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2008 Toyota Rav4 Other Problems

20 owner-reported other complaints from NHTSA data

20
Complaints
1
Crashes
Jan 2019Dec 2010
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (20)

highUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Feb 2025

You purchased this 2008 RAV4 based on a vehicle history report from the dealer that showed only 2 previous owners and mileage matching the odometer. You later discovered the actual history shows 4 previous owners and the mileage was 172,000 miles before the dealer acquired it — information the dealer did not disclose. Your car now requires extensive repairs and is no longer driveable, leaving you with a vehicle you cannot afford to fix or sell while still owing over $9,000 on the loan.

NHTSA #: 11643081
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Jan 2019

RAV 4 4 WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT COMES ON HAD TO SPEND OVER $1000.00 TO GET IT TO STAY OFF CHARCOAL CANISTER HAD TO REPLACED, CAR ONLY HAS 92000 MILES, REPAIR TECH STATED THAT WHILE THIS LIGHT WAS ON, I COULD NOT USE 4 WHEEL DRIVE IF NEEDED

NHTSA #: 11164586
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE
Filed: Oct 2018

2008 TOYOTA RAV4 - EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION ON 2AZ-FE ENGINE LSC ZE7 MY DAUGHTERS TOYOTA RAV4 WAS CONSUMING AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF OIL. WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT THE CAR WAS BURNING OIL. AFTER DOING MORE RESEARCH, WE DISCOVERED IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE. TOYOTA HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 10 YEARS AND/OR 150,000 MILES FOR AN OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE (ZE7). THE CAR WAS PURCHASED AUGUST 2008. WE PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2017 FROM A FAMILY MEMBER. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE. THEY THOUGHT THAT THE CAR JUST BURNED A LOT OF OIL. WE TOOK THE CAR INTO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SEPTEMBER 2018, ONE MONTH BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. TOYOTA AGREED TO START THE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST WHICH REQUIRED THEM TO CEIL THE ENGINE AND OIL STICK. WE WERE TOLD TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR 1100 TO 1300 MILES. THE CAR HAD THE BE TOWED BACK TO TOYOTA AT 1600 MILES DUE TO THE OIL LIGHT FLASHING ON AND OFF. THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE CAR MOST LIKELY HAS THE OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE, BUT SINCE THE CAR WAS DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 318 MILES OVER THE LIMIT, TOYOTA CLAIMS THAT THEY MUST RESTART THE TEST AND REFUSE TO HONOR THE WARRANTY. A TUNE UP WAS DONE BY TOYOTA A FEW MONTHS PRIOR. WHEN WE DISCOVERED THAT THE OIL LEAK WAS POTENTIALLY RELATED TO A KNOWN OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE, WE TOOK THE CAR IN TO START THE PHASE 1 TEST. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT MARKED THE OIL AS SEVERELY LOW. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD THE CAR RUN LOW ON OIL, WHEN THE OIL WAS FILLED BY TOYOTA AND WAS DRIVEN ONLY 1600 MILES. SINCERELY, [XXX] MORE COMPLAINTS: HTTPS://WWW.TOYOHEADQUARTERS.COM/THREADS/EXCESSIVE-OIL-CONSUMPTION-ON-2AZ-FE-ENGINE-LSC-ZE7.362/PAGE-2 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA #: 11141960
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Jun 2018

OVER OIL CONSUMPTION

NHTSA #: 11102376
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Nov 2017

ABNORMAL ACCELERATION AT TIMES WHEN I'M IN THE FREEWAY OR SIDE STREET. AS IF PEDAL STICKS.

