2007 rav4V6 timing belt change

answer3 · Aug 6, 2013

Hi!
This is the first time I am posting on this nice forum, after numerous info I read in here that helped me decide to buy a rav4, I decided to ask the community for advice.
I have a 2007 rav4 v6 with now 84k miles on it (78k miles when I bought it last january as a toyota certified vehicle), and I took it to the toyota service department this morning to have them check on a noise I have been hearing since last weekend. It is a bit difficult to describe as I have no knowledge in mechanics, but I would say it looks like the noise of an insect like a cricket that I hear through the AC vent even when the AC is off. The guy from toyota service department told me after checking the car that it was due to the timing belt that was wearing and he had to replace the timing belt and water pump, but given the price of the repair (~ $900), I would like to have the opinion of rav4 specialists like you guys before to have it fixed.
Did anyone had a similar noise and found out what was the cause of it?
I have no idea whether the timing belt was ever changed before I bought the car since they did not give me any maintenance documents (I assumed maintenance was done correctly since it is a certified vehicle), but when I looked at the Toyota schedule maintenance guide I found online they don't mention anything about timing belts... Is the timing belt something that has to be changed periodically on the 2007 rav4 like it used to be in "old" cars? what happens if it breaks?
Thanks a lot for your help!
Damien

Blogson · Aug 6, 2013

If you are referring to a timing belt with operates the camshafts your engine has an internal timing chain, not a timing belt. However, the coolant pump is run by an external belt and a number of owners of '06 and '07 V6 RAVs have reported coolant pump failure. But it could be the belt itself which is making the noise - maybe squirt a little water onto it and the pulleys while the engine is idling and see whether the noise stops. Some owners have had the pump replaced at around your mileage even if only the belt is worn out under the assumption that the coolant pump will fail soon, anyway.

Here's a related thread which may be helpful: http://www.rav4world.com/forums/99-4-3-mechanical/122026-2007-rav4-v6-2-wheel-drive-water-pump.html

answer3 · Aug 7, 2013

Thanks for your answer. Is there of driving with this problem of water pump/belt?
Can the repair be covered by the certification warranty?

JuneBug · Aug 7, 2013

Don't walk away, RUN away from that Toyota dealership. If they don't know which of the vehicles they sell and service have timing belts, then you don't want them servicing your vehicle. The last RAV4 to have a timing belt was the 2003 model. Your noise could be an idler pulley or belt tensioner. Or just a worn out belt. Usually the water pump doesn't make a cricket sound when it fails. I've heard it described more like marbles in a tin can.

answer3 · Aug 7, 2013

Thank you for the advice! It is good that I told them not to do the repairs and just do the oil change then... I also had a noise on the right front wheel I wanted them to check and they want to replace the brakes for $600+ so I found the combination brakes + timing belt + water pump quite expensive...

How can I see if the water pump is really failing? Am I supposed to see a leak under the car or on some parts of the engine? Is the engine supposed to cooled less efficiently so I can see a difference on the temperature indicator? Because I did not see any of that...

Ah and I also found out that the water pump and timing belt/chain is supposed to be covered by the limited powertrain warranty, and they want to charge $900 for that...

Thank you very much for your help guys!

By the way, am I supposed to pay something when I go get the car back for their diagnostic even if they did not do the repairs? I am sorry for the naive questions but I am not used to the service departments/mechanics here...

nhcycle · Aug 7, 2013

answer3 said:
Thank you for the advice! It is good that I told them not to do the repairs and just do the oil change then... I also had a noise on the right front wheel I wanted them to check and they want to replace the brakes for $600+ so I found the combination brakes + timing belt + water pump quite expensive...

How can I see if the water pump is really failing? Am I supposed to see a leak under the car or on some parts of the engine? Is the engine supposed to cooled less efficiently so I can see a difference on the temperature indicator? Because I did not see any of that...

Ah and I also found out that the water pump and timing belt/chain is supposed to be covered by the limited powertrain warranty, and they want to charge $900 for that...

Thank you very much for your help guys!

By the way, am I supposed to pay something when I go get the car back for their diagnostic even if they did not do the repairs? I am sorry for the naive questions but I am not used to the service departments/mechanics here...

Some dealers have/are charging for "diagnostic service" which is a sleazy way of conducting business. Telling you that you need a timing belt change confirms how sleazy they really are. If they spent an hour or so tracking down a problem based upon a symptom they can't confirm before they start is crap..... It would be surprising that they simply parked the vehicle in a service bay and reported no problem found......l as already suggested......run from this dealer.....if the vehicle is out of warranty, find a good local mechanic via referrals......

WJBertrand · Aug 7, 2013

answer3 said:
How can I see if the water pump is really failing? Am I supposed to see a leak under the car or on some parts of the engine? Is the engine supposed to cooled less efficiently so I can see a difference on the temperature indicator? Because I did not see any of that...

Ah and I also found out that the water pump and timing belt/chain is supposed to be covered by the limited powertrain warranty, and they want to charge $900 for that...

A failing water pump will usually show either or all of the following symptoms:

Noise (generally loud and obvious), a visible wobble when the engine is running, or leaking of coolant. A leak will usually leave a crusty trail of dried coolant even if it's not leaking badly enough to reach the ground. Most of the time you will not notice any lack of cooling efficiency. One way to tell if the sound is coming from the water pump is to use a mechanic's stethoscope (you can get one cheap at Harbor Freight tools). Besides the stethoscope, you can inspect the water pump directly. With the drive belt removed grab the pulley and see if there's any play in the bushings or roughness when rotated.

Get the words "timing belt" out of your head, on your rav, there are only accessory drive belts and these are pretty inexpensive to replace. I'd try that first and if the noise goes away, you've solved your problem.

2007 rav4V6 timing belt change

answer3

Blogson

answer3

JuneBug

answer3

nhcycle

WJBertrand

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