2009 TOYOTA RAV4 Engine Problems

Engine timeing system rattle on startup. Even basic web research shows this is a common problem for select model years and acorss mulitple models. This issue has a high probility of causing catastrophic engine damage, where the timeing chain & VVT system fails to keep timing causing the valves to colide with the pistons. There is a TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE risk with each and every engine start. The fix on the 3.5L requires the engine to be removed, VVT and timing chain tensioner to be replaced. This is a $4000 to $5000 dollar repair. This is a clear manufacuting wide spread defect and should be repaired by toyota via recall!

Four incidents of unintended acceleration , in all instances foot was on break petal NOT on gas petal, 3 instances vehicle was stopped at traffic light, last incident was pulling into a parking space foot on brake, in all instances braked hard and shifted vehicle into neutral and turned vehicle off to avoid collisions, personal injury and property damage

Engine rattle on cold start ups.

WHILE DECELERATING ON A FREEWAY OFF-RAMP AT APPROX. 25 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE CAR. GOING NO MORE THAN 5 MPH, I LIFTED OFF SLIGHTLY THEN DEPRESSED THEM ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR; THEY DIDN'T ENGAGE PROPERLY BUT FINALLY SLOWED THE CAR ALMOST TO A COMPLETE STOP, BUT THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE CAR KEPT WANTING TO GO FORWARD. I THREW THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION.

Mileage: 113,000

I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE ON OCTOBER 12, 2020 BECAUSE THE OIL LIGHT WAS FLICKERING THOUGH I AM NOT DUE FOR ANOTHER OIL CHANGE UNTIL JANUARY. I WAS TOLD TO REPLACE THE MOTOR DUE TO EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. UPON RESEARCHING ONLINE LEARNED THAT THIS IS DUE TO DEFECTIVE PISTON RINGS AND IN 2011, TOYOTA ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. AT THIS POINT, THEY ARE REFUSING TO CORRECT THE ERROR WITH THE DESIGN OF THE PISTONS.

ALL LIGHTS COME ON CHECK ENGINE,4WD,TRAC , COME AND GOES, GOING 6 TIMES ALREADY TO DEALER LAST 2 WEEKS.. RAV4 WITH LOW MILES .. TOYOTA VERY DISSATISFIED

AUTO BURNING EXCESSIVE OIL AND COOLANT BOX STAYS FULL TO TOP CAR IS STATIONARY

Mileage: 125,000

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.

Mileage: 34,000

JUST OVER 100,000 MILES ON THE 2009 RAV 4. WITHOUT ISSUE. NOT ORIGINAL OWNER. THIS WEEKEND IT TRIED 3 TIMES TO ACCELERATE US INTO THE VEHICLES OR PEOPLE IN FRONT OF IS. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE I VERIFIED THAT OUR FLOORMATS ARE BOTH SECURED AND DO NOT EXTEND TO THE AREA OF THE PEDAL. INCIDENT 1. WHILE SITTING AT A COMPLETE STOP AT RED LIGHT, HEARD AND FELT ENGINE START TO REV. CAR LURCHED FORWARD, AND I APPLIED LEFT FOOT IN ADDITION TO THE RIGHT WHICH WAS ALREADY ON THE BRAKE IN ATTEMPT TO STOP IT. HAD TO HIT SHIFTER INTO NEUTRAL TO REGAIN CONTROL ONLY A FOOT OR 2 FROM THE CAR IN FRONT. MISTAKENLY THOUGHT IT WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. INCIDENT 2 TODAY-- WHILE SLOWING TO A RED LIGHT BY APPLICATION OF BRAKES WITH RIGHT FOOT, ENGINE REVVED UP TO APPROX. 3000 RPM AND TRIED ACCELERATING US INTO VEHICLES IN FRONT OF US. AGAIN- ONLY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL BROUGHT VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL.. INCIDENT 3 - APPROX 20 MIN AFTER INCIDENT 2 ON WAY HOME ( SUNDAY AFTERNOON)WHILE BRAKING TO A STOP AT RED LIGHT. NO VEHICLES IN FRONT BY PEOPLE ENTERING THE CROSSWALK. HEARD AND FELT ENGINE START TO ACCELERATE. IMMEDIATE ADDITION OF RIGHT FOOT TO THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR AND THE ACCELERATION STOPPED WITHOUT SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL THIS TIME. VEHICLE IS PARKED AWAITING REPLY FROM TOYOTA. CHECKED TOYOTA WEBSITE AND IT SAYS THERE ARE NO OPEN RECALLS OR SERVICE CAMPAIGNS FOR THIS VIN.

