The Truth About the New Toyota Rav4

Bernie's Take on the New Rav4: A Concerned Mechanic Speaks Out

As I was reviewing the latest model of the Toyota Rav4, I couldn't help but express my concerns to Scotty about its quality. "Rev up your engines," I said, "and let me tell you, a lot of people are saying that the new Rav4 is not as good as the old one." I have had problems with later-model Rav4s, and they have had issues that cars didn't have in the past unless they had reached 300-400,000 miles on them. The quality has gone down somewhat, and it's not just my customers who are experiencing these problems. Most manufacturers are going downhill in terms of quality, especially with the increasing use of plastic parts, more electronics, and computer-controlled systems.

These newer systems allow manufacturers to produce cars cheaper, but when they get older, they either spend a lot of money fixing them or buy another car altogether. The Rav4 is no exception, and I have seen it firsthand. One of my customers has a 2-3 year-old Rav4 with electronic door locks that broke on it. It shouldn't break like that at such a small period of time, and the quality just isn't what it used to be.

The Decline in Quality: A Common Problem

The decline in quality is not unique to Toyota or the Rav4. Most manufacturers are experiencing similar issues with their newer models. I've seen it with other cars, and it's not just a matter of wear and tear; it's a systemic problem that requires attention. The increasing reliance on plastic parts, electronics, and computer-controlled systems means that these components can become brittle and prone to failure over time.

When this happens, the cost of repairs can be steep, and customers are often left feeling frustrated and disillusioned with their purchases. As a mechanic, it's disheartening to see cars that were once reliable and durable now breaking down due to a combination of factors, including design flaws, poor manufacturing quality, or simply wear and tear.

The Importance of Maintenance

While the decline in quality is a concern, there are steps that customers can take to mitigate these issues. Regular maintenance is key, and this includes checking the radiator cap for leaks, which can cause coolant loss without leaking anywhere. If left unchecked, the head gasket will start to blow, causing the engine to burn up and potentially leading to catastrophic failure.

In some cases, the problem may be more complex, such as with remote start systems. Cory recently contacted me about his Pontiac G6 GT's remote start triggering the panic alarm. I hate remote start systems because they're extremely complex, and even small mistakes can ruin the system altogether. The odds of getting it right are low, especially with aftermarket kits that come pre-assembled in a box.

The Complexity of Modern Cars

One of the biggest challenges facing mechanics today is the complexity of modern cars. With more electronics and computer-controlled systems, these vehicles are becoming increasingly difficult to diagnose and repair. Alphas recently contacted me about his vehicle making a noise after having its ball joints changed. It turned out that the alignment was off, which caused the tires to squeal.

The issue with modern cars is not just a matter of changing the ball joints or replacing a faulty part; it's a complex process that requires attention to detail and a good understanding of the vehicle's systems. When a mechanic doesn't take the time to properly align the wheels, it can lead to a host of problems, including vibrations, squealing tires, and even reduced fuel efficiency.

The Importance of Proper Workmanship

In recent years, I've seen an increase in poor workmanship among mechanics. This is reflected in the number of customers who come to me with issues that could have been prevented if the original mechanic had done their job properly. When a mechanic doesn't take the time to diagnose the problem correctly or uses low-quality parts, it can lead to a host of problems down the line.

As a mechanic, I've learned to be vigilant and thorough in my work. If I'm not sure about something, I don't hesitate to refer the customer to another mechanic who may have more experience with the issue at hand. The importance of proper workmanship cannot be overstated, especially when it comes to complex repairs like those involving remote start systems or advanced computer-controlled systems.

Conclusion

The decline in quality is a concern that affects us all, whether we're car owners, mechanics, or just consumers looking for reliable vehicles. As I've expressed my concerns about the new Rav4 and other modern cars, I want to emphasize the importance of regular maintenance, proper workmanship, and a thorough understanding of these complex systems.

