2005 Toyota Rav4 Engine Problems

Your engine is consuming oil at an excessive rate—about half a quart every two weeks. This problem has been happening consistently for at least the last 3 years. The issue likely involves worn internal engine seals or rings that need replacement.

Your check engine warning light came on. A Toyota dealership diagnosed that your vapor canister needs to be replaced. The manufacturer confirmed there are no recalls for this issue. Replacing the vapor canister should resolve the warning light.

THERE IS A KNOWN MANUFACTURING DEFECT, AS DESCRIBED BY TOYOTA TSB SB-0015-11, RELATING TO DEFECTIVE CYLINDER HEAD BOLT THREADS. THIS DEFECT CAUSES RAPID BURNING OF COOLANT IN THE ENGINE, LEADING TO OVERHEATING AND EXCESSIVE SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD, AND SEPARATION OF THE ENGINE HEAD RESULTING IN LOSS OF COMPRESSION AND FIRE HAZARD. VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN WHEN THE ISSUE MANIFESTED. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO REPAIR, RECALL, OR WARRANTY THE DEFECT OR ANY REPAIRS RESULTING FROM THE SAME. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON MANY AUTOMOTIVE FORUMS, ALONG WITH CONFIRMATIONS FROM CERTIFIED AUTOMOTIVE MECHANICS.

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.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THREADS IN THE ENGINE BLOCK WERE FRACTURED AND THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING COOLANT. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A LOUD BANG AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS THE TRANSMISSION WAS SKIPPING. I JUST BARELY REACHED A SPOT THAT I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE AGAIN I COULDN'T GO IN EITHER REVERSE OR DRIVE. I CHECKED AND I WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID, 2 HOURS LATER AFTER GETTING TOWED TO A AUTO BODY SHOP THEY TOLD ME THE DIFFERENTIAL BLEW UP AND THAT I HAD TO GET ME A NEW TRANSMISSION. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE A SAW THIS SAME THING HAPPENED TO OTHER PEOPLE BUT TOYOTA NEVER DID A RECALL!! NOW I HAVE TO PAY $300 TO GET IT TOWED AND ANOTHER $2600 TO GET IT FIXED ON A CAR THAT ONLY HAD 51,000 MILES.

THE OIL LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN MY CAR. I WAS VERY SURPRISED SINCE MY CAR IS MAINTAINED ON A REGULAR. I BOUGHT MY CAR USED. WHEN I WENT TO GET IT LOOKED AT THEY TOLD ME I HAVE ENGINE SLUDGE AND MY ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. THIS IS A PROBLEM THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD PAY FOR. *TR

I NOTICED THAT MY HEATER WASN'T WORKING. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEAD GASKET BOLTS WERE OVER-TORQUED DURING INSTALLATION AND THEY ARE STRIPPED. I HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF POSTINGS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. THIS PROBLEM IS SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPAIR. TOYOTA ISSUED A BULLETIN REGARDING THIS ISSUE IN 2004. THEY KNOWINGLY SOLD DEFECTIVE VEHICLES. *TR

FIRST TIRE INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. CHECKED PRESSURE IN ALL TIRES. TIRES WERE AT CORRECT AMOUNT. WENT TO RESET LIGHT WHICH DID NOT WORK. SUV WAS ON AN INCLINE (DRIVEWAY). LET CAR SIT FOR AN HOUR ON FLAT SURFACE. STARTED RAV4.THE TIRE INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON PLUS ABS AND VSC TRAC LIGHTS. CONSULTED OWNERS MANUAL WHICH STATED TO TAKE TO TOYOTA. NO OTHER BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. WAS 1/2 MILE FROM DEALER WHEN SMOKE STARTED COMING INTO PASSENGER CABIN. SMOKE/FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND UNDER RAV4. SMOKE WAS A BLUISH GREY. PULLED OFF THE MAJOR ROAD INTO AN ABANDONED BUSINESS DRIVEWAY. TURNED RAV OFF AND RAN. PASSERBY CALLED 911. FIRE TRUCKS/POLICE ARRIVED. RAV WAS A TOTAL LOSS. CALLED TOYOTA USA TO REPORT FIRE. THEY ARE SAYING THAT IT WAS NOT MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL. BUT THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAUSE OF FIRE WAS UNDETERMINED AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY SORT OF DEFECT OR MALFUNCTION WITH ANY OF THE ELECTRICAL OR MECHANICAL SYSTEMS FOUND. RAV WENT TO DEALER FOR ALL REQUIRED SERVICE AND NEVER HAD AND MAJOR PROBLEMS. IF IT WAS NOT ELECTRICAL THEN WHAT CAUSED MY LIGHTS TO COME ON. THEE VSC TRAC LIGHT HAD NEVER COME ON SINCE I OWNED THE CAR. I HAVE OWNED TOYOTAS SINCE 1973 AND NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN. THE RAV4 WAS MY 5TH TOYOTA.

