[SDGTR]

I might have seen this answer but forgot, but when you pressed on the gas, did you initially have a quick burst of power that suddenly faded away? If so, read below.

I was having this issue daily, getting across a busy road, turning left out of a driveway onto the road going up. The front driver's tire would start to slip. Boom, no power and a car bearing down on my driver's door. Learned to press down just enough to get across quickly, without the wheel spin. I've moved, so no longer have that issue.

Hope this helps you out. Good luck.

Have a good day.

Good suggestion. When I hit the gas I didn't notice a burst of power. It moved forward a foot or so then just lost all power and coasted.

I was also in EV mode which I've found doesn't have enough power to break the wheels loose on a dry road.

One day I did experiment by flooring it out of a right turn from a stop while in HV mode and the wheels chirped, the traction control kicked in and temporarily reduced the power but that didn't feel like what happened in this case. The power was only reduced for no more than one second or so and it never felt like I was just coasting.

I won't entirely rule this possibility out though and will find a safe area to test this by flooring it out of some left turns in EV mode.

 

[SLS Artemis]

Go around what block? There is no block. And pretending for the sake of argument that there is a block, how will that fix the issue where the car cuts power when I tell it to go?

I continue to be amazed at some of the replies. Apparently a brand new $50K car randomly cutting power when told to accelerate isn't a problem. The problem is people making left turns. Got it. Makes perfect sense.

This thread is about an issue where the car cuts power when accelerating, possibly related to the presence of cross traffic or oncoming traffic in certain situations. It is not about suggestions for navigating in traffic. Try to stay on topic.

So, do you have any information about why the car cut power in this situation for me and for several other people who have reported the same thing?

"Go around what block? There is no block." That right there explains to me that you're not understanding what I'm saying. I will always set myself up for a right hand turn when traffic is heavy, unless there is a light. The car obviously didn't like what you were doing and doing what you did you're taking a huge risk in that situation, regardless of what you believe. If you don't like what it did, either turn it off completely or take it back to Toyota and have them check it out. I turn everything off. Hammering down on the gas pedal in conjunction with what was going on around you is what probably created your problem. Technology telling you you weren't making a smart decision. People want the technology and then complain about it. At what point does any car manufacturer set the sensitivity to sensors to avoid an accident and make everybody happy? People are too dependent on technology. My buddy got backed into and the guy got out and said his sensors didn't go off. What happened to paying attention?

I was also in EV mode which I've found doesn't have enough power to break the wheels loose on a dry road.

I find that comment ironic too. There is a reason trains are diesel electric. The wheels breaking loose isn't ideal.

My apologies if you don't like my thoughts.

 

[paulday]

Good suggestion. When I hit the gas I didn't notice a burst of power. It moved forward a foot or so then just lost all power and coasted.

I was also in EV mode which I've found doesn't have enough power to break the wheels loose on a dry road.

One day I did experiment by flooring it out of a right turn from a stop while in HV mode and the wheels chirped, the traction control kicked in and temporarily reduced the power but that didn't feel like what happened in this case. The power was only reduced for no more than one second or so and it never felt like I was just coasting.

I won't entirely rule this possibility out though and will find a safe area to test this by flooring it out of some left turns in EV mode.

I was thinking of the position of the front wheels of your car when this happened. Watching a few cars taking a turn across traffic, I noticed that their front wheels were almost always landing right in the middle of the travel lane while waiting to cross. Usually, the middle of a travel lane is where all kinds of stuff that drips off of vehicles ends up. One of the reasons seasoned motorcyclists always travel in the tire paths of a road, to avoid these known potentially slick conditions.

Seeing how that first lane that you were sitting in is a heavily trafficked road with traffic always at a standstill during rush hours dripping more than usual, the probability is pretty high that one, or both of the front tires may have started to spin, cutting power.

This system of cutting power when a wheel slips instead of applying the brake of the spinning wheel so that power can still be applied to the tires that have grip is the cheaper option for traction control. And also, more prone to leaving the driver stranded sometimes in not ideal conditions.

It is a more expensive option to have a true vectoring system that applies braking to just the spinning wheel. Toyota is not the only automaker to use this dumb-down style control system.

Anyway, just some thoughts to help get to the bottom and find a real solution.

Have a good day.

 

[FKHeath]

A scary hesitation experience in my RAV4 Prime

I've had my 21 Prime since last August and after 6500 miles I really like almost everything about it, but yesterday I had an experience that was downright scary. I did a brief search here but couldn't find any other posts that described this problem. I was at a stop sign waiting to make a left...

www.rav4world.com

 

[SDGTR]

"Go around what block? There is no block." That right there explains to me that you're not understanding what I'm saying. I will always set myself up for a right hand turn when traffic is heavy, unless there is a light. The car obviously didn't like what you were doing and doing what you did you're taking a huge risk in that situation, regardless of what you believe. If you don't like what it did, either turn it off completely or take it back to Toyota and have them check it out. I turn everything off. Hammering down on the gas pedal in conjunction with what was going on around you is what probably created your problem. Technology telling you you weren't making a smart decision. People want the technology and then complain about it. At what point does any car manufacturer set the sensitivity to sensors to avoid an accident and make everybody happy? People are too dependent on technology. My buddy got backed into and the guy got out and said his sensors didn't go off. What happened to paying attention?

