2008 Toyota RAV4 Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS MAKING A LOUD RUMBLING NOISE IN THE BEGINNING OF 1ST, AND 2ND GEAR. BROUGHT IT IN TO TOYOTA AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT LEAKING AND I WENT INTO THE SHOP AND ALSO LOOKED AT IT MYSELF AND IT WASN'T LEAKING. DID THE REAR DIF SERVICE LIKE TOYOTA RECOMMENDED BECAUSE THE CAR HAS BEEN SUPER RELIABLE AND I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. I HAVE DONE 2 REAR DIF SERVICES BEFORE AND HAD NO PROBLEMS. RIGHT WHEN THEY DID THE SERVICE A COUPLE DAYS LATER IT STARTED MAKING THE RUMBLING NOISE AGAIN AND IS NOW LEAKING AND MADE A PUDDLE IN MY DRIVEWAY. I TOOK A LOOK AT IT MYSELF AND ALL PLUGS ARE TIGHTENED BUT IT IS NOW LEAKING FROM THE COUPLING WHERE THE DRIVESHAFT CONNECTS AND THE DRIVERS SIDE AXLE SEAL. THEY WANT ME TO PAY 1000 DOLLARS FOR A WHOLE NEW COUPLING ASSEMBLEY THAT IS REFURBISHED NOT INCLUDING THE DS AXLE SEAL AND LABOUR. I WILL POST PICTURE BELOW OF THE PROBLEM.
RAV4 HAS BEEN MAINTAINED PER TOYOTA'S RECOMMENDATIONS. AT APPROX 86K MILES IT STARTED USING UP EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL. OIL IS NOT LEAKING, NOR BURNING (CAN'T SEE ANYTHING IN THE TAIL PIPES), AND THERE'S NO BURN OIL SMELL ANYWHERE. AFTER RESEARCHING, I FOUND THAT IN 2011, TOYOTA ISSUED TSB-0094-11 THAT ACKNOWLEDGED EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION IN MY YEAR VEHICLE. TOYOTA ALSO ISSUED A LSC ZE7 WHICH OFFERED FREE REPAIR FOR QUALIFIED VEHICLES DURING THE CAMPAIGN (11/24/2017 OR 150K MILES WHICHEVER CAME FIRST). UNFORTUNATELY MY CAR JUST HIT 86K MILES. I'M THE 2ND OWNER AND NEVER GOT ANY NOTIFICATION. MY CAR IS BURNING ABOUT 1 QUART PER 1,000 MILES. AFTER SPEAKING TO TOYOTA CUST NO-SVC, THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. EVEN THOUGH THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THERE'S AN ISSUE!!! MY CASE WITH TOYOTA IS 1912311193. FROM MY ONLINE RESEARCH I'VE SEEN MANY PEOPLE IMPACTED THAT HAVE NOT BEEN HELPED BY TOYOTA. THIS IS JUST NOT RIGHT. TOYOTA HAS KEPT THIS VERY QUIET.
THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL COUPLING THAT MAY CAUSE THE CAR TO LOCK UP AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE REPAIR COST IS RIDICULOUS AND TOYOTA WILL NOT STAND BEHIND ITS PRODUCT. THE CAR MAKES TERRIBLE BUMPING NOISES AT LOW SPEEDS AND SOUNDS LIKE IT WILL LOCK UP.
MY 2008 TOYOTA RAV4 CONSUMES TOO MUCH OIL. IT CONSUMES 4 QUARTS OF OIL UNDER 2000 MILES.
I HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4 AND AT THE TIME OF THE ISSUE IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 150K MILES. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING A GROWLING/WHIRRING NOISE STARTED TO COME FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. IT INCREASED IN FREQUENCY AND VOLUME OVER TIME. AFTER REPLACING BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS IT WAS DETERMINED BY A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL COUPLER/BEARING. I WAS NOTIFIED THAT A WARRANTY REPLACEMENT FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE EXPIRED IN NOVEMBER OF 2017. THE PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE WAS NOTICED IN OCTOBER OF 2018. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT THOUSANDS OF RAV4 OWNERS HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR OUT OF POCKET. THE DEFECTIVE BEARING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED UNDER A RECALL AS THEY WILL NOT GET ANY BETTER AND TOYOTA HAS ALREADY ADMITTED THE PART IS FAULTY BY ISSUING THE WARRANTY REPLACEMENT. TOYOTA MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE PARTS AND A RECALL MUST BE ISSUED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT HEARD A REALLY LOUD GRINDING NOISE EMERGING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DOWNEAST TOYOTA IN BREWER, MAINE FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING ON JULY 6, 2017, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK WHEN THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL COUPLER FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUTSIDE THE NINE YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
I FOUND OUT TOO LATE ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE PARTS IN THE 2AZ-FE ENGINE. MY PROBLEM STARTED AFTER THE WARRANTY AND THEY WILL NOT REPAIR IT. MY CAR BURNS A LOT OF OIL AND I HAVE TO HAVE AN OIL CHANGE OR ADD OIL FREQUENTLY (EVERY FEW WEEKS OF ADDING OIL). I NEVER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF THIS PROBLEM AND DIDN'T FIND OUT THAT THEY WERE FIXING THIS UNTIL I STARTED LOOKING ONLINE TO FIND OUT IF ANYONE ELSE HAS THE PROBLEM. I SEE CLASS ACTION SUITS AND OTHERS THAT WERE NEVER NOTIFIED. I EVEN HAVE HAD MY CAR INTO TOYOTA FOR REPAIRS AND WAS NEVER TOLD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. SO NOW I HAVE A CAR WITH ONLY 147,000 MILES THAT NEEDS FREQUENT OIL THAT TOYOTA WON'T STAND BEHIND. IF IT WAS JUST MY CAR I MIGHT NOT BOTHER REPORTING IT, BUT ITS NOT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (VIC'S AUTO SERVICE LOCATED AT 3400 SOUTH PARK AVE, BUFFALO, NY 14219; (716) 822-3404) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE DRIVE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000.
OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM. MY TOYOTA RAV 4 HAS 74,000 MILES ON IT AND IS USING A QUART OF OIL EVERY 400 TO 500 MILES. THERE IS CURRENTLY A LAWSUIT AGAINST TOYOTA FOR THIS PROBLEM. THEY DO HAVE A VEHICLE "OIL CONSUMPTION TEST." HOWEVER TOYOTA'S TEST SEEMS BIASED IN THEIR FAVOR, AS THEY FILL THE CRANKCASE AND SEAL THE DIP STICK AND CRANKCASE FILL HOLE. YOU THEN BRING THE VEHICLE BACK AFTER 1,200 MILES. THEY THEN CHECK THE OIL LEVEL AND NOTIFY YOU IF YOUR VEHICLE PASSED THE TEST. BUT, WHOSE TO SAY THAT YOU LOST THE OIL OVER THE ENTIRE 1,200 MILES OR LOST IT BY 400 OR 1000 MILES. WHEN I HAD THE TEST DONE ON MY VEHICLE, IT PASSED. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE TEST I CHECKED THE OIL. THE OIL PROBLEM SEEMED TO DISAPPEAR. THREE WEEKS LATER THE OIL PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN. I FOUND OUT, ACCORDING TO THE INTERNET, THAT SUPPOSEDLY THE TOYOTA DEALERS ARE OVERFILLING THE CRANKCASE AND USING A HEAVIER WEIGHT OIL, SO THE OIL CONSUMPTION WILL BE NORMAL AFTER THE TEST IS RUN. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THE OIL WARNING LIGHT DOESN'T COME ON WHEN THE OIL IS LOW, THEREFORE IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO DAMAGE YOUR ENGINE IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF THE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM.
REAR U JOINT SEIZED AT 100519 MILES. NOTED VIBRATION AND REAR WHEEL INSTABILITY STARTING APPROX 30 MPH.
VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AT MY REGULAR SERVICE LOCATION. MECHANIC NOTED LEAKING REAR DIFFERENTIAL AND I WAS HEARING A "WHIRING" NOISE WHILE DRIVING, TOLD TO CONTACT TOYOTA. CONTACTED LOCAL DEALERSHIP, VEHICLE WAS LOOKED AT BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY NOTED IT WAS THE DIFFERENTIAL COUPLER. WOULD NOT COVER THE $1400 REPAIR EVEN THOUGH TSB-0080-13 AND SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT NO 960 WAS IN PLACE AT THAT DATE/TIME. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, PURCHASED PART THROUGH TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND HAD INSTALLED BY REGULAR REPAIR SHOP DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS. CONTACTING TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE VIA LETTER TO REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE DIFFERENTIAL COUPLER THAT I HAD TO HAVE INSTALLED SINCE SO MANY RAV4 OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE AND OTHERS HAVE HAD THEIRS REPAIRED AT NO COST TO THEM. I HAVE ATTACHED A FELLOW RAV4 OWNERS INVOICE THAT SHOWS COUPLER REPLACED UNDER THE SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT THAT IS ALSO ATTACHED.
