Toyota Rav4 Head Gasket

[MeggieMoo]

so...

I brought my Rav4 in 2010 with 56,000 miles and put it in for its annual service and now they are telling me the head gasket has gone... its done 76000 miles and is 2006 year. I hardly use the car, my average mileage is 6000 miles per year. Apparently Toyota have said that they were aware of this fault, and when I brought this up with customer relations they advised they wouldnt recall it because it wasnt a safety issue!! Now I have to suffer with the £4000 bill they are trying to ply me with!

Help :(

[Big Kev]

so...

I brought my Rav4 in 2010 with 56,000 miles and put it in for its annual service and now they are telling me the head gasket has gone... its done 76000 miles and is 2006 year. I hardly use the car, my average mileage is 6000 miles per year. Apparently Toyota have said that they were aware of this fault, and when I brought this up with customer relations they advised they wouldnt recall it because it wasnt a safety issue!! Now I have to suffer with the £4000 bill they are trying to ply me with!

Help :(

If this is another diesel (Megan please confirm and also year of first registration) engine that a Toyota dealer is trying to get the customer to pay for rather than replace it under the extended warranty scheme, it will be the second time in 6 weeks I will have seen this happen. (i.e. the dealer possibly wriggling....or is it a 2006 just outside the 7 year period.....?)

Megan......if yours is a 2007 or younger diesel with a decent service history, your engine should be subject to said extended warranty.

Now you may see why posters are always asked for full model details....and welcome to Toyota Forum......you will be helped if possible.

Aye....weather having effect on ma usual cheery demeanour.....dark as night in Scotlandshire......July ma bahookie....

[MeggieMoo]

Yes its a Diesel, T180 Rav and first manufacturing was 29th june 2006, so 3 days over 7 years...

They said they its not covered under my 12 month warrently and they said they can sell me the extended warranty but they cannot garauntee that this will cover it until I'd paid the money and they had spoken to the main service team (this could mean I would pay £500 and still not be any better off...)

[Davrav]

Hello Megan

When was this problem diagnosed?

[Big Kev]

Hello Megan

When was this problem diagnosed?

.......and are you dealing with Richard Turpin Toyota.....? Give us yer cash, and we will ask questions....?

[MeggieMoo]

Car was booked in for a service today, which they told me about it earlier...but they said it could be the case that it has had issues a while but I've been none the wiser.

Toyota have just advised its tough basically....

[MeggieMoo]

And it's Marshall Toyota.... And they agree with me about the issue, but the main Toyota service line won't budge, even though the local garage want to cover it under warranty...

[Davrav]

So you have curent twelve month warranty from Marshalls? Is this a Toyota warranty?

[MeggieMoo]

I brought the vehicle in feb 2010 so my 12 month toyota warranty has expired... They have said they can try and sell me their extended warranty but may not cover the issue but I have to buy it first... And then see if they will cover it under that, but they might not and they want my money before they can try it.

[Davrav]

Sit tight Megan and wait for Anchorman to look in. He will have a view on this I'm sure.

[MeggieMoo]

Ok :)

Going to take it to another garage as well to get a second opinion... Also have written to Toyota online and through Facebook as well as trading standards.

[Big Kev]

Ok :)

Going to take it to another garage as well to get a second opinion... Also have written to Toyota online and through Facebook as well as trading standards.

PM sent.....

[Devon Aygo]

This is an unfortunate situation the car is out of the extended warranty period and the car is not covered by any other warranty products. Toyota have already extended the warranty to more than double the original warranty period and Toyota have to draw the line somewhere 7 years & 3 days is out of the period of cover.

By all means contact customer relations and ask for assistance if you have full Toyota service history they may offer a contribution, if you don't have full Toyota service history you will most likely get a polite "No"

As for trading standards I'm not sure what they could offer beyond the "sales of goods act" this allows a claim up to 7 years from the original retail date, but this wouldn't apply in this case as it was purchased second hand. As a second hand purchase you would have to prove that the cylinder head gasket had failed before you purchased it, in this case that would mean the gasket has been leaking for around 3 years, obviously this is not the case.

As a side note offering to sell or attempting to purchase a warranty product to cover a documented pre existing fault is fraud!

[MeggieMoo]

Yeh, I seem to be in a pickle...

This sort of fault just shouldn't happen though, and I don't have money to throw away. Will tlk to Toyota tomorrow and find out more.... It's a shame really, you expect a Diesel engine to do over 80,000 miles.

[CharlieFarlie]

So a dealer wants to sell you a warranty and says they will advise if you can claim after the purchase ?? Surely thats never going to happen ? It would be like insuring a person with a terminal problem and then trying to claim ?

3 days..... Wow that is tough ! But Toyota I suppose have to draw the line ?

Me ? I would be onto Toyota Customer care and tell them your complaint was logged say a week within warranty and it took the garage a week to look and diagnose ! OK not strictly true perhaps but a far better and safer bet than insuring an already dying ....Well you know.......

Doing just the head gasket is not going to fully cure your car anyway as its lower in the engine IE the p[pistons and rings that are the cause of the actual problems. The head gasket blowing is the symptoms not the cause...

Failing all the above and I know this aint going to sit well !! Send it to the auctions.. Not a nice recourse but to repair properly would mean a replacement engine from Toyota.