NHTSA #: 11048380
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Oct 2017

NHTSA SEARCH RESULTS FOR 2008 TOYOTA RAV4 VEHICLES REPORTS THIS DATA: RECALLS 14, INVESTIGATION 4, COMPLAINTS 468. MY QUESTION IS, HOW MANY DEFECTS IN A VEHICLE IS CONSIDERED ACCEPTABLE? IF I HAD BEEN INFORMED BEFORE PURCHASE OF ALL THESE SIGNIFICANT SAFETY AN SERVICEABILITY PROBLEMS, THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD EVER HAVE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. AT WHAT POINT DOES THE NHTSA JUST FACE THE REALITY AND DECLARE THE CAR UNFIT FOR THE ROAD AND THAT IT NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFFERED FOR SALE TO THE PUBLIC IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND CONSEQUENTLY REQUIRE THE MANUFACTURER TO REFUND THE PURCHASE PRICE AND SCRAP THE VEHICLE?

NHTSA #: 11032633
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Jun 2017

INTERMEDIATE SHAFT MAKING LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WHEN BACKING UP AND GOING FORWARD. AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH OTHER RAV4 OWNERS MANY EXPERIENCE THE SAMENESS ISSUE. MINE IS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT HAD LESS THAN 100,000 MILES ON I THINK WHEN IT STARTED.

NHTSA #: 10995692
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: May 2017

THE DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR WON'T STAY UP. APPARENTLY THIS IS WELL-KNOWN DEFECT THAT HAS AN EXPENSIVE FIX OF REPLACING THE VISOR AND THAT IT IS COMMON AND A DEFECT FROM TOYOTA.

NHTSA #: 10991744
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Mar 2017

OUR 2008 TOYOTA RAV-4 LIMITED 4 CYLINDER MODEL, BURNS TOO MUCH ENGINE OIL. THE ENGINE IS MAKING A LOT OF NOISE - IT DOES NOT SOUND HEALTHY. VERY WORRIED ABOUT THIS ENGINES LONGEVITY.

NHTSA #: 10966628
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Feb 2017

I HAVE SEVERAL RECALL NOTICES BUT THE DEALERS DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO FIX THE PROBLEMS, WHAT CAN I DO NOW?

NHTSA #: 10956899
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Feb 2017

OIL CONSUMPTION !! SEEMS TO BE BURNING OIL . I HAD A SMALL OIL LEAK FIXED SO IT'S NOT LEAKING AT ALL !!! I TOOK A TRIP AND DROVE 400 MILES AND I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL BEFORE I STARTED AND AFTER 400 MILES . I NEEDED TO ADD ABOUT A 1/3 OF A QUART !!

NHTSA #: 10950139
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: May 2016

ON SATURDAY MAY 21 2016 AT 11:00AM I WAS PARALLEL PARKING. I BACKED UP IN THE SPACE. I THEN PULLED UP A BIT AND STOPPED, EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. I THEN PUT IT IN REVERSE ONCE MORE TO CENTER THE VEHICLE. THAT'S WHEN THE ENGINE REVED UP. I LOOKED AT THE SHIFTER (IN REVERSE) AND MY FOOT(ON THE BREAK PEDAL). THE ENGINE REVED UP SO HARD THAT THE VEHICLE JOLTED TWICE! I THOUGHT I HAD HIT THE CAR BEHIND ME. I WAS PUSHING ON THE BREAK REALLY HARD TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE ALREADY HAD THE RECALL FOR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL / FLOOR MAT ISSUE. THE ENGINE REVED UP PREVIOUSLY ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO IN MY DRIVEWAY BUT I WASN'T TOO CONCERNED ABOUT IT. NOW THIS HAPPENED A 2ND TIME AND MORE VIOLENTLY, I AM VERY CONCERNED.

NHTSA #: 10870250
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: May 2016

MY 2008 RAV4 WITH 69,548 MILES WAS IN MOTION (APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH) WHEN MY DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR BECAME DETACHED FROM THE HEADLINER. THE VISOR FELL ON MY LAP CAUSING ME TO BECOME VERY STARTLED. FORTUNATELY, I DID NOT LOSE CONTROL. I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN T-SB-0068-10 ISSUED FOR THIS DEFECT BUT NO RECALL. THE DEALER CHARGED ME $127.52 TO REPLACE THE VISOR AND THE BRACKET.

