Toyota RAV4 2009 News

Australia’s best-selling SUV is being recalled due to faulty seatbelts, but the fix won't arrive until June.

This will go down in automotive history as one of the weirdest automotive recalls of all time.

Toyota has issued a global safety recall on 6.58 million vehicles, with the impact hitting the popular Hilux ute, RAV4 SUV and Yaris small car.Statements issued by Toyota Australia today said that 179,000 of the Hiluxes built between April 2004 and December 2009 have been recalled for a defect that could see a cable between the steering wheel and  column sustain damage when the wheel is turned, activating the airbag warning light and preventing the driver's airbag from deployingA separate safety recall on 118,600 of the Yaris hatches and sedans built between June 2005 and May 2010 is to fix a defective seat track spring on the driver's and front passenger's seats. The statement says the spring can break and become stuck, giving the false impression that the seat is properly locked in place.In the meantime, the Yaris can still be driven but if there is any difficulty in locking the seats in position, owners should contact a dealer to arrange an inspection. The repairs will take about 1.5 hours for the five-door hatch and sedan, and about three hours for the three-door hatch in which the front passenger seat will also have to be removed.The number of RAV4s being recalled is not yet confirmed. Toyota says neither of the problems with the Hilux and Yaris have resulted in any accidents or injuries in Australia. Vehicle owners are being contacted by Toyota, but can get more information on the brand's campaign helpline on 1800 643 242. 

And the car industry is not immune from being saddled with these potentially damaging problems.Apart from Ford's recent problems with brake hoses and brake booster valves on E-Gas Falcons the other ‘big two’ carmakers have had their fair share of recalls.Holden has had five recalls for its VE Commodore and Statesman range since its introduction in 2006, involving things like fuel vapor lines, fuel lines and defective valves on LPG cars.ToyotaToyota had a range of recalls for its Camry, HiLux, RAV4, Yaris and LandCruiser over the past three years. Most, like a headlight dimmer switch on a Camry, have been minor. Others, like the potential fire hazard stemming from a poorly installed insulator pad on a Yaris, raised alarm bells among some customers.NissanLast week Nissan was forced to recall 11,743 Maximas and 4972 Muranos because of a vibrating air intake in the engine bay.AudiEven the luxury German brands are not immune. Last year Audi had to recall its TT for a piece of rear side trim in its cars that unless fixed, could potentially injure passengers.Mercedes-Benz This year Mercedes-Benz has recalled its M-Class off-roader for a possible glitch in its electric rear hatch. It was also forced to recall S-Class sedans fitted with active body control because of problems with the front lower ball joints on its suspension. On some high-mileage vehicles, the front suspension could fracture on rough roads. Faulty left and right windows in the Viano van also required the replacement.BMWOf the German carmakers, BMW has fared better. It has not had a official government recall since 2006.Volvo Volvo has had three recalls this year of its S80, XC70, V70 and new XC60 for engine cooling fan problems and windscreen wiper problems with the S80 and XC70.JaguarJaguar, once widely ridiculed for its poor quality cars, has come a long way over the past few years. Jaguars these days have no less, or no more, problems with recalls than some of the other luxury brands. Last year it experienced some minor problems with the XF range involving wiring and rear seatbelts.In all cases, recalls by carmakers are handled quickly and responsibly. If you want to check out whether your vehicle has had a recall, go to www.recalls.gov.au

