2008 TOYOTA RAV4 Electrical System Problems

The issue relates to the spiral cable assembly in my 2008 Toyota RAV4, which falls under Safety Recall 14V-168. According to the recall documentation, this part may fail, which could affect the vehicle’s safety features, including the airbag system. My vehicle is potentially affected by this recall, as it falls within the specified VIN range, but after contacting Toyota Customer Support, I was informed that my vehicle is not eligible for the recall, despite meeting the criteria outlined in the official recall notice. This inconsistency puts my safety at risk, as the failure of the spiral cable could lead to the malfunction of the airbag system. The problem has not been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, as I have not yet been able to have the issue inspected or repaired. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives at this time. There...

2021 I was involved in a collision on the highway and my airbag did not deploy but airbag light remained on dash board even after repairing clockspring and attempting to reset airbag.

VEHICLE LOST POWER AND SHUT DOWN AS I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY MAIN ROAD WITH LOTS OF TRAFFIC. AS IT CONTINUED TO SLOW DOWN I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A DRIVEWAY AND STOP. I TRIED TO START VEHICLE AGAIN WITHOUT SUCCESS BUT IT MADE LOUD GRINDING NOISE. AFTER SHORT TIME I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART VEHICLE MADE A LOUD GRINDING SOUND BUT WOULD NOT START. CALLED FOR TOW AND THEY DETERMINED IT WAS NOT THE BATTERY AND TOWED VEHICLE TO MY HOUSE. PAINT PEELING OFF VEHICLE IN LARGE PATCHES. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT WORK BUT NOT A RESULT OF LATEST INCIDENT. WIPER MOTOR HUMS BUT DO NOT WORK. CD PLAYER STOPPED WORKING FEW MONTHS AGO. MAKES CLICKING NOISES BUT WILL NOT PLAY CD OR EJECT DISCS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S ODOMETER STOPPED FUNCTIONING AND THE DIAGNOSTIC BOX HAD TWO BURNT WIRES. THE VEHICLE QUICKLY SHUT OFF WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PENSKE TOYOTA OF DOWNEY (9136 EAST FIRESTONE BLVD, DOWNEY, CA 90241, (562) 904-5600) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT NO FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000.

VEHICLE LOST POWER WHEN ACCELERATING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. NO POWER STEERING, LIGHTS FLICKERING, GAUGES DIED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT COULD NOT PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND IT RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, AND IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL OTHER TIMES AFTER THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AT 800-331-4331 AND ASKED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. A CASE NUMBER WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 213,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE AND 4WD WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V096000(SEAT BELTS); HOWEVER, THE PART FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE IN PARK, THE POWER WINDOW MASTER SWITCH CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. SHORTLY AFTER PARKING, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. A POLICE AND A FIRE REPORT WERE FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE INSPECTED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000. UPDATED 5/5/15*CN UPDATED 9/16/2015 *JS

TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. THE AIG BAG LIGHT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSE THAT THE SPIRAL CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.LJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY WAS DEFECTIVE. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED TWICE DUE TO ACID LEAKING HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED AND AS A RESULT, BATTERY ACID LEAKED ONTO THE ALTERNATOR, THE ENGINE COVER, AND THE HOSES. THE FAILURE CAUSED ALL OF THE PARTS TO CORRODE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 83,000. UPDATED 1/15/13 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED A THIRD BATTERY HAS LEAKED. UPDATED 1/23/2013 *JS

I WAS MAKING A SLOW SPEED TURN WHEN, WITHOUT WARNING, IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER, AS IF THE POWER STEERING QUIT WORKING. AS I ACCELERATED THE STEERING STARTED WORKING AGAIN. A FEW DAYS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND THIS TIME THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. BOTH TIMES THIS HAPPENED IT ALMOST CAUSED A COLLISION. I ENDED UP TAKING IT TO THE DEALER AND LEARNED THE ALTERNATOR WAS GOING BAD. AN ALTERNATOR ON A FOUR YEAR OLD VEHICLE WITH 60K MILES SHOULD LAST LONGER. I'VE SINCE LEARNED, FROM SAFETY SITES, THAT THIS IS A COMMON SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE RAV AS THE STEERING IS ELECTRICALLY POWERED. THERE IS ALSO SOME INDICATION THE ALTERNATORS ARE FAILING TOO SOON. *TR

APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES AFTER I STARTED UP MY CAR AND BEGAN DRIVING TODAY I BEGAN TO NOTICE A STRANGE AND STRONG ODOR. I HAD MY DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW DOWN (POWER WINDOWS) AND INITIALLY ATTRIBUTED THE ODOR TO A LARGE TRUCK THAT WAS SEVERAL CAR LENGTHS AHEAD OF ME. I NOTICED THAT THE ODOR PERSISTED EVEN ONCE THE TRUCK WAS NO LONGER VISIBLE TO ME OR IN CLOSE PROXIMITY. AT THAT POINT I THEN ENTERED ONTO A MAJOR HIGHWAY VIA THE ENTRANCE RAMP, AND GOT MY SPEED UP TO THE SPEED LIMIT OF 65 MILES PER HOUR. AS I WAS DRIVING I NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING UP FROM MY POWER WINDOW SWITCHES ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR. IN ADDITION TO THE SMOKE I COULD SEE AN ACTUAL FLAME BURNING UNDERNEATH THE SWITCHES. MY INITIAL RESPONSE WAS FEAR AND PANIC, BUT I WAS ABLE TO FIND A SAFE SPOT TO...

I HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4 AND IT HAS HAD A WHINING SOUND WHEN IDLING OR ACCELERATING FOR A WEEK. TODAY I WAS DRIVING IT AND THE POWER STEERING QUIT WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. I COULD BARELY STEER IT, IF MY WIFE WAS DRIVING, SHE COULD NOT HAVE TURNED THE VEHICLE. MANY OF THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON- BRAKE LIGHT (CHECKED THE PARKING BRAKE), ABS, SRS, BATTERY, VSC, MAINTENANCE, AND SLIP INDICATOR LIGHTS. ALSO THE RADIO QUIT WORKING, ALL AT ONCE. NEW BATTERY INSTALLED LAST MONTH. WE HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP, HAD 2 RECALLS FIXED FOR AIR BAG SENSOR AND FLOOR MATS, BUT NO OTHER PROBLEMS UNTIL THIS. *TR

DATE IS APPROXIMATE, BUT THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES, NOT ALWAYS UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS. IT HAS HAPPENED AFTER BEING DRIVEN IN LIGHT RAIN & HEAVY RAIN & AFTER VEHICLE BEING PARKED & RESTARTED ALL OF THE LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE. INITIALLY WHILE DRIVING IN MODERATE RAIN, MULTIPLE VEHICLE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, CRUISE CONTROL FAILED ON FREEWAY @ SET SPEED OF APPROX 60 MPH DUE TO RAINFALL. WHILE CONTINUING TO FUNCTION, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO FEEL LIKE IT WAS ROLLING ON MARBLES & THE FEEL WAS A LITTLE UNNERVING, BUT YOU ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. DIAGNOSTICS REVEALED MULTIPLE CODES, BUT ONCE RESET ALL LIGHTS WERE OUT & THE VEHICLE PERFORMED NORMALLY AGAIN, UNTIL DRIVEN IN RAINY CONDITIONS. INDEPENDENT GARAGE SAID TO TAKE IT TO TOYOTA WHEN THE RAIN INDUCED THE WARNING LIGHTS AGAIN & I'M HEADED TO A TOYOTA DEALER THIS MORNING AFTER A LIGHT RAIN ON...

WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AROUND THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, MY CAR WOULD BE GOING AROUND 40-50 MPH AND IT WILL SUDDENLY STALL OR POWER DOWN AND THE CAR JUST SHUTS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERYTHING. ITS A GOOD THING I GO TO WORK EARLY AROUND 4-5 AM AND TRAFFIC IS LOW OR I WOULD BE IN MAJOR ACCIDENT AND AT FAULT TOO? THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. SOMETIMES HAPPENS WHEN I FLASH ON HIGH BEAM AND EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS IN LOW SPEED AROUND 15-25MPH OR TURNING AROUND A CORNER. THERE IS NEVER A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. WHEN MY CAR GOES INTO STALL, ALL POWER DIES AND MY RADIO/CD/MP3 PLAYER STOP PLAYING MY DASHBOARD BECOMES ALL PITCH BLACK AND HEADLIGHTS ALL DIE AS WELL. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN THIS ITS FRUSTRATING AND SCARY, I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND I BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW FROM MY...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING 25 MPH, HE SAW SMOKE BEING EMITTING FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. WHEN HE OPENED THE DOOR, IT WAS ON FIRE. HE WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH WATER. THE CONTACT THOUGHT THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE ORIGINATING FROM THE WIRES IN THE DOOR WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000.

