2009 Toyota Rav4 Body & Structure Problems

Your 2009 Toyota RAV4's Blizzard Pearl paint is peeling and degrading across multiple areas of the vehicle. Toyota issued a recall notice in 2022 that would have covered these repairs, but you weren't aware of it at the time. Toyota is now declining responsibility because the recall period has expired. Addressing this issue will likely require repainting affected areas or applying protective coatings to prevent further paint failure.

Your car has a paint defect that was confirmed by the dealership twice (in April 2021 and December 2022), and you submitted photos both times. You dropped the car off for repainting on 1/23/2023 expecting it to take about 1.5 weeks, but when you picked it up on 2/21/2023, the dealership refused to repair it and said they would not honor the recall.

The paint on your white 2009 Toyota RAV4 is peeling off in large sheets, particularly on the roof, leaving bare spots that are starting to rust. The dealership manager told you not to have it repaired and said they would submit a recall request, but more than two years have passed without any response or update despite asking at each service visit. The rust is spreading and the roof damage could eventually lead to leaking.

Your car's paint is peeling off very easily from minor contact, like branches rubbing against it. This has created several bare spots on the body that are starting to rust. The paint quality seems defective since normal minor bumps shouldn't cause this kind of damage. Addressing this may involve repainting affected areas and applying rust treatment to prevent further corrosion.

PAINT PEELING ON ROOF OF 2009 RAV4 TOYOTA, MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT TOYOTA WILL NOT REPAIR.

I HAVE PEELING OF PAINT ON EXTERIOR SURFACE DOWN TO THE METAL. IT IS LOCATED ON TOP BETWEEN SUNROOF AND WINDSHIELD.

ON JUNE 8, 2014, WHILE DRIVING MY 2009 TOYOTA RAV4, I BEGAN TO SLOW FOR A STOP LIGHT. SEVERAL CARS WERE ALREADY STOPPED. SUDDENLY, AND UNEXPECTEDLY, MY CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE CAUSING ME TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND FORCING IT INTO A SECOND VEHICLE. AFTER THE INITIAL IMPACT; MY ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV-UP, EVEN THOUGH MY FOOT WAS OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND HARD ON THE BRAKES. FINALLY, I SHIFTED INTO PARK AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. ALL THREE VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED, TWO SIGNIFICANTLY. A PASSENGER IN THE SECOND VEHICLE EXPRESSED PERSONAL ANXIETY DUE TO A 'HEART CONDITION' AND POSSIBLE NECK INJURY. BOTH DRIVERS FILED CLAIMS ON MY INSURANCE, BUT NO DAMAGE ESTIMATES OR INJURY CLAIMS ARE AVAILABLE AS YET. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. DURING 2013, I HAD TWO PREVIOUS ACCIDENTS AND SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHILE DRIVING THIS RAV4, CAUSED BY SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. DAMAGE OF ABOUT $3,000 WAS INCURRED; HOWEVER, NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED. ONE ACCIDENT REPORT WAS FILED. ON SEVERAL OTHER OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS, THE RAV4 SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY, ACCELERATED. IN EACH INSTANCE, I REGAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND NO ACCIDENT OR DAMAGE OCCURRED. PRIOR TO OWNING THE RAV4, I PURCHASED A NEW 2008 4-DOOR TOYOTA CAMRY. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, DURING THE EIGHT MONTHS I OWNED THE VEHICLE, I EXPERIENCED SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION, ESPECIALLY AT CRUISING SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY. BECOMING VERY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING IT ' I TRADED THE CAMRY ON THE THEN NEW 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. AS A 68 YEAR OLD SINGLE WORKING WIDOW, I AM AFRAID OF DRIVING THE RAV4 TO WORK OR ON WEEKENDS. IN JANUARY, 9013, A LEGAL CLAIMS ADMINISTRATOR FOR TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, ADVISED BY LETTER THAT BASED ON THEIR INSPECTION OF THE 2009 RAV4; THE 2013 ACCIDENTS WERE 'NOT THE RESULT OF ANY TYPE OF MANUFACTURING OR DESIGN DEFECT.'*JS

