I like to keep my vehicles forever. It seems assured that this well known, albeit covered up issue with the High Voltage Cable that powers the rear motor will eventually affect my car too. The cable is exposed and is subject to corrosion that costs many thousands of dollars to repair. Such a repair, at such a high cost makes the purchase of the hybrid model senseless. The trouble and high cost of the repair will outweigh all of the fuel savings over the time of vehicle ownership. Suddenly, not only is the expected replacement cost of the hybrid battery a factor in the decision to buy or not buy a Toyota Hybrid vehicle. The fact that so far, Toyota will not even call this a Hybrid Component Problem (that gets a longer warranty) is very disturbing!
Toyota has made a half-baked fix by removing a portion of the connector covering on the later models, but this "fix" is ridiculous and will only slow the inevitable corrosion problem by not supplying a cup to hold all of the corrosive agents that will land on this faulty cable connection.
I want a recall and replacement with a redesigned and corrected cable! I will surely do my best to let others know that Toyota will not stand behind their vehicles and do right by their customers. If I do buy another vehicle, it will not be a Toyota as long as Toyota is going to act this way! There are nicer vehicles than the RAV4, but I went with Toyota for the fuel economy and the supposed reliability. This Cablegate stunt by Toyota destroys any argument to buy a Toyota Hybrid vehicle, and for me, any Toyota whatsoever.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I like to keep my vehicles forever. It seems assured that this well known, albeit covered up issue with the High Voltage Cable that powers the rear motor will eventually affect my car too. The cable is exposed and is subject to corrosion that costs many thousands of dollars to repair. Such a repair, at such a high cost makes the purchase of the hybrid model senseless. The trouble and high cost of the repair will outweigh all of the fuel savings over the time of vehicle ownership. Suddenly, not only is the expected replacement cost of the hybrid battery a factor in the decision to buy or not buy a Toyota Hybrid vehicle. The fact that so far, Toyota will not even call this a Hybrid Component Problem (that gets a longer warranty) is very disturbing!
Toyota has made a half-baked fix by removing a portion of the connector covering on the later models, but this "fix" is ridiculous and will only slow the inevitable corrosion problem by not supplying a cup to hold all of the corrosive agents that will land on this faulty cable connection.
I want a recall and replacement with a redesigned and corrected cable! I will surely do my best to let others know that Toyota will not stand behind their vehicles and do right by their customers. If I do buy another vehicle, it will not be a Toyota as long as Toyota is going to act this way! There are nicer vehicles than the RAV4, but I went with Toyota for the fuel economy and the supposed reliability. This Cablegate stunt by Toyota destroys any argument to buy a Toyota Hybrid vehicle, and for me, any Toyota whatsoever.
- Lynn M., Molalla, OR, US