AT APPROXIMATELY 11:15AM SATURDAY JANUARY 22, I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT ON SPIT BROOK ROAD IN NASHUA NH FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS, WHEN MY LEASED TOYOTA RAV4L SUDDENLY REVVED IT'S ENGINE AND STARTED TO MOVE FORWARD. AS IT DID, I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE AS HARD AS I COULD, AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO REV THE ENGINE AND SUDDENLY JUMPED FORWARD HITTING THE CAR THAT WAS ABOUT 6 FEET IN FRONT OF ME. AT THAT TIME, I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, STOPPED THE ENGINE AND CHECKED TO SEE IF THE WOMAN IN THE CAR AHEAD OF ME WAS HURT. SHE WAS NOT. HER CAR HAD NO DAMAGE TO IT. SHE WENT ON HER WAY. THERE IS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE FROM END OF THE RAV4, INCLUDING THE BUMPER AND GRILL. I GOT BACK INTO THE CAR, AND TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER IN NASHUA NH, THAT...

GREETINGS, WE HAVE A 2008 RAV4 WHICH HAS TWICE EXHIBITED UNCONTROLLED ENGINE ACCELERATION. MY WIFE HAS CONTACTED TOYOTA TO NO AVAIL. TOYOTA HAS RECALLED OTHER MODELS BUT NOT THE RAV4. THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OUR COMPLAINTS AS A MORTAL SAFETY CONCERN. IT IS AS IF WE ARE TRYING TO CON THE COMPANY. AS A LIFELONG SAFETY PROFESSIONAL, THIS IS VERY DISTURBING. PLEASE ADVISE AS TO OUR POSSIBLE ACTIONS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MY WIFE RETURNED TO HER 2008 TOYOTA RAV4 AT THE END OF THE WORKDAY. IT WOULD NOT CRANK. THE RADIO AND AIR CAME ON, BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT CRANK OR TURN OVER. SHE PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND THEN BACK IN PARK. IT STILL WOULD NOT CRANK. FINALLY, SHE LOWERED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TRIED STARTING AGAIN. THIS TIME IT STARTED. WE TOOK IT TO AN ADVANCE AUTO PARTS STORE AND HAD THEM TEST THE BATTERY. THEIR EQUIPMENT STATED THE BATTERY NEEDS REPLACING, BUT THE CAR (AND BATTERY) ONLY HAS 18K MILES ON IT. THE REPORT ALSO STATED THAT THERE IS A POWER DRAIN THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED (WE HAD TURNED OFF ALL ACCESSORIES - RADIO, AIR, INTERIOR LIGHTS - AND REMOVED ALL 3RD PARTY POWER CORDS FROM POWER OUTLETS - CELL PHONE CAR CHARGER, ETC - BEFORE RUNNING THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST). WE WILL BE TAKING THE...

MY FIANCEE AND I WERE DRIVING, 2008 RAV4/LIMITED/V6/4WD. WE WERE AT A STOP LIGHT. I WAS DRIVING, I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS WAITING FOR LIGHT TO TURN GREEN. IT WAS A BUSY INTERSECTION HERE IN DENVER AND THERE WAS A CAR IN FRONT OF US. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ACCELERATOR TOOK OFF AND I COULD FEEL THE CAR TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD. LUCKILY, I ALREADY HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND I PRESSED DOWN EVEN HARDER ON THE BRAKE AS I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. WHEN I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL THE ACCELERATOR CONTINUED TO REV HIGHER THAN IT WAS BEFORE. I SLAMMED THE GEAR SHIFT INTO PARK AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. WE WERE OBVIOUSLY SHAKEN FROM THIS AND JUST SAT THERE FOR A MINUTE AS WE REALIZED WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. MY FIANCEE WANTED TO GET OUT OF...

