I started up the RAV4 this afternoon. The radio was playing some awful 80s medley (can't trust that JACK FM) so I reached over to change the station before my ears started bleeding. To my surprise the screen was blurred, but all controls and presets still functioned properly.
I snapped a quick photo with the camera phone, hence the poor quality. After shutting down the car and re-starting it the problem was gone... Has anyone else out there experienced this issue?
Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Assistant - 14,489 miles
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Let's see, radio glitch on the Rav4, radio and compass issues on FJ, poor interior panel fit and squeaky dash on the Camry. Yup, things are not like they used to be...
I commented a couple of months ago in response to the "Gremlins Return" blog post that this is a known problem that some RAV4 owners have experienced (although most have not). There's a TSB and Toyota will install an updated unit. Guess the word didn't get around at Edmunds that a fix is available...
hmmm... I'll second desmolicious's comment... and add the Prius display and fuel gauge gremilins to the mix.... it seems like every Toyota in the fleet recently has had some sort of issue pop up. As the maker get ready to take over the world they start to fall apart at the seams, while GM fades away, they get better and better....
Mike,
Is it possible you discharged some static electricity into the display? My telephone display at work has done this before when I lightly touch it. I don't feel any shock but the display goes haywire for a minute.
I experienced this on a test drive. Turning off the engine and restarting solved the problem. It certainly did not give me the confidence to buy a Rav4.
Reaslistically, though, out of all of the Toyotas in the fleet, all of them have had niggling problems, but none have had debilitating problems. Let's not forget that Edmunds has had to flatbed vehicles and/or have serious work completed on them. The RAV & the FJ seem particularly good in this regard, even if neither these nor the others seem as rock-solid as people think they should be.
I guess that's true as none of them has had a starter fail (Jeep GC) or had a flat tire (Ford GT - but also not a vehicular" malfunction). I think the Land Rover that was in the fleet also had to be flat bedded due to an air suspension failure. I can't recall off hand others that have stranded drivers....
The Honda Pilot from a couple years ago stranded them..
The electronic glitches and resulting TSB's seem to be an industry-wide problem. As more and more stuff becomes electronically computer entangled, there seems to be a lot more software bugs. Yeah the Toyotas are definitely showing more problems though. What with the Camry's questionable fit and finish and the FJ's busted roof rack, there's room for Toyota to get back in the game where they used to be.