What You Need To Know About The Rav4 Hybrid Fuel Tank Lawsuit
I recently went, and test drove a Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. Honestly, I was very impressed with the vehicle. Toyota does make great quality cars like the Prius.
As one of the world's largest automobile manufacturers, Toyota is not without fault. There is a recent accusation against Toyota for an issue that some Rav4 Hybrid owners claim has broken their confidence in the car company.
I want to explain the lawsuit and also show why owners of the Rav4 hybrid should not worry.
The Rav4 Hybrid Fuel Tank Lawsuit
The lawsuit is straightforward to understand. In all reality, the issue with Rav4 Hybrid will not bring harm to anyone who owns the car, as long as you pay attention. The vehicle is not under a safety recall for the issue, but it does have owners worried.
The issue with the fuel tank is this. You cannot fill the fuel tank to the full capacity when the gauge shows empty, and the fuel light is on. Many consumers have reported that they can only fill the tank with 8 gallons of fuel, while others have reported 10 to 12 gallons.
The concern is that consumers cannot drive the estimated 580 miles that Toyota says it can go. Instead, owners are reporting 400 miles or less of the estimated range.
I can see how this would upset someone who just bought a $30,000 vehicle. I would expect it to work properly, as well. However, Rav4 Hybrid owners should not worry, and here is why.
The Reason Rav4 Hybrid Owners Should Not Worry
When you put your trust and faith into a company like Toyota, you expect you will get a product or service that will take care of your needs.
What happens when your car does not work as advertised is that your confidence in the carmaker, fails. What is worse is when you are not the only one who has the issue. It may seem as if Toyota lied to you about the car, and you all of a sudden feel duped by the giant car maker.
All of these feelings are entirely normal and are expected; however, you should not lose faith altogether. Toyota is ranked very high in customer satisfaction. As a mega car corporation, they have millions of customers who are the lifeblood of their business. Toyota will make it right; they always do.
For example, take a look at Prius and the hybrid battery failures they are having. Toyota could have said no to replacements but instead, they increased the battery warranty coverage. More on that story here.
Knowing this tells me that Toyota will do everything they can to correct the problem to keep their customer base happy and loving their products. Know that this issue is not one of safety unless you completely ignore your fuel gauge and miss the gas station. Your Rav4 Hybrid will still be safe, you may need to fill up more often is all.
Conclusion
I know right now it sucks to have the issue on your Rav4. I bet you have felt taken advantage of by your dealer or by Toyota. The thing is, it will be made right just give it some time. Major fixes like this take some time to collect data and come up with a viable solution for you.
Toyota is not the only company with issues, and honestly, they have the fewest problems per 100 out of any other carmaker on the planet. So, contact your dealer and get a warranty claim going for your Rav4 Hybrid if you have the issue and know that help is on the way.
Thank you all for reading. I look forward to seeing you in the next story. 3 Reasons The 2021 Toyota Sienna Hybrid Could End Prius Production.
Watch this Toyota Prius truck with a nice little bed and click to subscribe to Torque News Youtube for daily automotive news analysis.
Peter Neilson is an automotive consultant specializing in electric cars and hybrid battery technologies. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Automotive Service Technology from Weber State University. Peter is also an Instructor of Automotive Technology at Columbia Basin College. Peter can be reached on Linkedin and you can tweet him at The_hybrid_guy on Twitter. Find his page on Facebook at Certified Auto Consulting. Read more of Peter's stories at Toyota news coverage on Torque News. Search Toyota Prius Torque News for more in depth Prius coverage from our reporters.
Comments
Pages