Online Forum for the 2012 Rav4 EV

Thanks Tony, and everyone else.

I’m currently at Toyota Sunnyvale looking at a long wait (maybe five hours?) for their EV technician to do diagnosis on my “Check EV System” message that resulted from draining my 12V battery while away for a couple of months.

My issue is that they’ve given me a $298 estimate for doing a diagnosis that I’m told potentialy won’t be covered by my Platinum extended warranty if it’s just a code that needs to be cleared and not due to something that the warranty covers. I’ve pushed back on a fee that seems exorbitant if it turns out an error code just needs to be cleared but they’re not budging on that.

Has anybody had better luck dealing with this somewhere else?

Update (five hours later): Yes, it turned out to just be an error code (yes, DTC 312F) that needed to be cleared. Apparently that translates as "Electric Propulsion Control Module Requested Mil". I don't know what "Mil" means but I'm told that the error code is associated with low voltage on the 12V battery, which of course is what I was expecting. (My Bosch AGM battery tested out fine by them. See my earlier message about recovering it.)

Setting aside the issue we all know already about how leaving your RAV4 EV to sit too long without being used (and forgetting to put it on a 12V battery trickle charger) can kill your non-AGM 12V battery and may result in a dealer-only serviceable "Check EV Message", I see two more glaring issues:

#1: Getting this "Check EV Message" error code cleared is not covered under our extended warranties;
and #2: Toyota Sunnyvale wants you to pay $298 as part of their standard diagnostic service to clear it.

I tried calling and emailing the service department at Toyota Magnussen (Palo Alto) to find out how much they would charge but I didn't hear back in time. The answer eventually came back as $160. In the end, after raising an argument with Toyota Sunnyvale, they lowered their charge to $198 for me. Erg, still too much when all I needed was for them to check and clear an error code.

So, buyer beware and here's another reason to stay away from Toyota Sunnyvale. (Yeah, I know, people have already reported having troubles with them. I mistakenly thought diagnosing an error code with an extended warranty in hand wouldn't leave me gouged.)

I submitted a complaint (as described above in my previous post) to Toyota Customer Care.
This is the rather disappointing reply:

I've replied with the explanation that plugging in the vehicle does not in fact maintain the 12V battery and provided links to various threads on the forum discussing the issue.

(sigh)

Hi,
1. DTC P312F (Info Code 448) = "Electric Propulsion Control Module Requested MIL (the Malfunction Iluminate Lampe aka "Check Engine Lampe") Illumination.
In other words, the reason for this code is the presence of a malfunction in the Tesla system.
This system can only be diagnosed using the "Tesla Powertrain Service Diagnostics RAV4":

and OEM interface "EV HV Powertrain Diagnostic Cable Kit" (OEM Part.No. 82824-36150-01):


You are told the version of Teslas Electric Propulsion Control System (must be v. 1.3.101*)?


As I understand, those "experts" either can not or do not really want to perform the necessary diagnostics , but they want money ... and a lot ...
I wonder , if they know about the second diagnostic Connector aka DLC3 No.2 ?

2.
* end of viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2117
** E.g.

Happened to us in our VIN 1111 2012 Pearl White RAV w 67900 miles it stopped at a light and would not go again for my wife, she recycled it a few times and limpled over to a church parking lot and called the hubbie "me" who stormed over in the Suburban. It had the dreaded CHECK EV SYSTEM we actually called Longo Toyota whose number showed up on center console they sent us to call Orange Toyota instead we called toying company but it was at 5pm so they were busy. I went and got a Uhaul tow dolly and took car home where I then had a nice expensive big paperweight.

Based on symptoms and I could restart it but would issue the space age induction sound to motor then quickly go to Neutral and CHECK EV again. I assumed something wrong with drivetrain, called CHARGE POWER go super helpful Alex on the line he said it might just be the Speed Sensor and that they had some so I ordered one picked it up the next day. Jacked up car today and replaced the speed sensor and it works!!!!!!!

Wife is happy again as the RAV EV is back in action only needing a lowly speed sensor. Now if we can source a new supply of speed sensors I suggest everyone carry on in their glove box.

Steve
2012 RAV EV White Pearl
Original Drivetrain new speed sensor
67900 miles

I have a second hand 2012 RAV4 EV, with over 105K miles on it (warranty expired).

The other day, I washed the car. Next morning, I wanted to charge it. I noticed little water droplets on and around the inner black cap, and also at the bottom of the charge compartment (rubber). It was a very little amount. So, I cleaned them with my fingers and attached the 110V charge connector. The time required for full charge was 4 hours. In the evening, to my surprise, the charge was still not complete! I then disconnected the cable and wanted to drive the vehicle out of the garage. After the System Check, it gave the famous error message: "...take the car to the dealer".

The first thing that came to my mind was to disconnect the auxiliary battery's ground (negative) cable. After doing that, I also opened the charge compartment and the little black lid in an attempt to evaporate remaining moisture, if any. I left the car sit for 24 hours. When I went back and connected the negative battery cable back, everything was back to normal (thank God!!!).

One strange thing: Now the full charge shows 127 miles range! It used to be 84-88-92. The most I've seen was 99. I haven't driven it yet, but I'm sure it'll go down to usual.

I hope this helps somebody in EV community. Let's keep going green. We need to save our precious planet.

Congratulations,
you just performed the
Tony-Test: How to Calculate Rated Range/Battery Degradation
and didn't realize it, now if you charged it to 100%
then you would divide your range number by 146 to find out your %degradation.

If water in the J1772 inlet could cause a system malfuntion, I would have seen it by now. Three years parked outdoors, east of Seattle: my charge inlet is ALWAYS wet.

I was driving normally (35 MPH on city streets) when my 2013 RAV4 EV totally shut down. I coasted to the side of the road and did a shut off and restart. It restarted and the Check EV System Warning message appeared after EV System Check but it drove normally.

After I got home, I disconnected the negative terminal of the 12V Battery but the Check EV System Warning still came back. Unknowingly, I had also performed the Tony Test which indicated 128 miles range (calculated 87% capacity remaining).

A few days later, I drove it to Findlay Toyota (in Henderson, Nevada) and they consulted with Toyota Technical Services to diagnose a bad 12V Battery. They put in a new Toyota battery, cleared the EV System Warning Light, and I am back on the road. (I am thankful that I didn't have to trailer it to a Toyota Dealer in California for this relatively simple service).

The old Interstate battery was installed in October 2017 so aparently it may be a good idea to just replace the 12V Battery at 36 to 40 month intervals to save an expensive trip to your local Toyota Dealer.

There's a 17-page thread on the issue of short 12v battery life in the RAV4 EV and why.

Generically, three years is the MAX that a typical lead-acid-and-plates battery seems to last in a RAV4 EV. It gets cycled a lot and overcharged when run for more than a few hours at a time.

Opinions on what battery to use for replacement vary. I'm using an expensive Odyessy AGM that I run in three other Toyotas here, all the same size -- not a recommendation, necessarily, as everybody's use case is different. When this one goes, I may look harder at a "12v" lithium replacement, but the one I looked at a year ago isn't rated for wet location use, which won't work for me in Seattle.