Over the past two years or so we collectively have helped and advised many owners on getting their cars fitted with new engines and I know Don and I have spent much time on the phone to members giving this advise ! Now unfortunately we can only console those who find themselves with a knackered car that has just fallen outside of warranty.... Not nice...Sorry.................

[CharlieFarlie]

This is an unfortunate situation the car is out of the extended warranty period and the car is not covered by any other warranty products. Toyota have already extended the warranty to more than double the original warranty period and Toyota have to draw the line somewhere 7 years & 3 days is out of the period of cover.

By all means contact customer relations and ask for assistance if you have full Toyota service history they may offer a contribution, if you don't have full Toyota service history you will most likely get a polite "No"

As for trading standards I'm not sure what they could offer beyond the "sales of goods act" this allows a claim up to 7 years from the original retail date, but this wouldn't apply in this case as it was purchased second hand. As a second hand purchase you would have to prove that the cylinder head gasket had failed before you purchased it, in this case that would mean the gasket has been leaking for around 3 years, obviously this is not the case.

As a side note offering to sell or attempting to purchase a warranty product to cover a documented pre existing fault is fraud!

Sadly I have to agree with the above.. Fraud ? Well yes it likely is...

[Big Kev]

This is an unfortunate situation the car is out of the extended warranty period and the car is not covered by any other warranty products. Toyota have already extended the warranty to more than double the original warranty period and Toyota have to draw the line somewhere 7 years & 3 days is out of the period of cover.

By all means contact customer relations and ask for assistance if you have full Toyota service history they may offer a contribution, if you don't have full Toyota service history you will most likely get a polite "No"

As for trading standards I'm not sure what they could offer beyond the "sales of goods act" this allows a claim up to 7 years from the original retail date, but this wouldn't apply in this case as it was purchased second hand. As a second hand purchase you would have to prove that the cylinder head gasket had failed before you purchased it, in this case that would mean the gasket has been leaking for around 3 years, obviously this is not the case.

As a side note offering to sell or attempting to purchase a warranty product to cover a documented pre existing fault is fraud!

Sadly I have to agree with the above.. Fraud ? Well yes it likely is...

Aye, mins.....fraud it is, but nobody has ever come up with a word that covers insurance companies taking yer cash and wriggling out of claims at all cost.....ah know....let's call it FROD.......

[blackcts]

Its ridiculous all the same that a modern toyota diesel engine cant reach 80,000 miles without this major surgery! Tough one tbh! PM Parts King on here, im nearly sure he said that he can get optifit engines at a much reduced rate!

[MeggieMoo]

So.. Toyota have given me the final figure for the new engine.... £7000.00

And they will give me £3750.00 for my vehicle part exchange.. Even though its top spec, with full leather, sat nav, electric seats, blue tooth, parking sensors and all that jazz.. Even has a private RAV plate which is worth £1800+ alone...

I feel sick...

[blackcts]

PM Parts King on here Megan, I'm nearly sure he could get an optifit replacement engine for a fraction of that, then just get a mechanic to plumb it all in. Failing that see what kind of money you will get trading it in at other dealers - they may offer you more

[robo1]

£7000 sounds alot for a new engine.

2 years ago my RAV 3.3 blew its cylinder head gasket and toyota repaired the engine quite happily. 15 months on and the gasket went again . The garage informed me that they now replaced the engine if the gasket went. Toyota GB said the repaired engine was only guarenteed for 12 months ( as all toyota repairs are ) and so I would have to pay for everything although the car was still under 7 years. They quoted £4000 to do this. After alot of emails ToyotaGB agreed to contribute to the repairs once they had examined the engine. With the car in the garage they agreed to supply a new engine if I paid the labour. ( £1000 ). I cut my losses and agreed.

With the car again coming up to 1 year post new engine I changed for a new RAV.

You have to keep sending emails To Toyota GB if you want them to help/ change their minds

[CharlieFarlie]

The problem with the optifit engine IF that is its availlable ?? Kingo ? Is the deposit issue.. Fro memory Toyota may not want to take back the old unit as its of no use to them.. Cant remember to be truthfull but there is a big problem with getting one.... This is a shame co as I said when this was talked about before I said it would be a lifeline to any that find themselves in this exact position...

As I said above.... And it genuinely makes me sad to say this.. Send the car to an auction where unfortunately some unwitting buyer will cop for it.. This is very likely what the dealer would do with it anyway as a 2006 T180 is getting a wee bit long in the tooth for a Dealer to retail.....

[MeggieMoo]

well toyota are coming back to me tomorrow, so will see what they come back to me with. Have found a warranty bulletin (wb553) which confirms that Toyota are aware of the fault and as long as vehicle is under 7 years old and has done under 110,000 miles, it has an extended warranty.

[CharlieFarlie]

well toyota are coming back to me tomorrow, so will see what they come back to me with. Have found a warranty bulletin (wb553) which confirms that Toyota are aware of the fault and as long as vehicle is under 7 years old and has done under 110,000 miles, it has an extended warranty.

Megan Im confused ? Is your car within the 7 year period or not ?

[MeggieMoo]

When the fault was recognised this week it was 7 years one day old. Toyota have said its tough as its one day out of the warranty. Yes you read that right, one day.