HELLO, ON JUN 26, 2009 MY WIFE AND I PURCHASE A CERTIFIED TOYOTA RAV4. WE HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS: ABS LIGHT, BRAKE, AND EGF LIGHT REMAIN LITE. REPAIRS ARE: BRAKE SWITCH REPLACEMENT, IGY RELAY REPLACMENT. IN ADDITION THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT FUNCTION AND SOMETIMES THE TRANSMISSION WOULD BE STUCK IN REVERSE. UNABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF THIS GEAR POSITION. A LOCAL MECHANIC FOUND THE PROBLEM IN THAT THE CONNECTIONS IN THE WIRING HARNESS ARE FILLED WITH WATER. HE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW THE WATER GOT THERE. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE SAME PROBLEM RETURNED.. I AM WRITING TO SHARE WITH YOU MY CONCERN OF THE ELECTRONIC PROBLEMS WITH THE 2008 RAV4 FROM TOYOTA. TOWN TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER, WENATCHEE, WA TOLD US NOT TO WORRY ABOUTIT AS IT IS STILL SAFE TO DRIVEWITH ABS, BRAKE, AND EGF LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. I DID CONTACT TOYOTA (VIA EMAI) BUT...

DURING NORMAL DRIVING, MY WIFE AND FATHER-IN-LAW HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OR SURGING ON OUR 2008 RAV4 (AWD, 6-CYLINDER). THIS IS TYPICALLY OCCURRING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR LIGHT ACCELERATION ABOVE ~25MPH. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE RIGHT AFTER WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN OCTOBER 2008. DEALER COULD NOT VERIFY PROBLEM AND NO ERROR CODES WERE FOUND. THE ANTI-SKID CONTROL COMES ON RANDOMLY AND APPLIED THE BRAKES ALSO, USUALLY WHILE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. WHEN FOOT IS REMOVED FROM BRAKE, VEHICLE STAYS STOPPED UNTIL ACCELERATOR IS PUSH AND THEN SYSTEM RELEASES THE BRAKES AND ANTI-SKID LIGHT GOES OUT. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY ERROR CODES FOR THIS EITHER. THIS IS A VEHICLE WITH A VIN NUMBER BEGINNING WITH J, WHICH HAS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM RECENT RECALLS. *TR

2008 TOYOTA RAV4 TAKEN IN FOR NORMAL SERVICE SCHEDULE. DEALER FOUND RODENT NESTS AND CHEWED WIRING/INSULATION UNDER THE ENGINE COVER. HAD TO REPLACE WIRING HARNESS. DEALER SAID TOYOTA USES SOY BASED COVERING/INSULATION INSTEAD OF PLASTIC WHICH HE HAS SEEN MANY INSTANCES OF RODENT CHEWING. THIS POSES A FIRE/SAFETY HAZARD AS WELL AS A PERFORMANCE ISSUE IF THE WIRES ARE DAMAGED, CUT OR SHORTED. THERE ARE WEBSITES DEDICATED TO THIS ISSUE FOR ALL THE MONEY PEOPLE HAVE SPENT IN REPAIRS. *TR

2008 TOYOTA RAV4 SELF-COMBUSTION IN DRIVEWAY IN THE EARLY A.M. OF MONDAY, SEPT 21, 2009. CAR HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE SATURDAY NIGHT AT 11 P.M. AND ARSON HAS BEEN RULED OUT BY FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS. CAR WAS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD AND HAD BEEN RECENTLY SERVICED AND INSPECTED ON SEPT 5, 2009 BY AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALER. ALL OTHER WARRANTY SERVICE REQUIREMENTS WERE FULFILLED BY AN AUTHORIZED TOYOTA DEALER AT THE APPROPRIATE INTERVALS. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS NOTED BY OWNER DURING THE PAST TWO YEARS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT MENTIONS THAT THE MOST EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE OCCURRED AT OR NEAR THE VEHICLE BATTERY. *TR UPDATED 03/08/10

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, MY NEW 2008 RAV4 WOULD NOT START. THE BATTERY IS BRAND NEW. WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION, THERE WAS NO SOUND / SIGNAL AT ALL. SOMETIMES, WHEN I PUT DOWN THE HAND BRAKE, AND TRY TO START THE CAR AGAIN, IT WORKS. OTHER TIMES, IT DOESN'T. THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN TRIGGER IT TO START. HOW CAN A BRAND NEW CAR BE SO UNRELIABLE!? WE'VE GOTTEN IT TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM. IT'S BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 2 DAYS AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR