RAV4 Owners & Aficionados

Thanks. I'll have to see if I can find out where my wife hid this. Seriously, she took the Owner's Guide and Entertainment System Guide out of the car and put them somewhere. I don't know what she did with the Maintenance Guide.

 

A comment and a question. The dealer recommended that we have EFI tank additive, but the service log states that's only needed at 35,000 miles for vehicles in Guam, PR, American Samoa, and Hawaii. Since we're in Texas I declined.

My wife's driving routine doesn't meet any of the severe service criteria in the maintenance log.

They also recommended a brake fluid change, but I see nothing about that anywhere in the maintenance log. I'm a big skeptical because in almost 60 years of owning for many years doing my own maintenance I don't know that I've ever had to replace brake fluid other than to top it off after doing a brake job.

Other than water contamination, is there any reason to replace brake fluid?

 

GODDAYUUUMSON!
Looking bespoke and on point!

 

Expensive brake modules and calipers can boil.

It's supposed to be 2-3 years, but I usually tell people to do it every 5 in dry areas. I don't sell brake flushes unless its during a brake job.

Its 100% in the service manual, and its actually part of the included toyota plans.

 

Wife's Toyota had the CEL Come on and note a "brake failure." That was odd. They were working fine. And it happened on start up at Walmart. So I ran back in and grabbed some brake fluid assuming it was low. Went to add it and the thing was full and looking clean. Car only had about 10,000 miles on it and was right at 3 years old. Took it in to the (independent) shop and they explained that yes Toyota has a timer on the brake juice because they want it changed out for longevity and cleanliness. He mentioned it may be tied to the lawsuit with the floor mats and all.

Mechanic went on to say that there was nothing wrong with driving on it because the fluid looked brand new and at 10K should have been. But he wasn't going to clear the error code and light until the fluid was changed. So the options were:
1. Ignore the light and the fluid
2. Change the fluid and clear the light.

We opted to change it out and clear the light.

 

No warning lights, brakes worked fine other than the rear pad were down to 3mm. I looked that up and on RAV4 with the Electronic Parking Brake the rears tend to wear out faster. That was new to me as the Tundra I had went 231,000 brakes before the rear brakes needed service and my wife's 2007 Highlander never needed rear pads in 16 years and 133,000 mies.

 

To be clear - hers is a Toyota but not a Rav4. Hers is half BMW so God only knows where that sensor is in the system that knows it's time.

 

Thank you my man!

 

Is it based on mileage, months, or just examination of the fluid/complaints of spongy brakes?

 

Ahhh, that car. I watched "The Car Care Nut" video on repairing a door latch on one. The BMW parts were typically German overengineered and hard to repair.

 

here we go again....

 

Here is what shows on the dash when my Rav shuts off while driving.

The white bar says "IGNITION ON"
Any ideas what could be going on with it?

 

It's coming out of "ready" mode, there's a hybrid issue. Too many to even guess.

Do you hear the cooling fan in the engine coming on?

 

Thanks Bishop.
No fan sound.

 

Was anyone tempted by the 9.5” of ground clearance on the Outback/Forester wilderness edition?

 

Personally, I think the Wilderness Outback is a little silly. It doesn't make the car into a real offroader, and it hurts the things that make the Outback a good choice (gas mileage, smooth ride). I doubt you can take a Wilderness series anywhere a standard Outback wouldn't go.

 

It’s like a 0.5” difference I believe.
The dealer said they made it because so many people were modding [them] for ground clearance and voiding the warranty.
(My wife (and I) just walked away from a RAV4 for a Forester hybrid.)
I’m suspect I could get to 9.5 pretty easily with a tires and a lift.

But what people (me) pay for an inch or so of lift on a Tacoma makes me say “hmmmm”, lol!