Rav 4 Clunk Underneath Chassis

[farmertull]

2006 Rav4 58,200 miles. First problem ever. 800 miles left on powertrain warranty.

I put tran in reverse and back up and then...clunk. If I back up fast it is louder. If I really floor it there are multiple clunks. These are not clicks like I hear about in Edmunds.com.

The really strange but maybe telling thing is when I lock the 4WD. There is no clunk. My dealer has had the car for almost a week and says the National Toyota trouble shooting site says that this is normal. This is my first New Toyota after many American cars and dealer problems and I come to Toyota for the reputation. This is a noise that only occured after 59,000 miles and they are telling me that it is normal. They say it will be in my records and if it becomes more of an issue it will be covered but will they put that in writting.

Please let me know if anyone has had this problem before. the clunk sounds like its under the chassis in the middle but it is hard for me to isolate. Really this is normal. Why deny. I remember the service manager's first reaction when he rode with me and first heard the clunk..."Wow...we better check that out." Now he's telling me that this normal.

farmertull

[anchorman]

Just going back through a few old posts and found this.

The trouble is that you may have one of the highest mileage 2006 RAVs we have come across and so we have very little experience of long term durability.

I can tell you that mine doesn't clunk in reverse and niether do any of the many others I have driven. The only difference in locking the diff is that it would normally reverse with the diff disengaged so with no load on the prop shaft. However, the more load you apply, the more it will engage the variable clutch in the nose of the rear axle.

I suppose the obvious start is with the prop shaft UJs, centre bearing and splines then look closer at that clutch to see is anything is amiss.

Like you, I'm a bit sceptical about there being nothing wrong or "normal" and might be tempted to dig in a bit and get them to look closer. Maybe another dealer might take more interest?

Please keep us informed.