6.0
fairly significant- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 13,538 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
At approximately 18:30 on December 27, 2011, I experienced an unintended acceleration event in my 2010 Toyota Rav4. I was stopping for a red light on pacific coast highway in seal beach, California at the corner of first street when I noticed it was difficult to apply the brake, and the car did not appear to want to stop. I applied the brake more forcefully and was eventually able to stop in the left hand turn lane, however the car kept lurching forward as if it wanted to break free of the brake. Having heard the widespread publicity regarding the unintended acceleration problem in Toyota vehicles, and having previously experienced the problem on one occasion over a year earlier, I thought this might be the issue. I put the car into park and the engine immediately revved up to an alarming rate. I turned off the ignition in panic before I was able to look at the tachometer. However, judging by the sound and later experimentation with revving while parked, I believe the RPM must have been in the 4000-5000 range at the time of the incident. I was particularly shaken by this event because I had already had the recall service performed that was supposedly intended to address the unintended acceleration issue. This recall service was performed May 10, 2011 at desert Toyota in tucson, Arizona. I had experience the unintended acceleration issue once before, but it was not nearly as dramatic. I do not recall the details, but it was in southern Arizona in early 2011 and my memory is that tapping the accelerator and brake pedals restored the car's operation to normal fairly quickly. I was little concerned about it happening again since the recall service had been performed.
- Garden Grove, CA, USA
Gasoline tank leaking.
- New York, NY, USA
The check engine light came on, so we took the car to the dealer. Gasoline had entered the gas tank vapor recovery system and had ruined it. The dealer advised that this was due to a design issue and is in the process of installing a new, redesigned gas tank and vapor recovery system. What was troubling to me was that the vapor recovery filter tank, about 3-4 gallons of charcoal, was filled with gasoline. I believe this to have been a safety hazard worth reporting to you.
- Manchester, MO, USA
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota rav 4. while driving approximately 20 mph the gasoline tank started leaking and the gasoline odor was in the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technicians stated that there was a hole in the fuel tank which needed to be repaired. The technicians stated that the vehicle hit debris which could have damaged the vehicle. The contact stated that there was no debris on the road. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 27,000.
- Rego Park, NY, USA
When I drive my Toyota 2010 Rav4 over a significant bump or pothole, the car lunges forward/accelerates. It doesn't last long, but I certainly have not had this happen with my previous cars (VW passat wagon, Ford Grand Cherokee, etc.).
- New York, NY, USA
On the day indicated below when I was driving my 2010 Toyota Rav4 to a store, I tried to slow down the vehicle to a left turn but it failed to drop the speed. Then I realized it probably has the problem people currently complain. So, I switched the shift to neutral position and I heard the engine surge at a very high speed for several seconds and then slowed down. I stopped the vehicle and checked the gas pedal which was not sticky. Since then, I continued to use this vehicle without same issue. I checked with my car dealer a month ago about the recall and was told that my vehicle is not included in recall list by the VIN number.
- Lutherville Timonium, MD, USA
On 2 occasions, my 2009 Toyota rav 4 with a serial # beginning with a "J" experienced sudden acceleration. Although there was no damage on either incident, the dealership stated that there was little they could do as the recall for sudden acceleration did not apply to Toyota rav 4's with a "J" serial code. I explained upon bringing the vehicle in on 2/17/10 to dch Toyota, rt. 9 so., freehold, NJ, , that both of my sudden acceleration cases occurred before the recall notice and that I, in fact called dch on 1/13/10 & on 1/24/10 and reported the problem. On both occasions I was told by the service department to bring the car in for service but it was not subject to recall because of the "J" serial. I did bring the car in on 2/17 and was told, after inspection, that since no sudden accel. Was experienced during the service, nothing could be done and no remedial action could be taken. My contention, and the reason for my complaint is that sudden acceleration in the rav 4 is, without a doubt, occurring in this car with a "J" serial # and should be covered by the recall and remediation should extend to this vehicle. I do believe that other "J" serial cars have been involved in accidents which causes me to further question Toyota's existing recall parameters.
- Martlboro, NJ, USA
- Pembroke, MA, USA