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Ntd

Active member
Joined
Jul 22, 2013
Messages
34
Location
Los Altos
Related thread "Check EV warning message".

Moderator Edit said:
It seems like this problem is widespread and it would be useful to know how many Rav4 EVs have been affected by this (and how seriously). I have created a Google Docs form to survey forum users about this error. Anyone who fills out the form can see the results-- if you don't have a Rav4 or haven't had the error, then you won't be asked most of the questions.

Here is the survey link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Ayjsmzm_IuMC76otWXNJpRDiGOt7WVKAyInYW_UUTog/viewform

Once you have filled out the survey, you can view the summarized results here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Ayjsmzm_IuMC76otWXNJpRDiGOt7WVKAyInYW_UUTog/viewanalytics

And you can view the spreadsheet here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmMr7EqcMdZWdGRRN1NtZ0NpaVFuTGNwVmhMRFdEYkE&usp=sharing
Click to expand...

I leased a Rav4EV this week. Went to pick it up on Thursday and it wouldn't start-- Check EV System, etc. Dealer gave me a loaner, t spent the day in the service dept, and they wound up updating the software & it apparently was ok. Brought the car home on Friday. (This part I posted in the screen of death thread.)

Today (Sunday) the entire system turned off while I was driving on the freeway-- engine stopped, power steering stopped, and I was luckily able to negotiate across 4 lanes of traffic and get off of the road. Check EV System message on screen, battery is still half full. It's being towed to the dealer now and I have another loaner. 120 miles on the odometer.

I've already told the dealer that I don't want this vehicle; I should hear back from them tomorrow. I'm not really sure if I want another Rav4EV at all at this point. This was really, really dangerous and should never happen, particularly with a brand new car.
 
That is scary. What was the last 4 or 5 numbers of your vin? I just took one home yesterday and hope nothing like this happens with mine considering i'll be driving around with my family in the car. Keep us updated.
 
You are the second person to report something like this--check the big long "Check EV System" thread. Fortunately both you and the other person who had a problem while driving were able to avoid any kind of serious accident. Needless to say--very scary! Really makes you think they should recall all those Gateway ECUs and replace them since 1) Multiple people have had this problem 2) As far as we know, people who've had a Gateway ECU replaced have not had the problem come back.
 
^^^
Ummm... I've seen most of the videos w/him in it, but that doesn't mean he's the "point man". Do you have anything to suggest that he is?

Just because people are program managers, engineers or even chief engineers on a car doesn't mean that they're suddenly customer support. Big companies have specific channels and personnel for reporting issues. By having to go back to the dealer for this serious issue, there should already be a data point on Toyota's side. If one doesn't feel satisfied, calling Toyota (http://www.toyota.com/support/contact.html) and having them log the issue is another.

I've pointed folks to http://priuschat.com/threads/toyota-unveils-entune-app-ready-sync-fighter-at-ces.88347/#post-1239131 in another thread, I think. And yes, I've met Doug before. He was the Prius Product Manager (marketing guy) at the time.

Again, I recommend filing a safety complaint w/NHTSA once this is resolved so that at least we know the cause or solution instead of just a problem report w/o a solution.
 
As a surgeon, I have had many stressful moments but this ranks up there as one of the more stressful ones. Negotiating through 4 lanes on neutral without power steering on 280 and trying to avoid merging traffic from 87 is not something I ever want to experience again. I was thankful that my children were not in the car.

Before tackling Toyota today, I am hoping to get some objective data from this forum. Is there a way to poll the following?
1. Number who had the "check EV" light, of these whose car would not restart
2. Of the above how many had their Gateway ECU replaced
3. Of those who had the replacement, how many had their problems resolved

Having some numerators and denominators will help. I am sure that Toyota would like to take care if this problem before a fatality occurs.
Please PM me if you had this happen to you while driving.
Thanks for the leads above.
 
Yes, I think this is important info, if only for Toyota to get a handle on this sooner than later. I rather they recall this car to get this safety fix on all of the rav4evs before anyone has to experience what you've gone through!

Please keep us informed as you gather your info.
 
Ntd said:
Before tackling Toyota today, I am hoping to get some objective data from this forum. Is there a way to poll the following?
1. Number who had the "check EV" light, of these whose car would not restart
2. Of the above how many had their Gateway ECU replaced
3. Of those who had the replacement, how many had their problems resolved
Click to expand...


