR UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT ON SOME TURNS MY CARS SLIP INDICATOR GOES OFF WITHOUT ANY APPARENT ISSUES AND IT WILL START BEEPING AND SOMETIMES IT EVEN BREAKS ON IT'S OWN AND JERKS THE CAR. THE SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT HAS TURNED ONE WHILE DRIVING UNDER 30 MPH IN A DRY AND PAVED ROAD. THE BEEPING AND JERKING HAS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY

I AM HAVING AN ISSUE WITH MY 2005 RAV4 THAT HAS BECOME SO FREQUENT THAT I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. WHEN I AM DRIVING BETWEEN 30-50 MPH, AND THE ROAD MAKES A SLIGHT CURVE, MY VSC WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND I LOOSE STEERING CONTROL UNTIL I REMOVE FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR. ISSUE BEGAN: APRIL 2018, AND HAPPENED ABOUT 2-3 TIMES A MONTH. SINCE THEN, IT HAS GRADUALLY INCREASED TO AT LEAST ONCE EACH TIME I DRIVE. APR-NOV, MOSTLY OCCURRED ON SAME SLIGHT RIGHT CURVE UPHILL SECTION OF ROAD. IT'S STILL MOSTLY THAT, BUT NOW IT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN THE CURVE IS TO THE LEFT, OR DOWNHILL THE SPEED LIMIT IS 50 MPH WITH CONSTANT MODERATE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC WEEKDAYS ABOUT 4 ' 6 P.M. I ACCELERATE UPHILL AS I MAKE A SLIGHT RIGHT CURVE, AND SUDDENLY, THE CAR DOES THE FOLLOWING: I WILL LOOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND THE VSC WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THE VSC LIGHT TURNS OFF AND I REGAIN CONTROL OF THE STEERING. WHEN I APPLY THE GAS, THE SAME THING HAPPENS AGAIN. THE SEVERITY OF THE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL SEEMS TO DEPEND UPON WHAT PART OF THE CURVE I AM IN. AS THE ROAD IS STILL SLIGHTLY CURVING TO THE RIGHT, THE CAR'S ABILITY TO ACCELERATE GREATLY DIMINISHES. THEREFORE, I AM FORCED TO DRIVE 35-40 MPH, WHICH CREATES AN ACCIDENT PRONE SCENE FOR MYSELF AND THE DRIVERS BEHIND ME THAT ARE TRAVELING 50-55 MPH. MY COMMUTE TO WORK, I'M DRIVING WEST & THIS RECENTLY STARTED DOWNHILL, THE PROBLEM OCCURS AFTER THE HILL WHERE THERE IS A SLIGHT CURVE TO THE RIGHT. ALSO, WHEN THIS OCCURS AT NIGHT, MY HEADLIGHTS WILL DIM AT THE SAME MOMENT AND FOR THE SAME LENGTH OF TIME THE VSC LIGHT COMES ON. SINCE NOVEMBER, THIS ISSUE OCCURS IF THE ROAD CURVES EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT, UPHILL OR DOWN HILL, BUT MORE OFTEN UPHILL. OCCASIONALLY, I WILL ALSO HEAR A BEEP WHILE THE LIGHT IS ON, BUT THIS HAS ONLY HAPPENED MAYBE FIVE OR SIX TIMES.

TIRE FAILURE FOR WILD TRAIL TOURING CUV R601 215/70R16, DOT KAEH C27 W 4615 D13L. BLOW OUT TRAVELING 45MPH WITH NO PRECIPITATING EVENT. LESS THAN 1 YR OF USE AND LESS THAN 8000 MILES

MY TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM KEEPS TURNING ON REGARDLESS OF WHETHER TIRE PRESSURE GAUGES OR MECHANICS SAY THE TIRE PRESSURE IS WITHIN RANGE. I KNOW THIS SYSTEM HAD A RECALL ON OTHER MODEL YEARS FOR TOYOTA, AND I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS ONE, TOO. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR USED FROM A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP--UNKNOWN IF IT WAS AN ISSUE BEFORE THEN. RESETTING THE SYSTEM (BY PRESSING THE RESET BUTTON TO THE LEFT OF THE STEERING WHEEL, AS INDICATED IN THE USER MANUAL) ONLY TURNS THE LIGHT OFF FOR A MINUTE OR TWO, THEN IT COMES RIGHT BACK ON. *TR

NONE OF MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE WORKING I HAVE TRIED REPLACING THEM WITH NEW BULBS AND THEY STILL DON'T WORK I EVEN CHECKED TO SEE IF IT NEED A NEW FUSE AND ALL THE FUSES LOOK GOOD. I'M STARTING TO FEEL LIKE THE VEHICLE HAS A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT'S CAUSING THE LIGHTS NOT TO WORK.

MY MASTER POWER SWITCH STOPPED WORKING IN 2014. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE 2005 RAV4 WAS NOT ON THE LIST FOR THE RECALL. WINDOWS WILL NOT GO UP AND DOWN.

