Front Spring Recall

[RAV4 in Family]

Hi, we have just today recieved a letter form Toyota stating that they are doing a recall on Rav 4's and ours is included(96 GX) They say that they have found that the front springs could have corosion on them leading to falier and are going to replace both of them at their expence. We have already, at the beggining of the year had one front spring replaced by our local garrage due to it being broken in two. Would we be able to charge toyota for us having the spring replaced?

[Uncle Bob]

Its good to hear that Toyota take recalls serious, even on cars out of warranty.

As to your dilemma, you could sent a copy of the recall letter and a copy of your invoice for the spring to Toyota GB ( or take it to your local dealer ) ,but my guess is they will only pay for the spring not the labour :( .

[RAV4 in Family]

Its good to hear that Toyota take recalls serious, even on cars out of warranty.

As to your dilemma, you could sent a copy of the recall letter and a copy of your invoice for the spring to Toyota GB ( or take it to your local dealer ) ,but my guess is they will only pay for the spring not the labour :( .

Have contacted Toyota and they are going to pay for the work we had done, including labour plus replace both the front springs. They don't like the fact that the replacement spring we had put on was not a genuine Toyota one.

[Uncle Bob]

Its good to hear that Toyota take recalls serious, even on cars out of warranty.

As to your dilemma, you could sent a copy of the recall letter and a copy of your invoice for the spring to Toyota GB ( or take it to your local dealer ) ,but my guess is they will only pay for the spring not the labour :( .

Have contacted Toyota and they are going to pay for the work we had done, including labour plus replace both the front springs. They don't like the fact that the replacement spring we had put on was not a genuine Toyota one.

Sounds like a great outcome, keep us updated on the final result.

This could be a good time for other club members with MK1 RAV4's to contact their local dealer or Toyota GB about the recall on the front coil springs.

[RAV4 in Family]

Follow up. After contacting our local Toyota garage they knew nothing about this recall. Phone Toyota direct again and they say that they were told about this months ago. So phoned our local Toyota dealer again and spoke to a new lady who was very rude and promised to talk to her manager and phone back, of which never happend. Phoned Toyota again who said that they would contact the garage-they could not get hold of them so we phoned the local garage and got through. They put us onto the rude new lady again and she refused to let us talk to a manager saying that he was busy and was going home soon and would phone us the next day, this being 3:30 on Friday. Gues what no call on Sat and we were told that they knew nothing about the recall again and to phone Toyota about this matter. Very poor service

[Uncle Bob]

Follow up. After contacting our local Toyota garage they knew nothing about this recall. Phone Toyota direct again and they say that they were told about this months ago. So phoned our local Toyota dealer again and spoke to a new lady who was very rude and promised to talk to her manager and phone back, of which never happend. Phoned Toyota again who said that they would contact the garage-they could not get hold of them so we phoned the local garage and got through. They put us onto the rude new lady again and she refused to let us talk to a manager saying that he was busy and was going home soon and would phone us the next day, this being 3:30 on Friday. Gues what no call on Sat and we were told that they knew nothing about the recall again and to phone Toyota about this matter. Very poor service

Name and shame the dealer .

[Uncle Bob]

This is a bit long winded, but i took a look on Toyota Japan's web site and under the "RECALL " section i founds this (its been translated from japanese to english using a conversion site ,but you get the gist of it ).....

"Concerning the portion of the regular use car of RAV4 L and RAV4 J, it started delivering the recall of the below-mentioned contents to the national traffic ministry on 2006 January 19th. Improvement place explanation drawing 1. Because there are inadequate ones in surface washing which is done before the painting the coil spring for the circumstance nosewheel of the trouble, when the long period of time it is used under the corrosion environment by the antifreezing agent and the like being able to shave paint, there are times when the rust occurs. Because of that, when use is continued that way, the rust advancing, when it breaks, it is worst, there is a possibility of becoming travelling impossible2. The contents all vehicle and the particular coil spring of improvement are exchanged with the non-defective item. 3. Quantity remark E-SXA10G of the under carriage number production period object car where the object vehicle type alias name object car is included RAV4 LRAV4 J SXA10-0094541? SXA10-0100947 1995 May 19th? 1995 July 31st 3,034 E-SXA11G SXA11-0012738? SXA11-0033874 15,223 note: 1. Because also the vehicle which does not become the object is included in the range of the under carriage number where the object car is included, please inquire at the Toyota store of the vicinity concerning details. 2. Production period of the object car differs from the time of purchase. Doing to apply annoyance, there is no excuse truly in everyone of regular use, but making guide from the Toyota store, because it receives, ahead of time, it comes to the regular use car handling store of the vicinity and reservation receives store day and time, inspection repair (no charge) to receive that it receives, it asks. We apologize to everyone of regular use from thing and the heart which very much applied annoyance. Please inquire the question regarding the car to the nearby Toyota store or customer aspectual talks center of top page lower part. It returns to summary ."

