I have access to a 2021 Rav4 hybrid and can confirm it’s smooth as silk. I noticed the same thing you described with my 23 Venza. I felt it got a little better after the first oil change.

 

Occasional "jiggle" but nothing to complain about.

 

I wouldn’t expect any thing being done the service at the Toyota dealer told me they don’t have the equipment to do it

 

I noticed this on my '23. We had a '21 that was perfectly smooth. Not so much with the '23. You would think this would be a software update.

 

Did you ever think the cut some cost is why it’s that way? Do you think they could give a rats rear end about it?

 

I have posted about this before. I had a 2021 and it was extremely smooth. My 2023 has a very noticeable jerk when it switches from electric to gas. I have had it looked at twice at the dealership and they tell me it's normal. Having owned a 2021, I know it's not. Very frustrating!

 

Thanks, now I don't feel so all alone even as I'm beginning to resign myself to the idea that dealers can't tweak or tune or make adjustments to the system. I'm going to give it a try however.

 

AFAIK, no one from Toyota participates or probably ever visits this or other forums. The only way to get more attention about any issue that a dealer brushes off is to open a case with Toyota corporate.

Toyota Brand Engagement.
‭(800) 331-4331‬
Contact Us | Contact Toyota

Sometimes that's the kick in the pants some dealers need to respond. Toyota has field tech support specialists that schedule appointments with dealers to get issues resolved. They were instrumental with helping us get our infotainment system replaced.

FWIW our '23 Limited shifts smoothly from EV to the ICE. I always hate posting "mine works fine" when someone's having problems. Usually it's not too helpful and I know it adds to my anxiety when I have a problem and I read something like that. But in this case, if it's a big enough concern, it certainly should be addressed.

Hope that helps and best of luck!

 

AFAIK, no one from Toyota participates or probably ever visits this or other forums. The only way to get more attention about any issue that a dealer brushes off is to open a case with Toyota corporate.

Toyota Brand Engagement.
‭(800) 331-4331‬
Contact Us | Contact Toyota

Sometimes that's the kick in the pants some dealers need to respond. Toyota has field tech support specialists that schedule appointments with dealers to get issues resolved. They were instrumental with helping us get our infotainment system replaced.

FWIW our '23 Limited shifts smoothly from EV to the ICE. I always hate posting "mine works fine" when someone's having problems. Usually it's not too helpful and I know it adds to my anxiety when I have a problem and I read something like that. But in this case, if it's a big enough concern, it certainly should be addressed.

Hope that helps and best of luck!

Excellent post, thanks for that. Honestly, the fact that your '23 is smooth and flawless gives me some hope that what I'm experiencing is a flaw rather than a feature.

 

I've driven everything from a 23 down to our 2020. They ALL behaved the same way. Honestly OCCASIONALLY I can feel it ever so slightly, but to complain? Got better things to do with my life. The vehicle learns your drive style and adapts to it. If you constantly switch drivers (as my wife and I do) there is a transition period from one driver to the next.

 

In my case it's not occasionally, in my case it is absolutely consistently happening anytime I drive in the range of 20 to 60 mph. And like I previously wrote this is the fifth Toyota hybrid I've owned and the previous four were perfectly silky smooth.

 

I'm the only driver and it has had this issue since day 1. I don't think the car learns your driving as it trains you to ignore its problems.

 

2023 Venza LE, has the same problem, it will definitely come when we expect it to be the smoothest: cruising along. How annoying: the feeling of being in an elevator stops and goes, constantly, with the switching between EV and ICE. Toyota dealer tech said: "Couldn't replicate symptom, no codes": translation to plain English is "didn't have any clues how to fix or just didn't care".. Opened a case with Brand Engagement, the dealer promptly called us and said: "Sorry for your disappointment, would you bring it back so we can look?"; look at what, again? why didn't look when it was in their hands with my clear description of the symptom. If the car drives from A to B and stops when needed they would consider it "normal", unless it is a safety concern they don't give a S... driving comfort or should we say DIScomfort : there is no such inspection category specified in their book so they'll just ignore. Never Toyota again!

 

FWIW this past week I got an email from Toyota asking me about my experience and I definitely let them have it on this issue. I'm not really expecting any results.

Also I did talk to one service advisor at a dealership that seems to do a pretty decent job with service and I got the "are you getting any warning lights?" brush off from him.

 

Very interesting to read this thread as I have had the same challenge with a 2024 Rav4. I have driven Toyota hybrids for 16+ years (2 Prius + 2021 Rav4) and the transition from gas to EV is absolutely smooth. However, the new Rav4 lurches between gas and EV mode and is an unpleasant driver experience and the fuel consumption is 2-3 mpg worse. I tried to solve with Toyota USA and our local dealer and, while admitting the difference, they said that they don't have a solution. This is my first disappointing experience as a Toyota owner.

