I'd suggest starting by asking for a written itemized estimate. Then we'll be able to make better suggestions.

 

It sounds like this TSB might apply, but it won't do much good if you're past the powertrain warranty:

T-SB-0146-10/Brief Engine Knock/Rattle Noise at Cold Startup(1AR/2AR)

 

If you're a loyal toyota owner and loyal to that dealer, they may step up yo the plate for you to toyota canada. talk to the service manager.

My dealer did when my head gasket blew 20,000 kms and 11 months out of powertrain warranty. between the dealer and toyota canada they covered 75% of a 4K bill....I paid the rest.

 

Thanks for the replies. How safe is it to drive without the repair? Will the engine blow-up? Or is the problem just isolated to the VVT-I module?

 

Sorry, Julian, ignore my reply above--that TSB is for the 4 cylinder, not the V6. There is a TSB about a ticking sound produced by the V6, and another about a VVT-i problem, but that one turns on the check engine light.



I don't think the engine will blow up, and it's safe to drive. If the VVT-i system or one of its components fail, it should turn on the check engine light and set one or more trouble codes.

The original oil hose that goes into the VVT-I module was replaced due to premature failure of the material during a limited service campaign. Is it possible that the replacement hose was not installed properly and failed to deliver oil fast enough into the VVT-I module causing this problem?

I don't see how this could have caused the problem as long as the correct part was installed. Unless somehow the hose got crimped or crushed by another part, but the mechanic would have to be a total doofus for that to happen. Mine has the all metal oil line since it was built after April of 2008.

 

The original oil hose that goes into the VVT-I module was replaced due to premature failure of the material during a limited service campaign. Is it possible that the replacement hose was not installed properly and failed to deliver oil fast enough into the VVT-I module causing this problem?

 

The original oil hose that goes into the VVT-I module was replaced due to premature failure of the material during a limited service campaign. Is it possible that the replacement hose was not installed properly and failed to deliver oil fast enough into the VVT-I module causing this problem?

********
Your upper engine vvt-i system/cams .... were likely damaged when these parts were starved for oil when the oil line failed. This should be covered as ancillary damage from that failure.

http://www.rav4world.com/forums/96-...94-2gr-fev6-lsc90k-recall-oil-line-fails-dealer-wont-cover-damages-warning.html

https://sites.google.com/site/toyotav6oillinescandal/

Many people have gotten new engines post warranty as the result of this fiasco but sometimes you really have to fight hard.

 

I just took my wife's 2006 Rav4 in to our dealer for its service. We bought the car 6 months ago from a Toyota dealer. It was a used car, but we figured it would be good from the dealer. We purchased an optional mechanical warranty with it. While in for its service I asked them to check out an engine noise that we noticed when starting the vehicle in the cold. They came back with a $5500 estimate for repairs to VVTI gears (plus another $1000 for some other stuff to suspension). This is on a vehicle we've only had 6 months! I tried to claim on the warranty but was told we had gone over the service interval, so they are refusing to pay anything.

Looking at Google it seems the VVTI noisy cold start is a fairly common problem. Is this a fault with the Rav? I thought Toyota's, and the Rav, were reliable but am now feeling totally ripped off.

I would suggest from my experience that anyone with engine noise on a car with warranty should get it checked and on record.

 

I get some ticking at cold start, but when the engine warms up, it goes away. I consider this normal, it happened on my Matrix too...

 

This is not the issue that this thread is talking about. The VVT-I issue is a fairly loud rattling noise that last 1 to 2 seconds and then goes completely away not to return till the next cold start.

 

Here is the noise in question coming from MY rav4 06 3.5L VIDEO

 

Here's a nice video of the camshaft gear and the locking pin.

The locking pin is not going into the locking pin is most likely due to bad design tolerance. Also there's a filter inside the Camshaft Timing Oil Control Valve, the filter can be clogged. Here's a link showing there the two camshaft timing oil control valves are located at. http://www.rav4world.com/forums/99-...-mechanical/76460-annotated-pictures-help-locating-parts-2gr-fe-v-6-engine.html or you can look up the factory service manual.

 

Thanks for the info

 

Here are a couple close up pictures that I found on another forum of the timing gear internals and possible reason for failure.

 

Same problem here. 2007 Rav4 V6... 42K km on the odo. 99% certain it's the VVTi gears chattering on cold start up. 6 months out of warranty... what a joke. Stealership is playing stupid... can't reproduce the problem. Lexus issued a TSB for this problem in April 2007 for the direct injection version of this engine .. complete valve train re-build. Can't wait for the $5K bill once the dealer finally figures it out...

