Owners of the 2009 RAV4 report recurring rear suspension failures centered on corrosion and fastener integrity. The rear lower control arms are the primary culprit: they rust through and/or fastening bolts work loose, causing arms to separate from the frame. One owner's strut eye bolt went missing during normal driving after dealer service, allowing the suspension to collapse and the rear tire to skew into the wheel well—a loss-of-control hazard at highway speeds.
Toyota issued multiple recall campaigns (13V383000, 16V596000) to address this, but the remedy—applying epoxy to coat the arms—creates a new problem: owners later discover the sealed arms cannot be adjusted for alignment. Subsequent wheel alignment attempts fail, and dealers tell owners they must replace the entire control arm assembly ($600–$900) each time alignment is needed, a cost that dwarfs the original repair.
Part shortages plagued recall completion from 2014 to 2016. Owners received urgent recall letters, scheduled dealer appointments, then waited months with no parts available. One dealership received only 5 units weekly when 300 were needed. Owners also report loose or missing lug nuts and, in a few cases, strut cup wear and anti-sway bar link breakage. Dealers generally refuse to work with independent mechanics for these repairs, and warranty coverage disputes are common.
Failure modes owners describe
Rear Lower Control Arm Corrosion and Fastener Failure
Rear lower suspension control arms corrode and/or fastening bolts fail, causing the arm to separate from the vehicle frame or become loose. This can happen despite recall repair attempts, and the underlying corrosion condition affects the part's structural integrity.
When: Typically 150,000 miles or later; can occur years after initial purchase despite recall inspections claiming parts were acceptable
Symptoms owners cite: Loud wobbling or thumping noise from rear suspension; Vehicle pulling to one side (left or right); Rear tire hanging at an angle or skewing in wheel well; Wheel rubbing inside wheel well; Loss of vehicle control at highway speeds
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers replace corroded arms or fastening bolts; some recalls apply epoxy to seal the joint, making arms non-adjustable thereafter. Repair costs cited: $600–$830 for arm replacement
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaigns 12V373000, 13V383000, 16V596000 (rear lower suspension); dealers applied epoxy coating per recall remedy, preventing future adjustment and requiring full arm replacement for alignment work
Rear Suspension Arm Non-Adjustability After Recall Repair
Toyota's recall remedy of applying epoxy coating to the rear lower control arms permanently seals them, removing the vehicle's original adjustability feature. Owners later discover that routine wheel alignment is no longer possible without replacing the entire arm.
When: Discovered months to years after recall repair is performed (e.g., during subsequent alignment attempts)
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle pulling to one side when driving; Uneven or premature tire wear; Inability to adjust rear toe alignment; Impaired handling on turns and in wet weather; Alignment check failures at rear toe
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers state the epoxied arm cannot be adjusted; only remedy is full replacement of both rear lower control arms at cost of $600–$900 per alignment event. Labels applied to arms warn they are non-adjustable
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaigns 13V383000, 16V596000; Toyota's recall 'fix' consists of epoxy application; Toyota offers 10% discount on subsequent replacement work but does not address the core design change that removes adjustability
Rear Suspension Strut Fastener Loss
The bolt fastening the rear strut eye/bushing to the vehicle's main frame goes missing, allowing the suspension strut to separate and fall away from the frame. The strut hangs down and scrapes the ground while the rear tire skews inward into the wheel well.
When: During normal driving, sometimes following dealer service (e.g., oil change or tire rotation)
Symptoms owners cite: Thump noise from under the car when going over rough road; Part of strut hanging down and scraping ground; Rear tire severely skewed in wheel well; Tire rubbing on inside of wheel well
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers confirm missing bolt holding strut to frame; bolt is replaced or tightened. No specific cost cited in narratives
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Subject to recall inspections; dealers have performed recall service prior to failure but fastener still let go; cause of fastener loss not fully explained in owner reports
Anti-Sway Bar Link Breakage
Rear anti-sway bar linkages crack or break, requiring replacement. Occurs at relatively moderate mileage and is a separate issue from the lower control arm corrosion recall.
When: At or around 65,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Noise and/or handling issues related to rear suspension
Repairs/costs cited: Both rear anti-sway bar linkages were replaced at dealer service; no cost cited
Strut and Cup Wear/Damage
Right strut becomes damaged and binds; both strut cups (upper mounts) wear or damage prematurely. Owner finds this unexpected at 80,000 miles on a used vehicle.
When: 80,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Noise in front wheel area while driving and turning; Right strut damaged and binding
Repairs/costs cited: Right strut replacement and strut cup replacement on both front struts required; extended warranty does not cover
Rear Suspension Arm Recall Part Shortage
Multiple owners unable to complete mandatory recall work for rear lower suspension arms because required replacement parts are on extended national backorder. Dealers report receiving only 5 parts per week when 300 are needed, and some initially claim no ETA for parts availability. Owners receive repeated follow-up recall notices despite inability to schedule repair.
When: During recall service window (2014–2016 for campaigns 13V383000 and 16V596000)
Symptoms owners cite: No mechanical failure yet, but safety recall cannot be completed
Repairs/costs cited: Parts on national backorder; dealers place owners on waiting lists but cannot provide firm arrival dates. One owner told parts would arrive in 1–2 weeks, then informed weeks later of indefinite delay. Another dealership receiving only 5 units/week vs. 300 needed. Some owners waited over 1 year
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaigns 13V383000 (2013), 16V596000 (2016); Toyota corporate confirms parts on backorder but cannot provide ETA; multiple owners contacted customer service and corporate with no resolution offered
Shimmy and Loose Lug Nuts
Vehicle exhibits persistent shimmy/vibration complaint from purchase onward. During routine dealer service, technicians discover missing lug nuts and broken lug studs. Multiple lug nuts are lost or replaced over vehicle ownership, suggesting fastener retention issue.
When: Began shortly after purchase (Sept 2009); lug nut/stud issues discovered at 19,265 miles (Nov 2011) and continuing
Symptoms owners cite: Persistent shimmy/vibration in handling; Missing lug nuts discovered during service; Lug studs broken/missing
Repairs/costs cited: Alignments and tire rotations performed by dealer; 3+ lug nuts replaced; one lug stud replacement performed; dealer noted these issues are common on RAV4s of this model
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Multiple recalls issued; dealer acknowledged these are known issues on the model; Toyota corporate denied these issues are related or their responsibility; warranty coverage dispute
Synthesized from 51 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.