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New Rav 4 Owner


janzbro
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Hi , just about to get a Rav4 2004 2.0 VVTI XT3 - any known issues I should look out for

Also can I ask a few questions

Can the 4 wheels drive be disabled or is it permanant

Does it have a timimg belt or a chain and when should this be replaced

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Hi , just about to get a Rav4 2004 2.0 VVTI XT3 - any known issues I should look out for

Also can I ask a few questions

Can the 4 wheels drive be disabled or is it permanant

Does it have a timimg belt or a chain and when should this be replaced

Welcome to the club.

They sometimes have the odd oxygen sensor issue but so can any petrol, other than that they are quite reliable. You may be dissapointed with the fuel consumption and 30mpg is typical.

It has a chain so as long as you change the oil as required you will never have any problems with it and the drive is permanent so cannot be disengaged.

Its a good car in summary so enjoy it.

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My 2004 XT4 has (touch wood) been exceptionally reliable. The only real things to check for is that all the oils and brake fluid have been changed. (there are a few)

Oils are

Engine - yearly or 10K miles

Transmission - (if its manual) level checked at 4 years but worth changing every 40K miles

Front transfer box - change every 2 years or 20K miles

Rear diff - change every 2 years or 20K miles

Brake fluid change every two years

Also the pins in the rear brakes are also prone to corrode and sieze in. They can be removed and lubed in about 10 mins with the wheels off. (there are two pins each side that hold the pads in the calliper, they can sieze sold in the caliper requiring new calipers)

If you are buying from a dealer I would haggle a full fluid change and a rear brake clean and lube.

I have also attached the 2004 sales brochure for the car which gives all the tech details and options.

Good luck

toyota_RAV4 brochure.pdf

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agree the 2.0 rav is reliable. you should feed it with very good petrol + reliable oil -- that is it.

cheers

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Yep they love to munch an 02 sensor (~£80 each), the odd ARB droplink (£20 ish) and the rear brakes need rebuilding once every few years cos they don't get much use and can sieze. Other than that, bullet proof.

4WD is full time, if the car does not have VSC then it has an LSD on the rear. VSC cars have an open diff and VSC manages the slip.

No rising oil levels requiring an engine change, £800 DMF issues, £1500 turbo failures, £800 DPF issues, £500 high pressure fuel pump issues etc etc like you find on modern diesels....

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Hi , just about to get a Rav4 2004 2.0 VVTI XT3 - any known issues I should look out for

Also can I ask a few questions

Can the 4 wheels drive be disabled or is it permanant

Does it have a timimg belt or a chain and when should this be replaced

We've got two: an 02-reg VX (bought new) & a 54-reg XT3 (bought as approved used Toyota last May). Apart from a new cat last year on the older car (which was the dealer's fault IMHO) and a new serpentine drive belt (drives the alternator, water pump, power steering pump), they've been utterly reliable.

Best cars we've ever had, I reckon (touching wood furiously!!!!).

Enjoy!

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Cheers folks, everything sounds good - all the fluid levels has been replaced in its last service (all nice and clear) , it has full service history (all but the last ones toyota)

Bit dissapointed with the MPG book states 38 mpg on long runs - we will see

Thanks again for the quick replies - see you all on here in the future - just going to pick up and give it a good polish on return

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My 2004 XT4 has (touch wood) been exceptionally reliable. The only real things to check for is that all the oils and brake fluid have been changed. (there are a few)

Oils are

Engine - yearly or 10K miles

Transmission - (if its manual) level checked at 4 years but worth changing every 40K miles

Front transfer box - change every 2 years or 20K miles

Rear diff - change every 2 years or 20K miles

Brake fluid change every two years

Also the pins in the rear brakes are also prone to corrode and sieze in. They can be removed and lubed in about 10 mins with the wheels off. (there are two pins each side that hold the pads in the calliper, they can sieze sold in the caliper requiring new calipers)

If you are buying from a dealer I would haggle a full fluid change and a rear brake clean and lube.

I have also attached the 2004 sales brochure for the car which gives all the tech details and options.

Good luck

Hey Ian

Are all of these things covered in the Toyota Service schedule? Mine has full Toyota Service History so I'd assume all of this would have been done when needed?

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Stupidly brake fluid changes are not included but recommended, so depending on the dealer/owner they might not have taken place. (Don’t forget the clutch fluid as it’s all off the same reservoir)

In a similar manner the transmission/gearbox is only specified to be checked every 4 years. Personally I would also change it roughly every 40K miles.

Under normal servicing the brakes are likely to go untouched between pad changes, which is usually guaranteed to ensure the rear pins seize up. From experience I would recommend cleaning and lubing the brakes every two years in the UK.

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Thanks Ian. Hopefully this is useful for the OP too. Is there a 'how to' guide for rear brake cleaning? I did a quick search but didn't find anything. Thanks :-)

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To clean the brakes you just remove the pads as per the pinned section at the top of the forum eg:

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=86796&st=0&p=1033319entry1033319

Most car places sell brake cleaner in cans, I spay this of a cloth and clean all the crud off the pads etc. Obviously dont get any grease or crud on the friction surface. Then you want to reassemble the brakes with some brake grease very lightly dabbed where shown on the toyota brake diagrams (posted somewhere, do a search). Also very lightly smear brake pins with grease. Back brakes are very easy assuming the pins are not seized.

In the old days copperslip was the lubricant of choice, most car companies don't now recommend copper compounds near ABS.

I use special silicon grease you can get from a ford dealer. Its expensive (approx £15 for 100g) but lasts ages

Brake grease ford part no 1197919 Silicon Grease to ESE-M1C171-A SPEC

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Oh yes and if it's an Auto then there is a potentially expensive issue.

There is bad software in the ECU that eventually kills it. You need to get the latest firmware in there before it burns out.

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I am pretty sure the Auto problem was fixed by the 2004 model.

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I am pretty sure the Auto problem was fixed by the 2004 model.

That's a partial relief since our 5-dr auto is 02-reg. So far it's been 1st class but what should I be doing re the firmware load??

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There was a problem with Auto equiped cars arround 2001 - 2003. From what I understand its not a software/firmware addressable problem rather the ECU fails and causes the Auto box to exhibit eratic behavour.

There have been many previous posts on the subject the latest was :

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=128188&st=0&p=1148288&hl=+ecu%20+repair&fromsearch=1entry1148288

This site offers the best solution if you have the problem. (it also has a good short summary of the problem)

http://www.rav4ecm.net/

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Thanks guys, luckily not an auto 5 speed manual

just drove back on a 70 mile trip and it averaged 39.7 mpg driving 10 miles through town and 60 miles on motorway at 70+ most of the way.

!Removed! good for a petrol me thinks as at the mo Ive got a 350z and that drinks petrol like nobodys business

all looks well as stated all fluids look crystal, even the engine oil, no smoke but the exhaust back box flange to the middle section looks a bit rotton but to be expected and still sound

PS whats the little dial to the rhs of the sterring wheel on dash that looks a little like a clock face - headlight adjustment?????

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Hi John, that sounds like the panel light dimmer switch.

Glad you are pleased with your new wheels

Del

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