2009 Toyota Rav4 Engine Problems

Your engine makes a rattling noise when you start it up. This noise is related to the timing chain and variable valve timing (VVT) system. If the timing chain or VVT components fail, it could cause the valves and pistons to collide, potentially resulting in severe engine damage. Fixing this typically requires removing the engine and replacing the timing chain tensioner and VVT components.

Your car's oil warning light started flickering even though you weren't due for an oil change yet. The dealer told you the engine needs to be replaced due to excessive oil consumption. You discovered online that this is a known issue caused by defective piston rings that Toyota acknowledged in a 2011 service bulletin, but the dealer is refusing to fix it under warranty. Addressing this would likely require engine replacement or piston ring repair.

Your check engine light, 4WD light, and traction control light are coming on intermittently and then turning off. This problem has been happening repeatedly over the past two weeks despite multiple dealer visits. The issue is occurring on a RAV4 with low mileage, making it especially frustrating. The dealer will likely need to scan the engine computer and check the sensor connections to identify what's triggering these warning lights.

Your engine makes a rattling noise when you start it in cold weather or after it's been sitting. The noise typically goes away once the engine warms up. This is often caused by carbon buildup or worn engine components, and may require cleaning or replacement of internal parts.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WATER PUMP LEAKED FLUID WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOYOTA OF ORANGE (1400 N TUSTIN ST, ORANGE, CA 92867, 714-639-6750) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 34,000.

ENGINE HAS 164,000 MILES AND IS BURNING 1 QT. OF OIL PER 1000 MILES.

COLD START METALLIC RATTLE DUE TO FAULTY VVTI ACTUATOR(TSB-004-13 -A). BETWEEN $900 AND $1700 TO FIX AND IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE OWNER. ISSUE IS OCCURRING WITH MANY TOYOTA MODELS AND CAN BE TRACED BACK TO POOR QUALITY OF ENGINE COMPONENTS.

LOUD IDLE COMING FROM PASSENGER SIDE OF ENGINE. OCCURS AT START UP AND AT OPERATING TEMPERATURES. BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAILING WATER PUMP; WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. SEEMS PREMATURE FOR WATER PUMP TO BE FAILING GIVEN THE MILEAGE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING PINION NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED THREE OTHER TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,300.

WHENEVER WE ARE TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MPH AND 1500 RPM, THERE IS A RATTLE NOISE. THE VIBRATION HOLDS FOR AS LONG AS 1-2 SECONDS. AS SOON AS THE VIBRATION STARTS, YOU CAN LET OFF THE GAS OR STEP ON THE GAS TO CHANGE THE RPMS AND IT INSTANTLY STOPS. THE CAR HAS BEEN MAKING THIS SOUND SINCE SHORTLY AFTER WE BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW. NOW WE'RE BEING TOLD THAT IT'S A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS THE ROUTE IF THE PROBLEM. AT 1500 RPM AND 38-40 MPH THE TORQUE CONVERTER IN THE TRANSFER CASE IS VIBRATING, CAUSING THE HEAT SHIELD TO RATTLE BECAUSE OF THE TRANSFER OF VIBRATIONS. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE'VE HAD A FAULTY TRANSMISSION ALL ALONG.

VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT ON OUR FRONT DRIVEWAY FACING THE GARAGE. WHERE IT ALWAYS PARKED EVERYDAY. THE WEATHER WAS WARM AND CLEAR MY WIFE WAS IN THE VEHICLE AND WAS PREPARING TO BUCKLE UP AND DRIVE TO CHURCH, I ENTERED THE VEHICLE INTO THE PASSENGER SEAT AND BUCKLED UP. SHE STARTED THE VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY ACCELERATED THROUGH THE ROOF. I YELLED AT HER TO GET HER FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND SHE YELLED AT ME THAT SHE WAS NO WHERE NEAR IT. I THEN TOLD HER TO PULL THE FLOOR MAT / CARPET BACK AND IT WAS ALREADY BACK AND LOCKED DOWN TO THE FLOOR. I TOLD HER TO TURN IT OFF. THE CAR IDLED DOWN TO STOP ONCE KEY WAS TURNED OFF. WE SAT THERE FOR A FEW MOMENTS, I TOLD HER TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ONCE AND TRY TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CAR STARTED NORMALLY WE LET IT WARM UP FOR A MOMENT AND DROVE AWAY. SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS GLAD I WAS IN THE CAR TO SEE THE EVENT BECAUSE IT HAD HAPPENED 3 OTHER TIMES IN THE LAST 45 DAYS. FORTUNATELY SHE WAS NOT TRAVELING AT A HIGH SPEED WHEN IT OCCURRED OR ON A BUSY ROADWAY OR SCHOOL ZONE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN REVERSE, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR A RECALL AND OIL CHANGE, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE WATER PUMP HAS FAILED AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF OVER $700. UPON RESEARCH, THIS EARLY WATER PUMP FAILURE APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH RAV4'S, ALTHOUGH NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED YET. *TR