[Gaz3395]

Its good to hear that Toyota take recalls serious, even on cars out of warranty.

As to your dilemma, you could sent a copy of the recall letter and a copy of your invoice for the spring to Toyota GB ( or take it to your local dealer ) ,but my guess is they will only pay for the spring not the labour :( .

Have contacted Toyota and they are going to pay for the work we had done, including labour plus replace both the front springs. They don't like the fact that the replacement spring we had put on was not a genuine Toyota one.

Exactly the same thig has happened to me, i was asked to take a quote from the garage for the work that was done, which i did. toyota said they had to be genuine toyota parts. i argued it shouldnt matter if they were bananas... i paid to have them fitted anyway, they wouldnt be springs for a mini would they. i then recontacted toyota who said i had to send them the quote... rang up yesterday (4 weeks later) and ive been told yes the payment has been approved for the parts and labour, so im waiting for the check to arrive.

[Whiteclaw]

Sorry for upping a rather old thread but I am now concerned. I have had my rav since 2005, it is a 3dr 95 gx and have not even heard of this at all. Should I be doing anything? Such as crapping myself when driving?

Just to add, I did read the later thread for 2008 with regards to the very same issue.

[anchorman]

Well you could get in touch with a dealer and ask if your car is affected by the recall and if it has been done.

[bothwell_buyer]

As ancs says, checking with a dealer will confirm if your car was afected. My 1994 cars were not affected.

However, it is worth checking the springs yourself as they may well break.... normally down near the seat of the spring. Its actually quite hard to notice any difference in the handling if a rear spring breaks.

If the front spring breaks, it will just sit down a bit and you'll notice - possibly - a notchiness in the steering

[firemac]

As ancs says, checking with a dealer will confirm if your car was afected. My 1994 cars were not affected.

However, it is worth checking the springs yourself as they may well break.... normally down near the seat of the spring. Its actually quite hard to notice any difference in the handling if a rear spring breaks.

If the front spring breaks, it will just sit down a bit and you'll notice - possibly - a notchiness in the steering

Ours isn't a 4.1 but an 02 VVTi auto. Coincidentally though, one of our rear springs broke & we just had to have it replaced. I must admit to being a bit surprised that an apparently robust 4x4 would suffer from this especially as it's never been off-road and I've read that oriental motors don't usually suffer from coil failure, unlike Euro cars, as they still finish the pig-tails properly (like we used to in Europe in the old days).

Guess all those "speed humps" (what an oxymoron!) do cause damage eventually, even to off-roaders.

[wardude]

So how come they will replace front springs on cars that are 15 years old but they wont change my split seat base which had a fix in place and my car is only 4 and a half year old?? :censor:

[Davrav]

So how come they will replace front springs on cars that are 15 years old but they wont change my split seat base which had a fix in place and my car is only 4 and a half year old?? :censor:

I guess the springs are a safety issue and could lead to an accident. Toyota can't afford another fiasco along the lines of the stuck accelerator pedal.

I suppose you could try and argue that your seat cover could lead to a 'bum injury' should one of the seat springs come through but I doubt you would get far..............

[wardude]

So how come they will replace front springs on cars that are 15 years old but they wont change my split seat base which had a fix in place and my car is only 4 and a half year old?? :censor:

I guess the springs are a safety issue and could lead to an accident. Toyota can't afford another fiasco along the lines of the stuck accelerator pedal.

I suppose you could try and argue that your seat cover could lead to a 'bum injury' should one of the seat springs come through but I doubt you would get far..............

BOINGGGGG OOOOOOOO Ya b****r what was that