NHTSA Complaint #10519281 — 2008 TOYOTA RAV4

THE ONBOARD COMPUTER (ECM) PROGRAM IS DEFECTIVE IN THE 2008 RAV4, AND PROBABLY OTHER YEARS AND MODELS, CAUSING OWNERS TO UNNECESSARILY BRING CARS IN AND PAY FOR UNNEEDED SERVICE. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR TO BEGIN AN INTERSTATE DRIVE, 3 FAULT INDICATORS (CHECK ENGINE,VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL, 4 WHEEL DRIVE) ILLUMINATED. FOLLOWING OWNERS MANUAL, MY WIFE CALLED THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALER WHO TOLD HER TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A TOYOTA DEALER IMMEDIATELY, AND TO DRIVE CAUTIOUSLY, TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL ROOM WHEN FOLLOWING OTHER VEHICLES, AND NOT TO ATTEMPT SUDDEN STOPS. ANOTHER FAULT INDICATOR (CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT ENGAGE) PRESENTED ITSELF ENROUTE. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID THE REASON FOR ALL 4 FAULT INDICATIONS WAS THE #6 CYLINDER MISFIRED 1 TIME A FEW SECONDS AFTER I STARTED THE VEHICLE. HE SAID THE ECM IS PROGRAMMED TO GIVE THESE 4 FAULT INDICATIONS FOR A CYLINDER MISFIRE, BUT HE DID NOT KNOW WHY. HE SAID THAT HE COULD FIND NO REASON FOR THE SINGLE MISFIRE, BUT THAT HE FOUND AND TIGHTENED A SLIGHTLY LOOSE AIR INTAKE HOSE THAT COULD NOT POSSIBLY HAVE CAUSED THE MISFIRE. HE TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE FOR ME TO MAKE MY INTERSTATE DRIVE WITHOUT COMING TO THE DEALERSHIP. I BELIEVE THAT THE ONBOARD COMPUTER PROGRAMMING THAT PROVIDED THESE 4 FAULT INDICATIONS IS DEFECTIVE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS. 1. A SINGLE CYLINDER MISFIRE IS UNRELATED TO AND HAS NO EFFECT UPON THE THREE SYSTEMS POINTED TO BY THE FAULT INDICATIONS (VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL, 4 WHEEL DRIVE, CRUISE CONTROL) 2. A SINGLE CYLINDER MISFIRE AT STARTUP IS NOT AN EMERGENCY SITUATION REQUIRING IMMEDIATE SERVICE AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WITH EXTRAORDINARILY CAUTIOUS DRIVING ENROUTE. 3. DURING THE 1 HOUR DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP THE CYLINDERS OF THE VEHICLE FIRED SUCCESSFULLY AROUND 360,000 TIMES, AND THE PROGRAMMING DID NOT RECOGNIZE THIS FAULTLESS OPERATION AND AUTOMATICALLY CLEAR THE FAULT INDICATORS.