Mileage: 108,000

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

Mileage: 164,000

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.

Mileage: 72,000

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.

Mileage: 76,000

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.

Mileage: 81,300

WHEN CAR IS AT 1500 RPM AT 40 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION VIBRATES AND THRUSTS. NOISE GOES AWAY IF ABOVE 2000 RPM OR ABOVE 40 MPH. IT'S TOYOTA OF MANCHESTER NH HAS BEEN ABLE TO REPRODUCE. WAITING TO SEE IF TOYOTA WILL DO ANYTHING.

Mileage: 135,547

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.

Mileage: 87,500

WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH THE ENGINE LOST POWER. MOVING TO THE RIGHT LANE TO PULL OVER, FLAMES BEGAN COMING OUT OF THE TOP OF THE HOOD, HITTING THE WINDSHIELD. SHE TRIED STOPPING BUT BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, REQUIRING HER TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND SLIDE ON GRASS. SHE JUMPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND WITHIN 8 MINUTES THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED.

Mileage: 65,400

I WAS DRIVING AND THE AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY WENT OFF, EXPLODING IN MY FACE. THE VEHICLE FILLED WITH SMOKE, DUST, AND DEBRIS. BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE (AIRBAG IN MY FACE AND SMOKE/DEBRIS IN THE VEHICLE), I CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. *TR

Mileage: 57,668

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

Mileage: 37,000

THE BRAKE WAS ENGAGED IN TRAFFIC WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE. I APPLIED THE BRAKE MORE FIRMLY AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV UNCONTROLLABLY IN A CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE. I SWITCHED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED THE MOTOR AND IT THEN RAN NORMALLY. *TR

Mileage: 38,364

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.

Mileage: 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

Mileage: 49,000

WHILE STOPPED AT RED LIGHT WITH RIGHT FOOT ON BRAKE, ENGINE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO VERY HIGH RPM. SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND ENGINE REVVED EVEN HIGHER. TURNED OFF IGNITION. SIGNAL TURNED GREEN AND SINCE I WAS IN TRAFFIC, DECIDED TO TRY TO START ENGINE AGAIN. ENGINE STARTED AND PERFORMED NORMALLY. IMMEDIATELY DROVE TO TOYOTA DEALER WHO SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. WE ARE NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE! THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE HAD WE BEEN MOVING IN TRAFFIC! *TR

Mileage: 33,960

I WAS COMING TO A STOP AT TRAFFIC LIGHT. AS I SLOWED DOWN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO SURGE. SINCE MY FOOT WAS ALREADY ON THE BRAKE I WAS ABLE TO PUSH DOWN HARDER ON IT TO STOP IT FROM HITTING THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. WITHIN A SECOND OR TWO, AS THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO SURGE, I SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK. WHEN I DID THIS THE ENGINE SURGED EVEN MORE. I THEN TURNED OFF THE ENGINE BY TURNING THE KEY WHICH DID SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN. I THEN RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND IT RAN NORMALLY. I WAS SOMEWHAT SHAKEN UP BY THE INCIDENT. NOTE THAT THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FLOOR MATS OR HITTING THE WRONG PEDAL. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THE WHOLE TIME THE INCIDENT OCCURRED-IF IT HADN'T BEEN I WOULD HAVE CRASHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. *TR

Mileage: 26,000

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.

Mileage: 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

Mileage: 33,870