On 10/1/2022 in Berwick, PA while pulling into the Dollar Tree parking lot, smoke appeared in the passenger cabin and the vehicle accelerated on it's own. The brakes were applied and the vehicle continue to accelerate. The vehicle went down through a yard, across a road through another parking lot and crashed into a high curb before stalling out. The airbags deployed. My mother was transported to the hospital and is still in ICU with broken ribs, cuts and bruises. She was able to steer the vehicle away from a parked car, a person on a bicycle and missed a rose bush, no one else was injured in the incident. A police report has been completed, the vehicle is still in the custody of the towing company and has not been released to the insurance company.

WHEN BACKING THE RAV, WE HEAR A THUNK NOISE AND RAV HAS DIFFICULTY REVERSING, ESPECIALLY WHEN REVERSING UPHILL.

"TAKATA RECALL". I WAS DRIVING AND STOPPED FOR A LIGHT DOWN A ROAD IN STATEN ISLAND, NY. AS I WAS WAITING, A DEER WAS CROSSING THE ROAD. SIMULTANEOUSLY, A BUS WAS NEXT TO ME AND SCARED THE DEER WHICH CAUSED IT TO RUN STRAIGHT INTO MY VEHICLE DOING A FAIR AMOUNT OF DAMAGE WHICH HAS SINCE BEEN FIXED. MY AIRBAG DID NOT INFLATE, EVEN THOUGH I WAS HIT PRETTY HARD. I WAS SHAKEN UP BUT SUFFERED NO MAJOR INJURIES. RECALL#15V284

"TAKATA RECALL" I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON 12/01/18 AND I SUFFERED SEVERAL SEVERE INJURIES. I SUSPECT THE AIRBAG WENT OFF AND CAUSED ME TO CRASH. PERFECT STORM ON PAPERWORK AND MY CAR SAT WINDOWS UP IN HEAT FOR 2 WEEKS ACCIDENT HAPPENED 1ST DAY BACK IN MY CAR, PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR INFO [XXX] IN MOTION I FOUND VEHICLE ITS NOT WHERE CARFAX SAYS IT IS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHEN DRIVING 25-30 MPH AND GOING AROUND CURVES AT LOW SPEED THE CAR BREAKS HARD AND FEELS LIKE IT'S GOING OUT OF CONTROL. IT IS VERY SCARY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION DOING 25-30 MPH. THIS IS HAPPENING MORE OFTEN AT LEAST THREE TIMES THIS WEEK. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON FREEWAY AND ON RESIDENTIAL STREETS WHILE GOING AROUND CURVES AND NOT GOING FAST AT ALL..

DEALER CLAIMS PART IS NOT AVAILABLE, BUT TOYOTA TELLS ME PARTS ARE AT OTHER DEALERS. DEALER: LOU FUSE TOYOTA, ST. LOUIS THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 RAV4, THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SLIPPING, IT IS AN AUTOMATIC AND SOMETIMES IT WON'T CHANGE GEARS WHEN IT SHOULD, SO IT WON'T ACCELERATE AND WHEN IT FINALLY DOES SWITCH TO THE NEXT GEAR THE WHO CAR JERKS AND TAKES OFF VERY QUICKLY. THIS BEGAN HAPPENING FOR NO REASON I HAVE NOT HAD ANY SORT OF ACCIDENT WITH THE VEHICLE AND TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF IT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY CAMPBELL MOTORS IN HERMISTON OR, THAT THE ONLY OPTION IS TO COMPLETELY REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR A COST OF $3900. I HAVE READ THAT IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE RAV4 AND FEEL THAT TOYOTA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION IT IS VERY DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC TO HAVE A CAR THAT JERKS AROUND AND ACCELERATES/WON'T ACCELERATE IN AN UNPREDICTABLE MANNER. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4 IN JULY OF 2005, AND HAVE TAKEN SUPERB CARE OF IT OVER THE YEARS. HOWEVER, THE TRANSMISSION BLEW UP ON ME AFTER JUST 89,000 MILES. I WAS CROSSING A DOUBLE SET OF RAILROAD TRACKS WHEN THIS HAPPENED, AND IT SCARED ME HALF TO DEATH. IT'S COSTING ME $3,000 TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION, AND THE GUY AT THE GARAGE COULDN'T EVEN GIVE ME A REASON FOR THIS HAPPENING. AFTER SOME INTERNET RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO NUMEROUS '01-'05 RAV4 CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE REACHED JUST OVER 80,000 MILES DUE TO A FAULTY ECM THAT TOYOTA HAS DECIDED NOT TO RECALL. NOW I NEED TO PAY ANOTHER $1,200 TO HAVE THE ECM REPLACED AT THE TOYOTA DEALER SO THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ME AGAIN. ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS! HOW CAN THEY GET AWAY WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS? *TR

