so this guy posted a video about 10 reasons he hates his rav4 prime and this part made me think... with the charge flap open and charging going on, it would be a nice and warm place for a critter to live.

 

What is the size of the critter in question?

I have my car plugged in every other day or less depending on if I have driven less. In a cold place such as Ontario, where I live, there aren't any critters small enough to fit in the charging port when the cover is open. Squirrels and Coyotes are the only "critters" you see around these parts in the winter.

 

Did you see the video? The Rav4 has a large charging port area. The Tesla charging port is almost flush with the body and a little flap opens to reveal the port so nothing can hold a live animal. Of course, people have had weird electrical issues in Teslas to only find out that mice have eaten through much of the harness . Happens to every car.

 

No, haven't watched the video, but assumed it must have been bigger compared to Tesla.

 

Questionable video. He discovers the "seeds" at the 7:30 minute area, but never shows the camera the seeds from the mouse nest. And the vent hole he is referring to is simply pipe for liquid (gas or rain water) to flow out of the gas cap area. This is not something I would worry about.

 

you only have to watch about 1 minute of the video where it starts from.

 

I had a mouse nest and eat through the wiring to my headlight on my 04 4R. Tech just wrapped it in electrical tape. And that was that.


The new RAV4 ever so slightly shrunk. The guy who did the video should have known this before he bought.

Big deal...

lame ladder on the back

 

Several of his Big 10 Gripes (not all of them) can be traced to cost-cutting and/or deficiencies in the design. I also agree with RXSF that he should have showed us some of the seeds.

As for his gripe about the 60/40 pattern on the rear-seat-fold, the RAV-4 Prime is not alone. The rear seats on GM's Trailblazer/Encore GX (and perhaps some other vehicles) also fold that way, because the right-front passenger seat also folds flat so one can carry long, narrow objects as long as eight feet. With the traditional 40/60 behind the driver, that would be more difficult or restrict the width of the objects that can be carried....having the 60-part on the passenger side makes it easier for cargo, even if it makes it more difficult for child-seats.

As for the tailgate being too slow to close, from my experience and reviews, it is about the same speed as most SUV/crossover power-liftgate systems. I don't see his point.

He is correct about a number of hybrids and BEVs (particularly older ones) having grabby brakes, because of the regenerative-braking when you lift your foot off the gas, without using the pedal at all. Using the brake-pedal simply adds more braking force....hence the sudden slowing.

Although each to his (or her) own, he also didn't touch on my biggest single beef with the new RAV-4....flimsy interior plastic parts, a complaint I have with a several Toyota products.

But, if you want a reliable drivetrain (which, to many people, is one of the most important expectations of any vehicle, as drivetrain-repairs tend to be the most expensive out of warranty)...then it's hard to beat a Toyota.

 

I hear some of the harnesses use soy based insulation so rats eat through it because it tastes good. I've heard this happen to every brand...those pesky mice

 

this wasn't about eating wiring or even the whole 10 items in the video.

i just thought the idea was interesting that leaving the charge port open (duh, obviously, to charge) might mean critters could get further into the car and i was wondering if, being a charge port, there might be some warmth there attracting critters in colder environments.

 

I think a bigger annoyance would be pranksters unplugging cars when they walk by.

 

Typically they lock into place while charging. They should unlock automatically when charging is completed, or the car door is unlocked.

 

Agreed.....that would be my #1 concern, too, unless they lock securely. Kids looking to play pranks, without anything better to do, will try almost anything.

It's also extremely important that the charging-assemblies be waterproof when charging outdoors in inclement weather. Otherwise, they could short out or electrocute people using them.

 

They lock in place while charging and are water proof as well.

 

I did have an episode where I could not remove my charging cable due to it being frozen.
I simply poured some warm water around it and it then came free.

It does lock into place and is water proof.