Rav4 SR

[slr222]

Hi everyone

I apologise if this has been asked before, but I have been unable to find the answer on the forum.

I have posted previously when we owned a T180 that was having the usual issues with dpf. EGR, pressure sensor pipes etc. clogging  up with carbon resulting in almost daily regen attempts and "limp mode" on occasion.

My question is did Toyota resolve this problem with the introduction of the SR model in 2010 or is that model still likely to encounter the same issues as we had with the T180?

I am considering buying a 2011 SR with 30000 miles on the clock as a second car, but don't wish to do so if we are likely to experience the same issues as before.

Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to provide.

 

[152bobby]

I have a 2011 SR DCat and I had a bad situation with the so called auto Regen !!!

There is NOTHING in the car that notifies you that a Regen has started and in progress.

Luckily for me my Toyota dealer managed to do a forced Regen.

The issue is, when a Regen starts, you may be at the end of your journey and the Regen may not have finished.

Anyway, my advice is stay well away of the diesel and go for petrol, especially if you do short journeys.

I love my Rav, but I just wish I never opted for the diesel.

I'm sure other forum members will have their views, but this is from someone who has first hand experience of a Regen not performing it's so called "auto regen"

Hope this helps.

[slr222]

Thanks for your feedback Bobby.

I had hoped that the 2AD engine mods introduced in 2010 had addressed the problem but based on your experience it would appear not.

Did your problem arise even though your driving pattern included some reasonable length trips to enable the regen to complete or were the majority of your trips short ones in traffic for example?

[philip42h]

I covered a little short of 60,000 miles in my SR180 and so far over 40,000 miles in my current car - both D-CAT engines complete with DPF, EGR et al; one pre- and one post the associated modifications - with absolutely no engine issues of any sort. I'm sure that I interrupted a regen from time to time as it occasionally "smells hot" as I walk away but that sorts itself out next time I go out. That said, the majority of my mileage has been accumulated through regular, longer, journeys at motorway speeds.

I'm a very happy D-CAT driver and the engine compliments the car very well - especially in its current auto form. But, based on what I've read, I'd spin Bobby's advice slightly differently and suggest that you should probably avoid the diesel if you do only or predominantly short journeys.

 

[152bobby]

I have a 2011 SR DCat and I had a bad situation with the so called auto Regen !!!

There is NOTHING in the car that notifies you that a Regen has started and in progress.

Luckily for me my Toyota dealer managed to do a forced Regen.

The issue is, when a Regen starts, you may be at the end of your journey and the Regen may not have finished.

Anyway, my advice is stay well away of the diesel and go for petrol, especially if you do short journeys.

I love my Rav, but I just wish I never opted for the diesel.

I'm sure other forum members will have their views, but this is from someone who has first hand experience of a Regen not performing it's so called "auto regen"

Hope this helps.

 

I must admit, no one at the Toyota dealer had come across this issue on my year and model before, I even spoke to Toyota GB at my disgust in the lack of vehicle to driver communication in this instance, which was zero and they confirmed in writing to me that my car has no such dashboard light etc, I think them telling me this in writing was a mistake, as in the end this cost me £0, but I think a lot of this was down to my excellent Toyota Dealer customer services manager and the relationship I have with him and the other staff.

At first I was palmed off with, "it must be your driving methods" !!!  After calming down and explaining in great detail my exact repeat daily, weekly driving trips, they gave in.  I do VERY little short trips and blast it down the motorway very regular.

If they had not managed a forced Regen , then I would have been looking at a bill of £800 +, if that had happened, I would have taken Toyota GB to the cleaners.

It took my wife a while to put her faith in the Rav again, as it was her, with my daughter 100 miles away from home who was driving, car went into limp mode, AA came out, did what little he could, except confirmed that it was a Regen issue, but my wife had to drive home with a sick car.....Not a nice experience.

And now the BUT......I have driven Toyota's for over 20 years, both cars and customers services have been great, it was just this one instance that knocked me for six.

 I'm sticking with Toyota and my Rav and will probably get another Rav, but NOT a diesel.