NHTSA #: 10864982
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE
Filed: Feb 2016

PRIOR TO 2015, 2 DIFFERENT SERVICE COMPANIES ON 2 SEPARATE SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR HAD NO OIL. IN 2015,RECEIVED A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM RELATED TO EXCESSIVE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION FROM TOYOTA. SINCE BEING TOLD ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS THAT THE CAR HAD NO OIL DURING OIL CHANGE SERVICE, I CONTACTED TOYOTA TO SCHEDULE FOR THE CONSUMPTION TEST. BROUGHT THE CAR ON 7/7/15 THEN RETURNED ON 9/2/15 BETWEEN 1100-1300 MILES AS INSTRUCTED AND WAS TOLD IT PASSED. HOWEVER, ON 1/20/16 BROUGHT CAR TO ANOTHER SERVICE COMPANY FOR SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE (FIRST OIL CHANGE AFTER IT SUPPOSEDLY PASSED TEST) AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO OIL MARKING ON DIP STICK. THEREFORE,WAS ADVISED TO BRING IT BACK TO TOYOTA. NO OIL CHANGE WAS PERFORMED BUT SERVICE COMPANY ADDED OIL (APPROX 3.5 QUARTS)PER MY REQUEST. SPOKE WITH A LADY MANAGER AT TOYOTA VIA PHONE TO REPORT THE FINDINGS AND WAS ADVISED TO SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT FOR RE-TEST. I BROUGHT CAR TO TOYOTA ON 1/29/16 AS SCHEDULED AND WAS TOLD BY SERVICE ADVISOR THAT A RE-TEST WILL NOT BE PERFORMED BECAUSE IT ALREADY PASSED THE TEST IN SEPT. 2015 DESPITE THE LATEST FINDING OF A DRY DIP STICK IN JAN. 2016. TOYOTA SUGGESTED TO CHANGE THE OIL AT MY EXPENSE AND TO CHECK IF THERE WAS A LEAK. I DECLINED IT BECAUSE I EXPECTED THE APPOINTMENT TO BE A RE-TEST FOR OIL CONSUMPTION AS INDICATED BY A TOYOTA MANAGER. I EVENTUALLY HAD AN OIL CHANGE ON 2/17/16 PERFORMED BY A NON-TOYOTA SERVICE COMPANY AND WAS TOLD THE OIL DRAINED WAS 2.5 QUARTS WHICH IS 2 QUARTS BELOW FACTORY STANDARDS.

NHTSA #: 10837453
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Sep 2015

PREMATURE EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILURE BEFORE 80,000 MILES OR 8 YEARS. TRIED TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE WITH THE DEALER AND TOYOTA CORP (CASE #1508262478 @ 800-331-4331) BUT THEY WILL NOT REPLACE DEFECTIVE PARTS. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS CONNECTED TO AN IN-LINE RESONATOR AND MUFFLER ASSEMBLY. THE MUFFLER SEAM HAS SPLIT. MY CLAIM TO THE DEALER AND TOYOTA CORP IS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WORKS HAND IN HAND AND THE WAY TOYOTA HAS DESIGNED THE SYSTEM IT CAN NOT BE SEPARATED FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE ENTIRE SYSTEM IS REQUIRED TO REDUCE EMISSIONS AND INCREASE ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND THEREFORE COVERED UNDER THE EMISSION WARRANTY. NOT SURE IF IT IS A DESIGN OR MATERIAL DEFECT BUT SOMETHING COSTING OVER $1,400 TO REPAIR IS MORE THAN A SIMPLE MUFFLER REPLACEMENT THAT SHOULD NOT FAIL AT 52,000 MILES.

