RAV REVIEW

I enjoyed the service item on the Toyota RAV4.2 in the June 2019 issue. I have owned five of these since 2002 so obviously rate them very highly. I did spot an error in the service summary at the end of the article: you state that the timing belt has to be replaced at 60,000 miles or six years, but I think you mixed this up with the serpentine belt driving the alternator, water pump, aircon compressor, etc. The VVTI petrol RAV4.2 has a timing chain that doesn’t require any servicing. Jim Mckinney

Martyn Knowles responds: Thanks for the comments, Jim. Our RAV4 in for a service was registered in mid-2001 and we think we know where our mistake came from. The engines were changed from cambelt to timing chain in late 2000 and we hadn’t picked up on this when doing the final write-up.

Incidentally, while this RAV4 was in for servicing, it was noted that corrosion was forming towards the back end of the floorpan. There was also an issue that someone had obviously tried to undo one of the front suspension mounting points and not been able to do so, had cut into the floorpan and left a hole there that hadn’t been sealed.

I notice this particular RAV4 was presented for an MOT in July this year and failed on various items and is now not on the road.