2009 Toyota RAV4 Other / unspecified Problems

We were informed of safety recalls for our Toyota Rav 4 2009 . We called the local Toyaota dealership for the recalls and was told on the phone after we dropped it off that they did the inspection to make sure the recalls could be completed and informed us that they could ,but they needed to keep overnight because they had to order the parts. Prior to dropping the vehicle off the car was able to be driven and no known issues were visible. Received call following told to come pick it up and that they officially refused to perform the recalls repairs. They stated that excessive structural damage and unsafe to drive to this degradation. Because the structural rust is directly in the exact suspension components targeted by this safety recalls. The vehicle cannot be remedied under standard recall procedures. By refusing the repair without providing an alternative solution The manufacture is failing its federal obligation to remedy a known safety defect. The vehicle is currently trapped in a regularity deadlock. It can not legally or safely be repaired. It is now deemed unsafe to be driven period. When the dealership gave the vehicle back, They wanted us to sign off and yes we refused because they told us it was inspected and was going to be repaired. When they did the inspection it is known that they have to bang , wrench and or pull on these parts to check to see if recall can be completed. Which they told us it could. When the vehicle was picked up we immediately noticed that the steering wheel was no longer in the correct position and that it was making an extreme screeching sound. We did not reach back out to the dealership as we feel they definitely caused more damage and already treated us poorly. We are requesting that the NHTSA intervenes to compel Toyota to provide an alternative remedy. Either structural vehicle replacement or a KB buyback to remove this 100% unsafe vehicle from the road. because the structural rust is directly impacting the exact components .

NHTSA ID

11739536

Incident

May 14, 2026

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR RIMS ON THE VEHICLE WERE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RIMS WERE CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. ..UPDATED 06/08/17 *BF *CN

NHTSA ID

10971629

Incident

Oct 18, 2016

Mileage

70,000 mi

STUDS THAT THE LUG NUTS ARE SCREWED ON TO HAVE DETERIORATED. I JUST HAD MY TIRES ROTATED AND MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE NEXT TIME I ROTATE THE TIRES, THE STUDS WILL BREAK OFF. I ROTATE MY TIRES EVERY 6000 MILES

NHTSA ID

10903004

Incident

Aug 22, 2016

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE A TOYOTA RAV 4 AND WAS APPROACHING THE ACCESS RAMP ON TO THE WV TURNPIKE, I WAS STRATING TO ACCELERATE AND HEARD A BANGING SOUND ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE AREA I PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO CHECK, THE TIRE WAS LAYING AT A 95 DEGREE ANGLE SIDWAYS, LOOK LIKE ONLY HELD IN PLACE BY THE TOP BY THE REAR BRAKE. FOUND OUT LATER IT WAS THE RIGHT LOWER SUSPENSION ARM BROKEN. BASICALLY I LOST MY REAR WHEEL WHILE DRIVING MOST WHO SAW IT SAID I WAS LUCK TO BE ALIVE AND UNHARMED AND THAT PIECE WAS ON RECALL JUST FOR THAT REASON. *JS