NHTSA #: 10764745
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Jul 2015

THE HOSE CONNECTING THE CANISTER FILTER TO THE CANISTER BROKE OFF DRIVING IN THE RAIN AND I DIDN'T SEE UNTIL NEXT DAY WHILE 8 HRS AWAY FROM HOME. CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PART. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SHOWN.I GOT HOME AND HAVE THE CANISTER FILTER REPLACED WITH THE DEALER AND NEXT DAY CHECK ENGINE, VSC AND 4WD LIGHT CAME ON, DEALER SAYS IT COST $1800 TO FIX IT. I RESEARCHED ONLINE AND LOT OF 2006 AND UP RAV 4 OWNER HAVE SAME ISSUE. CANNISTER HOSE BROKEN OR FILTER DROPPED AND WATER GETTING INTO THE SYSTEM. I GOT TOYOTA SERVICE BULLETIN T-SB-0098-09 WHICH WAS UPDATED TO T-SB0161-11 ON OCTOBER 20,2011 FOR THIS ISSUE. TOYOTA HAD COVERED WARRANTY FOR 2GR-FE ENGINE FROM 2006-2011 SOLD ON CA, CT, ME, MD, MA, NJ, NM,VT,WA, RI UNDER CALIFORNIA LONG TERM EMISSION WARRANTY OF 64 MONTHS OR 70,000 MILES WHICH EVER OCCURS FIRST. TOYOTA KNEW THE ISSUE AND EVEN ADDED A NEW COVER (PART NO 77641-0R020) THE PROTECT THE CANISTER FILTER AND THE HOSES BUT THEY DIDN'T ISSUE THE RECALL. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SAME ISSUE. THE FILTER AND HOSE ARE UNPROTECTED UNDERNEATH THE CHASSIS AND IT CAN BREAK OR FALL DRIVING UNDER NORMAL DRIVING IN A RAIN OR SNOW. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY REVIEW MY CASE AND GAVE ME CASE # BUT THEY WON'T FIX IT BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVEN AND SOLD ON THE AFOREMENTIONED STATES. TOYOTA HAS COVERED THE WARRANTY ON THE STATES WITH HEAVY SNOW AND RAIN ONLY. BUT THESE THINGS ARE TRUE FOR THE STATE I AM IN TOO. REMAINING STATE STANDARD 36 MONTHS 36,000 WARRANTY. BUT THIS THING CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE AT ANY MILEAGE. TOYOTA KNEW IT AND HAD A FIX BY PUTTING THE NEW COVER BUT DIDN'T ISSUE A RECALL . THE SERVICE BULLETIN EVEN STATES THE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BEFORE CERTAIN VIN NUMBER AND MINE DOES FALL UNDER IT. I PAID $220 TO REPLACE FILTER AND $62.5 TO DIAGNOSE. NOW THEY WANT ANOTHER $1800 TO FIX IT. I WISH I COULD ATTACHED THE SERVICE BULLETIN. UPDATED 09/15/15*LJ UPDATED 11/08/2017*CN

NHTSA #: 10732681
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Jun 2011

2008 TOYOTA RAV 4. CONSUMER SENDS CORRESPONDENCE IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE RECALL *TGW THE CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA #: 10404795
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Jan 2011

2008 4 CLY RAV4 SPORT WITH 24700 MILES. CONCERN: 1/20/11 THE MAINTENANCE LIGHT CAME ON AND AFTER DRIVING A FEW MILES THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON BY ITSELF AND THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. I HIT THE CRUISE BUTTON, LIGHT WENT OUT, NOT SURE IF I ALSO APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE CAR DROVE NORMALLY. AFTER THE INCIDENT I DROVE THE CAR ABOUT ANOTHER 20 MILES WITH NO DUPLICATION OF THE PROBLEM. CONCERN: 1/21/11 START THE CAR AND THE MAINTENANCE LIGHT WAS ON. ABOUT 2 MINUTES INTO MY SNOW COVERED TRIP I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATED AND WORKED AS NEEDED. I DROVE ANOTHER 5 MINUTES AND STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE CRUISE LIGHT CAME ON THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE. KEEPING MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE I PUSHED THE CRUISE BUTTON TO TRY AND DEACTIVATE IT. IT DIDN'T SEEM TO WORK SO I THEN PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND TURNED OFF THE KEY. RESTARTED THE CAR AND ONLY THE MAINTENANCE LIGHT WAS ON. THE CAR SEEMED OK AND I DROVE APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 25 MILES AND GOT THE CAR TO THE DEALER. DEALER CAUSE/CORRECTION INFORMATION. 1/21/11 CHECK VEHICLES CRUISE CONTROL COMING ON BY ITSELF AND VEHICLE ACCELERATING. TECH ROAD TESTED VEHICLE AND MONITORED ALL SYSTEMS. TECH NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE CONDITION WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATING ON IT OWN. TECH FOUND NO BULLETINS OR UPDATES FOR THE VEHICLE. ** TECH/DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM .** THEY HAVE GIVEN ME A LOANER AND CONTACTED TOYOTA OF THE PROBLEM. SOMEONE FROM TOYOTA IS COMING 1/24-1/25/11 TO CHECK THE VEHICLE. *LN

