Finally some hope for owners of RAV4 hybrids manufactured from 2019 to 2021, those whose high-voltage cable over $6,000 corrodes prematurely. After months of “cablegate” and negative media coverage, Toyota is now agreeing to change the part at its own expense to fuel its investigation.
Posted at 6:30 a.m.
Toyota hasn’t announced any recalls or warranty enhancements for its RAV4 hybrids, but at least things are starting to move.
“In order to continue the ongoing investigation, we are recovering and replacing the affected parts through our dealerships,” Toyota spokesman Philippe Crowe wrote to me. These replacements are made “at no cost to the customer”.
This makes a huge difference, because motorists have found themselves with bills approaching $7,000. The piece alone was selling for $4,476 plus tax when I broke this story last spring.
Toyota has not officially announced the news to the general public.
But the rumor quickly spread in the last hours on the “Toyota CABLEGATE (Rav4 Hybrid & Rav4 Prime)” Facebook page, which has about 5,000 members. That’s a lot, but given the high popularity of the vehicle, certainly not everyone involved is aware of this development. So hopefully the dealers had clear guidelines.
Once the information was posted on Facebook, some owners were quick to call their dealer to find out more. They obtained confirmation that the cable change would be free if and only if an alarm on the dashboard indicates that the hybrid system is defective.
Those who would like to have a new cable installed as a preventive measure, to avoid breaking down, will therefore have to take their troubles patiently, it seems. It is also not known whether owners who have already paid the bill will be reimbursed. Toyota would not answer my questions as this case is “currently before the courts”.
In May, a class action request was filed by Adams Avocat, of Montreal. The Association for the Protection of Motorists (APA) was delighted, because Toyota “openly decided not to pay” even if the problem has been known since 2020, then commented on its president, George Iny. He also denounced the “grossly exaggerated” price of the part, which is similar to an extension cord for a mower and should not be sold for more than $500.
This class action request, which has not yet been heard by the Court, was amended this week to include other vehicles that have the same type of cable. These are the 2020-2022 Highlander Hybrids, 2019-2022 Prius with all-wheel drive, 2021-2022 Venza Hybrids, as well as the 2022 Lexus NX350h Hybrid and NX450h Plug-in Hybrid.
In addition, Adams Avocat is now seeking punitive damages of $1,000 rather than $300. Because the lawyer in charge of the case, Fredy Adams, judges that the answers provided by Toyota and its dealers to motorists are “frustrating” and “do not correspond” to the value of the cars in question. “When you buy a car for $40,000, you expect better service. It’s not professional,” he said.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY JEAN-THOMAS LANDRY
Corroded cable under a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
The fact that Toyota now replaces cables at its expense responds to one of Adams Avocat’s requests. But that won’t minimize the class action’s chances of being accepted, believes Ms.e Adams, since he is also claiming the extension of the warranty, reimbursement of costs already paid by certain RAV4 owners and punitive damages.
In fact, even if Toyota replaces certain cables for free, it does not solve everything. Who says that the new part will not corrode in turn?
In a report on “cablegate” broadcast in September by The bill, at Radio-Canada, a mechanic said that the modification of the part by Toyota on the more recent models is not even enough. The proof: he still sees corrosion!
Nothing to reassure owners of RAV4 hybrids… both current and future.
Especially since a good number of questions remain unanswered about future models. Will they have the same problem? Will they be better protected by the warranty?
So far, the lack of information has caused a lot of uncertainty and stress. Some people have sold their vehicle, others are afraid to use it. A practically new vehicle should rather provide peace of mind.