The RAV4 may be seen as a small wagon and for enthusiasts, is generally dismissed at new-car shopping time.But the new engines and transmissions aim to change all that — well, in Europe at least.Punching high outputs yet fractional Euro-5 emissions, Toyota's Optimal Drive engine technology this week reached the new 2009 RAV4 range.The RAV4 gets a new diesel and new petrol engine, optional six-speed automatic transmission or a continuously-variable transmission and the return of a 2WD version.The diesel and six-speed auto come straight out of the European Auris (Corolla) and make the RAV4 the first in its class to emit less than 160g/km CO2 emissions. The all-wheel drive model with the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel D-4D has a CO2 rating of just 154g/km.The new petrol engine is a 2-litre with Valvematic — a system similar to BMW's Valvetronic that adjusts the intake valve lift to control how much fuel and air are allowed to enter the combustion chambers.Toyota claims it has more power, lower emissions and better fuel economy than the previous 2.0 VVT-i engine.Sadly, it's not for Australia — at least not yet.A Toyota spokesman says Australia will wait for a diesel and may never get the 2-litre Valvetronic in the RAV4."Never is a long time," says Toyota WA Distributor's Lindsay Taylor."All I can say is that the diesel is not on the horizon and that it's very unlikely that in the RAV4, we would come down from the current 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol to the European 2-litre engine."That's not to say Valvetronic isn't coming because we consider lowering emissions and fuel consumption as very, very important to our fleet."But as for timing, I can't say."The European RAV4 gets, for the first time, the option of a diesel engine mated to an automatic transmission.The package is also in the Avensis people mover and produces 112kW and 340Nm at 2000-2800rpm. Fuel economy is 7.2 litres/100km and CO2 emissions are 189g/km.The six-speed manual version gets 5.8 l/100km.Toyota says the petrol engine RAV4 comes only as an all-wheel drive with a CVT transmission that it calls Multidrive S.It also has 112kW of power but 198Nm of torque and has an average of 7.5 l/100km and a CO2 emission of 177g/km.In the UK especially, any reduction in CO2 emissions attracts a lower road tax so improves the attractiveness of the RAV4.Even more economy is available with the 2WD version of the RAV4 in Europe.Taylor says this won't come to Australia.In Europe, however, the front-wheel drive SUV comes with the petrol engine and six-speed manual transmission for a slight improvement in economy (7.4 l/100km) and a decrease in emissions to 174g/km.Power, torque and vehicle performance are the same as for the AWD version.

Of the 12 off-roaders tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the United States just four earned a top rating of ``good'' and three were ``acceptable''.The tests were designed by the institute to provide new roof strength ratings.The Volkswagen Tiguan has the strongest rated roof and the Kia Sportage the weakest.Roofs on the Honda CRV and Ford Escape are marginal, and the Kia's is poor.The Tiguan, Subaru Forester, Jeep Patriot and a car sold in the US, the Honda Element, earn good ratings.The Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota RAV4 and Mitsubishi Outlander rated acceptable.The Chevrolet Equinox and Nissan Rogue, both just sold in North America, also rated acceptable.A spokesman for the Australian New Car Assessment Program and RACV chief engineer, Michael Case, says the US test add another dimension to safety information for new car buyers.He says ANCAP will be studying the findings.“The roof crush rating is a useful measure of how the roof will perform in a real rollover,’’ he says.“Rollover is the next area to go in developing tests and rating vehicles.”He says ANCAP will need to look at the IIHS process, particularly how to assess it.The new rating system is based on institute research showing that occupants in rollover crashes can survive better if their off-roaders have stronger roofs.Vehicles rated good must have roofs that are more than twice as strong as minimum federal safety standards require.``We anticipate that our roof strength test will drive improved rollover crash protection the same way that our frontal offset and side impact consumer test programs have led to better protection in these kinds of crashes,'' institute president Adrian Lund, says.The Institute recognises that vehicle roof structures have become stronger over the past few years.Part of the reason is that carmakers have made structural improvements to earn better front and side crash ratings.Strong A and B pillars help prevent intrusion in these types of crashes and also help hold up the roof.``It's not surprising that Volkswagen and Subaru earn good ratings in our new roof test because these carmakers were among the first to ace our front and side tests,'' Lund says.In the United States more than 10,000 people a year are killed in rollovers.When vehicles roll, their roofs often hit the ground with considerable force, deforming and crushing.Stronger roofs crush less, reducing the risk that occupants will be injured by contact with the roof itself.Stronger roofs can also prevent occupants, especially those not wearing seatbelts, from being ejected.In the US, about 25 per cent of deaths in car and van crashes are rollovers but in off-roaders this jumps to 59 per cent.The RACV’s Case says the incidence of rollovers in Australia is lower “but there is still a high chance of death or serious injury”.In the institute's roof strength test, a metal plate is pushed against one side of a roof near the A-pillar.To earn a good rating, the roof must withstand a force of four times the vehicle's weight before reaching 12cm of crush.   

It is believed to be the first time the brand has grabbed number one sales spot for a month.

