It is believed that the crossover of the fourth generation (CA40) is not modernly reliable. And it is, strangely enough, true.
One of the most popular models of Toyota is RAV4. Each new generation is sold out in great numbers and does not wait a buyer long at secondary market.
Let's check how the 40th showed itself in the era of total economy in production, which is noticeable even for premium brands.
From the history of the model
* ON THE CONVEYOR: from 2012 to 2018
* BODY: 5-door station wagon (SUV)
* ENGINE GAMMA: gasoline, P4, 2.0 liter (146 hp); 2.5 liter (180 hp); diesel, P4, 2.2 liter, (150 hp)
* Transmission: M6, A6, variator
* DRIVE: front, all-wheel drive
* RESTYLING: 2015 update headlights, lights, grille, tailgate, front and rear bumpers; freshened center console, steering wheel and instrument panel.
* Crash tests: 2013, EuroNCAP. General rating - five stars. Adult occupant protection - 89%; child protection - 82%; pedestrian protection - 66%; safety assist systems - 66%.
BODY
The chrome bodywork behaves quite well, there are no obvious weak spots. What can not be said about the fraying moldings and expanders on a fairly rare limited edition RAV4, such as Adventure.
Hood vibration on the move is sometimes found in older cars, when the factory sealant, gluing the grid frame of the hood and its panel, which begins to "play" at speed.
The squeak or crunch of door stops is a common thing, and they are changed quite often. Experience shows that lubrication only speeds up the demise of mechanisms (the manufacturer itself also forbids this procedure), because it causes them to get more dirt.
The lights of the restyled RAV have two flaws. The first is incomprehensible whitish traces or shrouds inside the bodies. And it was observed on the new cars. True, dealers have managed to put new lights on the majority of vehicles before handing them over to the customers. The second defect is the possible appearance of small cracks along the edges of the front of the lamps. They arise from internal stresses in the bodies due to imperfect manufacturing process. The upgraded lights arrived at the assembly line only in May 2018.
In the pre-reform cars produced between October 2015 and March 2016, the control unit for the fifth door sometimes fails. The manufacturer even conducted a recall campaign to replace this module with a modified one, which affected about 2,500 cars. The control element in the block burned out, if something prevented the door from closing - it simply could not withstand the increased current.
Windshield is not the most durable - it can crack on frost when heating is switched on. Especially it concerns crossovers of first years of manufacture. Most often cracks appear on the outside of the glass at the bottom.
The quality of the paintwork is average, but the Forty has no rusty sores on the body, unlike some other models of Toyota and Lexus, such as the Camry of the previous generation.
Toyota recently announced a recall campaign for restyled cars to replace heated windshield washer nozzles due to the risk of them melting. So far, official dealers have not recorded many actual cases of damage, but the manufacturer has taken preemptive action. At nozzles of old type, the body seal is broken. Water with reagents gets on the heater, which leads to a short circuit. The new repair kit consists of modified nozzles and new hoses.
MOTORS
The 2.0 series 3ZR-FE gasoline engine is mechanically reliable and has no obvious weaknesses, except for one flaw. The pre-reform cars were equipped with the Valvematic system, which changed the height of the intake valve lift (analog of the Valvetronic in BMW). Usually at 50,000 km failed its expensive (about 40,000 rubles) and unrepairable actuator (aka control unit). With the restyling it was decided to remove the Valvematic, and rightly so.
As with many modern Toyota motors, the motor 3ZR-FE after 100,000 km can leak cooling system pump (replacement will cost about 18,000 rubles). It leaks on all gasoline engines available for the RAV4. On the fourth RAV, this malfunction occurs less frequently than on other models of the brand.
2.0 Series 3ZR-FE Gasoline Engine. Gasoline engine 2.5 2AR-FE
The 2.5 2AR-FE petrol engine is well known from the previous Camry and does not suffer from serious ills. And under the hood of RAV4 it behaves even more diligently. Firstly, the leaks of crankshaft oil seals have become sporadic. Secondly, rattle of a phase shifter on an intake camshaft has practically ceased. If in Camry and some Lexuses the clutch was often changed even in warranty period, the fourth RAV has practically forgotten about this operation.
In general, 2AR is more reliable and durable, and therefore you should choose RAV4 in the first place from cars with this engine rather than 3ZR. In addition, the 2,5-liter engine is less strained, and therefore runs longer than the 2-liter.
The 2.2 diesel is problematic. In addition to the typical shortcomings and fastidiousness of modern heavy fuel motors, it is marked by two extremely dangerous defects.
On pre-reform engines, the cylinder head gasket quickly loses tightness. This leads to increased oil and coolant consumption, as well as significant fouling on the pistons and its rings. As part of the warranty repair, modified pistons and rings were installed in addition to the gasket. By the time the restyled crossovers appeared, the manufacturer had corrected this oversight.
An equally dangerous malfunction is overflowing fuel injectors. Formally they were modified in June 2015, but in fact all RAV4s are at risk. Any modern diesel is extremely sensitive to even a slight overfuel, and here the faulty injectors literally water the walls of the cylinders. The diesel fuel gets in the oil pan and speeds up the oil degradation and with it the engine wear, and in some cases, it even comes to piston burn-out. And the injectors usually "die" one by one and closer to the end of the warranty period.
And to a heap more minor soreness - leak of a front cover of the engine by 30 000-40 000 km on the cars issued till the end of January, 2015. So, if you're looking for a crossover with a diesel, don't even look at the RAV4.
Diesel 2.2 Aisin U760 series six-speed automatic
GEARBOXES
Six-speed automatic Aisin U760 series (relies on versions with gasoline engine 2.5 and diesel) does not have frankly weaknesses and is considered a representative of quite a successful family, but there are a few nuances that apply to most modern boxes of this type.