NHTSA ID

10598066

Incident

Jan 30, 2014

Mileage

75,000 mi

ON MAY 14, 2014 IN THE AFTERNOON I PICKED UP MY VEHICLE AND DROVE TO HOME DEPOT HERE ON ST. THOMAS, US VIRGIN ISLANDS. UPON GETTING READY TO LEAVE HOME DEPOT, I OBSERVED THE TIRE LIGHT ON. I SAID MAYBE THE TIRE HAS A LEAK. I THEN DROVE TO BARBEL PLAZA AND OBSERVED THAT THE TIRE WAS AIRING DOWN. I THEN TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE TIRE SHOP NEXT TO SILVER DOLLAR. THE GENTLEMAN CHECKED THE TIRE AFTER THROWING SOAP LIQUID ON IT AND OBSERVED NO NAILS OR SCREWS STUCK IN THE TIRE. HE THEN TOOK OFF THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE AND POURED WATER INSIDE THE RIM AND SHOWED ME THAT THERE IS CRACK ON THE INSIDE RIM. HE SAID THAT SOMEONE COULD'VE DROPPED TBE TIRE ON THE GROUND OR SOMETHING FELL ON IT. I CALLED THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE TOYOTA MANUFACTURER. I CALLED TOYOTA AND WAS ADVISED TO NOTIFY MY LOCAL TOYOTA SO THEY CAN ASSIST ME. I BROUGHT IT TO THE MANAGERS ATTENTION FOR TOYOTA AND I RECEIVED NO ASSISTANCE. HE IS GIVING ME A SIX FOR A NINE. I BOUGHT MY CAR IN NOVEMBER OF 2009. THE CAR HASN'T MAKE FIVE YEARS OLD AND THE RIM FOR THE TIRE IS CRACKED. I NEED SOME ASSISTANCE WITH MY RIM TO MY VEHICLE. IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THE RIM WAS NOT FIXED PROPERLY. ALSO THE LUG NUT ARE NO GOOD EITHER. POOR MATERIAL. THANK YOU HOPE I GET SOME SORT OF ASSISTANCE. *TR UPDATED 11/5/2014 *JS

NHTSA ID

10592164

Incident

May 14, 2014

STEERING: DURING NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE INSPECTION MECHANIC FAILED VEHICLE DUE TO EXCESSIVE PLAY IN WHEEL ASSEMBLY BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING RACK. NOTE: VEHICLE HAD NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT OR EXCESSIVE VIBRATION DUE TO ROAD OR OFF ROAD DRIVING EXPERIENCED. REMEDY: REPLACE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING RACK AND ACCESSORIES. OF THE THREE OTHER RAV4'S OWNED BY DRIVER, ALL DROVE OVER 200,000 MILES WITHOUT STEERING PROBLEMS. WHEELS: DURING NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE INSPECTION MECHANIC FOUND REAR AXLE SEALS LEAKING. NOTE: VEHICLE HAD NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT OR EXCESSIVE VIBRATION DUE TO ROAD OR OFF ROAD DRIVING EXPERIENCED. REMEDY: REPLACE REAR AXLE SEALS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10563336

Incident

Jan 29, 2014

Mileage

107,480 mi

I WRITE THIS LETTER SEEKING FOR HELP. SINCE THE YEAR 2011 I AM HAVING SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE RIGHT WHEEL OF MY CAR WHERE THE TIRE STICKS CONSTANTLY. THE PANEL SHOWS THE LIGHT ON FOR ALL TIME. IN TWO YEARS ALREADY BOUGHT TWO TIRES, MY CAR IS THE YEAR 2009, I CONSIDER A NEW CAR. THE VISITS BEGAN TO BE FREQUENT IN THE COMPANY TOYOTA, WITH REPORT OF BUYING ANOTHER TIRE. I WONDER IF THIS PROBLEM BECOMES NORMAL. BECAUSE CHILDREN ARE IN MY CAR DAILY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10502245

