We purchased a 2006 Rav4 limited the first week of March 2019. A rear differential coupling growl noise was noticeable a month after we purchased the vehicle. While driving the rear end started making a growling noise. In early January 2015 Toyota issued a warranty enhancement program (ZF4) for years 2006-2012 Rav4 to have the defective bearing replaced, but they put an expiration date of April 30th 2017 or 9 years from the date of first use regardless of mileage. I can't understand how you can put an expiration date on a defective part. These bearings could go bad and seize at any time possibly causing an accident with injuries or even death. We happen to own two of these vehicles, same years, one making no noise and not going bad yet, but the other decided it was time. There should be a recall on this rear differential coupling bearing, not a warranty enhancement program. Toyota has already acknowledged a defect with the bearing by initiating a warranty enhancement program, you can't just say after April 30th 2017 no other bearings will fail and if they do we pass the buck on the problem. Thank you for hearing my concerns, I look forward to hearing back from you. I would like to debate the issue with one of their representatives with you listening, I'd rip'em apart. It is time these billion dollar companies own up to their mistakes and not pass the buck to the little guy. Thank you again, (xxxx). You can contact me at (xxxx). Parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Gray, TN, USA

Tamara recall engine failure almost caused a major accident. Dealership tells me the it's an recall but, it has now expired. I don't understand how a safety recall can expire. I need help from an attorney on this matter. Because this isn't right. Can you recommend an attorney? they said they could only do new rings and new pistons back then but now Toyota will not even do that. So now I just have a 5,000 bill for a new engine.

- Gordon, AL, USA

Losing oil engine making noise no power

- Gordon, AL, USA

Rear differential coupler is failing. Emitting an awful noise and getting worse. Spoke to Toyota customer service. They told me that the enhanced extended warranty has expired at the end of last year. I did not know about this, until the part has worn out. (defective) it is a $1400. Part plus labor to install. They cannot extend the enhanced extended warranty according to the rules that NHTSA has suggested. Don't you think it is time for NHTSA to require that Toyota renew this replacement, or call it a recall for their defective manufacturing process?

- North Grafton, MA, USA

I bought the car back in August 2006 at Toyota dealer. There were clunky sounds from the steering wheel when after couple months of purchase. I brought the car back to dealer to request for a fix but I was told that the clunky sounds from the steering wheel should be considered as normal as the way the it came from Toyota factory. There was no fix to correct that clunky noises from steering wheel on that day. I had trusted to Toyota's advice on that day and kept driving the car until other mechanics and friends told me that my car needed to be fixed with the steering wheel since there had been clunky noises when they tested drive on my car. The sounds always came up when I moved the steering wheel. I called Toyota service around 06/2014 about the clunky noise since the condition got worse. I was told that my car is out of warranty so there is nothing from Toyota to help fixing the problem. Toyota told me that there would be recall if there had been numerous complaints with the same problem I had. I was advised to wait for a recall. For safety concern, I brought the car to Toyota dealership after my conversation with Toyota customer service on 06/2014. Toyota dealership had quoted with a fix for $600 for the part not including the labor. The clunky noise was came from the intermediate steering wheel shaft. I could not afford to fix because the price was too expensive so I had to keep the car condition as it was. Toyota should fix the problem when I brought it in. There have been so many complaints from 2006 Toyota Rav4 owners who have the same this intermediate steering shaft. I don't know if there has been any accident involved this issue or not but I am very sure that this is a serious matter since this intermediate shaft is relating to the controlling car's front wheels. For the safety concern, please help to look into this complaint.

- Garden Grove, CA, USA

When trying to back up a hill, the transmission pops out of gear and then back into gear. When it pops back into gear the car lunges in an uncontrollable manner. This is very dangerous! I have read that this is cause by premature wear-out of the reverse clutches and the fix is a new $4000 transmission. This is a safety issue that Toyota should at least provide an assistance program to repair. The problem is continuous, it was always occur when trying to back up a hill.

- Fremont, CA, USA

Transfer case noise; quelling noise is coming from engine ( I hear this noise at low speed between 20 miles and 40miles). When I push gas pedal vehicle don, T pick the speed, engine runs fast and it jumps to get its speed.

- Pearland, TX, USA

When placed in reverse gear car bolts or jumps. Loud noise. Either reverse gear or transmission is faulty. Has gotten worse over the years.

- Nampa, ID, USA

Bought used 2006 rav 4 from what I thought was a reputable Toyota dealer in lake city Florida.within 2 weeks of buying this car checked oil and it was 2 quarts low.now about every 1000 miles or less this vehicle is using nearly 2 quarts of oil.please help in this matter.this was supposed to be my daughters going off into the world vehicle but its turning out to be a piece of crap.and a waste of money.I know Toyota is aware of the problem and will do nothing to fix it.lake city Toyota are rude and have done nothing to help in this problem. And in hindsight buying this car they were very sketchy in the way they got us there to buy it in the first place.now I know why.I just want this vehicle repaired.we like everything else about it.but engine failure and or catalytic converter issues down the road is saddening for a vehicle we just paid 7000 dollars for.Toyota we will never buy again.

- Panama City Beach, FL, USA

At approximately 81000 miles, rav-4 started to burn oil at a rate of two quarts per every 3000 miles. Now at 120,000 miles, it burns one quart every 1000 miles. By comparison, my 1987 Toyota Camry does not burn a drop.

- Chatham, NJ, USA

Letter from constituent regarding problems with his 2006 Toyota rav 4; he hoping that Toyota can be forced to repair the transmission and reimburse the cost of repairing steering shaft (full document not imaged). The consumer stated he has been trying to get the transmission replaced per Toyota tsb-0130-12, because of whining noise but he was informed the tsb was no longer in effect. It was confirmed, that an internal noise was coming from the transmission.