P.S. forgot to add.. ripped apart the two oil filters and 4 oil control valves.. clean as a whistle... not a sludge problem (as the stealership claims Non-Toyota oil can cause this problem).

 

2008 RAV4 V6, 2GR-FE, 93000 miles. Same as everyone else reporting here but doesn't happen all the time. Also, have noticed T-SB-0094-09, Engine ticking noise, previously but not in several months. I don't plan on forking out the money for repair and was thinking if a change in oil viscosity might delay failure? Currently using recommend 5W30 and I have two thoughts. 0W30, lower viscosity at coldstart gets to the VVT gears faster or 10W30 (15W30) higher viscosity may stay in the VVT gear a little longer. We live in Florida and the truck is used every day. I am undecided. Anyone have comments?

 

Agreed, mine is inconsistent as well. Typically it appears after a cold soak.. but not first thing in the morning... usually after two or three short trips it will occur. I have tried several different viscosity grades.. not much success.

I read one other possible cause... the VVTi control module does not properly reset the oil valve position upon start up... known Lexus issue...

Putting together a list of parts... likely going to R & R the entire top end myself... or trade the POS in for another Volkswagen TDI.

 

Once you have the parts list can you list it here? I's appreciate it because I am probably gonna be doing this all myself because I'll be damn if I pay the dealer over $100/hr.

I'm trying to find out with a stethoscope to verify if both heads are doing it or only the back one. It's not more work to only do only one head at a time so I'm gonna wait if the front heads start making the noise.

Besides I've read reports where the noise comes back even on vehicles that have had the timing gears replaced under warranty so I'll run the old ones as long as I can.

 

After a lot of reading and watching videos I realize there could be several reasons for this failure which makes it hard to troubleshoot. I am not an auto mechanic but here is my list of potential reasons and some other thoughts.

Camshaft timing oil control valve
VVT-I module on end of camshaft
Intermitent wiring harness fault
intermitent ECU fault​

My thought on what is causing the noise is that one (or several) of the VVT-I modules did not return to the default cam position when the engine was shut off. When the engine is started with the VVT-I(s) in this "unknown" state, the camshaft is retarded and advanced due to compression in the cylynders pushing valves shut and the VVT-I(s) is(are) slammed back and forth.
​

A couple related links.

http://share.qclt.com/丰田Toyota RAV4...E Engine Control System/Camshaft Timing Oil Control Valve Assembly/00600310.pdf

Problem with mine is that is doesn't happen more than once every 2 weeks. I guess that is a good thing.

I will keep watching, waiting and following this forum.

 

The Toyota parts guy gave me copies of the exploded parts list and "retail" prices for the VVTi components . I will post it shortly.

P.S. My car is going back in to the Dealership Thursday... let's see what they come up with...

Excellent parts list....

CAMSHAFT & VALVE. Fits: 2007 TOYOTA Rav 4 LIMITED 3500CC 24-VALVE DOHC EFI, AUTOMATIC 5-SPEED | Village Toyota Parts

 

The Toyota parts guy gave me copies of the exploded parts list and "retail" prices for the VVTi components . I will post it shortly.

P.S. My car is going back in to the Dealership Thursday... let's see what they come up with...

Excellent parts list....

CAMSHAFT & VALVE. Fits: 2007 TOYOTA Rav 4 LIMITED 3500CC 24-VALVE DOHC EFI, AUTOMATIC 5-SPEED | Village Toyota Parts

Did you get your car fixed already?

 

Any of the 2gr-fe variant engines (Toyota, Lexus)will eventually develop this kiss of death sound. It is an almost $6000 fix by the dealers. I have checked with local repair shops and no one wants to repair it.. To much time and way to risky they say.

Was told by a local shop the engine was born with cancer and eventually it will be terminal...

Toyota used the bad VVT-I gear from 2006-2010 and then changed the design of the part. It was to expensive to recall so they just upped the warranty to 5 year or 60k miles..

Best bet is to dump the car as fast as you can, especially back on another Toyota dealership so they get stuck with it and the bad design an bad support.

Read into this as you want. I am dealing with it now and Toyota says to bad. I have purchased Toyotas for the last 25 years. My relationship with Toyota is forever broken going forward...

There are TSB's on this issue for both Toyota and Lexus. I am fighting this as hard as I can with Toyota Corporate for some portion of the fix. TOY-OH-DUH used to be reliable and they have really gone down hill.

 

Well... Vehicle was in for 3 days and the noise cannot be reproduced. First start in the parking lot and it makes the noise...of course no service monkey around to hear it.

Had enough..dumping the car.