V6 Touchy throttle at takeoff and passing

I have a 2007 V6 Limited. I am wondering if there is a fix for the touchy throttle on this car. It is very dificult to accelerate smoothly from a stop. It is also easy to accelerate too abruptly while passing etc. On a slippery surface this can potentially be dangerous. I also feel that this abrupt acceleration contributes to the "pulling" left and right under hard acceleration we experience with the Rav4 as well as our Honda Pilot.

Mine is the only V6 I have ever driven. Do you all have this problem? I live well off the beaten path in northern New England, so I encounter slippery roads wherever I go during winter. I would like to soften throttle response off idle as well as on acceleration. I don't want to just supress the power, I want to control the delivery of power.Does anyone have a solution? Could this be a smple as a chip upgrade? Is it a mechanical linkage issue?

[left coast bill]

I have the same thing with my V6 RAV This doesn't happen with my V8 FORD VAN but adding 4000 pounds to RAV, IMHO, is not the way to go.

[John E Davies]

Folks (like me) have been complaining since 2006. It is an electronic throttle, so the only solution is new code in the ECU.

http://rav4world.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5448

Write a letter to Toyota and complain. That is what I did.

After a while you will get used to it, but for me, (I don't drive our RAV4 routinely) it is an awkward transition when I switch vehicles. Especially when I go from my 6000 pound LX450 with 217 bhp 4.5 liter I6. The power to weight difference is staggering.

[B0000rt]

You definitely get use to it! But when you drive other vehicles you'll wonder wtf is wrong with the throttle response on the others :D

[m0ng00se]

Originally Posted by Haze

I have a 2007 V6 Limited. I am wondering if there is a fix for the touchy throttle on this car. It is very dificult to accelerate smoothly from a stop. It is also easy to accelerate too abruptly while passing etc

Yeah, ain't it great!!!
the m0ng00se

[m0ng00se]

[quote="Haze"]I have a 2007 V6 Limited. I am wondering if there is a fix for the touchy throttle on this car. It is very dificult to accelerate smoothly from a stop. It is also easy to accelerate too abruptly while passing etc.

Yeah, ain't it great!!!!
the m0ng00se

[vonv]

Originally Posted by B0000rt

You definitely get use to it! But when you drive other vehicles you'll wonder wtf is wrong with the throttle response on the others :D

Yeah, you have to dump the pedal to the floor in other vehicles. I love the sound of the 6 when it starts pumping! Great power for such a conservative looking vehicle.

The Rav4 isn't my daily driver either, it is my wife's. We also have a teenager driving it for the first time in the winter... one of my main concerns. Yes, you can get used to it, but that doesn't mean you might make a mistake it the heat of the moment, maybe while making a defensive move. I just think it is a safety issue. I can live with the herky-jerkyness (especially if you are a passenger), but this motor does pull hard, and it would be unintentionaly easy to put it sideways.

Lets all write letters!

[SteVTEC]

Yup this is "normal".

Electronic throttle control is a new "art" in the automotive world. Some companies have really figured it out and you can't even tell it's there, and other companies like Toyota still have a ways to go. The "touchy" throttle is partially covering for the engine's lack of low-end torque also. As far as taking off smoothly and avoiding a jerky start, yeah you'll get used to it after awhile and learn how to take off smoothly.

[RedRav4Me]

Had a '07 Sport that did the same thing, I now have an '08 Sport that is sooooo much smoother. Not near as jumpy, but I must admit, I sometimes miss that 'ol snap!