- Sun City West, AZ, USA

Loud grinding sound at approx 40mph, easily replicated and sounds as if something is stuck underneath car. Dealer refuses to acknowledge faulty parts or cover any repairs.

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

Our 2006 Rav4 creates a growling sound from the rear differential area when driving at 35 to 40 mph. The sound goes away when accelerating above 40 mph. The noise is becoming more pronounced with time. Twice the vehicle was taken to a Toyota dealership and they were unable to identify the cause. Research online located technical service bulletin tsb-0080-13 which discusses symptoms very similar to what our rav is experiencing. A call to the Toyota dealership resulted in being informed that deterioration of the rear differential coupling due to contaminated bearing could be the problem, and that estimated cost of repair cost is $1,925. I asked if failure of the coupling could be catastrophic, causing loss of control. The answer was not likely unless driving on slippery surfaces. This vehicle is regularly maintained, and has not been in an accident. It is disappointing that we are looking at an impending failure of the drivetrain. Is this a flaw in the engineering/design that went into this vehicle" what else can be done beyond informing others in the interest of their personal safety"

- Kalispell, MT, USA

I have a 2006 Rav4, built in November, 2005. My check engine, vsc and 4WD lights lit up on August 16, 2013. After referring to the manual and following directions yielded no result, I kept driving and went to a Toyota dealer the next day. I was advised the transmission in my car had failed and I needed a new one. The transmission had been flushed on 9/18/12 with 59,767 miles on my car, the dealer marked the transmission fluid "good" on 6/17/13 with 65,143 miles and there were only 66,319 when the transmission failed in August, 2013. Being stranded out of town for three days allowed me to find numerous complaints about the transmission failing in Rav4's with low mileage. There was absolutely no warning that a huge problem and expense was about to occur (which is strange when an alarm bleats, requesting fastening of the seatbelt, when a gallon of milk is put on the passenger seat.) and there is nothing in the manual to even suggest the lights that lit indicate a transmission problem. I have filed case #1310310749 with Toyota and await their follow up on promises made. I will happily provide copies of any paperwork, should it be requested. I would ask for the transmission failures to be looked into as well as the total lack of clarity and/or direction in the manual. Thank you for your time.

- Norwood, MA, USA

Saturday, October 12, 2013 when my wife and two young daughters (ages 2 & 4) were coming home from shopping. Our vehicle experience catastrophic failure, endangering the lives my wife and my two young children. She heard a loud bang from the rear of the vehicle and she lost control. Luckily, she was not moving very fast and was able to stop quickly and pull to the side of the road. The failure occurred on the on-ramp to an interstate 71 with a posted speed limit of 70 mph and the car was not drivable. Had the failure occurred 20 seconds later, my family would have been traveling at a high speed in a rav 4 with absolutely no control. We cannot even fathom the potential outcome if that failure had occurred on a busy highway with trucks etc. We took the rav into the local Toyota dealership and they deemed the accident to be caused by the rear lower suspension arm. The rear lower suspension arm was recalled in the fall/winter of 2012, where we took it to the dealership to be fixed in Nov. 2012 with the so called "clip".

- Ashland, OH, USA

While driving from Maryland to Maine for a vacation, I noticed my transmission was slipping and grinding gears frequently in the range of 20-35 mph. I noticed it happening more frequently during slowdown for making a turn and then acceleration to resume driving. I did not have any accidents, but this has been happening more frequently. I had previously reported the problem, when it happened less frequently, to my dealership (darcars of frederick) and they told me that 1)they could not duplicate the sound during their test run and 2) if such a thing had happened, my ECU would have made a note of it and recorded it. Since there was no record of it happening, it was nothing. However, upon reading several complaints about the Rav4 02-03 models, regarding transmission problems, I find that their issues of hanging before slipping into gear, grinding gear and not finding the gear at all are the same ones I have been experiencing in my '06 Rav4. Could it be that my ECU is bad? yes, but my dealer won't acknowledge that possibility. They check my floor mats, but not the ECU for faulty issues. This is my primary vehicle and I Transport my daughter in it all of the time. I am worried one day I am going to be driving and get into a serious accident because of this issue. I have all of my maintenance records and recently had the transmission flushed and filled completely. I used oem fluid and am on schedule with all of my maintenance.

- Monrovia, MD, USA

While driving on a Suburban NJ road at around 30-40mph, the vehicle lost steering control out of the blue. The car veered into the left lane, I attempted to right the car and simultaneously hit the breaks. The ABS response kicked in, and the car veered drastically to the right, going off the road, across the sidewalk, and finally coming to a stop in the woods. The repair shop discovered that the cause of accident was a broken tie rod of the back right wheel, that had been broken for a while because the sleeve encasing had rusted over. The damage to the car totalled $10,000, and the shop would have totaled the car if the milage hadnt been so low.

- Princeton, NJ, USA

My truck has had 4 incidents of dangerously low oil levels. Toyota has service bulletins out regarding oil consumption and my model of the 2006 Toyota Rav4 regarding faulty pistons and rings. I have brought my truck to Toyota 4 times for this issue and Toyota refuses to fix the problem under my warranty stating that I am out of warranty even though my first complaint was 10/13/13 and my warranty expired Jan 2013 T-sb-0094-11 is the Toyota service bulletin.

- New Windsor , NY, USA

My power steering P/S warning light came on as I was backing out of a parking space. I noticed my power steering suddenly wasn't working. I drove home and then took it back out of my garage, in which the light then turned off and I had my power steering back. Is this a known defect of my car? I did receive one about the rear lower suspension arm #1 and a floor mat recall, but that's all.

- Livonia, MI, USA

Drive shaft broke.

- Mt View, HI, USA