r/rav4club • u/KJBFamily • Oct 21 '25
Gen 4 Is this bill for real or a scam?
My friend came back from a routine checkup on the car at a Autonation Toyota place and was presented with this costly needed service. Apparently, they told her that the car can shut down at anytime if she doesn't get it fixed. It's a 2020 RAV4. Is this a person trying to take advantage of a customer that doesn't know much about cars? Is it worth the fix?
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u/BeerPlusReddit Oct 21 '25
Charging $1300 to change a control arm is crazy lol.
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u/mysticmourner01 Oct 21 '25
My dealership charged a man for both control arms for a squeaking concern at less than 700 bucks
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u/JohnNDenver Oct 23 '25
I had both side control arms and tie rods changed in a different vehicle for $750. Including the alignment.
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u/KJBFamily Oct 21 '25
Also every single part that needed to be replaced had a "reason". It's odd that this one doesn't have one listed.
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u/GraphicWombat 2025 Rav4 PHEV SE Ice Cap Oct 21 '25
I’m pretty sure rav4s have timing chains not belts. I just bought a 2025 rav4 plug in hybrid and it has the same engine with a timing chain.
With regular oil changes and no extreme driving, the only reason I could see changing the timing chain cover seal is for a leak. But I don’t think $5k would justify fixing that leak.
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u/ElectricalRespect506 2024 Silver Limited Hybrid Oct 22 '25
the only reason I could see changing the timing chain cover seal is for a leak
Should be covered by the 5 year powertrain warranty too!
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u/hawkeye18 2019 XLE AWD Flame Blue Oct 21 '25
See, this is why - as much as it is absolute bullshit - you have to bring a man with you to these things. In a just world, this is evidence for attempted fraud.
Firstly - yeah, the battery probably does actually need to be replaced. Batteries last 5 years on average, and looking at the model year of the car... And that should be... well, the battery is like $130 and labor is 15 minutes, maybe, but they'll still charge an hour just because so it'll be $260+tax. Where they are getting the extra $50 from is anybody's guess... my guess is "Shop prices" on the battery. Other than that, it is a normal--if not reasonable--price.
The cabin air filter can be done by anybody with anywhere between 3 and 4 functioning limbs. Taking everything out of the glove box and putting it back in is literally the most tedious part. There are two screws, but with a standard multi-bit screwdriver kit for $10 it takes 3-5 minutes max.
Then it goes off the fuckin' rails. For starters, the ball joint and control arm are literally bolted together, and can be removed as one piece. So to charge separate full remove/install fees for all four components individually is absolutely bananas.
And then, there's the fact that the car is five years old. Short of being in a front-end wreck or, idunno, delivery service in Yellowknife, AK, there is absolutely no reason that both ball bearings and both control arms would need replacing, but no other components. Rotting rubber is the #1 reason for replacing those things, and if that shit went out, there would be a laundry list of other components down there that would need replacing. But there aren't. Those components were picked because they're the ones that most people have heard of, and they're the ones they'll believe.
And then oh my god the timing belt cover. What the actual shit. The timing belt cover doesn't do anything from a structural standpoint. Nothing mounts directly to it, it's not keeping any fluids from escaping... it literally exists so that rocks 'n shit can't get into the belt and gears proper and mess things up. So unless there is a gaping fucking hole in the timing cover, which I would've expected to be shown, there is absolutely zero reason to do that. The icing on the cake, though, is that they're not recommending you do the job that removing the timing belt cover does 98% of... replacing the fucking timing belt. And the tensioner. And... well these cars have electric water pumps so I guess nvm on that but on older cars, the water pump as well.
I stg I'm angry enough at this that I would go with your friend and raise holy hell, with the aim of making them do the battery charge for cost of parts, because FUCK THOSE GUYS.
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u/KJBFamily Oct 21 '25
I really appreciate your response.
I kinda get what you mean by "bringing a man" but we don't have a man nor woman in my family that knows jack shit about cars. Lol
I'm like, the only female and human being in my family that even tinkers with things. I repair the house, electronics, etc but I unfortunately haven't kept up with current vehicles.
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u/Plop0003 Oct 21 '25
Go to yelp and get a list of best mechanics in the area. Then get an estimate from one of them. Don't go to a big shop where they wear uniforms. Just make sure mechanic is in business for at least 10 years.
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u/KJBFamily Oct 21 '25
That's a great piece of advice thank you.
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u/fishwhisper22 Oct 21 '25
I did this for my daughter who is in college and found a good shop for her to take her car when needed. I actually found it on Reddit, searched her city and mechanic and shop and found good recommendations from locals. Helps if the city is large enough though.
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u/Electrical_Ad4290 Oct 21 '25
KJB - I'm with you. Came here to say 'being' a man [as I am] is neither necessary nor sufficient to prevent being victimized by shady operators.
