2008 Toyota Rav4 Body & Structure Problems

Your vehicle's frame has extensive rust and corrosion that makes it unsafe and unable to pass inspection. Multiple mechanics have confirmed the problem affects the entire frame structure, not just one area. Your car may not be legally drivable until the frame is replaced, which is a major repair involving removing and welding or replacing the entire frame structure.

Your RAV4's frame and undercarriage have developed severe rust. Other 2008 Toyota models have been recalled for the same issue, but you're unsure when the rust started. This can compromise the structural integrity of your vehicle over time and may require professional inspection and treatment.

Your car's paint is peeling in multiple areas, and you've noticed that other model years have had a recall for this exact issue. Your specific year wasn't included in that recall, but you're experiencing the same problem. You're requesting that Toyota expand the recall to cover your vehicle so you can get the paint repaired at no cost.

I purchased this vehicle used in 2013 it had a recall in 2014 for pin welds and Rocker panels and now they are rusted out again.

MY TOYOTA RAV WHITE PERIL PANT IS PEELING OFF. HAS BEEN FOR TWO YEARS. THIS IS SUPPOSE TO BE A LIMITED EDITION RAV OME PAINT. I BELIEVE THERES A DEFECT IN THE PAINT.

TOYOTA RAV4 2008 LIMITED SUNROOF EXPLODED GOING 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE (NO OTHER FACTORS, SUCH AS WE WERE NOT UNDER/HAD NOT JUST GONE UNDER AN INTERSTATE OVERPASS). I WAS DRIVING - SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT. HUSBAND IN PASSENGER SEAT AND SOUNDED LIKE A LOUD POP. GLASS SHATTERED ALL OVER US. WE PULLED OVER, PATCHED IT THE BEST THAT WE COULD AND TOOK STATE ROADS HOME (3 HR INTERSTATE DRIVE VS 5 1/2 HOUR, 55 MPH BARELY DRIVE HOME. TOOK TWO REPLACEMENT SUNROOF KITS TO GET IT RIGHT. INSURANCE PAID IN FULL UNDER GLASS POLICY.

HOOD LATCH FAILURE. DRIVING FOR OVER 3 HOURS ON HIGHWAY, SUDDEN GUST OF WIND, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE HOOD POPPED UP. WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOW, PULL OVER, AND CLOSE HOOD. BACKED UP WITH BUNGEE UNTIL I GOT HOME. I'VE REPLACED THE LATCH, (WITH TOYOTA OEM LATCH) BUT HAVE NOTICED WHEN SPEEDS APPROACH 65 PLUS, THE HOOD REALLY VIBRATES.

THERE ARE 2 ISSUES WITH THE CAR: 1. THE AIR DYNAMICS OF THE CAR MAKES ALL SMALL PEBELS RUN INTO THE WINDSHIELD. MY CAR PROBABLY CAUGHT 10 OR MORE OF THEM. MY WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED TWICE. THERE IS A BULL EYE AND OTHER SMALL ROCK-CONTACT INCIDENTS 2. SPARE TIRE MOUNTED ON THE BACK HAS A COVER THAT TENDS TO LOOSE IF GOING THROUGH THE CAR WASH. TOOK PLACE TWICE. IMAGINE THE HAZARD IT PRESENTS TO CARS NEXT IN LINE IN CONVEYOR BELT WHEN THE COVER FALLS OFF RIGHT UNDERNEATH OF THEIR CARS AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO

DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE AT ABOUT THE LEGAL SPEED LIMIT OF 75 MPH, PART OF THE PLASTIC WHEEL WELL COVER ON THE UNDERSIDE CAME LOOSE AND CAUGHT BETWEEN THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE/WHEEL AND THE CAR BODY, AT FIRST SOUNDING LIKE WE MIGHT HAVE A FLAT TIRE. I PULLED OVER AND SAW THAT THE PLASTIC COVER WAS WEDGED BETWEEN THE TIRE AND THE CAR BODY. I HAD TO UNSCREW THREE SCREWS TO REMOVE THIS PIECE. IT EXPOSED SOME OF THE CAR BODY AND WHAT MIGHT BE OPENINGS INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WE TURNED AROUND TO HEAD HOME. AS WE PROCEEDED, DRIVING MORE SLOWLY BACK THE WAY WE CAME ON THE INTERSTATE, WE COULD HEAR SOME SCRAPING NOISE AROUND THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL. AS I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY, ANOTHER LARGE PLASTIC UNDERSIDE WHEEL WELL, (AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT?) COVERING FELL OUT BESIDE THE SIDEWALK AND STREET. UPON PARKING IN MY GARAGE, I COULD SEE THE UNDERSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL EXPOSED LIKE THE OTHER WHEEL AREA AND WHAT MIGHT BE UP INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SEVERAL PLASTIC PINS USED TO HOLD IT IN PLACE HAD FALLEN OFF BY THE SIDEWALK. FOR THIS SET OF PLASTIC PIECES TO COME LOOSE, CREATING A HAZARD, WAS VERY CONCERNING. PIECES POSSIBLY COULD HAVE FLOWN AWAY ON THE HIGHWAY, HARMING OTHER CARS OR DRIVERS. WE WERE GRATEFUL WE WERE NOT HURT AND DID NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. THIS APPEARED TO HAPPEN ON ITS OWN, WHICH REVEALS POTENTIALLY SHODDY MATERIALS AND ANCHOR MECHANISMS FOR THIS SET OF UNDERSIDE PIECES. THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND I WONDER IF OTHER RAV4 OWNERS HAVE HAD THESE PIECES COME LOOSE OR FALL OFF.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED IN THE VEHICLE DUE TO A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED, THE CONTACT'S ANKLE WAS IMPACTED BY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL, WHICH GENERATED AN UNSAFE CONDITION AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE MORE THAN ONCE AND HAD TO MOVE OVER TO THE RIGHT LANE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO PICK UP SPEED EACH TIME THE FAILURE RECURRED WHILE IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V113000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE DEALER'S TECHNICIAN CAME TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE FOR A TEST DRIVE AND THE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT THE POWER LOSS WAS DUE TO THE PLACEMENT OF THE CONTACT'S FOOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE SPACING NEAR THE ANKLE BY THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FROM THE RECALL REMEDY OF THE SOFTWARE UPDATE AND THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE MAY RECUR WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,315. UPDATED 09/10/15*LJ UPDATED 12/06/2017*CN

DRIVER DOOR, FRONT PASSENGER DOOR, AND TAILGATE DOOR LOCK MECHANISMS HAVE MALFUNCTIONED, NOT LOCKING OR UNLOCKING WITH THE REMOTE. HAD FRONT DRIVER DOOR LOCK AND REAR TAILGATE DOOR LOCKS REPAIRED EACH COSTING APPROX. $500. HOW CAN SO MANY LOCKS GO BAD? HAVE OTHER CAR OWNERS HAD THIS PROBLEM? *TR

I WAS PULLING INTO MY GARAGE. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND WENT FOR THE BRAKE AND THE CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD AND STRUCK A FOLDED DECK CHAIR WHICH WAS PUSHED THROUGH THE GARAGE WALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV 4. THE CONTACT OBSERVED MICE ENTERING THE VEHICLE FROM THE CLEAN AIR INTAKE AND STATED THAT SHE HAD CAUGHT FIFTY-SEVEN MICE TO DATE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO TO PREVENT THE MICE FROM ENTERING THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC IN 2008, WHERE THEY PLACED SEALANT ONTO THE VEHICLE TO KEEP THE MICE FROM ENTERING BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000 AND THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT NOTICED MICE ENTERING THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CLEAN AIR FILTER NOT EXHIBITING A SCREEN TO SHIELD THE MICE FROM ENTERING THE VEHICLE. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED THAT TRAPS BE SET TO CATCH THE MICE. THE TRAPS WERE SET, BUT THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 13,500.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA RAV4. WHILE DRIVING 35 TO 45 MPH WITH BOTH REAR WINDOWS OPENED, THE AIR PRESSURE IS VERY STRONG AND UNBEARABLE ON THE CONTACT'S EARS. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY STATED THAT NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AT THIS TIME. THE CONTACT WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,500 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,300. UPDATED 09/13/08.*LJ UPDATED 09/17/08. *JB