I HAVE A 2005 4 CYLINDER TOYOTA RAV4 WITH ABOUT 68,000 MILES. IT STARTING MAKING A GURGLING NOISE IN THE DASHBOARD AREA, AND EVENTUALLY LEFT 2 PUDDLES OF ANTI-FREEZE ON MY GARAGE FLOOR. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER FOR REPAIR. AFTER CHECKING THE RAV4 OUT, THE REPAIR MANAGER PHONED TO TELL ME THE ENGINE WAS INDEED LEAKING COOLANT AROUND THE ENGINE HEAD BECAUSE THE ENGINE BOLTS HAD STRIPPED. I ASKED HOW THE HEAD BOLTS GOT STRIPPED AND HE REPLIED, "WEAR AND TEAR AND THE REPAIR WOULD BE AROUND $3000.00 IF THE HEAD BOLT HOLES COULD BE REPAIRED; OTHERWISE, I WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE." THE RAV4 HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED, SO THIS IS NOT "WEAR AND TEAR", BUT RATHER A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. AFTER TALKING WITH THE MECHANIC DOING THE REPAIRS, HE SAID THEY SEE MANY OF THESE 4 CYLINDER ENGINES WITH THIS PROBLEM -- MOSTLY ON THE CAMRY, SINCE IT IS BASICALLY A CAMRY ENGINE. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THIS IS BECOMING QUITE A COMMON PROBLEM. HERE A FEW WEBSITES WITH VERY UNHAPPY TOYOTA OWNERS: (HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.EE9E769/8444; HTTP://WWW.EDMUNDS.COM/TOYOTA/HIGHLANDER/2003/CONSUMER-REVIEWS.HTML; HTTP://WWW.CAMRYFORUMS.COM/FORUM/GENERAL-TECH-8/2002-STRIPPED-HEAD-BOLTS-4585/; HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/TOYOTA/HIGHLANDER/2003/ENGINE/THREADS_FOR_ENGINE_BOLTS_STRIPPED.SHTML) APPARENTLY, TOYOTA HAS NOT DONE A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM AND DOES NOT EVEN COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH THEY DO HAVE A WRITTEN PROCEDURE THE MECHANICS USE TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CONSTANTLY LOSING ANTI-FREEZE AND CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE WATER PUMP MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT DID NOT CALL THE MANUFACTURER AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,650.

I HAVE A TOYOTA 2005 RAV 4 - 6 CYL. I AM EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE TOYOTA RECALLS, ACCORDING TO TOYOTA. TWICE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE AND I HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, AFTER THE VEHICLE IDLES DOWN FROM MOVING, THE ENGINE REVS UP AGAIN. THE GAS PEDAL WAS NOT TOUCHED AND THE FLOOR MAT IS NOT IN THE WAY. THE ENGINE REVVING UP IS SCARY ENOUGH THAT SOMEONE OUTSIDE OF MY CAR THOUGHT I WAS SPINNING MY WHEELS IN THE SNOW AND ICE, AND I WAS NOT MOVING. I TOOK IT IN TO A DEALER AND THEY HOOKED IT UP TO THEIR COMPUTER AND FOUND NO PROBLEM. OF COURSE WHEN THEY DROVE IT, THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY RECOMMENDED THAT IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN THAT I IMMEDIATELY HAVE IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. *TR

RE: 2005 TOYOTA RAV4 UNINTENDED ACCELERATION IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL ACCELERATION FROM A STOP WHILE DRIVING MY RAV4 IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. THIS HAS BEEN TRUE SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH ABOUT 40,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE REMOVED THE FLOORMAT WITH NO CHANGE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY 2 TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS (ONE HAD THE CAR FOR EVALUATION FOR A DAY. I WAS CHARGED AN EVALUATION FEE AND FOR A RENTAL CAR) THAT THIS IS NORMAL. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND CLEARLY A SAFETY HAZARD. I HOLD A COMMERCIAL DRIVERS LICENSE AND HAVE HAD MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE DRIVING A WIDE VARIETY OF VEHICLES AND HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE CAR HITS SOMETHING. TOYOTA MUST ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS REMEDIED THERE IS THE REAL RISK OF SOMETHING OR SOMEONE BEING DAMAGED OR HURT (OR WORSE). *TR

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 TRADE THE VEHICLE IN FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH OUT THAT COATING ON THE ENGINE. THE NAME OF THE CHEMICAL IS COSOMOLENE (RUST PROTECTIVE SEALANT).*AK