RAV4 Gen5 (4.5) XA50 rear door wheel arch seal

[Strangely Brown]

I washed my RAV for the first time since picking it up yesterday and I was horrified, OK really disappointed, at the amount of crud that collected inside the rear door shuts.

It strikes me that the rubber seal there is all that is keeping road water out of the car and that it is unlikely to be particularly long lived. If anyone else experiences the same problem then I wonder if you have come across the additional arch liners that can be added. There seem to be several different sources although I have yet to find one in the UK.

I have ordered some from the US via a friend there.

Problem and solution:
 

 

[Hayzee]

I had exactly the same problem with my previous Volvo XC60 and similarly now with my RAV4 PHEV. Just like the solution you show above, there are similar but smaller inserts that solved the XC60 problem. I'm amazed that Volvo and Toyota don't implement a similar design so that we don't have to address it.

[Markyswan]

I do get a small bit but thought it was just general dirt and the boys shoes when getting in and out the back. Will have to watch this now.

[ernieb]

I’ve found exactly the same, really bad in winter.

[Hybrid21]

Yes I've noticed this too when washing the car, also like Colin I also noticed it on my XC60.

A simple modification and looks easy to install, but I'm not sure about the fit and the obvious gaps for dirt to gather.

Personally I'd rather just continue to wash that area everytime I wash the car, as I always wash the inside edge of the doors anyway.

But good video 👍

[ernieb]

@Hybrid21, so far I’ve taken the same view. I’ve just made sure I’ve given the area a good coat of polish as protection.

[philip42h]

... and if you use a pressure washer, a little extra attention to the door shut, where the dirt gets in, does a very decent job of rinsing it all away again.

(With the 4.4 there was a similar 'issue' along the bottom of the driver and passenger doors.)

[Hayzee]

Volvo actually sold the part that fixed the XC60 issue as an aftermarket add on. My last XC60 was a 2020 model and I don't know if they ever actually fitted the add on as part of the original spec.

[Hybrid21]

My Volvo was a 2015 model and over the 6 years I had it this was never a problem.

I feel the part looks too much like an aftermarket fitment and may cause some complaints from rear seat passengers re entry and exit. ( especially my wife 😃 )

[Firecycle]

I clean mine in a regular basis but after a long and muddy trip (think minor roads and b****y farmers spreading mud all over the place) my seals are in a right state. Would love to buy these inserts but I was told that they do not ship to the UK which is annoying to say the least. Sadly I do not have any mates in the States that could ship them for me.

[Hayzee]

12 hours ago, Firecycle said:

I clean mine in a regular basis but after a long and muddy trip (think minor roads and b****y farmers spreading mud all over the place) my seals are in a right state. Would love to buy these inserts but I was told that they do not ship to the UK which is annoying to say the least. Sadly I do not have any mates in the States that could ship them for me.

They are available for shipping to UK from Amazon.Com but expensive

https://www.amazon.com/MotorFansClub-Fender-Flares-Splash-Compatible/dp/B0915GTJ89/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

 

Also available on UK Amazon but even more expensive

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bomely-Fender-Flares-Splash-Accessories/dp/B08FDBCPBG

[Strangely Brown]

It seems that the supplier in the linked video does not have any US stock - "stuck in customs" - so I have cancelled my order until such times as they do. As soon as the refund is processed I will order elsewhere.

I get the impression that they all come from the same place in China and just filter out to different re-sellers.

[Firecycle]

Wow they are a bit expensive for 2 bits of plastic 

[ernieb]

10 hours ago, Firecycle said:

Wow they are a bit expensive for 2 bits of plastic 

I guess these are always likely to sell in low volumes and there is the cost of tooling and set up for what would be a short run. That said they are expensive and something similar should have been included in the original design.