Online Forum for the 2012 Rav4 EV

Hi! My wife and I were looking into a Rav4 EV since it seems like a perfect car for us (large, EV with good range, good price, etc.) and test drove one at a dealership. The one thing that is really holding us back from pulling the trigger is that we noticed a high pitched sound when stepping on the accelerator and we were wondering if that's normal/is there anything that can be done about it.

Additionally we were just wondering if there's anything else to look out for in general while testing a Rav4 EV.

Thanks for your time!

That is definitely not normal

Oops, should've used the search function, thinking it may be what this thread is about? viewtopic.php?f=8&t=251

The high-pitched whine is a well-known and extremely common issue with the RAV4 EV, and that thread is almost certainly referring to what you experienced. The Tesla propulsion unit used in these cars has a tendency to develop a high-pitched whine over time, and the whine has become so severe for many of us that we have had our propulsion units replaced. Some have had their propulsion units replaced multiple times.

The whine has not been linked with performance issues or actual drive failure, it's just an annoyance. However, it can get very loud over time - my own RAV4 EV had become as loud as a car without a muffler when we finally had it replaced under warranty. The general advice here is to make sure to purchase either a new car or used car Toyota Platinum warranty that will allow the propulsion unit to be replaced in the future should the noise become excessive.

If the car you test drove is loud now, it will likely get worse. If the car is under 60,000 miles, you might be able to ask them if they can replace it under warranty as part of the terms of the sale. You may also be able to find other RAVs on the used market that are more quiet than the one you test drove - when they were first sold, they were generally silent or near-silent.

Its definitely not the end of the world. As others have said, its a common problem. Thankfully it doesnt effect performance, it just might get a little annoying.

Ask them to fix it before you buy it. If its a Toyota dealer they should be able to but it will take time. You might risk losing the car if you require them to fix it before you will buy it. If you want it, buy it, buy a warranty and make sure they know you want it fixed later.

If the purchased vehicle is still within 5 years of the date it was sold new, and under 60,000 miles, the Toyota powertrain warranty will fix the noisy motor.

Always buy the Toyota Platinum used car warranty, up to 5 years / 60,000 additional miles from warranty purchase date.

The dealer in Bozeman, Montana seems to be a popular place to buy it.

It's also worth noting that the last round of "fixed" motors actually seem to be fixed and the noise is finally not recurring. I've gone much farther that it took for the noise to show up on my previous two motors, with no sign of the problem happening again. Others, both with the RAV4 and early Model S with the same motor design, have reported this.