You might want to set up a spreadsheet as a google document and request that people in the forum fill in their data. It would be good to advertise in the Screen of Death EV system error thread.
 
I have had the error occur twice, once when shifting from P to D while in my driveway, the other while pulling out of a space in a parking lot (<5 mph). Both times the system restarted. Both times the Error Display cleared after 4-5 times of restarting the vehicle.

I have not had my ECU replaced. Was going to wait until next month when I trip 10k miles to have the Toyota dealership to look into it.
 
I'm cross posting this here and on the main Screen of Death... Check EV System thread.

It seems like this problem is widespread and it would be useful to know how many Rav4 EVs have been affected by this (and how seriously). I have created a Google Docs form to survey forum users about this error. Anyone who fills out the form can see the results-- if you don't have a Rav4 or haven't had the error, then you won't be asked most of the questions.

Here is the survey link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Ayjsmzm_IuMC76otWXNJpRDiGOt7WVKAyInYW_UUTog/viewform

Once you have filled out the survey, you can view the summarized results here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Ayjsmzm_IuMC76otWXNJpRDiGOt7WVKAyInYW_UUTog/viewanalytics
And you can view the spreadsheet here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmMr7EqcMdZWdGRRN1NtZ0NpaVFuTGNwVmhMRFdEYkE&usp=sharing

If you want to modify your responses, you can either re-enter the survey (I'll eventually merge them) or PM me with edits.

Let's get some data on this!

Marc
 
The same thing JUST happened to me, although I was driving on El Camino Real when it occurred. Same error messages appeared as yours. My son was in the car with me, and it was very stressful pulling over safely. After several attempts, I was able to restart the car. Tried to get it to the dealer, but the same error messages came back. My husband is with the car waiting for a tow. Please keep us posted on what you learn. I will update as well.
 
IMG_0180.JPG


Fortunately my husband took a photo of said event when it was happening. When he arrived at dealership via tow, the car started with no error codes :( Always document when this happens.
 
Ntd said:
I'm cross posting this here and on the main Screen of Death... Check EV System thread.

It seems like this problem is widespread and it would be useful to know how many Rav4 EVs have been affected by this (and how seriously). I have created a Google Docs form to survey forum users about this error. Anyone who fills out the form can see the results-- if you don't have a Rav4 or haven't had the error, then you won't be asked most of the questions.

Here is the survey link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Ayjsmzm_IuMC76otWXNJpRDiGOt7WVKAyInYW_UUTog/viewform

Let's get some data on this!

Marc
Click to expand...
I have had the Check EV System three times but two of them were when I started the car and not while the car was moving. One time might have been when I was driving but it did not disable the car in any way. I took the car into the dealer almost immediately and they saw the trouble codes. I fourth time I took the car in was because I was getting a Steering Lock message and could not get the car in gear. I cleared it by restarting the boot up while trying to move the steering wheel. It finally freed up and I was able to drive the car. It happened to my wife once and she panicked and doesn't want to drive the car unless I am with her.

I just filled out the google survey.
 
NTD,
if you read my posts on the "screen of death" page, i had my ecu gateway replaced and so far so good.
we lost power in the driveway luckily and your issue is the exact reason why we had it towed into dealer although it was driveable, just too dangerous.
according to our dealer in sf bay area in RWC where we bought it from, toyota would issue a recall but tesla does not.
to me that;s a bunch of bull since it is a toyota car.
 
^^^
If you want a recall to happen, then if in the absence of driver error and you had this or any other legitimate safety defect in the Rav4 EV or any other car, you really should file a safety complaint w/NHTSA at safercar.gov.

(FWIW, I AM a Toyota fan and am encouraging you to do so.)
 
Agreed. We're waiting for the inevitable diagnosis regarding the Gateway ECU before reporting so we can submit complete info.
 
Intermediate update. They suspect that our "propulsion unit" is bad, although Tesla is continuing to analyze the data that their field tech collected so they can be sure before recommending action.

I don't know at this point if they have any way to tell that a replacement propulsion unit is also defective unless it fails in the field.
 
It turned out to be BOTH the Gateway ECU and the propulsion system--will need to replace the "transmission" as well.
We hit the jackpot! Will report to safercar.gov

I would recommend that new owners negotiate a check of the Gateway ECU before you sign. I am not sure if Toyota can do this without Tesla though.
 

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