[Dog Father]

I just bought 4 new tires, because the original where getting old and cracking.
I have had this RAV4, for several months. It was in the family since new. So,
besides an oil change, cabin & air filters what does it need. One garage told me
I needed a wheel alignment, but the old tire are evenly worn. So, I didn't do
that. A dealer wanted me to spend $185 on fuel injection cleaning. I don't
believe Toyota says that is necessary. It runs very smooth.

The things I wonder about is the trans & radiator fluid. The stuff gets bad with
time. Perhaps the thermostat should be replaced as well. I think it has self adjusting valves, but with no owner manual I could be wrong.

Any suggestions are welcome. With no autos costing $25K or more out the door. This puppy has to last me a while. Otherwise I will have to use the bus.
I did that for a while and hated it.

 

[CB91710]

If it runs smoothly the injectors are fine.
Thermostat is likely fine. I just make it a habit to replace when replacing the water pump. I use ONLY Toyota OEM parts.
Coolant should be changed being almost 10 years old.
Transmission is fine to 100k, ATF doesn't go bad from sitting, it goes bad from overheating and contamination from clutch material.
Iridium plugs are good to either 100k or 120k, platinum are good to 60k, copper are due at 30k.

Seriously... there's not a whole lot to do other than keep the oil changed and don't overheat it.
DO watch the oil levels. Many of the 4-cylinder engines in the 4.2 and 4.3 Rav4 (and Corolla, and other models) had an oil consumption problem.
My wife's '04 would burn just over a quart between oil changes at 5k. Toyota has deemed the problem to be "acceptable" if you burn less than 1qt every 1000 miles.

You can go to Toyota Owners Official Web Site and download your owner's manual as well as maintenance schedule. Create a userID, input your vehicle and VIN, and be notified of any recalls.

 

[kevcules]

I have an 08 as well with 75,000 miles on it and I've changed the tranny fluid a few times already (drain pan and refill with roughly 4 litres) ,as well as drop the pan to clean it and the magnets. The pan and magnets were pretty gummed up.
I would only get a wheel alignment when buying new tires or, if you've had any front end parts replaced.It's cheap insurance for getting the most wear out of your tires. If you don't notice any unusual wear and your steering is straight, then fine but when you do notice it will be too late.
A fuel injection service is a good idea but I find using a can of seafoam twice a year does a good job at cleaning the fuel system and is much much cheaper.
I've asked about the valve adjustment also and got mixed responses. Some say they are hydraulic and then others say they need adjusting. I haven't really looked into it seriously yet but I will. From the manual I downloaded, it talks about the 2AZ FE engine valve adjustments? We may in fact need one.....

 

[RTexasF]

A complete brake system flush is due. How old is the battery? Expect about 3 years battery life at best in Florida. If it's approaching or past that age get a new one........NOT a Toyota brand though. Which engine is it?

The bus? Oh hell no, get that RAV in tip top shape. There were a lot of recalls on the '08 overall, see if they have been done. Some depend on which engine you have......