WE JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM A CRAIGSLIST AD, WHERE THE SELLER PRETENDED TO BE ONE OWNER/PRIVATE BUT WAS REALLY A DEALERSHIP WHO BOUGHT IT AT INDIANA AUCTION. HE IS SUPPOSED TO LET US KNOW IF THE RECALLS WERE DONE, BUT HAS NOT GIVEN US PAPERWORK. HE ALSO DID NOT TELL US THE BACK END HAD BEEN HIT. HE IS DOING THIS TO OTHERS. HE IS [XXX] ENTERPRISES -[XXX]. HE ENDANGERS US & BREAKS INDIANA LAW AS DEALERS MUST DISCLOSE RECALLS HERE. I NEED TO KNOW, BEFORE A WRECK, IF THE AIR BAGS WERE REPLACED. PLEASE HELP. [XXX] PS ANOTHER RECALL WAS THE NEED FOR STICKERS ON TIRES TO PREVENT OVERLOAD. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I HAVE A 2005 RAV4 NOW WITH 35,000 MILEAGE AND I EXPERIENCED AN UNUSUAL MECHANICAL ISSUE THAT MAY HAVE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS! IN DECEMBER 2009 I WENT TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES ON MY VEHICLE AT A SEARS AUTO SHOP AND HAD REQUESTED THE RECOMMENDED WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE MECHANIC FOUND THE MECHANISMS ON THE VEHICLE THAT FACILITATES ALIGNMENT WAS INOPERATIVE AS IT WAS FOUND TO BE SEIZED UP, FOR BOTH FRONT AND REAR WHEEL ALIGNMENTS! SEARS INFORMED ME TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO MY TOYOTA DEALER FOR ALIGNMENT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE TOYOTA DEALER THAT DOES ALL MY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE SINCE I BOUGHT THE NEW VEHICLE FOR THEM TO DO THE ALIGNMENT. THEY WERE ALSO UNABLE TO DO THE ALIGNMENT FOR THE SAME REASON SEARS WERE UNABLE TO DO IT. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE MECHANISMS AND THAT THEY HAVE TO REMOVE THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE TO GET TO THE ALIGNMENT MECHANISMS AND TO REPLACE THE MECHANISMS. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE THEY HAD BEEN SERVICING THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO THEIR RECOMMENDED SERVICING SCHEDULE AND THEY SHOULD HAVE NOTICED THE CONDITION OF THE MECHANISM. THEY SAID THE CAR HAS TOO MANY PARTS AND THAT THEY COULD NOT CHECK ALL THE PARTS; AND MOREOVER, THE ALIGNMENT MECHANISMS, THEY SAID, ARE NOT VISIBLE FROM AN UNDERCARRIAGE INSPECTION. WAS THIS DEFECT A SAFETY MATTER? HAS THERE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT ALIGNMENT MECHANISMS FOR TOYOTA VEHICLES? *TR

1) EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION STARTED EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN OIL INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON WELL BEFORE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WAS DUE. INITIALLY, THE MECHANIC WAS NOT CONCERNED AND JUST TOPPED OFF THE OIL, AND I HAD THE OIL CHANGED AT THE NEXT SCHEDULED DATE (MECHANIC DID NOTE THAT THE OIL WAS AGAIN LOW, BUT NOT LOW ENOUGH TO ENGAGE THE OIL LIGHT). ABOUT A 1000 MILES AFTER THAT CHANGE, THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, AND THE MECHANIC DID THE SAME THING. WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN, I TOOK THE CAR TO A DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOP AND HAD THE OIL CHANGED (EARLIER THAN SCHEDULED), AND PERSONALLY VERIFIED THE OIL LEVEL. SAME THING AGAIN, AND THIS TIME HAD THE SHOP RUN A DIAGNOSTIC ($250 TYVM) AND WAS TOLD THE REPAIR (REMOVE AND REPLACE THE CYLINDER HEAD VALVE STEM SEALS, HEAD GASKET, AND VALVE COVER GASKET) WOULD COST IN EXCESS OF $3,400.00. 2) CHECK ENGINE AND VSC TRAC INDICATOR LIGHTS ENGAGED AND MECHANIC INITIALLY INDICATED THAT AN NEW GAS CAP WAS NEEDED, HOWEVER THIS DID NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE, AND HAD A DIAGNOSTIC RAN ($250 TYVM) AND WAS TOLD THE REPAIR (REMOVE AND REPLACE THE EVAC CANISTER) WOULD COST IN EXCESS OF $875.00. KIND OF DISAPPOINTED IN THE "TOYOTA QUALITY" AT THIS POINT.

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 CLOSE BY. THERE MAY BE A POTENTIAL FAULT ON THE DESIGN OF THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE THE FUEL HOSE SHOULDN'T BE BROKEN EASIER AND CAUSED THE LEAK OF GASOLINE. *JB

HEAD ON COLLISION, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK, MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE RAV 4 TOYOTA 2005. *TR