2011 Toyota RAV4 Power Train

The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking differential fluid. The local dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The contract was informed that the vehicle was not covered under the extended warranty. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the viscous coupling unit needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

REAR AXLE SEALS FAILED DUE TO CLOGGED DIFFERENTIAL VENT. CAR HAS 93K MILES ON IT. THE VENT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO REACH AND CAN'T BE CLEANED EASILY. ALSO IT COSTS $1300 TO FIX IT.

TRANSMITION HAS A GRINDING NOISE WHILE IN 3RD GEAR. THIS IS HAPPENING IN THE OTHER 3 RAV-4 THAT I HAVE. HAPPENING AT 90,000 TO 105,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25 TO 35 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HEISER TOYOTA (11301 W METRO AUTO MALL, MILWAUKEE, WI 53224, (414) 357-2100) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD PAY HALF OF THE REPAIR COST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

2011 TOYOTA RAV 4. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION ISSUES. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SOMETIMES SHIFT ERRATICALLY AND HARD. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JS

LEAKING REAR DIFFERENTIAL SEAL ON DRIVER SIDE. ONLY 70000 MILES

AT APPROXIMATELY 67,000 MILES (OR LIKELY MUCH SOONER), THIS 4WD VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LEAKING SEAL IN THE LEFT REAR DIFFERENTIAL/AXLE. THE LEAK WAS DISCOVERED BY THE DEALER DURING A RECENT VISIT TO HANDLE SEVERAL OUTSTANDING RECALL ISSUES. FROM DOING EXTENSIVE ONLINE RESEARCH, THIS APPEARS TO BE A WIDESPREAD AND COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 4WD RAV4S. IT IS A VERY COSTLY REPAIR (AS MUCH AS $800 AT THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER), SO I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE NTSB INVESTIGATE THE RAV4 REAR DIFFERENTIAL SEAL LEAKS FOR A POSSIBLE RECALL OR TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. PLEASE NOTE THAT TOYOTA ALREADY ISSUED A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT NOTIFICATION (Z4F) WHICH EXTENDS THE NEW VEHICLE LIMITED POWERTRAIN WARRANTY FOR A REAR DIFFERENTIAL COUPLING ISSUE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT SHOULD EXTEND TO THE REAR AXLE SEALS AS WELL. FAILURE OF THE REAR SEAL(S) CAN OF COURSE LEAD TO TOTAL FAILURE OF THE POWERTRAIN AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I HAVE ATTACHED A PHOTO SHOWING THE LEAKING LEFT REAR AXLE SEAL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITHOUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED, IT ROLLED DOWN HILL INTO THE BACK YARD, THROUGH LAWN FURNITURE, AND STOPPED IN THE WOODS. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

MY RAV4 HAS 66,000 MILES. I NOTICED AN OIL LEAK COMING FROM THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. MY LOCAL DEALER INSPECTED THE CAR AND TOLD ME THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR A PINION BEARING INSIDE THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL BUT AFTER ONLY LISTENING FOR NOISE OF A FAULTY BEARING THEY DETERMINED THAT MINE WAS NOT DEFECTIVE. HOWEVER THE OIL LEAK IS COMING FROM THE PINION SEAL WHICH IS THE SAME SHAFT AS THE BEARINGS AFFECTED BY THE RECALL. ONE OF THE FIRST SIGNS OF A BEARING FAILURE IS A LEAKING SEAL. THE FAILING BEARING CAUSES A VIBRATION OFTEN TIMES NOT HEARD OR FELT BUT WHICH CAUSES AN OIL SEAL TO FAIL. THE DEALERSHIP DID INFORM ME HOWEVER THAT I HAVE A FRONT WHEEL BEARING THAT IS FAILING. I DO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE EVERYTHING FIXED WITH A TRUSTED LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP HOWEVER I AM CONCERNED THAT TOYOTA IS USING POOR QUALITY PARTS THAT COULD LEAD TO INCREASED ACCIDENTS.

AT A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE WAS TOLD THERE WAS A "TRANSAXLE LEAK" THAT REQUIRED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION FROM AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE LEAK IN THE DRIVEWAY, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR OTHER WARNING. SO WHEN THIS DEVELOPED IS UNKNOWN. TOLD NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. REPAIR WOULD BE $3000. TRANSMISSION AND DIFFERENTIAL HAD TO BE REMOVED TO SEAL LEAKING. THIS VEHICLE HAS 34K MILES ON IT. WAS TOLD THIS ONLY SEEN IN CARS OVER 100K. HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED--ALL SERVICE CHECKS AND RECALLS COMPLETED. TOYOTA ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY. NO SIGN OF A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THERE WAS LEAKAGE FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TRANSMISSION OIL WAS VERY DIRTY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CHANGED THE FLUIDS TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 68,489.

AT 34,000 MILES I BROUGHT MY 2011 TOYOTA RAV 4 IN FOR SERVICE AT VICTORY TOYOTA OF CANTON, MI 48188 FOR A REGULAR SERVICE. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER THE TWO YEAR WARRANT. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE AUTO TRANSMISSION SIDE COVER WAS LEAKING VERY BADLY AND EVERY SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WAS STUNNED,AS THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THAT OCCUR SO EARLY IN ANY VEHICLE. THEY REPAIRED IT, HOWEVER I AM CONCERNED FOR THE FUTURE MANUFACTURING STABILITY OF THE VEHICLE TO HAVE SUCH A MAJOR ISSUE AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE. WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE BRAND NEW FROM VICTORY TOYOTA OF CANTON, MI. I WILL ALSO BE FILING A SEPARATE COMPLAINT ABOUT MY 2010 COROLLA WHICH HAS AN ISSUE THAT IS STUNNING , TO SAY THE LEAST. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHIFTING INTO DRIVER FROM REVERSE, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A POLE AND THEN CRASHED INTO ANOTHER SIGN BEFORE STOPPING. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CLAMP THAT HELD THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE POLICE WERE NOTIFIED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND A REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED THE FAILURE BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM FOR ASSISTANCE WITH DRIVING THROUGH A SNOWSTORM. UPON ACTIVATING THE SYSTEM, THE LIGHTS FLICKERED AND THE FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE DEACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 30,000.

MY RECENTLY PURCHASED RAV4 2011 ROLLED BACKWARDS WHILE IN DRIVE AND MY PASSENGER DOOR MIRROR CAUGHT THE EDGE OF MY GARAGE AND SHATTERED. I HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS WHILE IN DRIVE. I WAS NOT TOLD BY THE SALESMAN, THE MANUAL ALSO DOES NOT STATE IT. THE REPLACEMENT OF MY MIRROR WILL COST ME $360.00 BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT COULD HAVE ROLLED BACK INTO MY WIFE AND SHE IS NOT REPLACEABLE. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE. IT IS NOT EXPECTED TO HAPPEN WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND IF NO ONE IS MENTIONING IT TO YOU, HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSE TO KNOW? SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT EVENTUALLY. IT WAS ALMOST MY WIFE. IT WILL SOON BE SOMEONE ELSE. *KB