A high-voltage cable in some Toyota RAV4 Hybrids is corroding unexpectedly and prematurely, causing a safety hazard. If this is a problem you’ve been having, you can finally relax.
The manufacturer has updated the warranty for some 2019-2022 RAV4 Hybrid models to include 8 years or 160,000 kilometres of coverage for the high-voltage wire under the floor and the cable for the rear electric motor, as reported by guideautoweb.com.
Fans of the RAV4 Hybrid will rejoice to hear this. A Toyota dealer will inspect the vehicle and make any necessary repairs to it at no cost to the customer if they find severe corrosion around certain components. You should make an appointment with a Toyota dealer if you are unsure about how much corrosion is present in your car.
According to guideautoweb.com, those RAV4 Hybrid owners who are subject to the warranty change will receive a formal letter in the mail in January.
This adjustment comes after several RAV4 Hybrid 2019-2022 owners spent thousands of dollars on repairs that were not covered by the standard 3-year/60,000-kilometer warranty, forcing a class action lawsuit to be launched in Quebec earlier in 2022 and currently awaiting court approval.
Toyota Canada issued an order to its dealers in October mandating that the cost of replacing the cable be borne by the customer regardless of the expiration of the standard 3 year/60,000 mile warranty. Further pressure is being applied to Toyota via a Change.org petition.
The RAV4 Prime and the 2023 RAV4 Hybrid, both of which have a different cable design, don’t appear to be affected by this warranty change. It’s also not relevant to any of Toyota’s other hybrid vehicles, even if they use the same hybrid drivetrain. Whether or not those cars will eventually be supported is something we hope Toyota will clarify.
