Rav Engine Trouble

[GreyRacer]

This problem has been getting worse over the last two weeks or so and today really bad. The engine is surging when under acceleration or going up hill. In any gear, at any revs and all speeds. When you accelarate the engine fuels fully and then starts to surge along. It's like the brakes are being applied and let off constantly.

Had the 30,000 miles service one month ago. Car is a 2010 2.2 D4D XT-R and there are no engine management lights coming on.

Any ideas before I call Mr. T on Monday.

[Bos]

It sounds like clutch problems to me.

[igormus]

EGR to be cleaned

[Big Kev]

.........sounds like water in the fuel filter to me.....and have you been using el cheapo diesel ?

Big Kev

[GreyRacer]

Not clutch I think.

EGR gets blasted regularly. We are not town drivers.

Only use Shell.

[DominicPriestley]

EGR is not the same as a DPF where you give it the beans to clean out. The valve can become sooted up, but you say you only use Shell, so unlikely. When did fuel filter last get changed?

[anchorman]

Definitely not EGR on that model (or at least not the traditional problem). I would go for the fuel filter too.

[GreyRacer]

Thanks for the replies. Going to do a 70 miles run back up the A1 today so will she how she behaves from yesterday.

[GreyRacer]

Is the fuel filter easy to locate and change in the RAV. I've never delved into any mechanicals as always been in warranty with all our Toyotas except my Celica.

[Big Kev]

Is the fuel filter easy to locate and change in the RAV. I've never delved into any mechanicals as always been in warranty with all our Toyotas except my Celica.

Have a look above in Pinned Section, and also see Webley's tutorial (need to do a search...)

[GreyRacer]

Been in touch with my local Mr. T this morning and it is most definitely the fuel filter which will be partially blocked.The Manager told me that several diesel RAVs have had the exact same problem over the last two weeks in our area.

Toyota has found that it is caused by the extra winter additives that the fuel companies have put in now. Ours keeps going but several have become undrivable.

It is predominately Shell and ASDA in the Borders region.

This cannot be good for us here in the UK. I wonder if our filters are different to North Europe where winter diesel is normal.

[DominicPriestley]

Glad your going to get the filter changed.

It being caused by winter additives sounds like complete baloney to me!

[anchorman]

Lets see if it cures it first. Not sure about the explanation though, the additives go in as liquids, not crumbled in like oxo cubes.

[Hoovie]

Just going to head to the Shell in Berwick to fill up today actually! Bad batch of fuel? May be best to avoid currently :(

[Davrav]

Lets see if it cures it first. Not sure about the explanation though, the additives go in as liquids, not crumbled in like oxo cubes.

I'd have thought that winter additives would have the opposite effect anyway - aren't they added to prevent waxing etc?

[GreyRacer]

New filter fitted by Mr. T at Border FOC. At the same time they carried out the suspension recall and washed the car. Engine running very sweetly.

[DominicPriestley]

Result!

[Hoovie]

How did they wash it? Asking as my RAV is going in on Thursday and was going to ask them to NOT wash it as dont fancy lots of swirls from an old sponge :(

[GreyRacer]

@Hoovie, high pressure lance. No sponges.

[Hoovie]

Had my RAV service today and had a long discussion re Fuel Filters. It does seem that winter diesel and the Fuel Filters just do not get on and a replacement of the filter is an instant fix.

Seems that the general policy is that upto 20,000 miles, it is regarded as a warranty issue, but over 20,000 it may be a chargeable one (and my RAV is now 19,700!). Service guy did say to stick to branded fuels - and that may mean the chance of getting it fixed FOC is better then if you have been using Supermarket fuel (my comment, not his)

The exact reason for this is unknown, but the same thing happened last year at the same time with lots of calls and the dealers cannot get anyone to tell them WHY it is happening, but just have to do the temporary fix of a new filter.

[Hoovie]

Went back to the garage yesterday to get the service booked stamp and they are snowed under with fuel filter bookings right now. Any other areas of the country reporting similar problems or is it just the Scottish Borders?!

[GreyRacer]

A friend of mine from Duns had a near one the other day. His wife was overtaking an artic in their diesel Urban when it totally cut out.

AA took it to Border and the fuel filter was solid.

I'd like to know if it is only Toyotas in our area though as none of my friends with other diesel marks seem to be having problems.

[Tony Barnsley]

It's only got down to -1 or -2C so far round here and no issues so far with mine, and I have been out and about at that temp.

[webleymk3]

glad its sorted.

We lost all power as the car was starved of fuel although this was down to crap in the fuel tank getting caught in the filter.. damn filter!

[Hoovie]

A friend of mine from Duns had a near one the other day. His wife was overtaking an artic in their diesel Urban when it totally cut out.

AA took it to Border and the fuel filter was solid.

I'd like to know if it is only Toyotas in our area though as none of my friends with other diesel marks seem to be having problems.

As most will be aware, the forecast next week is for the temp to drop significantly and go below zero and stay that way for a while :(

Now I was at the local Mitsubishi dealer today (dropping off invoice for repairs yesterday and arranging more work for tomorrow :) ) and he said that he is expecting a line up of vehicles to appear outside his showroom next week with fuel filter problems once the temp has dropped, so it does pretty well confirm that it is a generic issue.