Caveat Emptor

[SolarDaveGreen]

Last weekend I test-drove two RAV4 EVs advertised for sale by used car dealers in the Los Angeles, California area:

VIN 2T3YL4DV7DW001669
VIN 2T3YL4DV9CW001493

Both cars made the infamous "milling noise" (Metal on metal grinding noise in the transaxle) described elsewhere in this forum.

Another test drive this weekend in Sunnyvale:

VIN 2T3YL4DV6EW003494
Milling noise. Not as bad as the first two. Dealer claimed it was "silent." It was not.

David

 

[alflash]

I wonder how the sellers explained the presence of these extraneous sounds?

 

[davewill]

I'm guessing they didn't. Just traded them in with no questions asked. In my experience, the sounds are not that loud, and an ICE driver (or dealer) likely wouldn't remark on them at all. Not to mention that if the dealer didn't take it for a diagnostic test ride, they couldn't possibly hear it. Heck, my old LEAF used to make a high-pitched whine that was perfectly normal for the car.

I expect these cars will be sold with the buyers having no idea anything is wrong.