I find that comment ironic too. There is a reason trains are diesel electric. The wheels breaking loose isn't ideal.

My apologies if you don't like my thoughts.

To be completely honest, I don't care what you're saying about driving around the block or whatever. I was not asking for driving advice or suggestions on how to navigate traffic.

I'm specifically trying to find out what went wrong with my car that caused it to lose power. Others have reported almost identical issues. Obviously, something is going wrong with the car. If it was the safety system, it's either poorly designed or malfunctioning. If it was something else, it would be nice to figure it out. If the car was telling me that I should stop right in the middle of a lane of oncoming cross-traffic, that's a big problem, either a malfunction or very poorly designed safety systems.

I find it hard to believe that this would be by design though. If that were the case, there would be thousands of reports of people's Rav4s suddenly dying when making left turns when there is oncoming traffic (a common thing that I'm sure even you do all the time).

 

[Primestraw]

Will the moderators take a left turn and freeze this thread???????

 

[SDGTR]

Will the moderators take a left turn and freeze this thread???????

No reason to freeze it if people can just stick to the topic instead of saying the problem is that I should not turn left into my neighborhood

 

[meeder]

Isn't this issue basically what is mentioned in this recall?

Toyota is conducting a safety recall involving certain RAV4 Prime vehicles - Toyota USA Newsroom

PLANO, Texas (Feb. 2, 2023) – Toyota is conducting a safety recall involving certain 2021 model year RAV4 Prime (PHEV) vehicles in the U.S. Approximately 16,000 vehicles are involved in this recall. The Hybrid Vehicle Control ECU (HEV-ECU) in the subject […]

pressroom.toyota.com

 

[SDGTR]

Isn't this issue basically what is mentioned in this recall?

Toyota is conducting a safety recall involving certain RAV4 Prime vehicles - Toyota USA Newsroom

PLANO, Texas (Feb. 2, 2023) – Toyota is conducting a safety recall involving certain 2021 model year RAV4 Prime (PHEV) vehicles in the U.S. Approximately 16,000 vehicles are involved in this recall. The Hybrid Vehicle Control ECU (HEV-ECU) in the subject […]

pressroom.toyota.com

As I understand it that recall applies to 2021 models and when it's very cold outside. Mine's a 2023 and the temperature was in the 60s.

It could be related though. Maybe I'll give Toyota a call next week and see what they have to say about it.

 

[sinbad]

As I understand it that recall applies to 2021 models and when it's very cold outside. Mine's a 2023 and the temperature was in the 60s.

It could be related though. Maybe I'll give Toyota a call next week and see what they have to say about it.

If you get what some call a worthless tach, you will find if the ice is cold, which in ev mode at 60 degrees outside it would be, the engine will run around 1300 rpm warming up, and would not provide anywhere near the full power you want when you attempt to cut across a small opening in traffic. In the future, you may want to warm the gas engine above the 1300 rpm warm up mode before you ask for full power in a tight situation. Switch to hybrid mode for a while. Hit the gas for a moment, if you see it rev to 2500 rpm, it's ready. If not, the ice is still cold. My prime takes 10 minutes or more of 55 mph expressway speed to hit 190 degrees in 60 degree weather, much more in sub freezing temps. You can hammer it when its only 130, but that is hard on it.

 

[SDGTR]

If you get what some call a worthless tach, you will find if the ice is cold, which in ev mode at 60 degrees outside it would be, the engine will run around 1300 rpm warming up, and would not provide anywhere near the full power you want when you attempt to cut across a small opening in traffic. In the future, you may want to warm the gas engine above the 1300 rpm warm up mode before you ask for full power in a tight situation. Switch to hybrid mode for a while. Hit the gas for a moment, if you see it rev to 2500 rpm, it's ready. If not, the ice is still cold. My prime takes 10 minutes or more of 55 mph expressway speed to hit 190 degrees in 60 degree weather, much more in sub freezing temps. You can hammer it when its only 130, but that is hard on it.

The gas engine wasn't involved though. I was in EV mode using just the electric motors. I was asking for full EV power, not the full combined 302hp. If you're in EV mode and floor it you'll get full EV power without engaging the ICE. Only time my ICE engages when I go heavy on the gas pedal is when I'm in Auto or HV modes. But in EV mode I will just get the output of the EV motors.