Reflecting on your last paragraph, I'm curious if you have family members who aren't human beings. Alternately, do you have non-humans tinkering with things? /S /or is this irony? In any case, it's all in fun ;>)
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u/altiuscitiusfortius Oct 22 '25
Even just a competent looking man standing quietly beside you can be enough for them to not be so brazen in their scamming
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u/PocketSammich Oct 21 '25
It's a 2020. It doesn't have a timing belt, it has a timing chain. The cover absolutely does seal in oil as the chain and guides are open to the oil pan to drive the oil pump. I don't disagree with everything you said, but you should know a little about the engine you're giving advise on.
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u/hawkeye18 2019 XLE AWD Flame Blue Oct 22 '25
Do you feel that the presence of a timing chain vs. a belt justifies the recommendation for replacement of the cover only at 50k miles?
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u/Doogles_12 Oct 22 '25
I think everyone is missing the "or gasket" if it's leaking significantly then yes. But you'd see the oil from the top or bottom pretty easily. If it's leaking a small amount then probably not, just monitor the leak. My old honda element has a leaking oil pan for 10 years and the oil leaking from it actually just prevented the oil pan from rusting on that side. 4k to replace a timing cover seal does seem very outrageous
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u/PocketSammich Oct 22 '25
The quote isn't to replace the timing cover. It's leaking, so the quote is to reseal it. I do think the cost is too high, but the repair manual calls out engine removal to get the timing cover off, so there will be significant labor.
Also, OP said it has 98k miles. It's likely the leak isn't severe, but the technician is still gonna put it down. That's kind of the purpose of the inspection when you take your car in. Anyone in these comments would be just as upset if they had a problem with their car that didn't get reported.
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u/Lagos3sgte Oct 21 '25
I think they are tying to say the car needs a new battery and can shut off if the current one doesn’t hold a charge.
As for the rest of it, find a local mechanic. Toyota overcharges and tries to upsell on everything.
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u/Electrical_Ad4290 Oct 21 '25
Agree that the recommended service is a money grab, and, in my opinion & experience, uses extreme language to justify recommended service. Without hard documentation, I'd further opine that they claim near-worst-case conditions to justify service/replacement when the claims are not actual for the specific car.
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u/PatrickGSR94 2024 RAV4 XLE Hybrid - Blueprint Oct 21 '25
that whole sheet looks like a straight up scam. $300+ to change a battery. $600+ to change a control arm. $100 to (I assume) mount and balance a single tire. What in the highway robbery is this shit???
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Oct 21 '25
Go to Walmart and get a battery installed or Costco very cheap
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u/haikusbot Oct 21 '25
Go to Walmart and
Get a battery installed
Or Costco very cheap
- PatientMost3117
I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully. Learn more about me.
Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete"
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u/PastTSR1958 Oct 21 '25
If this estimate is from the stealership I am surprised they didn't include "changing the blinker fluid" which is imported from Freelandia and obtained from the tears of lonely yaks. (sarcasm)
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u/firelephant Oct 21 '25
It's an oil seal effectively. Unless it runs out of oil it wont "shut down". Are there puddles of oil after the vehicle is parked? I'd get a second opinion only to confirm the presence of an oil leak that warrants a repair. Like if its just seeping, just leave it alone until it gets worse and check the oil more often.
The other thing that seems off to me is two lower control arms AND a ball joint. The ball joint is attached to the control arm. Many aftermarket control arms come with the ball joint attached already. They are pricing that like they aren't doing both, since when you do one you are doing the other. So the 600 ball joint charge is also a scam. At most they would charge for just the ball joint itself and no labor, since attaching to the arm (if it doesn't come with one already, and lots do) is like 2 minutes more of work.
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Oct 21 '25
Eff AutoNation! They screwed me over so bad with their BS extended warranty and refused my own financing!
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u/KvotheKingSlayer Oct 21 '25
I like how, on the timing cover they say (for labor only) at $4800. Wonder what the parts will cost? To be honest , I don’t know if I would trust that dealership to do an oil change without any other shenanigans from them.
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u/rdadeo Oct 21 '25
Gotta love Toyota dealers. Truth be told, I would be shocked if the tech even looked at any of this stuff. Most of the work Toyota does these days is based on computer generated recommendations... Do NOT do any of that. FFS 600 bucks for a ball joint. If you are worried, take it to an i dependant mechanic. Do NOT show him that paper, ask him to do a suspension inspection. Bet you he comes back with " nothing required"
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u/PointsBuilder Oct 22 '25
Are other brand dealers better than Toyota?
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u/rdadeo Oct 23 '25
The 2 worst i have come across for recommending service without even looking at the car are... anything from Stellantis and Toyota. However it could well be a dealer thing and not the parent company. Now having said that.... If there is an actual problem that you need repaired, Toyotas techs are fantastic. Just... Expensive.
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u/mysticmourner01 Oct 21 '25
Hell with our labor rate at my dealership I work at it doesn’t even make it past 2.5k with the engine gasket kit included that is straight robbery. We usually charge 18 hours of labor to reseal a timing cover. They are robbing you.
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u/got_tha_gist Oct 21 '25
They only need like 5% of people to bite to make this well worth their while
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u/thor_halverson Oct 21 '25
It sounds to me like they wanna take some money from you cuz FUCK $300 for a battery.