 

Has anyone noticed when [Dynamic] Cruise Control is set (actually in use with your foot off the gas pedal, not just activated) the transition between EV and ICE is much smoother? I would say switching EV to gas mode is almost unnoticeable just like a typical hybrid behaves (whether Toyota, Ford, or Hyundai that I have driven including a Gen 4 Prius we still own). My foot is very controlled as I used to work as a smog tech where the vehicle speed had to be stable or the test machine would abort the test so I don't think the jerk is caused by my foot.
Even though the transition is good with CC on, I am a conservative driver and feel the car accelerates and brakes harsher with CC than human but I choose CC because the jerking is so annoying.
This begs the question why the system responds differently with Cruise Control engaged. The answer is easy for Toyota engineers but Toyota just don't care and most dealer techs are clueless when it goes beyond oil change.
On the other hand, this Venza achieves 40+mpg at freeway speed 65-70mph with passenger and outside temp above 40F, city driving can get up to 46mpg so the car itself is mechanically sound.
Hope your annoying issue gets fixed soon 🍀, if so please share.
Best,
No-Toy

 

So I got my LE in for service a few weeks ago. I talked with the service writer who was definitely knowledgeable and he told me that there's nothing they could do at the dealer level. So when I got home I tried the ‭(800) 331-4331 number.
The agent on the phone found the record of the 5K service in Toyotas computer system and told me that there is no record of the dealer looking into the problem. So I will have the service department look into the problem when I go in for the 10K service so they create a record in Toyota's system and then we'll take it from there. So if anybody else follows through with this action like me, this should be vital information. Just talking to the service writer isn't going to get the process moving.

 

Any updates on this issue ? I recently purchased a 2023 Venza XLE with the similar issue.

Also has anybody done the 23TC08 Service Campaign (Vehicle Skid Control ECU reprogram) that pops up in the Toyota app & has it helped or affected the issue in any way ?

 

Welcome!

Our '23 Limited doesn't have this issue, so can't speak to it. Others will chime in. I wouldn't expect the VCU update to make any difference with the electric-to-gas transition issue though.

There are several threads about the VCU update including folks that have had it completed. Here's one (search box at the top of every page will turn up more):

https://www.toyotanation.com/threads/vehicle-skid-control-service-campaign.1777427/#post-14943774

We let our subscription to Toyota's Connected Services expire since we use Car Play Maps, Waze, etc., so I haven't made any effort to have it done.

 

I had 23TC08 done (according to dealer it ‘has been done’, how can I tell, should I trust the guy who said couldn’t replicate the rough transition we are talking about?) and it drives the same.

 

I had the car at the dealer yesterday to get a new remote programmed and the service person said it's normal to feel the switch from EV to gas on these cars as the system is larger than the Prius. Not sure if that's true or not but he says a lot of people do mention it.

 

Hmm, how would that service person explain smooth transition on other Rav4 hybrids and Venza hybrids that have exactly the same power train?

 

My ‘24 feels like a gear change, like you would get with a traditional automatic transmission.

 

Yes it feels like its upshifting to a higher gear when the ICE kicks in.

Has anyone noticed when [Dynamic] Cruise Control is set (actually in use with your foot off the gas pedal, not just activated) the transition between EV and ICE is much smoother? I would say switching EV to gas mode is almost unnoticeable just like a typical hybrid behaves (whether Toyota, Ford, or Hyundai that I have driven including a Gen 4 Prius we still own). My foot is very controlled as I used to work as a smog tech where the vehicle speed had to be stable or the test machine would abort the test so I don't think the jerk is caused by my foot.
Even though the transition is good with CC on, I am a conservative driver and feel the car accelerates and brakes harsher with CC than human but I choose CC because the jerking is so annoying.
This begs the question why the system responds differently with Cruise Control engaged. The answer is easy for Toyota engineers but Toyota just don't care and most dealer techs are clueless when it goes beyond oil change.
On the other hand, this Venza achieves 40+mpg at freeway speed 65-70mph with passenger and outside temp above 40F, city driving can get up to 46mpg so the car itself is mechanically sound.
Hope your annoying issue gets fixed soon 🍀, if so please share.
Best,
No-Toy

I notice no difference with adaptive cruise and normal driving.

 

The dealers don't have a fix for this so they tell us it's normal. That's just what they do. BS

 

Just wanted to add to the pile here. Purchased a 2024 Rav4 XLE Hybrid a few weeks ago. It's my first hybrid. I knew there would be a small adjustment but not THIS much for me. The first week with the car seemed fine, but ever since then I experience rough transitions between electric and gas. I lurch forward, it's noisy. Sometimes when I slow to a stop I can hear gas engine kick in randomly and very loudly too before going dead silent.

It's anxiety inducing and frankly uncomfortable. I'm calling the dealer tomorrow but I don't expect much help based on the response I'm seeing here.

 

Sorry to hear but seems like the newest models have some ECU programming issues that the dealer can’t remedy.
Also the heated seats suck they barely get warm.

 

I will be following this thread. I, too, bought a 2024 RAV4 Hybrid and I am experiencing a very noticeable surge at highway speeds when switching to/from gas to EV. Makes me sea sick sometimes with the jerking. I know I am not imagining it because we have 3 other RAV4 hybrids (two 2022 and one 2021) and those do not have issues what this new one has. I am hoping it's an ECU programming issue and that there is just a software update required.

 

Did you take it to the dealer yet ?

 

I purchased my first RAV4 hybrid recently, seemed fine until we took a decent length trip. Now when it goes into EV mode it will lurch or surge, not a pleasant feeling, makes you uncomfortable. Also noticed that since this started our mpg has dropped 2-3 mpg, calling the dealer tomorrow.

 

Seems to be a real problem with certain recent Rav4 hybrids, but not older ones. Reported many times on other forums.
No solutions mentioned.
Toyota seems to be denying it is an issue...just your imagination.
Go to dealer. Ask service advisor to ride along with you as diagnostics show nothing. Get him to escalate it to the regional tech. Stay after them.

 

Have an appointment with service at the dealer, not expecting much.

 

I am wondering how many of us who are having non-smooth transitions from gas to electric have vehicles come from the same manufacturing plant. To be specific either made in Canada, Japan or Kentucky. My 2024 RAV4 Hybrid has a J VIN if that matters.