NHTSA #: 10378331
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
CrashFiled: Dec 2010

WHILE I WAS PARKING MY CAR AND STEPPING ON THE BREAK PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ALMOST STOPPED THEN SUDDENLY WITHOUT MY CONTROL SPED UP FORWARD AND CRASHED TO TWO PARKED CARS IN FRONT OF MY CAR AT SPEED OF 15 MPH. WHEN I TRIED TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE BY LIFTING THE EMERGENCY PARKING HANDLE, THE CAR REVERSE ITS DIRECTION BACKWARD AND HIT A BUILDING AND STOPPED .THE CAR'S ENGINE DID NOT BECOME IDLE WHILE I WAS STEPPING ON THE BREAK PEDAL AND THE CAR BECAME WITHOUT MY CONTROL AFTER SLOWED DOWN TO LESS THAN 5 5 MPH AND MY FEET WERE ON THE BREAK PEDAL ALL THE TIME .SUBSEQUENTLY, I REPORTED THE ACCIDENT TO THE WEST LAPD AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY. I WAS NOT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR ANY DRUGS .I HAVE REPORTED THE ACCIDENT TO THE MANUFACTURE OF THE CAR WHICH SENT AN INSPECTOR TO RETRIEVE ANY INFORMATION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT MY CAR HAS SPECIAL ACCELERATION PEDAL WHICH OPERATED BY ELECTRONIC THROTTLE WHICH COULD CAUSE SURGING FORWARD GOING FROM CLOSED THROTTLE TO OPEN THROTTLE. IN THE MEANTIME STILL WAITING FOR THE MANUFACTURE RESPONSE TO MY CLAIM. I AM MATURE EXPERIENCED RESPONSIBLE DRIVE FOR YEARS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE MY CLAIM

NHTSA #: 10374228
mediumUNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Feb 2010

I HAVE A TOYOTA RAV4 2008. LAST YEAR JULY TO AUGUST WITHIN ONE MONTH, MY RAV4 (LESS THAN 2 YEAR DRIVING) HAD HAPPENED 2 TIMES ENGINE DEAD PROBLEM DURING DRIVING, WHERE MY VEHICLE DROVE DOWN TO THE HILL WITHOUT ANY POWER, SPECIALLY NO BRAKE AT ALL. IT WAS HAPPENED ONE TIME I WAS DRIVING, AND ANOTHER TIME MY WIFE DRIVING. WE SENT TO DEALER BUT I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO ERROR CODE WAS FOUND, AND WAS TOLD THEY COMMUNICATED WITH TOYOTA FACTORY. NO SIMILAR PROBLEM WAS FOUND. WE WENT THROUGH ARBITRATION LAST YEAR. BUT THEY SAID THEY CANNOT REDUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, SO I CANNOT REPLACE THE CAR. BUT OUR FAMILY IS REALLY CONCERNING TO CONTINUOUSLY DRIVE THIS CAR SINCE IT IS SO DANGEROUS, AND WE HAVE NO IDEA WHEN IT WILL DIE AGAIN DURING DRIVING. IT BOTHERS US A LOT, AND NO PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND BY SERVICES. WE JUST WANT TO REPLACE THIS CAR.

NHTSA #: 10307351

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