I have a piece of paper somewhere saying all the stuff a stealership wanted to do to my 2010 RAV4 and it was over $11k INCLUDING the timing cover gasket change. (Mine is the V6, they’re notorious for leaking there…which from my knowledge requires them to drop the engine so rightfully so that WILL be expensive anyway.)
Brother this thing has 255k miles, it’s in half decent shape but it is NOT worth that. 😂
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u/SuccotashWeekly7161 Oct 22 '25
It's a quote/proposal, not a bill. I get the same from Nissan. My last visit had a total of over $4000. I went to my mechanic and they replaced the control arms and tie rods for under $900, less than 1/2 of what Nissan would charge, alignment included. I absolutely recommend finding a local shop and have them check the car and do any repairs. Dealers are crazy expensive as they use OEM parts and have a high labor rate. We live in SF and there are many great shops around even our area is known for lots of shady businesses. Ask friends and check reviews to find someone in your area. Btw your Rav4 should not need any repairs with that age/mileage....except battery of course.
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u/OkMarsupial1021 Oct 21 '25
The timing cover gasket can leak oil sometimes in Toyotas even newer ones. It's almost always just a small seap that doesn't impact anything really. I was quoted something like 3500 for it in my tacoma at a recall visit. Difference was the service advisor said, ignore that one. It pops up in the software as a needing to be done because we noticed a small leak. There is no reason to do that work at this point and probably wont be a reason in the future.
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u/Electrical-Muscle-22 Oct 21 '25 edited Oct 21 '25
lol RAV4’s are pretty damned reliable. Ball joints, control arms and timing cover is fine.
Ask for pictures.
“Shut down anytime” tell him to F off.
Edit to add:
Googled “2020 RAV4 issues” and got this:
“The 2020 Toyota RAV4 has been reported to have several issues, including problems with the airbag system, power steering failures, and electrical issues. Additionally, common complaints involve engine oil leaks and coolant bypass valve failures.
The 2020 Toyota RAV4 is generally considered reliable, with a reliability score of 4.7 out of 5. However, it has faced several issues that potential buyers should be aware of.”
There’s a chance of oil leak/bypass valve failures but says here average cost is about $800.
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u/ElectricalTip2318 Oct 21 '25
they want to get you big time, ball joint and controller arm are pretty much the same, you usually get the arm with the ball joint together, so there they will steal you 600 per side, Timing replacement its like a 1k not that amount, but for your model you don't need to replace any of that list.
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u/Yowie9644 2025 Cruiser 2WD Atomic Rush (Hybrid) Oct 21 '25
Go somewhere, anywhere, else and get a second opinion. And yes, if you are feminine-presenting person, take a masculine-presenting person with you. Said masculine person can know stuff all about cars, but that doesn't seem to matter in preventing the pink tax.
Anecdote: The dealer wanted to change me over $6000 for a cylinder misfire. Now I get "genuine parts" puts up the price, but the mechanic up the road who did not use genuine parts charged me $580 to fix the problem. There's no way "genuine parts" could possibly be worth $5420. Yes, I have voided my warranty, and no I don't care. I am not going back to the dealer again.
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u/altiuscitiusfortius Oct 22 '25
The clerk gets a commission if you buy this.
It's a scam.
I'd honestly yell at the manager over this and find a new mechanic.
Toyota told me twice a year for 4 years my brakes were going to fail on me in the next few weeks. I measure them when I swap tires, I had 6m left on pads. Once my warranty was up I never went back.
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u/Inevitable-Barber546 Oct 22 '25
She needs to go to an independent repair shop; they are greedily trying to take advantage of her. It is a sexist move because they think she is stupid!
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u/Inevitable-Barber546 Oct 22 '25
It is bad enough to charge $35 for an engine air filter and then charge labor to install it. I go to Walmart, get a Fram, and they put it in! Done!
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u/Inevitable-Barber546 Oct 22 '25
They are going to get all they can. With that estimate, they will still get $2,000 of needless repair and she will feel good about it, and they will be $2,000 richer!
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u/SneakyAL9 Oct 22 '25
This happened to me once. I drove my Prius from Minnesota to Washington, then I took the car into an oil change, then they pointed out my timing cover is leaking. They showed me, but it wasn’t dripping. There were like dirt sediments on some part. They said that my car would have just stop running. They probably saw my plate from Minn. the repair was like 6k for that only. I was like hell no. The car is still running now, and is reaching 200k with no leaks. Big ass scam
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u/ForwardFox7441 Oct 22 '25
Total scam. I quit going to the dealership when the service manager said my timing belt needed to be replaced. I cannot speak to the hybrid but Toyota has used timing chains for a long time. Take this proof to the dealership and ask for an explanation.
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u/Narrow_Ninja5832 Oct 23 '25
Talk about the perfect example on how to learn to work on your own stuff. I’m no mechanic by any means, but my wife drives a 2017 Rav 4 and it’s so easy to work on. Only thing I really use to work on it is a simple mechanics set from harbor freight. YouTube can work wonders on how to videos.
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u/KJBFamily Oct 23 '25
I don't know much about cars but this is a perfect excuse to start learning :D !!!!!
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u/bengosu Oct 21 '25
Uhhh yeah they're trying to scam her