The new 200 Series LandCruiser wasn't the only new Toyota model launched at last week's Australian International Motor Show.The company's little RAV4 SUV got a big kick in the grunt department with the addition of a V6 to its range. The four-cylinder option still remains.The RAV4 V6 now packs a 201kW punch that Toyota is hoping will bring plenty of new compact-SUV buyers into the market via a Toyota showroom.The 201kW of power arrives at 6200rpm and 333Nm of peak torque at 4700rpm, Toyota is claiming 10.5 litres/100km for an ADR fuel-consumption figure.The engine is shared with the Aurion, Kluger and Tarago; a 3.5-litre all-alloy quad-cam V6 with dual variable valve timing; and delivers 76kW and 109Nm more than 2.4-litre RAV4 four-cylinder unit.Toyota says it's the most powerful naturally aspirated engine it offers in Australia and the RAV4 V6 is the most powerful compact SUV.The entry-level RAV4 CV6 starts from $39,990, with the mid-spec SX6 priced from $43,990 and the flagship ZR6 carries a $49,990 price tag.The new CV6, SX6 and ZR6 models all use five-speed automatic transmissions and have power steering, filtered airconditioning, reach'n'rake steering adjustment, cruise control, power mirrors, power windows, 17 inch wheels and six-speaker MP3-compatible sound system with wheel-mounted controls.The SX6 adds dual-zone climate control, six-CD changer, leather-bound steering wheel and gear knob, alloy wheels, fog lamps and roof rails.The ZR6 tops the list with leather-trimmed seats and door inserts, heated driver's seat with power adjustment and sat-nav.Toyota says the braked towing capacity has risen by 400kg to the 1900kg.Toyota Australia senior executive director, sales and marketing, David Buttner says the V6 launch is the most significant step for RAV4 since its Australian launch 13 years ago.“The addition of the 201kW V6 models significantly alters the dynamic of RAV4 and the profile of people who buy it,” he says.“Compact SUV buyers who have had a connection to RAV4 styling and Toyota brand values but wanted extra performance now have that option available with the RAV4 V6.”The sales figures show compact SUVs are the fastest-growing SUV segment, with a 19.1 per cent sales increase year-to-date. Small torqueRAV4 V6: from $39,990Engine: 3.5-litre DOHC 24-valve alloy V6.Power: 201kW at 6200rpm.Torque: 333Nm at 4700rpm.Transmission: Five-speed automatic; all-wheel drive.Economy:10.5 litres/100km, tank 60 litres.Emissions: 246g/km.Performance: Top speed 210km/h, 0-100km/h 7.4 seconds.Brakes: Four-wheel discs, ventilated front, with ABS, EBD, BA, traction and stability control systems. In its classFord Escape XLT Sport V6: $37,190.Mazda Tribute V6: $36,900.Land Rover Freelander: 3.2 Si6 SE, $49,990.Mitsubishi Outlander VR:, $38,490.Suzuki Grand Vitara V6: $30,990.Hyundai Tucson V6: $30,990.Kia Sportage V6: $30,990.Subaru Outback 3.0R: $46,990. 

The countdown has begun for Toyota's push into Ford and Holden's heartland. The new TRD contenders will be in showrooms within four months and the Aurion V6 and HiLux have been out for final verification work, as they are prepared for battle against SS Commodores and XR Falcons. More signs are also pointing to a V6 RAV4, that shares its 3.5-litre engine with the Aurion, becoming the third TRD model. The two confirmed starters are familiar to anyone who has been to a major motor show this year, but still the HiLux looked impressive when photographed last week. The TRD operation is now moving from test and development into full-scale assembly work being done in Melbourne by Prodrive, which also holds the rights to fast Ford road cars in Australia. The Aurion will be out first and, even though the HiLux is confirmed for November, Toyota Australia is still trying to keep full details secret. The car is likely to be available from September; the press preview drive is scheduled for late August. “The car is coming in the third quarter. At this stage, that's all I can say,” Toyota spokesman Mike Breen says. “It's all done. It's ready to go. You have basically seen it at the motor shows. It's supercharged V6 et cetera.” The first TRD Aurions have already been ordered, Queensland police taking 11 for highway patrol work. They will join a batch of regular Aurion Sportivo V6s already in police paint. The HiLux is more subdued than that unveiled at the Melbourne Motor Show in March, but still promises plenty of go with a similar supercharged engine. “The HiLux is in November,” Breen says. “It is undergoing final testing. It's the 4.0-litre petrol engine, supercharged.” Toyota has confirmed the TRD Aurion is quicker than expected, using a new Eaton twin-vortices supercharger packaged in Melbourne by Harrop Engineering. “Total engine performance is one of the key positives of the TRD Aurion package,” TRD Australia chief engineer Stephen Castles says. “The TVS unit has performed really well and definitely helped deliver the engine performance we need.” Work on the engine has also been done by the Orbital Engine Company in Perth, which focused on testing and component development.