I NOTICED A STRANGE RATTLING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE WHEN STARTING MY CAR 1ST THING IN THE MORNING AND WHEN STARTING IT AFTER IT HAS SAT FOR A FEW HOURS; I RESEARCHED ONLINE FOR OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND FOUND THAT TOYOTA HAS DISCOVERED AN ISSUE WITH THE CAM SHAFT ON SOME VEHICLES. I HAVE JUST LEARNED OF A 2ND RECALL ON MY VEHICLE, THIS ONE FOR THE REAR SUSPENSION AFTER VISITING THE TOYOTA WEBSITE, BUT I FOUND NOTHING ABOUT A RECALL REGARDING THE CAM SHAFT. I HAD PLANNED ON BRINGING THE CAM SHAFT ISSUE TO THE ATTENTION OF THE SERVICE TECH WHEN I TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE REAR SUSPENSION RECALL BUT AM UNSURE IF ANYTHING WILL BE DONE. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE WARNING LIGHT STAYED ON CONSTANTLY. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE NOISE VOLUME IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY LOUD WHILE DRIVING AT ALL SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000.

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, I STARTED TO BRAKE FOR A LIGHT. THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND IT TOOK BOTH FEET APPLIED TO THE BRAKES TO STOP AND AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. TEN MINUTES LATER, ANOTHER SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURRED, FOLLOWED IN RAPID SUCCESSION BY A THIRD ACCELERATION. *TR

HAD JUST PULLED SLOWLY INTO A PARKING SPACE, I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND APPLIED THE BRAKE. AS I WAS APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE SPED UP TO MORE THAN 7,000 RPM. (MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. IT WAS ON THE BRAKE ONLY.) I CONTINUED TO PRESS THE BRAKE WHICH STARTED TO SLIP, AND THEN I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL. AS THE ENGINE REACHED MAXIMUM RPM'S, IT DIED BACK TO AN IDLE. THIS IDENTICAL INCIDENT HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN 10 MINUTES. MY PARENTS AND WIFE WERE IN THE CAR AND CAN VOUCH FOR ME. NOTE: TWO MONTHS PRIOR, THIS IDENTICAL INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS STOPPING AT A BUSY INTERSECTION WHILE PREPARING TO TURN LEFT. THERE WAS A STOPPED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME WHICH I NEARLY HIT. MY WIFE WAS IN THE CAR AND CAN VOUCH FOR ME.

10 MONTH OLD TOYOTA RAV-4 CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD WHILE SITTING IN PARKING GARAGE AND BURNED. *TR

WE NOTICED THAT WE STARTED OUR 2009 RAV4 IN THE MORNING AFTER SITTING ALL NIGHT, THERE WAS A RATTLING TYPE NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THIS NOISE ONLY OCCURS AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WE BOUGHT IT FROM (TOYOTA) AND AFTER THEY CHECKED IT, DETERMINED IT WAS A BAD CAM SHAFT. I ASKED IF THIS WAS NORMAL ON A 2009 RAV4 AND IF IT WAS A RECALL. THE LADY STATED "IT IS A TYPE OF RECALL, BUT NOT ALL CARS ARE AFFECTED, SO THEY DID NOT SEND OUT NOTICE TO ALL OWNERS." REALLY? ISN'T THAT A "BACK DOOR RECALL"? THEY ARE ORDERING THE PARTS AND WILL REPAIR IT UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

AS I DROVE INTO OUR PARKING LOT AT WORK AFTER LUNCH, I WAS IDLING ENGINE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE AS I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT. I WAS ALREADY MAKING MY TURN INTO THE PARKING SPOT WITH FOOT ON BRAKE AND ENGINE IDLING WHEN MY CAR BEGAN TO RAPIDLY ACCELERATE. I RESPONDED BY APPLYING FOOT BRAKE AND GRABBING AND PULLING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUT ONLY HAD ABOUT 15 - 20 FEET BEFORE HITTING A CONCRETE WALL AT THE BAKE OF THE PARKING SPOT. I MANAGED TO NOT HIT HARD ENOUGH FOR THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY BUT THERE IS DAMAGE TO MY FRONT BUMPER AND HOOD. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME MY CAR HAS DONE THIS. I BOUGHT IT NEW LAST AUG. 09 AND IT HAS APPROX 12,432 MILES. TOYOTA TOOK IT TO QUALITY IMPORTS TOYOTA AND "INVESTIGATED" IT AND HAS FOUND NO DEFECT. I TALKED TO THE INSPECTOR OVER THE PHONE AND HE EXPLAINED THAT HE SPENT A FEW HOURS GOING THROUGH A SERIES OF TESTS ATTEMPTING TO FIND OR REPRODUCE A MALFUNCTION WITH NO SUCCESS. HE TOLD ME THAT WHILE MY REPORT IS QUITE COMMON HE HAS NEVER FOUND A DEFECT TO EXPLAIN SUDDEN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION AND THAT HE THINKS MY CAR IS SAFE AND "HE WOULD LET HIS DAUGHTER DRIVE MY CAR." I ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT A STICKING ACCELERATOR AND/OR A SLOWLY RETURNING ACCELERATOR CANNOT EXPLAIN THIS EXPERIENCE AND IS NO "FIX" FOR MY ACCIDENT. MY EDUCATION IS IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND I HAVE BEEN AN EQUIPMENT MECHANIC ON MACHINERY FOR 15 YEARS. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU CANNOT REPRODUCE AN ELECTRONIC PROBLEM IN A MATTER OF HOURS THAT THE CONCLUSION SHOULD BE THAT THERE IS NO DEFECT. IT DOES NOT EXCUSE THE FACT THAT THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND NOTHING SERIOUS IS BEING "INVESTIGATED." *TR

I PURCHASED MY 09 RAV4 IN JUNE 2009. I NOTICED AN ODD ODOR A FEW TIMES WHILE RUNNING THE AIR CONDITIONER & ASSUMED IT WAS FROM THE EXHAUST FORM THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME. WHEN I BEGAN USING THE HEAT IN THE FALL, I STARTED SMELLING A BAD, BURNING, ALMOST CHEMICAL SMELL COMING OUT OF THE VENTS. ON DEC 29, 2009, I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP & TOYOTA TOLD THEM TO REPLACE THE EVAPORATOR, CABIN AIR FILTER & DISINFECT/DEODORIZE THE VENTS & THAT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM WHICH THEY SAID WAS MOLD IN THE SYSTEM. IT IS NOW FEB. 23, 2010 & THE SMELL IS BACK & MY CAR IS SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE IT MAKES ME SICK TO DRIVE IT. THE SERVICE MANAGER IS WAITING TO HEAR FROM TOYOTA WHAT TO DO NEXT & SAYS IT IS A PROBLEM WITH ALOT OF TOYOTAS. WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN AN INVESTIGATION &/OR RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM? IT IS A HEALTH ISSUE FOR ANYONE INHALING THAT DISGUSTING AIR FROM THOSE VENTS. I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO SINCE I HAVE FOUND OTHER COMPLAINTS ON-LINE ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES. IS THE HEALTH/SAFETY OF TOYOTA OWNERS NOT IMPORTANT TO TOYOTA? OTHER THAN THIS ISSUE, I LOVE MY RAV & I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO BE DRIVING IT INSTEAD OF THE YARIS THEY LOANED ME UNTIL MINE IS FIXED. *TR

SPORADIC BURNING SMELL WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED ON. EVENT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 6 TIMES NOW AND IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED ON (VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED DEC 2008 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 12,200). IT HAS HAPPENED WHEN RUNNING AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS - VERY SPORADIC. AND IT'S NOT THE AIR COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE OR FROM OTHER VEHICLES BECAUSE WE'VE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED TO CHECK WHEN IT OCCURS AND IT'S NOT A SMELL FROM THE OUTSIDE OR FROM OTHER VEHICLES. *TR

MY WIFE WAS SITTING AT A SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION IN OUR 2009 TOYOTA RAV 4 ON TUESDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2010 WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD. SHE WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM TRAVELING FURTHER BY APPLYING MORE PEDAL PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE AND THEN SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL. WHILE IN NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE REVVED LOUDLY FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS BEFORE RETURNING TO NORMAL IDLE. SHE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE HOME BUT WAS VISIBLY SHAKEN UP FROM THIS EXPERIENCE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR THEM TO CHECK. THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THIS CONDITION AND THUS SAID THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE AT THIS TIME. THIS IS ONE OF THE VEHICLES THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE SO-CALLED FAULTY STICKING ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND FLOOR MATS DID NOT CAUSE THIS ISSUE, SO THIS LEADS ME TO SUSPECT THAT AN ELECTRONICS PROBLEM IS THE CAUSE AND THAT TOYOTA IS REFUSING TO COME UP WITH A VIABLE FIX FOR THE SITUATION. I CALLED THE TOYOTA MAIN OFFICE THIS MORNING, BUT WAS NOT GIVEN ANY SATISFACTION REGARDING THIS ISSUE. MEANWHILE, WE ARE STUCK WITH A VEHICLE THAT WE ARE BOTH AFRAID TO CONTINUE DRIVING. *TR