WATER PUMP HAS FAILED, DESPITE TIMELY AND COMPLETE MAINTENANCE AND NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. A GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALS WIDESPREAD, PREMATURE WATER PUMP FAILURE ON 2008 V6 RAV4 VEHICLES AT EVEN EARLIER MILEAGES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 RAV4 TOYOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A HUMMING NOISE AS UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL COUPLING ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE 114,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000.
FOR A WHILE I RECALL A LIGHT FLASHING ON MY DASH BUT IT WOULD DISPPEAR BEFORE I COULD ACTUALLY SEE WHAT IT WAS. ON MAY 31, '12, I WAS ABLE TO SEE IT WAS THE OIL LIGHT. APPARENTLY MY RAV4 WAS RUNNING "LOW" ON OIL AND I DIDN'T KNOW. SO ON JUNE 1 (61,469MILES) I TOOK IT IN AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR COULDN'T "ELABORATE" WHAT HAPPENED, SO THEY TOPPED OFF THE OIL UNTIL I WAS DUE FOR ANOTHER MAINTENANCE. (I DID HAVE ANOTHER SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE BEFORE MY NEXT INCIDENT) WELL, DURING THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF NOV '12 I NOTICED THE FLASHING AGAIN AND I COULDN'T CONFIRM WHAT WAS FLASHING UNTIL NOV 17 WHEN I HAD TO HIT MY BRAKES AND BAM, THE OIL LIGHT AGAIN! WHEN WE GOT HOME & RAV WAS COOLED OFF WE CHECKED THE OIL.....AND GUESS WHAT, I HAD NO OIL AGAIN! I TOOK IT BACK TO THE SERVICE DEP'T (AFTER DOING RESEARCH AS TO THIS HAPPENING AROUND THE COUNTRY) AND SINCE A TSB DOESN'T MEAN CRAP TO THEM, I HAVE TO DO THIS OIL CONSUMPTION TEST BECAUSE I AM OVER THE 60,000MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY AND THEY WILL NOT HONOR THE "LIFE TIME POWERTRAIN WARRANTY" THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE LOT. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND OPENED A CASE, BUT THEY WILL NOT EVEN BEGAN TO REVIEW IT UNTIL THE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST COMES BACK "ABNORMAL". SO IN THE MEAN TIME I HAVE TO WORRY IS MY "ENGINE" GOING TO BLOW UP DUE TO LACK OF OIL. THIS IS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. WHEN WILL TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND MAKE THIS A RECALL RATHER THAN A TSB....IS IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO FRONT THE BILL? DOES THE CONSUMERS SAFETY NOT MATTER TO THEM? AND DON'T FORGET THE TSB CAME OUT IN 2011 AND YET THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DIDN'T EVEN THINK TO TELL ME THAT THIS COULD "POSSIBLY" BE THE ISSUE! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN EITHER THE PARK POSITION OR THE DRIVE POSITION, THE TRANSMISSION LEAKED FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION UNDER WARRANTY. THE PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED WHICH WOULD TAKE TIME TO ARRIVE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,397.
I OWN A 2008 TOYOTA RAV 4, WITH A VIN THAT BEGINS WITH A 'J', BUT I HAVE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION WHEN I DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 4 MONTHS. THE MOTOR RACES AND I HAVE TO PRESS VERY FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM MOVING FORWARD. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT, AND THEY DID A THOROUGH CHECK AND COULD NEITHER DUPLICATE THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM NOR FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT THE SYSTEMS THAT THEY CHECKED. THAT WAS ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THAT PROBLEM SINCE, BUT IT HAPPENED INFREQUENTLY BEFORE. I AM CONCERNED THAT IS MAY HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR
1ST OIL CHANGE MENTIONED WHINE IN TRANS. DEALER SAID NOTHING WRONG PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE AND 15,000 OIL CHANGE SAID SOMETHING AGAIN STILL; NOTHING WRONGTHIS WHINE NOISE IS BETWEEN 38/47 MPH. MADE AN APPOINTMENT AND CAR WAS TEST DRIVEN 10 MILES BY DISTRICT MANAGER AND DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER TO VERIFY CONDITION CONDITION HEARD IS NORMAL PLANETARY GEAR NOISE CONSIDERED NORMAL AND NO REPAIRS NECESSARY. 2008 TOYOTA RAV 4 THE WHINE IS VERY ANNOYING I'M DISAPPOINTED WITH THE OUTCOME. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STRUCK A DEER WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH. SHE PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT IT WAS ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE SOON BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LINE BEING RUPTURED. THE COOLANT DRIPPED ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND CAUSED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. TOYOTA IS NOT ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THE CONTACT WAS THE ONE WHO STRUCK THE DEER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.
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Quick Summary
The 2008 Toyota RAV4 has 18 Power Train complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.