The peculiarity of many Aisin models is sensitivity to overheating. It doesn't speak about design defects - simply it is necessary to keep radiators clean (to wash them at least once in 60 000 km) and to behave reasonably on the off-road. The hydroblock is the first to suffer from overheating (deformation of the case is possible), which leads to more global damages.
During exploitation the wear of torque converter lockup clutch linings is inevitable, and its products get into oil. Therefore, it is worth refreshing the fluid at least once every 60,000 km (about 20,000 rubles, including parts and labor) to prolong the life of the box. And on the RAV4 clutch lock lives much longer than on the Camry with a similar automatic - it even released a modified torque converter and updated software.
You can also dig up a RAV with a manual 6-speed transmission if you try hard enough. There are no problems with this unit.
Variator with index K111F
The RAV4 is equipped with a variator with the index K111F, working together with a 2.0 gasoline engine. It belongs to a large family of units, which can be found in different models of Toyota and Lexus. If there are a lot of complaints about them even in warranty period, then K111F behaves practically exemplary on RAV4, as far as this word can be applied to variators.
However, this does not mean that you can relax when picking up a used RAV4. Even insignificant ailments of any CVT (for example, increased noise, delays during acceleration and jerks) are the evidence of that it is necessary to invest in repairing. That's why don't save money on full-fledged diagnostics in any case. Even the most successful variators have a limited lifespan, and their full recovery is very expensive.
INTERIOR
By modern standards, the interior trim of RAV4 is decent. In addition to the usual rapid deterioration of individual elements (leather trim steering wheel and front seats), which today is observed in the majority of cars, there are only a couple of local "crickets. Quality of a decor is quite bearable.
The leather upholstery of a steering wheel doesn't shine with longevity. It can start to fray or shine after 50 000 km, or even earlier. The manufacturer has been working with the steering wheel supplier for a long time to improve the quality of the leather. In the end, it was decided to change partners. Modified steering wheels are available on the market, which, unfortunately, didn't make it to the assembly line.
The nest of "crickets" on the pre-styled cars is the panel above the radio. Dealers often "glued" it to rid owners of rattling.
Condensation may form on the roof panel and drip down the uprights or through the plafond and sun visor mounts. The reasons for the appearance of moisture are in the peculiarities of the body construction and ventilation of the interior. There is only one recipe: glue the ceiling with sheets of noise insulation.
Restyled rattling back-vocal is the screen of the climate control unit. The plastic "plays" always when the interior is warmed up, the excessive movement becomes audible. It is necessary to remove multimedia system head unit and "glue" the control panel of climate control so that the gap between it and "head" was increased. Then the rattling will stop.
The leather upholstery of front seats is not of high quality. Quite quickly the cracks and fractures appear on the outer side cushion rolls. The life of the upholstery directly depends on how carefully the driver and passenger sit in the seat or leave the cabin. Only the cushion trim is replaceable, its foam base is not creased.
RUNNING GEAR
Oil leaks on the body of the angular gearbox - a typical picture for many models of crossovers with mileage over 100,000 km. Fortunately in RAV4 the tightness of the rear cover, through which passes the right drive, and not the internal seals is broken. It is not necessary to remove and disassemble the unit in order to re-seal it.
Quite often arising defect is the noise and vibrations of the rear wheel coupling. Inside its housing, the shaft bearing eventually wears out, which leads to irreparable internal damage to the node: it has to be replaced as a whole. The modified clutch did not arrive at the assembly line until September 2015.
On cars produced before May 2014, the rear longitudinal arms have old-style (split) silentblocks. This design was intended to improve ride comfort, but it caused the suspension to become unnecessarily soft, and it often punctured on bumps. The new silent blocks (monolithic) gave the suspension more rigidity. Unfortunately, the original elements are not available as separate parts, so the suspension upgrade involves replacing the longitudinal arms as an assembly.
As on many Toyota models, the rear brakes require periodic maintenance (preventive maintenance) due to the tendency of the caliper guides to stick. This will extend the life of the pads and discs.
Rear stabilizer rods are very loose from the lower arm, so they can easily be broken in half if you drive carelessly off-road.
The electric power steering components are built into the steering column and the usual rack-and-pinion steering mechanism is installed, which in theory should not cause any trouble. However, after 100,000 km, the rack often starts knocking and transmitting shocks to the steering wheel. And this happens in many modern models of Toyota. A small consolation: bulkhead reassembly in specialized firms is within the limits of money: turnkey work will cost about 15 000-20 000 rubles.
Front stabilizer bushes can creak even on low mileage. The only way out - replacement. And the new rubbers live much longer than the factory ones, although the manufacturer has not upgraded them.
Front brake pads and discs are worn out with terrible speed! Usually, you have to change them together after 30,000 km. Therefore, it is very important to check their condition regularly, so as not to unexpectedly stay without brakes.
The main elements of a suspension have an impressive service life by modern standards. For example, front and rear shock absorbers, as well as silent blocks will require attention only closer to 200,000 km.
TOTAL
Toyota RAV4 of the fourth generation (CA40) is a nice exception to the rule that each next generation of the model becomes more disposable. If to reject modification with the extremely capricious diesel engine, the "fourth" RAV4 will give much less trouble than its forerunner. In the arsenal of the car there are successful basic units and aggregates, which behave especially friendly on it. No corrosion on the body or total economy in the interior, as it happens on other Toyotas, is noticed.
The most reliable variant is the restyled RAV4 with the engine 2.5 and an automatic, and the most dangerous - the pre-reformed one with a diesel.
