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.
2008 Toyota RAV4 visibility problems
18 complaints (3% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 58,000.
- owner complaints
- 18
- of this car's complaints
- 3%
- typical mileage
- 58,000
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 2
Which part fails
- Power window devices and controls2
- Defroster/defogger/HVAC system2
- Windshield wiper/washer1
- Glass, side/rear1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Toyota RAV4 visibility problems in other years
Related recalls
Visibility: power window devices and controls
- What is wrong
- Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, and 2009-2010 Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. During the manufacturing of the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.
- Risk
- If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the PWMS circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 20, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1‑800‑331‑4331. Toyota's number for this recall is C0M.
Recall number 15V689000 · Recall details
Visibility: power window devices and controls
- What is wrong
- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 Camry, Camry Hybrid, RAV4, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Tundra, Sequoia, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Yaris, Scion xB, Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The power window master switch assemblies in some of these vehicles were built using a less precise process for lubricating the internal components of the switch assemblies. Irregularities in this lubrication process may cause the power window master switch assemblies to malfunction and overheat.
- Risk
- If the switch overheats, it may melt, possibly resulting in a fire.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will inspect the switch and apply a special grease that inhibits heat build up or replace any switch damaged by the defect, free of charge. Toyota owners that experience a problem with a switch should not attempt to make repairs, but should contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1‑800‑331‑4331. General Motors will contact the Pontiac Vibe owners affected by this recall and GM dealers will inspect and repair switches as necessary. Those owners may contact Pontiac Customer Care at 1‑800‑762‑2737.
Recall number 12V491000 · Recall details
What 2008 Toyota RAV4 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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.
I have a toyota rav4 that continues to have problems with the drivers side visor suddenly dropping out of the ceiling mount. Of course this happens when I am driving and becomes a huge distraction while trying to get it back in place. I have talked to many other rav4 owners and nearly everyone has had the same issue . It seams that the visor stub arm that goes into the ceiling mount wears our whatever is holding it into the socket . This has happened several times over the last 5 years and does seem to be more often in the summer time
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota rav4. The contact stated that the windshield wipers did not work. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 113,000.
There is a recurring problem with driver side sun visor where it doesn't stay where I put it. It regularly slips down and at times blocks my view of the road. This is a known/recurring problem with many other owners of this vehicle make/model (based upon internet search of this issue). When the visor is placed over the driver door window, when I go around a corner (turn), the visor will rotate and hit me in the head, again distracting me from the road and forcing me to make regular visor adjustments again and again. The toyota dealership is aware of this problem; a recall has not been issued for this problem.
The driver's side sun visor will not stay up, so it normally stays in a view-obstructed position when driving. This is a serious safety issue and toyota refuses to budge in terms of recalling this item. I brought this to the attention of toyota a year or so ago and they asked me for a quote to fix - I sent them a copy of the dealer price quote (around $150) and toyota refused to pay for it as a safety issue and basically told me to go away. I wouldn't normally complain about something like this but I've noticed multiple complaints about this same issue on the internet....and even from those who had the visor replaced under warranty and it happened again. Please feel free to call me at [xxx] if you'd like any additional information. Parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Driver's visor is loose. It won't fold up. Please kindly have a recall on this. Thanks!
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota rav4. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the rear window exploded. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 53,000. Updated 8/27/14*cn the vehicle has undergone 8 recalls. Updated 09/11/2014
Driver's side visor will not stay in the up position. Instead, when not needing to use it, it hangs down at least 3 inches from the ceiling, creating a visibility and safety hazard! This problem has been reported to toyota by many toyota owners, including both under warranty or outside of warranty. The dealer said they would need to replace the entire mirror visor, costing around $150, which is outrageous. It should be a recall item as a serious safety hazard.
The driver's sun visor will not snap back up to the vehicle's headliner and stay there. It remains in the driver's line of sight and this is particularly dangerous at night.
Questions about the 2008 Toyota RAV4 visibility
Does the 2008 Toyota RAV4 have visibility problems?
Owners have filed 18 complaints about the visibility of the 2008 Toyota RAV4, 3% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2008 Toyota RAV4 visibility problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 58,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Toyota RAV4 visibility?
Yes, 2 recalls: 15V689000, 12V491000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Toyota RAV4 have the most visibility problems?
The Toyota RAV4 model years with the most visibility complaints are 2012 (59 complaints), 2007 (50 complaints) and 2011 (50 complaints).
Other 2008 Toyota RAV4 problems
Engine 160Acceleration 92Suspension 81Steering 73Airbags 58Transmission 37Brakes 34Electrical 27Body 19Seat belts 18Fuel system 16Driver assistance 7Wheels 6Tires 5Seats 4Lights 3Locks 2
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