 

[sinbad]

The gas engine wasn't involved though. I was in EV mode using just the electric motors. I was asking for full EV power, not the full combined 302hp. If you're in EV mode and floor it you'll get full EV power without engaging the ICE. Only time my ICE engages when I go heavy on the gas pedal is when I'm in Auto or HV modes. But in EV mode I will just get the output of the EV motors.

Understood. EV only does give some good initial acceleration without as much wheelspin. Coming from a WRX with a clutch pedal and limited slip differentials, I do like the extra power the Prime gives with the ice, in tight spots, even with all the tire spinning. I do a lot of driving in Amish horse and buggy land, where you need a quick pass on hilly back roads. I always have the ice warmed up.

 

[SDGTR]

Understood. EV only does give some good initial acceleration without as much wheelspin. Coming from a WRX with a clutch pedal and limited slip differentials, I do like the extra power the Prime gives with the ice, in tight spots, even with all the tire spinning. I do a lot of driving in Amish horse and buggy land, where you need a quick pass on hilly back roads. I always have the ice warmed up.

Yep, definitely more fun to drive with the ICE engaged or in Auto mode so it can kick in when you nail the gas but I was just in boring slow EV mode. But even EV mode has a very quick takeoff because of the immediate throttle response. Well...at least it does when it doesn't cut the power instead....

 

[meeder]

As I understand it that recall applies to 2021 models and when it's very cold outside. Mine's a 2023 and the temperature was in the 60s.

It could be related though. Maybe I'll give Toyota a call next week and see what they have to say about it.

I read that as well but the symptoms are very similar.

 

[jlee928]

I don't know then but check out the other thread - A scary hesitation experience in my RAV4 Prime Several other people reported an almost identical situation with their Rav4s. There is a problem with something and it only seems to happen when there is cross traffic or oncoming traffic.

could be Pre-collision-system. If you have a pedestrian or bike in front of you when making the turn, it will activate. Check out TSS video below.

 

[Ruthrj]

TSS will have an audible alarm chime in addition to the “BRAKE” visual warning. You’d know it if the system activated. I heard our ‘21 XSE Hybrid do it today for the first time while my wife was driving lol. What I’m reading is hesitation, not TSS activation.

 

[SDGTR]

TSS will have an audible alarm chime in addition to the “BRAKE” visual warning. You’d know it if the system activated. I heard our ‘21 XSE Hybrid do it today for the first time while my wife was driving lol. What I’m reading is hesitation, not TSS activation.

Did you check out the other thread?

A scary hesitation experience in my RAV4 Prime

I've had my 21 Prime since last August and after 6500 miles I really like almost everything about it, but yesterday I had an experience that was downright scary. I did a brief search here but couldn't find any other posts that described this problem. I was at a stop sign waiting to make a left...

www.rav4world.com

Several other people reported the same thing I experienced. I think in almost all of them oncoming or cross-traffic was a common factor. In the video above the closest thing I see that might have been in play here is Intersection Support. They show a car turning left with an oncoming car in its path. That looks like almost exactly what happened to me except when I felt the car die I floored the gas pedal and it crawled slowly across the lane until it regained power. Also, compared to the video example I was more perpendicular to the oncoming car and not facing it head on. No one has confirmed one way or another whether flooring the gas pedal and holding it down like that can override the TSS system braking in some situations.

To me, the TSS system either malfunctioning or being calibrated in a strange way still seems like the most likely culprit, especially after seeing that Intersection Support example.

 

[Elgaucho]

I bought a 2023 Rav4 with the fear that what described here would happen ... I had read similar problems on the Lexus NX forum! But I have to be honest to date (and at the same time I touch myself) it has never happened (2000 km travelled) ... bear in mind that the traffic in Italy is certainly more chaotic and unruly than in the USA or Canada!
I reported my humble experience!

 

[iTim314]

Several other people reported the same thing I experienced. I think in almost all of them oncoming or cross-traffic was a common factor.

In my instance, there was no cross- or oncoming-traffic. The path was clear. I was at a four-way stop with nobody else nearby. I pressed the accelerator, and the car just lazily inched forward for about four seconds. It's as if the accelerator position was not being communicated to the powertrain. No warning lights, no "BRAKE" banner and screeching alarm. I don't think TSS has anything to do with this.

 

[eGor451]

Apparently a brand new $50K car randomly cutting power when told to accelerate isn't a problem. The problem is people making left turns. Got it. Makes perfect sense.

Dude…you didn’t get the LTAO (Left Turn Acceleration Option) ?? It’s an additional $5K/year subscription thing but totally worth it if you ask me! 😂

Reminds me of Stephen Wright saying he can’t can’t just call anyone he wants, his phone is missing the number “5” key! 😂🤔🤷‍♂️