I purchased a 2019 RAV4 with 9k miles mid June 2022. Found it about 3 hours away from where I live in the desert. Pristine vehicle. Bring it home, park it on my driveway. Two weeks later we notice the plastic door pillar molding warping looks just like the first picture on post #34. Its only getting worse. Took it to my closest Toyota dealership figuring it would get replace as my car is still under warranty. Guy said it was probably caused by a reflection from another window. No other windows on my driveway. He took it to the back , and supposedly took photos and after 1.5 hours said Toyota denied responsibility because it was caused by reflected light. He offered me a phone number for the Toyota warranty dept. I have called and was given a claim number and promised a call within 24 hours. Two days later no call. Since when does a car manufacturer build a car that cannot be parked outside? No where is it stated that this vehicle cannot be parked outside or that its for cooler weather states only. Is it the dealership that is refusing to do the work because they don't get the big bucks for warranty work or is it Toyota? If its denied by one dealership why would another okay the warranty? I've had this vehicle 6 weeks total. Plastic molding that "melts", service writers term not mine, said after he claimed he's never seen it happen before. This was Toyota of the Desert in Palm Springs. I'm sure they've seen it many times. Is there a government agency we can contact?
Melting moldings and spoiler
In November I purchased a new 2018 RAV4 and within two weeks large areas of bubbled and curled spots appeared on the rear spoiler and two door moldings. Two weeks later two more large areas developed on the same doors. The problem is obviously the result of defective materials so I submitted a case to Toyota warranty but they refuse to replace the parts, claiming that bright sunlight must have reflected off a window and onto my car causing the parts to melt. I'm retired so the car sits in my garage 95 per cent of the time so their conclusion is without merit. I see from reading other forums that this is a well-documented problem that Toyota has recognized and remedied for other owners so I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who's successfully resolved this issue.
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I feel everyone's pain when it comes to melting parts, they sell Toyotas world-wide, I have to think in other hot countries like the far east & middle east they must be experiencing the same sort of issues. Or perhaps these vehicles are being produced in Canada are parts are coming from Mexico I assume. Is there is a different make up of plastic materials being used in Canadian production as to vehicles being produced in other parts of the world.
All the paint on the door thresholds has worn and it is now rust!
I was shocked to see the rear tail lights have primer on them when opening the hatch door.
Toyota suck
I was shocked to see the rear tail lights have primer on them when opening the hatch door.
Toyota suck
The same thing happened to me. (2021 RAV- 4) Dealer replaced both window panels the first time under warranty but now that it has happened again....they say no. it looks horrible but then i didn't realize that it could be DANGEROUS by catching fire??? im very displeased with toyota's attitude and wanted to buy a honda in the first place. i will not make this mistake again!! i think we really should start a class action law suit like the customers had to do with SamSung to make the company act right about those defected refrigerators lol...but im serious!I am experiencing the same issue with my 2020 Rav 4. I have replaced the window trim twice. It is melting and warping again on both sides. The dealership and corporate customer care will not help me and attribute it to “solar convergence”. They advised me to park somewhere else and purchase a car cover. Ugh! Obviously with so many customers experiencing the same problem, there is a problem with the materials!!
Strange how the world bows to China, when most of their population working in factories under conditions that we in the western world would be bitching about on social media. Unfortunately it's a race to the bottom when it comes to car parts & China wins by paying it's workers peanuts. Amazon workers have never had it so good compared to the factory workers in China.This is all due to Toyota letting Chinese crap products into their supply chain.
THEY CAN POLISH TURDS IN MAINLAND CHINA! IT IS WHAT THEY DO. (not in Taiwan)
This would not have happened in 1931
View attachment 185620
Remember next time you fly in the plane that the contract for the rivets that holds the plane together went to the lowest bidder.
We also have a 2021 Rav4. Noticed about a month ago that the back of our outside mirror covers had damage that looked like it was melting. Took it to our local Toyota dealer (middle of Washington state) and they said they had never seen anything like this. They also noticed that the plastic between the two doors had damage AND the piece of plastic at the bottom right and left of front windshield had damage AND the luggage rack rail cover clips had damage. They also said that Toyota would not cover this under their warranty. The cost is $700 to replace all of this material. This car was/is parked in the exact same location that we parked our Subaru Outback for many years.The same thing happened to me. (2021 RAV- 4) Dealer replaced both window panels the first time under warranty but now that it has happened again....they say no. it looks horrible but then i didn't realize that it could be DANGEROUS by catching fire??? im very displeased with toyota's attitude and wanted to buy a honda in the first place. i will not make this mistake again!! i think we really should start a class action law suit like the customers had to do with SamSung to make the company act right about those defected refrigerators lol...but im serious!
We have always been a fan of Toyota but no longer. New car warranties should cover this issue. We will be replacing the covers to the mirrors and then are highly considering selling the car and NEVER purchasing a Toyota again - especially as it sounds like it will reoccur. Toyota - stand by your warrantee on a brand new car!
Put it down to the poor quality plastics that Toyota is using.
Well your wrong on the manufacturer not being a defect, I just bought a new 2022 Toyota RAV4 in November and mine is doing the same thing, looks like melted moulding on the lower part of the driver side door moulding, front and rear doors…no hot temperatures here in Saint John, New Brunswick Canada.So... the spoiler damage is at the exact same height as the top door trim damage... while the spoiler being made from a totally different material...
Sorry, but I would agree with Toyota - it is not a manufacturer's defect.
Do you have any pictures of this getting worse over time? If not, if it just appeared suddenly one day ... then another argument for this not being a defect.
By the way I would totally accept rubber having a higher temperature breakdown threshold than plastic.
But you do have sun, right? And windows? It does not take much to melt that plastic - but this problem is rare and is not unique to Toyota or Rav4.…no hot temperatures here in Saint John, New Brunswick Canada.
Look at this BMW - looks familiar?
https://www.reddit.com/r/homeowners/comments/sx9t3d
Or how about this VW?
https://www.reddit.com/r/Volkswagen/comments/quws4j
And this Honda CR-V:
Trim Melting
Is anyone else having an issue with the exterior trim melting? I just noticed this today and it hasn’t been above 50 degrees since I got the car. If the picture isn’t clear this is on the passenger side rear door. No damage or anything to the paint on the body by this so I doubt it’s a vandal...
www.crvownersclub.com
Still think it's a manufacturing defect?
Yes I still think it is a manufacturing defect. Cars are built cheaply anymore and cost a lot more than they used to. I have 3 large windows on the front of my house that are all Low E glass. One window is 7 feet by 8 feet IIRC. My house faces directly west so it gets the hot sun in the summer months. I have an iron door that will get really hot due to the sun shining directly on it. I have parked all of my cars in various positions in front of my house for years at all times of the year with zero issues. I would think if it were a Low E glass issue I would have seen it and I haven't.
A wheel box caught fire because a vehicle had parked close and the reflection from the side mirror was enough in Az. to set it ablaze. Not common but possible.
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