By taking the time to diagnose problems correctly and using high-quality parts, we can prevent many of the issues that arise with modern cars. And when it comes to repairs like ball joint replacements or remote start system fixes, attention to detail is crucial. As mechanics, let's strive for excellence and take pride in our work, ensuring that customers receive the best possible service and enjoy a long, reliable life with their vehicle.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enrev up your engines,bernie says scotty what do you think of thenew rav4, I have to tell you a lot of peoplesay, oh scotty toyota pays you money to talkabout them well no they don't,the new rav4 it's not as good as the old rav4,I have had problems when I got later modelrav4s and they have had problems that carsdidn't have in the past unless they had 300-400thousand miles on them, the quality has gonedown somewhat I've seen it, their still goodvehicles but I mean it's kind of annoying,one of my customers has one, it's 2 or 3 yearsold, the electronic door locks broke on it,it shouldn't break on a toyota at that smallperiod of time it shouldn't break like that,their quality isn't what it used to be andmost of the manufacturers to tell you thetruth aren't, their all kind of going downhill in quality to some extent, especiallywith the use of more plastic parts, more electronicsand more computer controlled stuff, they findout they can make them cheaper and then whenthey get older they either spend a lot ofmoney getting it fixed or they buy anothercar so, their not as well made as they usedto be I have to say that about the rav4,All says why do cars lose coolant but theirnot leaking anywhere, theirs only 2 thingsthat can do that, if your radiator cap isleaking, it will leak steam which won't dripand it will loose coolant, so change the radiatorcap they don't cost much right, but unfortunatelywhen they loose coolant but it doesn't leakanywhere the car is burning it because thehead gasket is starting to blow,realize that you got the block, then you havethe head gasket, then you have the head withthe valves that's bolted on,the head gasket seals compression from theengine cylinders, seals the oil galleys thatlubricate the head, and also seals the coolantthat cools the head, if the coolant partsof the gasket are starting to break down,then coolant will leak from inside the coolingtubes of the engine and then go inside thecylinders and be burnt up, you won't see itbut it will burn up and that's how you losethe coolant, pray it's a radiator cap it'sa lot cheaper fix,cory says scotty I have a pontiac g6 gt myremote start triggers the panic alarm anyfixes, here's the thing about remote startsystems, I hate them, their extremely complex,I had a customer one time brought me an aftermarketkit and said, will you hook this up to mycar, and I looked at it and I looked at thedirections and I said,there's no way I'm hooking this up to yourcar, there's so many wires that have to besliced in correctly and one mistake it canruin the computer of the car, it can makeit so it has starting problems when you usethe key, they are rats nests to get into,yours has a problem it's turning the panicalarm on now when you use it, my advice wouldbe, if it's an aftermarket one go to whoeverinstalled it and see if they can figure itout, odds are they can't because they justbought it in a box and put it in, if it'sa factory one take it to the dealer and seewhat they say,do what I tell people just don't use the systemanymore, they break down when they get older,that's a pontiac that's a GM product whichare notorious for having electrical problemsin the first place, and when you add thatcomplex system on it, it's only going to createproblems as it ages, I've had customers withthose systems that call me up and say, ohmy car won't start now and I'll say, wellyou got your remote starting system, theysay yeah and it's been acting up lately andnow it won't even start with the key and Isaid,I told you not to put that stuff on in thefirst place, so I mean if you do want it fixedyour going to have to fix somebody who workson those and hardly anybody does,especially if it's an aftermarket system,but like I say if it's a factory system takeit to the dealer and see what they say, alphasays I had the ball joints changed on my vehicle,now it's making a noise help,that means that it's no longer correctly aligned,tires have to be aligned correctly for eachdesign of a car so they corner correctly andalso go straight when your going straight,now you might think, well that's simple youjust align the wheels so their pointed perfectlystraight but no that's not how it goes, allof them are off to one angle or another tocompensate for the design of the car and howit corners and the type of tires the haveon it, it's very complex stuff, you changethe ball joints and now it's making a noise,that means that now your alignment is off,somebody put on cheaply made ball joints thatweren't the right size and now the tires aresitting at the wrong angle, or when the workwas done, the guy knocked the alignment out,maybe he took off the tie rods and now theyhave to be readjusted because he didn't putthem on exactly the same as they were before,or he bent something while he was doing thatwork, but when your tires are no longer alignedcorrectly they will squeal because their likean eraser their not rolling right and theirrubbing rubber off when your going and that'swhere you hear the squealing from, I see thatall the time on people that do bad workmanship,I've had customers go to another mechanicand they'll say I did this and now their squealingand I'll look at it and say, well your alignmentis off you know they should have told youit needed an alignment and if they didn'tknow I'd say go to a different mechanic, theydon't know what their doing, have the alignmentchecked first,so if you don't want to miss another one ofmy new car repair videos, remember to ringthat bell!\n"