ON JUNE 6 2012 DRIVING INTO A PARKING LOT I HAD AN UN-INTENDED ACCELERATION ON MY 2009 TOYOTA RAV4 AND THE CAR ONLY STOPPED BECAUSE I HIT MY DOCTOR'S OFFICE WALL. EVEN THOUGH I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CAR WOULDN'T STOP. IT WAS A VERY SCARY MOMENT. I FILED A CLAIM WITH TOYOTA MANUFACTURER, THEY INSPECTED THE CAR ON JUNE 19,2012. I GOT A LETTER JULY 30 2012 FROM TOYOTA MOTOR SALES USA INC. THAT SAYS THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR AND THAT IT IS "OPERATING AS DESIGNED, WITHIN FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS" "HOWEVER THE INSPECTION OF YOUR VEHICLE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY SORT OF A MANUFACTURING OR DESIGN DEFECT AND WE ARE UNABLE TO OFFER ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE". I THOUGHT MY CAR WAS SAFE BUT NOW (THANK GOD NOBODY WAS HURT) I DON'T TRUST THIS CAR AND I LOST CONFIDENCE ON TOYOTA CARS. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR. THIS CAR IS DEFECTIVE AND THEY KNOW IT. IT WAS A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCED! I DIDN'T MAKE THIS UP, THIS REALLY HAPPENED TO ME. ON AUG 1ST 2012 ON PRESS RELEASE TYT RECALLED RAV4 SUBS AND LEXUS TO FIX THE SUSPENSION OF RAV4S FROM 2006 TO 2011 MODELS. OTHER LAW FIRMS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THE UN-INTENDED ACCELERATION HAS TO HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES TO BE CONSIDERED AS COMPLAINT/RECALL PER LEMON LAW AND THAT IF TYT SAYS THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, THERE'S NOTHING THEY OR I CAN DO. I'M OUTRAGED TO SAY THE LEAST! CAN YOU HELP? THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

RUST ON THE LATCHES THAT HOLD THE REAR DOOR ON THE 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. ALTHOUGH NOT A MAJOR CONCERN AT THIS TIME, HOWEVER WHEN THE RUST DOES GET WORSE THE DOOR WILL NOT SEAL EXHAUST AND/OR WILL OPEN IN A ACCIDENT OR WHILE DRIVING. THIS CAN BE A HAZARD. I CAN EMAIL PHOTOS OF THE LATCHES. IF YOU WANT THEM. TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION AND ITS DEALERSHIP NETWORK ARE NOT WANTING TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. I THOUGHT I CAN BRING UP THE ISSUE HERE AND PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. THE REPAIR IS SIMPLE SINCE THE LATCHES ARE HELD ON WITH EASILY REMOVED HARDWARE. TOYOTA IS NOT WANTING TO REPAIR A SIMPLE ISSUE THAT CAN BECOME A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. *TR

STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF ALL WELD POINTS ON HOOD OF 2009 TOYOTA RAV 4 V6 LIMITED WITH 27,000 MILES. HOOD LATCH ALLOWED 1/2" OF UPWARD PLAY WHILE BEING LATCHED. HOOD BEING REPLACED. CONTINUAL PROBLEM UNNOTICED UNTIL 3 MONTHS AGO. VERY FLIMSY AND HOOD WAVERED AND RIPPLED WHEN LARGE VEHICLE PASSED GOING BOTH WAYS ON THE HIGHWAY. WOULD NOT COMPLETELY CLOSE AT TIMES. HAD TO RECLOSE HOOD. *TR

HELLO. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD AN ISSUE TO THE TOYOTA INVESTIGATIONS. I HAVE A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THIS MODEL/YEAR IS INCLUDED IN SEVERAL OF THE RECALLS. UPON CALLING THE TOYOTA DEALER I WAS INFORMED THAT MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN JAPAN AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE RECALLS. IF THE PROBLEMS ARE INDEED DESIGN PROBLEMS, WHY ARE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED IN JAPAN EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALLS? THANK YOU. *TR

I BOUGHT A TOYOTA RAV-4 SPORT IN JANUARY 2009. IT IS A V-6 WITH THE RUN FLAT TIRES. IN JULY, I PURCHASED A NEW, VERY EXPENSIVE COMPUTERIZED SEWING MACHINE--ONE THAT I HAD HOPED TO BE ABLE TO BUY FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. IT WAS JUST OVER $1400.00. I PLACED IT IN THE BACK OF MY RAV AND DROVE HOME. I SWUNG OPEN THE TAILGATE, NOT THINKING I HAD TO PEAK INSIDE FIRST. THE SEWING MACHINE FELL RIGHT OUT OF THE CAR UNTO THE CEMENT GARAGE FLOOR. I WAS DEVASTATED. THEN I THOUGHT HOW LUCKY I WAS THAT MY FOOT OR MY SMALL DOG WAS NOT INJURED. A TODDLER OR AN INFANT IN AN INFANT SEAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. I REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT THE COMPUTER IN MY SEWING MACHINE. MY HUSBAND, KNOWING HOW UPSET I WAS, AND SEEING THAT THERE WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, CUT A 2X4 AND WEDGED IT IN ALONG THE EDGE, THUS PREVENTING MY GROCERIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE FROM FALLING RIGHT OUT OF THE CAR AS I OPENED THE DOOR. THE OTHER CONCERN I HAVE ABOUT THIS CAR IS THAT THERE ARE NO RUN-FLAT SNOW TIRES AVAILABLE AND WE LIVE IN AN AREA THAT IS HILLY, WITH A LOT OF SNOW. THE SO-CALLED, "ALL-WEATHER," DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TREAD FOR OUR TERRAIN. *TR

While driving on the highway, sheets of paint began peeling off your car's exterior body panels. This is a cosmetic issue that affects the appearance and could expose the underlying metal to rust if left unaddressed. A body shop can address this by sanding down the affected areas and repainting them to match your car's original finish.