I'm surprised no one has mentioned this on the blog posts for the RAV4 yet but that tire cover mounted on the rear door sure makes a lot of noise when you drive over road imperfections or even minor rough patches. Its rattling can be heard throughout the cabin, making you wonder if something is loose in the cargo area or if the stowed third row is acting up.
Other than that the cabin is quiet but I just wonder why that cover wasn't made to be more secure, or why have a cover at all? Even when you slam that door shut the cover clatters...
It's a minor thing to be sure considering how much this lil SUV has going for it (see other RAV4 blog posts), and maybe RAV4 owners are able to tune it out after awhile. But for me it's like Chinese water torture.
Deputy Managing Editor Caroline Pardilla at 19,453 miles
Deputy Managing Editor Caroline Pardilla at 19,453 miles
rick8365 says:
03:38 PM, 07/16/07
As one who has little patience for squeaks, rattles or any other noise that doesn't belong......I feel your pain. A friend of mine had an S-10 Blazer with the spare mounted on the back like this and it was a constant source of noise. It made enough of an impression on me that when I look at the new FJ, I think to myself; would I want to go there - take a chance of years of listening to the spare tire? I'm only guessing that it makes noise or it will sooner or later - don't know for sure.
dalaw says:
11:58 AM, 07/17/07
maybe you can try stuffing old clothes inside the spare tire cover? that might solve the rattle problem
texases says:
02:56 PM, 07/17/07
They should do like the CR-V, move the spare elsewhere - major bad idea.
desmolicious says:
07:16 PM, 07/17/07
Those spares tyres hangin onto the tail gate are great if you get rear-ended, or by mistake back into a pole. Instead of the bumper taking the bump, it'll cave in your hatch. Sweet design(sarcasm for those who didn't pick up on it in the Ferrari oil cost thread). That is also on my Wrangler, d'oh!
bimmerjay says:
08:14 PM, 07/17/07
A good friend of mine has an '04 RAV4 and was recently rear-ended. It was a relatively moderate hit in stopped traffic - the vehicle behind her just couldn't stop in time. The impact pushed the tire into the rear door and extensively buckled the floor pan, which is left completely unprotected by a bumper or even energy-absorbing material. $12,500 and 2 months later, she had her car back. It's a mystery to me why Toyota persists with such a vulnerable design. Oh, and the outer plastic cover of the tire case was about $800 alone. I think the inner piece was around $200-300.
cbmorton says:
06:03 AM, 07/18/07
I'd like to see the rear spare go away as much as anyone else, but as far as the rattling goes, I wonder if Edmunds' spare tire cover is attached properly. It's a two-piece cover and there are a number of tabs that snap together to hold it securely, in addition to a latch. If some or all of these weren't done up properly it would be loose.
I have the same Limited model and my cover doesn't rattle. No, I haven't just tuned it out!
tcolberg85 says:
01:17 AM, 07/26/07
The question is whether moving the spare to inside the cargo compartment or underneath it would result in the loss of, perhaps, 4 cubic feet. The next question is: is that a tolerable loss?