Incident

Feb 13, 2013

Mileage

400,023 mi

SINCE THIS CAR WAS BOUGHT ON SEPT 18, 2009 IT HAS HAD A SHIMMY PROBLEM. DEALER COULD NEVER FIND ANYTHING WRONG BUT WOULD DO AN ALIGNMENT AND TIRE ROTATION WHEN HE TOOK IT IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AT 19,265 MI ON NOV 8, 2011, THEY TOLD MY FATHER HE NEEDED TIRES AND THAT A LUG NUT WAS MISSING. HE TOOK IT DOWN THE BLOCK TO A TIRE SHOP WHO STATED THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE WITHOUT AT LEAST 2 NEW TIRES AND AN ALIGNMENT. THEN ON MAY 20, 2012 REPLACED THE OTHER 2 TIRES AT 23,192 MI. HE HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE LUG NUTS REPLACING 3 DIFFERENT ONES NOW. THE LAST LUG NUT THAT WAS MISSING THE LUG STUD WAS BROKEN ALSO. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO BE TO HAVE 2 OF THE RECALLS FIXED AND THE LUG STUD REPLACED ON NOV 30, 2012 THEY EVEN SAID THESE RAV4'S HAVE BEEN HAVING THESE ISSUES. WE JUST RECEIVED A FIFTH RECALL NOTICE, A SECOND RECALL ON THE SUSPENSION. CORPORATE DOES NOT FILL ANY OF THE ABOVE ISSUES ARE RELATED NOR THEIR RESPONSIBILITY, THAT WE NEED TO GO TO THE ORIGINAL TIRE MANUFACTURE REGARDING THE TIRE ISSUE, THEY ALSO STATED HIS WARRANTY EXPIRED IN SEPT 2012. MY FATHER HAS THE 7YR-70,000 MILE PLATINUM WARRANTY, (THE LAST DEALERSHIP I TOOK IT TO ALSO STATED THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED ON 9/12/2012). TOYOTA CORP GAVE ME THE PH NO FOR EXTRA CARE EXTENDED WARRANTY REGARDING THE LACK OF COVERAGE AND SAID TO WAS POSSIBLE IF WE ACTUALLY HAD THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT THEY COULD DO SOMETHING FOR US. WHEN I SPOKE WITH THEM THEY STATED THE WARRANTY WAS IN THE NATIONAL SYSTEM AND HAD NO REASON AS TO WHY THEY'D QUESTION THAT. WHEN I EXPLAINED THE CONTINUAL PROBLEMS HE SAID CORP NEEDS TO ADDRESS. EVERYONE POINTS THE FINGER AT OTHERS. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 26,900 MI. MY FATHER HAS BEEN VERY ILL THE PAST 1 1/2 YEARS AND IS UNABLE TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES. MY FATHER HATES THIS CAR, THE DEALERSHIP IN VACAVILLE PURCHASED FROM & HE DOES NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10494629

Incident

Sep 18, 2009

Mileage

32 mi

TIRES ROTATED. WHEEL STUD BROKE WHEN BEING HAND TORQUED TO FACTORY SPECS. NO AIR HAMMER WAS USED. BROKEN STUD WAS REPLACED. ALL OTHERS WILL BE REPLACED THIS WEEK. I HAVE HALF THE BROKEN STUD AND WILL KEEP THOSE REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10413222

Incident

Jul 16, 2011

Mileage

29,409 mi

CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN SET10V01 LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY *TGW

NHTSA ID

10347685

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

MY 2009 RAV 4 HAS A FLOOR MAT THAT CREEPS FORWARD AND GETS CAUGHT UNDER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. IT TOOK SOME TIME FOR IT TO START DOING THIS, BUT NOW I CAN'T KEEP IT IN PLACE, IT HAS NO HOOKS. THE RAV IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST FROM TOYOTA FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM, BUT IT HAS IT. IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY, IF I PUT IT BACK IN POSITION AND DRIVE THE CAR BY THE TIME I GET HOME IT'S UNDER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10302447

Incident

Dec 1, 2009

Mileage

16,000 mi

AN EMERGENCY STOP FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS (65 MPH) ON HOT (85+F) DRY PAVEMENT RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN EXPECTED BRAKING CAPACITY. BEST GUESS IS THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM THROTTLED BACK AVAILABLE BRAKING CAPACITY. BRAKE PEDAL CAN BE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR AT WILL BUT THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM TAKES OVER BRAKING. THE BRAKES CANNOT BE IMMEDIATELY RELEASED AND ADDITIONAL PRESSURE (BRAKING) CANNOT BE APPLIED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10285973

Incident

Jun 20, 2009

Mileage

6,000 mi

2009 RAV4 1700 MI. HAD A TIRE PATCH REPAIRED AT A VERY REPUTABLE ,EXCLUSIVELY TIRES BUSINESS. WHEN THE SERVICEMAN ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE LAST LUG AT THE RECOMMENDED 80 FT LB TORQUE, THE WHEEL STUD SNAPPED OFF. THE AFFECTED STUD WAS/ IS NOT MIS-THREADED AND SHOWS A SHINY WEAK SPOT IN THE INTERIOR OF THE STUD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10284249

Incident

Sep 16, 2009

Mileage

1,730 mi